Body on Baker Street (Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #2)

by Vicki Delany

Overview

The amateur sleuths of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop call upon their powers of deduction to rid Baker Street of a ruthless killer in this second Sherlockian cozy mystery in Vicky Delany’s acclaimed series!
 
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 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 cozy murder mystery perfect for fans of Miranda James and Kate Carlisle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683314615
Publisher:	CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Publication date:	01/09/2018
Series:	Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries , #2
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	673,507
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Vicki Delany is a national bestseller in the US and one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers. A former computer programmer and systems analyst, Vicki lives and writes in bucolic Prince Edward County, Ontario. She is the past president of the Crime Writers of Canada. This is her second Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Body on Baker Street:
“Cozy fans fond of Conan Doyle are most likely to enjoy Delany’s second whodunit.”
—Publishers Weekly

"Delightful...sure to please fans of Holmes pastiches and bookstore mysteries."
—Library Journal

“A twisty plot and an engaging main character. This series will appeal both to cozy readers and to Holmesians.”
—Booklist

“A light-hearted and delightful romp...A perfect novel to read to while away a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea or to keep you company on vacation.”
—Seattle Book Review, five-star review

"Cozy mystery fans will love this one!"
—Suspense Magazine

Praise for Elementary, She Read:
"Vicki Delany’s Elementary, She Read is an absolute delight. A perplexing mystery with a refreshingly intelligent and witty amateur sleuth, I enjoyed every well-crafted word of this Sherlock Holmes infused tale. A must read for lovers of all things Sherlock Holmes."
—Jenn McKinlay, NYT and USA Today bestselling author of Better Late Than Never

"Vicki Delany is one of my favorite mystery authors and with Elementary, She Read, she has outdone herself. This first book in her intriguing new series features Gemma Doyle, a wonderfully appealing protagonist who runs the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, where delightfully quirky characters and fascinating old books flourish. I loved everything about this story! The Cape Cod setting was enchanting and the intricate mystery kept me turning pages late into the night. Easily one of the best new mystery series on the market."
—Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author of the Fixer-Upper mysteries and the Bibliophile mysteries

“Elementary, She Read is a delight, fast, fun, and full of Sherlockian lore. Cheers for a charming, intelligent heroine as observant as The Great Detective himself.”
—Carolyn Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Walking on My Grave

“Thoroughly delightful. I defy anyone to read this book and not fall in love with the uber-observant Gemma Doyle. She may or may not be related to Sherlock Holmes’ creator, but she’s certainly kin to his most famous detective. The best new cozy series of the year.”
—Laura DiSilverio, bestselling author of the Readaholics Book Club mysteries and the award-winning The Reckoning Stones

Praise for Vicki Delany:
"A fun Yuletide-themed cozy with an appealing amateur sleuth."
—Library Journal on Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen

"Delightful...a humorous tinsel-covered tale that made me laugh out loud even while keeping me guessing."
—New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay on Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen

"A charming new series...a book lover’s dream."
—New York Times bestselling author Krista Davis on Booked for Trouble (as Eva Gates)

From the Publisher

07/03/2017
Cozy fans fond of Conan Doyle are most likely to enjoy Delany’s second whodunit featuring Gemma Doyle, the proprietor of a Massachusetts bookstore specializing in Sherlockiana (after Elementary, She Read). Gemma scrambles when Renalta Van Markoff, a bestselling author, asks to hold a book signing in two days. Renalta’s romance series, featuring Mrs. Desdemona Hudson as Holmes’s lover, has a devoted following, and the event draws a huge crowd. But tragedy strikes when the flamboyant author is poisoned after drinking from a bottle of water Gemma supplied. Suspects include a Sherlockian outraged by the liberties Renalta has taken with the canon and a woman who alleges that Renalta stole the series idea from her. Gemma’s unable to resist risky amateur sleuthing, including a scheme to break into police headquarters that will leave readers who haven’t bought into the character and the conceit groaning. Gemma’s deductive skills fail to impress, given the shaky foundations for some of her conclusions. Agent: Kim Lionetti, BookEnds Literary Agency. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

08/01/2017
The appearance of Renalta Van Markoff, the best-selling author of a controversial Holmes and Watson mystery series, at Gemma Doyle's bookshop is going swimmingly until Renalta falls over dead. Gemma's uncanny Sherlockian skills are called on in this delightful follow-up to Elementary, She Read. Sure to please fans of Holmes pastiches and bookstore mysteries.—LH

Library Journal

2017-07-04
A sleuthing bookstore owner may be too clever for her own good.English transplant Gemma Doyle owns the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and, together with her friend Jayne, the adjacent Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room in a coastal Massachusetts town. Linda Marke, personal assistant to bestselling author Renalta Van Markoff, excites and alarms Gemma by asking her to host Renalta's book signing in two days' time. Leaving her assistant to keep things running, Gemma dives into everything that must be done, including a list of special requests from Renalta, and soon all is ready to welcome the flamboyant author, who has many fans and more than a few enemies. Renalta's protagonist is Baker Street landlady Mrs. Hudson, who is having an affair with Holmes and often outdoes him in the investigative department, an idea Gemma's friend Donald Morris finds repugnant. While having dinner out with Jayne, Gemma is treated to the spectacle of Renalta, her publicist, Kevin, and Linda listening to a tirade from a woman named Paige, who accuses her of stealing the idea for her first book. Both Donald and Paige cause a scene at the signing, but Renalta is merely amused until she drinks from one of the special water bottles she ordered and keels over dead from what Gemma immediately suspects is cyanide poisoning. The fact that Gemma and Detective Ryan Ashburton have a past and maybe a future may be the reason Detective Louise Estrada warns her to stay out of the case after clashing with her over a previous murder (Elementary, She Read, 2017). Gemma, who has no intention of letting Donald be blamed for the crime, turns up many well-hidden secrets that point to other suspects. Remarkably, the heroine, who is often indeed annoyingly like Sherlock Holmes, manages to solve the mystery without alienating all her friends.

Kirkus Reviews