Elementary, She Read

A New Way to Enjoy Sherlock HolmesIt isn’t mandatory for a book about Sherlock to be a new mystery starring Sherlock. In this clever new series, Gemma Doyle, manager of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, uses Sherlockian logic to figure out a crime scene she reluctantly stumbles into.Gemma has come to West London in Cape Cod for a fresh start after her divorce. She manages the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium for her great uncle, Arthur Doyle, a Sherlock Holmes aficionado. He bought the building for its address: 222 Baker Street. Next door (220 Baker Street), Jayne Wilson, who co-owns Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, has become Gemma’s best friend and confidant. The two shops are connected, benefiting both businesses.The story kick-off: While tidying up after twenty-four women on a bridge group holiday sweep in, shop, and leave, Gemma comes across a bag wedged between some books. Inside the bag is what appears to be an original edition of a magazine containing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s first story. If not fake, it could be worth a fortune. Gemma finds a postcard in the bag with the name of the hotel where the magazine’s owner must be staying. After stashing the magazine in her great uncle’s safe at home, she and Jayne set out for the hotel to ask a few questions before returning the magazine. They find a dead body, and the game is afoot.The characters are deftly drawn: Gemma isn’t the Sherlock Holmes fan both her great uncle and Jayne are, but her mind works, ironically, like the Great Detective’s. She can take every little detail and arrive at accurate conclusions in a way that disconcerts local police and even wrecked a fine romance. Jayne is her Doctor Watson, sensible, anchored, and yet secretly thrilling to the adventure Gemma drags her into. Other quirky characters move the plot along: great uncle Arthur who, despite being in his 90s, has wanderlust and is on a trip in this story. The author’s brushstrokes are just enough to make him vivid by his absence. (This reader hopes he pops up again in a future book.) Then there is Ruby, the grumpy clerk at the shop cash register; Irene Talbot, the journalist hungry for a story; two book collectors (one hunky, one boring), who take an interest in the magazine; Detective Louise Estrada, out to pin a murder rap on Gemma; a dysfunctional family of would-be heirs . . . and many minor characters breeze through the pages with life and humor. Gemma, as a matter of fact, has some very funny lines throughout.This is a mystery that is both satisfying in the puzzle sense and disarming to a reader who lies cozy mysteries with endearing sleuths.

This is a very good story. But I prefer mysteries that the reader is given a chance to solve. There is no evidence connecting the murderer to the victims before the very end of the book. Which I would call cheating.

Building sympathy for the protagonist was difficult because the constant use of British words was just annoying. She's been living in US for five years. Can't she just get over it.Story was ok, but I suspect that the cat may be right, she's not a nice person.

For anyone that has more than a passing interest in the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, "Elementary, She Read" is a must read! Gemma Doyle (no relation to Arthur Conan Doyle!) has come to West London (Cape Cod) to manage her Great Uncle Arthur's bookstore - "Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium". Located at 222 Baker Street, of course! I mean - that was one of the selling points when her Great Uncle bought the shop. Uncle Arthur is a great fan of Sherlock Holmes, and Holmes memorabelia. Gemma has added other Sherlockian items besides the books and magazines because, well, because they sell! A cat lover myself, I adore Moriarty, the resident cat. Moriarty loves everyone except Gemma, and her former boyfriend (and current police detective) Ryan.Gemma finds what appears to be a rare magazine containing an original Sherlock Holmes story - placed in amongst her books and magazines by a very strange looking woman, while the shop is filled with a woman's tour group. Emma and her best friend Jayne (who runs the adjoining Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room) set off to return the magazine to the woman who left it in the shop. They find her ... dead in a local hotel. Jayne calls the police, and when they arrive, Gemma is thunderstruck to see that her ex-boyfriend Ryan has returned from Boston, and is lead detective. He is not too friendly, but the other detective, a female detective, is going to present even more problems!A dead woman, her wayward son, a second dead woman, and a boatload of greedy people move this story forward at a very crisp pace. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I think that you will too!

Interesting plot with fun characters. I enjoyed the friendship between the two females. The fun background of Sherlock Holmes is a plus.

Interesting setup with Gemma Doyle running a book store dedicated to the Great Detective. We have a murder and a valuable early Holmes magazine. Secondary characters are setup well, but the main character is a little flat with the traditional Holmes style lack of social skills. Since the book is told in first person narrative it seems to render the book very emotionally flat. Still a solid read, but at almost twelve dollars an expensive book.

I thought this book would be an interesting read. While I found the storyline interesting, description of the area alluring and the characters well developed.The downfall for me is the main character Gemma Doyle. I know the author was comparing her powers of observation and deduction to the fictional Sherlock Holmes but having the character singing her own praises for the first couple chapters made her completely unlikable to me. It took me a week to get pass my dislike of the character and get to the second chapter.The storyline does follow the typical cozy, main character knows better than the bumbling police and I found in different chapters I was actually rooting for the female detective to lock Gemma up. What saved the book was a good and interesting story. A strange woman leaves a valuable magazine in Gemma's shop and winds up dead. After a second death and a break-up at Gemma's home the suspects are still few and far between.I've had books one and two for quite a while and I will probably read the second book but unless Gemma has a personality transplant or someone else narrates the book I think book 2 will be my last

As one of those pedantic Holmesians, rarely do I venture from the fog bound streets type of pastiche, but something about this book lured me, and I am glad it did. It is a refreshing take on Holmes, the author creates wonderful characters, care even taken with those who have merely walk on parts, all given great characters. The author weaves a gripping plot, along with a sense of humour ( for me the relationship between shop owner and resident cat is priceless ), also the author treats the relationship between American and English characters with skill and wit.Even my wife who yawns at the very mention of Holmes and Watson ( strange I know ! ), read this book and found it difficult to put down.Glad I stepped outside of my comfort zone it was brilliant, and I have already pre ordered the next two books.For all non Sherlockians who buy this book ..........Moriarty was Holmes' arch enemy !

OK read. I read this book because it is entered in the 2018 Arthur Ellis Best Novel awards and Vicki Delany is one of my favourite authors and I've read all the rest of her series and, of course, liked some books more than others. I do, though, think I like the Year Round Christmas the most with the Klondike series a close second. I have avoided this series so far as I am not a great Sherlock Holmes fan but I will admit I enjoyed this read. It has the usual superb Vicki Delany writing, a great cast of well written characters, some of which I actually liked with Moriarty probably the best and I'm not a great cat person, an interesting plot and a quite good but definitely not unexpected resolution because that was about the only way it could end. And it isn't necessary to be a big Sherlock fan to enjoy this read but I doubt if I'll be in a big rush to read more of this series unless I can get them as freebies or loaners from the Ontario Library Services Download Centre.

I was wanting a book that would keep me entertained and discovered a wonderful series. I love all the Sherlockian references. The story rocked along at a good pace. The plot well thought out. and I laughed out loud at some of the misadventures of our two sleuths. Looking forward to reading more. (Loved Violet by the way.)

A somewhat unbelievably clever, but very sympathetic protagonist. Lovely setting in a bookshop and tearoom on Cape Cod. Lots of plot twists and good supporting characters. Terrific!

Ambientazione carina . Personaggi monodimensionali, l’ammiccamento a Sherlock è solo superficiale . Nessuna possibilità di capire chi è l’assassino, exploit ultimo minuto in pure stile Deus Ex Machina . Non ne prenderò altri