An incredibly rare piece of Sherlockian memorabilia, a main character with appealing quirks and of course a murder combine in ELEMENTARY, SHE READ, the first in Vicki Delany's new cozy Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series.
I was first drawn in to ELEMENTARY, SHE READ by the premise of a bookshop slash gift shop devoted to the Sherlock Holmes world. I kept reading because I became attached to the characters, especially Gemma.
Gemma Doyle is a transplanted Englishwoman living in West London on Cape Cod. Refreshingly candid, Gemma's keen observation of her physical surroundings makes her an asset the local police would be wise to utilize. Couple those skills with her charmingly myopic inability to understand or follow some social cues, and she instantly became one of my favorite sleuths.
ELEMENTARY, SHE READ is cozy in the best possible way. It features an intriguing story line and amateur sleuth with a compelling reason to take part in the investigation and who contributes to finding the solution rather than (as sometimes happens in lesser books) getting in the way of the real detectives. It is set in a lovingly described coastal town with plenty of incidental characters.
Holmes enthusiasts will enjoy Gemma's almost Sherlockian attention to detail as well as the many nods to those who have created pastiches of the world created by Arthur Conan Doyle.
Vicki Delany is the author of several mystery series, including the Constable Molly Smith series, Year-Round Christmas series, Klondike Mystery series, the Sergeant Ray Robertson Rapid Read novellas (all written under the name Vicki Delany) and the Lighthouse cozy mysteries (written under the name Eva Gates.)
Gemma Doyle, a transplanted Englishwoman, has returned to
the quaint town of West London on Cape Cod to manage her
Great Uncle Arthur's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and
Emporium.
The shop--located at 222 Baker Street--specializes in the
Holmes canon and pastiche, and is also the home of
Moriarty
the cat. When Gemma finds a rare and potentially valuable
magazine containing the first Sherlock Homes story hidden
in
the bookshop, she and her friend Jayne (who runs the
adjoining Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room) set off to find the
owner,
only to stumble upon a dead body.
The highly perceptive Gemma is the policeβs first
suspect,
so she puts her consummate powers of deduction to work to
clear her name, investigating a handsome rare books
expert,
the dead woman's suspiciously unmoved son, and a whole
family of greedy characters desperate to cash in on their
inheritance. But when Gemma and Jayne accidentally place
themselves at a second murder scene, it's a race to
uncover
the truth before the detectives lock them up for good.
Fans of Sherlock Holmes will delight in the sleuthing duo
of
Gemma and Jayne in Elementary, She Read, the
clever
and captivating series debut by nationally bestselling
author Vicki Delany.
EXCERPT
βHowβd you know the kitchenβs been ransacked?β Estrada said.
βI didnβt tell you that, and you canβt see into the kitchen
from the entrance.β
βDo you doubt everything youβre told, Detective Estrada?
Must be a very difficult way to go through life.β
She bristled.
βIt was perfectly obvious,β I said. βI smelled flour, tea,
and sugar the moment we came in. Those are normal scents in
anyoneβs house, but tonight theyβre of a strength that
indicates theyβve been recently dumped from their
containers. Overlaid with the odor of rotting vegetables, by
which I assume the fridge door has been left open. I keep
meaning to eat that kale because itβs supposed to be
healthy, but I really donβt care for it.
βWe can also assume that our intruder is a nonsmoker and
doesnβt apply perfume or aftershave regularly.
Unfortunately, it hasnβt rained for several days, although
the forecast did call for some, so they didnβt track mud
into the house. The flour! An unforgiveable oversight on my
part. You will, of course, want to take casts of footprints
that have tracked through the spilled flour and sugar.β
βIt didnβt get on the floor,β Estrada said. βBut itβs all
over the counter.β
βAs the front door appears to be untampered with, and I
donβt hand spare keys for my house to all and sundry, Iβll
assume our intruder came in through the back door. Therefore
the kitchen would be the logical first place to search.β
βEnough, Gemma,β Jayne whispered to me.
βI only want to point out the obvious facts.β Iβve been told
on more than one occasion that some people donβt understand
my attention to detail and thus misunderstand the
conclusions I draw from it. I have tried to stop, but I
might as well stop thinking. And this didnβt seem like a
suitable time in which to stop thinking.
βThe back doorβs been forced open, yes,β Estrada said. βIβll
admit, that was a good guess.β
I was about to inform her that I never guess, but Jayne
elbowed me in the ribs.
βI still think,β Estrada continued, βyou know way too much
about what went on here when you were supposedly not at
home. Never mind the dog. She doesnβt seem to have done much
to frighten off an intruder. She didnβt have to be locked up
or restrained while this person broke in and searched your
house.β
βThat was no curious incident,β I said. βSheβs a pet, not a
guard dog. What does she care if someone tosses my living
room as long as they donβt attempt to abscond with all the
dog biscuits?β
βIβve asked the fingerprint techs to come over right away,β
Ryan said. βThis is your home after all. In the meantime, I
need you and Jayne to remain in this room.β
βIt scarcely matters,β I said. βMy fingerprints are
everywhere. This is, as you pointed out, my house.β
Ryanβs phone rang. He lifted one hand, telling us all to
stay in place, and answered. As he listened, his eyes opened
wide. He let out a low whistle, turned, and walked to the
window, so his back was to us. The sneak! He didnβt want me
reading his face. βIs that so? Looks genuine? Very
interesting. Take them into custody. Iβm coming back.β At
last, the police searching the hotel room must have found
the jewelry. Took them long enough.
He put the phone away. βWeβre done here, Estrada. For now.β
βSir,β she said, with a glance at me that I didnβt care for
one little bit. βIf I might have a word.β
They went into the hall. Estrada closed the door behind her.
I righted the overturned desk chair and took a seat. Violet
settled onto the floor beside me. Jayne tiptoed across the
room and stood with her ear pressed to the door.
Fortunately, she heard them returning and leapt out of the
way in time to avoid being knocked senseless.
βYou two are not to leave town without my permission,β Ryan
said.
I nodded.
βDonβt talk to the press,β Estrada said. βOr anyone else
about this.β
βWe wonβt,β Jayne said.
βWeβll see ourselves out.β At that moment the doorbell rang.
Ryan opened it to admit a man and a woman with badges pinned
to their shirts. They carried bags of equipment.
βDo this room first,β Ryan said, βthen the kitchen and the
upstairs bedroom.β
βYou got it, Detective.β
βWhat about my car?β I said.
βTake a cab,β Estrada said.
βIβll put the dog outside,β Ryan said. βOtherwise, sheβll be
in the way. Come on, girl. Gemma, get that lock on the back
door fixed tonight.β
Estrada left by the front door, and Violet trotted happily
behind Ryan out the back.
Jayne and I watched the forensics people go about their
business. I have to admit, I find it a fascinating
procedure. Absolute proof to oneβs identity and presence can
be so small it canβt be seen by the unaided eye.
βIf you donβt mind, maβam, can you step back, please. Give
us some room to work.β
βYouβve missed that spot there.β
βThank you so much for pointing that out.β
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