Thursday Thoughts: Blog Tour/Review and Giveaway--Body on Baker Street by Vicki Delany

  

It's a thrill to participate in the Body on Baker Street Blog Tour.  In this post you will find book, series, and author information along with my review. 

About the book . . . 

 

  Cozy Mystery . . . 2nd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (September 12, 2017)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1683312994
E-Book ASIN: B06XW3K7F5

Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson are busy managing the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium on Baker Street and adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room in anticipation of the store’s upcoming book signing with the illustrious Renalta Van Markoff, author of the controversial Hudson and Holmes mystery series. But during the author Q&A session, dedicated Sherlockian Donald Morris verbally attacks Renalta and her series for disgracing Sherlock’s legacy, only to be publicly humiliated when the author triumphantly lashes back and gains the upper hand. That is until Renalta collapses on the table―dead.

Donald insists he didn’t do it and pleads to his friends to clear his name. Fortunately, Gemma and Jayne have no shortage of suspects between the author’s bullied personal assistant, her frustrated publicist, the hapless publisher, a handsome rare book dealer, an obsessively rabid fan, and a world of other Sherlock enthusiasts with strong objections to Renalta’s depiction of the Great Detective. It’s up to the shrewd sleuthing duo to eliminate the impossible and deduce the truth before the West London police arrest an innocent man in Body on Baker Street, the second Sherlock Homes Bookshop mystery perfect for fans of Miranda James and Kate Carlisle.

My review . . .  
The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, located at 222 Baker Street, West London, Massachusetts is the setting for Vicki Delany’s entertaining Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series.  Gemma Doyle—British ex-pat and keen observer of human behavior whose deductive skills rival Holmes's—is the store proprietor and protagonist.

In Body on Baker Street, the town is abuzz when flamboyant bestselling author Renalta Van Markoff cancels her appearances in several major cities in favor of a visit to promote her latest book in the Hudson and Holmes series at Gemma’s bookstore.  Romance readers are thrilled at the chance to meet Renalta in person, while the town’s Sherlockians and members of the Baker Street Irregulars consider Renalta a charlatan who has defamed the great Holmes and sullied his character with her outrageous book plots.  The book signing draws standing-room only crowds of fans and detractors, and when Renalta collapses during the event, foul play is confirmed, and the search for a killer begins.

There is no shortage of colorful suspects among the audience: the author’s long-suffering staff; the fanatic fan club chapter president; a stalker who accused Renalta of stealing her idea for a book; a valuable book collector; a Holmes scholar; the frustrated publisher; and even Gemma herself all come under the suspicion of the West London Police Department.  And when Gemma reluctantly agrees to help clear the name of a friend on the suspect list, her sleuthing skills place her in the crosshairs of both the detectives and the killer.  This fast-paced mystery is filled with twists and turns and had me guessing whodunit and why until the end.

In addition to a solid mystery, Delany provides delightful references to Sherlock Holmes throughout—from the store’s street address and merchandise; to a cat named Moriarty and a dog named Violet; to the mention of other books with Sherlock themes.  Most alluring of all is the adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room—run by Gemma’s trusted friend and fellow sleuth, Jayne Wilson—where a proper cup of tea, delectable scones, and tasty finger sandwiches are always plentiful.  Further, the author teases readers with mention of another character who has yet to appear—Gemma’s adventurous and elusive uncle, Arthur Doyle—thus building more interest in the series. 

While Body on Baker Street is the second in the series, it can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone.  Yet because the overall Cape Cod setting is so inviting and the main characters are so endearing, I also happily immersed myself in the previous book, Elementary, She Read.  The third book, The Cat of the Baskervilles is in the pipeline (publication date 2/13/18) and already on my wish list. 

Anglophiles, Sherlock Holmes aficionados, cozy mystery readers, and fans of stories set in bookstores will surely be charmed by this series.

Giveaway . . .
Enter for a chance to win a copy of Body on Baker Street, by clicking here

About the author . . .
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. She has written more than twenty-five books: clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals, to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. Under the name of Eva Gates, she writes the Lighthouse Library cozy series for Penguin Random House. Her latest book is Body on Baker Street, the second in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane.

Vicki is the past president of the Crime Writers of Canada.  Her work has been nominated for the Derringer, the Bony Blithe, the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak, and the Arthur Ellis Awards.

Author links . . . 
Website:   www.vickidelany.com 
Facebook:  Vicki Delany & Eva Gates 
Twitter:  @vickidelany and @evagatesauthor 


Purchase links . . .
Amazon  B&N 

 

Tour Participants . . . 

September 11 – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 11 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 12 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 12 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
September 13 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 13 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
September 14 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
September 14 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
September 15 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
September 15 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
September 16 – Varietats2010 – REVIEW
September 16 – Carole’s Book Corner – REVIEW
September 17 – Bookworm Cafe – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 17 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 18 – CelticLady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
September 19 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
September 19 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, GUEST POST
September 20 – Book Babble – REVIEW
September 20 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
September 21 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 22 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – INTERVIEW
September 22 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
September 22 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW
September 23 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – REVIEW
September 23 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 24 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 24 – A Cozy Experience – REVIEW 


Note:  I received a complimentary advance copy of Body on Baker Street from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday Thoughts: Blog Tour/Review and Giveaway--Body on Baker Street by Vicki Delany was originally published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com. This post cannot be republished without attribution.  Retweeting and sharing on Google+ are appreciated.