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A review by kimdavishb
A Scandal in Scarlet by Vicki Delany
5.0
A SCANDAL IN SCARLET, the fourth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series by Vicki Delany, is probably my favorite in the series so far! I’ve enjoyed watching the protagonist, Gemma Doyle, grow over the course of the stories and with this new release, she seems to have come into her own. She is still overly observant, but has learned to tone down her abruptness which makes her more relatable. Ms. Delany captures the spirit of Sherlock Holmes by developing Gemma’s orderly sense of intellect in noticing clues and helping to solve murders. I especially enjoyed the Sherlockian vibes portrayed with her foray into disguising herself in this book. I hope to see more of the disguises in future books, whether or not it helps Gemma find clues.
Not only is Gemma a terrific character but the author has also developed good supporting characters, such as Gemma’s best friend, Jayne Wilson. They have a great friendship and work relationship since Jayne is part owner in Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom. I love how Jayne is willing to drop everything in order to protect and help Gemma out to solve the mystery while providing a bit of comic sidekick humor. Detective Ryan Ashburton is another welcome addition to the story, helping to bring out a tender side of Gemma. I’ve enjoyed watching their relationship blossom in a sweet manner while he’s learned to be more accepting of Gemma’s intellect and deducing skills. Ms. Delany intertwines a long ago, unsolved crime and a current day murder with great skill. She provides plenty of suspects for the crimes which kept me guessing. She also provides plenty of action with good pacing, keeping the reader engaged and turning pages. The exciting conclusion wrapped up the threads of the story and has me waiting impatiently for the next installment!
I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Not only is Gemma a terrific character but the author has also developed good supporting characters, such as Gemma’s best friend, Jayne Wilson. They have a great friendship and work relationship since Jayne is part owner in Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom. I love how Jayne is willing to drop everything in order to protect and help Gemma out to solve the mystery while providing a bit of comic sidekick humor. Detective Ryan Ashburton is another welcome addition to the story, helping to bring out a tender side of Gemma. I’ve enjoyed watching their relationship blossom in a sweet manner while he’s learned to be more accepting of Gemma’s intellect and deducing skills. Ms. Delany intertwines a long ago, unsolved crime and a current day murder with great skill. She provides plenty of suspects for the crimes which kept me guessing. She also provides plenty of action with good pacing, keeping the reader engaged and turning pages. The exciting conclusion wrapped up the threads of the story and has me waiting impatiently for the next installment!
I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.