Mystery lovers get a bonus when they read Elementary, She Read. Not only do they get a first-rate mystery that keeps you guessing from page one, they also get excellent crime fiction recommendations.

I've already mentioned that the whodunit is definitely my cup of tea in this first Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery, and I'm happy to report that the Cape Cod setting ranks high, too.

Gemma Doyle isn't your usual heroine for a cozy mystery series. Normally such sleuths are girl-next-door types, but Gemma has an edginess to her, an abrasiveness. She's an introvert. She has a touch of OCD when it comes to how merchandise is presented on the bookshop shelves. She can be completely thoughtless when it comes to restaurant reservations... but she has an absolutely killing eye for detail. This woman isn't supposed to be your average girl-next-door. No, she's much more like Sherlock Holmes himself, and I found myself liking Gemma immensely.

I also liked the other main character, Gemma's best friend Jayne, and I'm looking forward to meeting Uncle Arthur in a future book. For an elderly man in his nineties, he spent his entire time on the road in Elementary, She Read. Sounds like quite a guy, doesn't he?

For cat lovers, there's the resident feline, Moriarty, who can't stand Gemma. That's okay-- I can't stand Moriarty. But don't get me going on the subject of allergies and having fur babies in bookshops and libraries. I'd much rather wax poetic about this book and wait impatiently for the next!

Elementary, She Read is the first book in the new Vicki Delany Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries. Set in West London Cape Cod, we find Gemma Doyle who has come from England to act as co-owner and manager of her Uncle Arthur's all things Sherlock bookshop located at 222 Baker Street.

Gemma works closely with her friend and co-owner of Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, Jayne Wilson. Jayne has scheduled a special stop at the Tea Room for a women's bridge tour. After their high tea the ladies crowd into the adjacent bookshop. While the store is so crowded, Gemma spots a unique appearing older woman sneaking in, then out, of the bookstore. Once the store is cleared of the tour group, Gemma and her employee Ruby begin to straighten the shelves, finding things all out of place. What Gemma finds totally out of place is a very special preserved issue of the Strand Magazine, the very magazine that the Holmes adventures first appeared.

When Gemma finds a postcard from the West London Hotel, a less than top notch lodging facility on the edge of town, in the bag with the magazine, she snags Jayne to go with her to return it. After walking the short distance to the large home Gemma shares with her uncle, she and Jayne take her Miata to the hotel. Not knowing the person's name Gemma can only give a description to the hotel clerk. When no information is given her, she suggests the clerk call the person's room. When there is no answer, Gemma and Jayne make as to leave but actually take the elevator to the second floor to do a little sleuthing of their own. What they did not expect to find was the door ajar and the mysterious woman sprawled on the bed apparently dead.

Gemma sends Jayne to the lobby to call the police, taking the opportunity to look around a bit, recording evidence as she does. When her former beau Ryan Ashburton arrives on the scene with his partner Detective Louise Estrada, Gemma is taken aback. The last she heard, Ryan had left town to pursue a position with the Boston PD. Once questioned, Gemma and Jayne are sent on their way after being told not to leave town. All this, and it is just the beginning! Gemma's house is ransacked, she is followed, and she finds yet another body, all the while moving to the top of Detective Estrada's prime suspect list.

A quick paced mystery with quirky, engaging characters, this story is a great first series edition. I enjoyed reading Gemma's no nonsense remarks and following her sometimes scary adventure. I do recommend this book.

This cosy-mystery sees bookshop owner Gemma Doyle in the middle of a mystery of Sherlockian proportions. And there are plenty of references to Holmes and Watson - after all, the shop is located a 222 Baker Street (West London, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA) - right next door to the inter-connected Mrs Hudson's Tea Rooms (run by bestie Jayne), and deals in all things Sherlock.

The discovery of a possible rare magazine edition and the murder of its owner see Gemma and Jayne at the centre of the police enquiry. Before long the intrepid duo are off investigating and soon find themselves stumbling upon a second victim.

Like all protagonists in cosy-mysteries, our heroine considers herself more observant than the local police and likes to insinuate herself into the investigation (in fact she can't understand why the police don't openly confide in her more). "I am not so full of myself that I think every event in life circles around me ..." says Gemma - but that is the truth.

This is my first Vicki Delany outing, and I found the story enjoyable and not overly complicated. We are slowly fed clues until a the final few chapters things start to come together and the truth is revealed. As this promises to be the first in a series, we are introduced to a variety of locals that no doubt will appear in further installments. I look forward to the rest of the series.

If you love Sherlock Holmes, this is the cozy mystery for you! Gemma Doyle is the part owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in New London, Massachusetts. She is originally from England, but has been living in the USA to help her Uncle Arthur run his bookshop. Gemma enjoys Sherlock Holmes but is not fanatical about him. Her Uncle is the one who is the big fan, and for the duration of the book he is away traveling the United States.

One day, after a large tour group leaves her shop, Gemma finds a very rare copy of a magazine, containing the first published Sherlock story, tucked into one of her shelves. She thinks one of the women in the group has left it behind, whether or not by accident is unknown. She tracks down the woman she thinks left it, and goes to her hotel. Once there, she finds the woman has been murdered! Gemma finds herself the prime suspect and is determined to solve the mystery and clear her name.

Gemma is an interesting character. There are a lot of references to her English accent, and her love of tea. But the main thing about her is she has an almost Holmesian level of observation and deduction. This can cause her to appear rude in other people's eyes. The policewoman running the investigation develops a hatred of her. I am not sure exactly why.

There are lots of suspects available, as the story delves into the world of Sherlock collectibles, and many people are on the hunt for that rare magazine copy. Gemma's best friend, Jayne, runs the tea shop next door, and is always willing to give Gemma a hand. She is a nice character, and helps balance out Gemma's logical personality.

My favorite part of the book were the scenes set in the bookshop. It seems like such a nice, happy place to work. Who knew there were that many Sherlock items in the world. Although to be fair, the shop seems to sell any book with even a loose connection to Sherlock Holmes. It makes me wish I could have a little book store too.

This is the first book in the new Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. If this book is any indication, I think this series is going to be a great success!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There’s nothing new about bookstore owner mysteries, but I was drawn to Elementary, She Read because of its subtitle: “A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery”. And I was entertained by how Vicki Delany gives an appropriate set of characteristics to her lead character.

Gemma Doyle is English but living in Cape Cod so she can manage her uncle’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. She’s not a huge fan, but she likes the seaside town and her life there after leaving behind an ex-husband. She’s added plenty of memorabilia to the shop’s stock, attracting more customers with DVDs and collectibles, which account for many of the amusing Holmes references made in passing.

Gemma’s also very observant, which gets her in trouble. She has a Sherlock-like ability to assess people at a glance, but it affects her relationships and causes her to become a murder suspect. (She seems to know too much, which makes detectives suspicious.) Which is why she starts trying to figure out what happened on her own.

The mystery revolves around a copy of the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes, the Beeton’s Christmas Annual that contained A Study in Scarlet. If it’s authentic, it could be worth over half a million dollars. But the woman who hid it in the bookstore (trees in a forest, right?) is found dead. Other suspects include a rare book dealer, a collector looking for bargains, and several litigious heirs with financial issues.

Gemma’s assisted by her best friend Jayne Wilson, a baker who runs the adjoining Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, so there’s food, and of course, as required in a cozy mystery, there’s a romantic angle. Gemma’s ex-boyfriend Ryan is the lead detective until his co-worker finds out about their past and gets him removed from the case.

I liked the details that captured the feel of the town and the retail business, and I liked more that Delany gives Gemma the observational aspects of a Holmesian character without the anti-emotion pieces that so often go along with them. Too often a Sherlockian detective is one who thinks they have license to be a jerk. By giving Gemma an emotional life as well as an intellectual one, she works as an allusion to but not a copy of the Great Detective.

Oh, and there’s a dog named Violet and a cat named Moriarty, and a nice emphasis on how to tell a true collectible from things that aren’t necessarily worth a lot. This is labeled a “series debut” — I’m eager to read the next one already! (The publisher provided a digital review copy.)

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

First off I must say, Vicki Delany is great! This is an auspicious beginning to a new cozy mystery series. I love the way that the author was able to portray a quaint little town and make me feel as though I was actually there, living in the moment and a part of solving of this mystery.

I feel that ‘Moriarty’ is the absolute best name for a shop cat where the majority of the inventory is based on Sherlockania (all things Sherlock Holmes – not just books but memorabilia as well). Moriarity hangs out at Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, which is co-owned by Gemma Doyle (an Englishwoman from London) and her uncle Arthur and is located at (you guessed it) 222 Baker Street, West London, Massachusetts. Moriarty also has ‘attitude’ towards Gemma; reminiscent of my daughter’s cat towards all of humankind….so I definitely could relate to this cat.

The cast for this book certainly had character! I loved how they interacted and was fascinated by how they interacted with Gemma, given her unusual way of seeing and relating with the world herself. In fact, you could say that Gemma was a female Sherlock Holmes. Socially awkward, highly analytical and wicked smart.

It all begins when a stranger leaves an old Strand magazine that is not part of the store’s inventory hidden among the other magazines. Gemma thinks back and does recall a woman that was separate from the travelling bridge group that attended the store earlier in the day. Gemma stumbles across the white bag the woman left in the store among the stacks, containing the valuable Strand magazine. Gemma’s first step was to put this valuable magazine in a safe place – her home safe. From there, Gemma (along with pal Jayne) manage to track down where this woman is staying in town. Unfortunately for this woman, Gemma and Jayne are just a few minutes too late and thus discover the woman has been killed – the first murder victim of the story.

As Gemma stumbles across the murder victim, she is of course the first suspect to be considered by the local constabulary. Gemma thus steps up to try and prove her innocence and pinpoint the actual killer. She methodically supports each suspect in such a way that you are totally on board with her deductions….at least until they are proven wrong. There are numerous twists and turns. These kept me guessing right up until the end.

There is a love component….Gemma used to date (and was in love with) the police detective in charge of this case – Ryan Ashburton. Throughout their interactions, Ryan still had great respect to Gemma’s analytical thought process. I felt they were trying to reconnect and figure out where all had gone wrong. Will there be a future for them? I hope so, but will have to read future books in this series to satisfy this question.

An promising beginning to a new series. We have a great amateur sleuth, which I am sure will be involved in more murders. Hopefully we see more of Jayne as well as Uncle Arthur in the future. I can’t wait to see where this new series takes me. Thank you Vicki Delany for writing a fun, fast paced, cozy mystery…just what I needed to read!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

This new cozy series by Vicky Delany is a delightful read. It is a very well crafted plot and a wonderful sleuth. Gemma Doyle is the manager of her families Sherlock Holmes theme bookstore on Cape Code. She finds a copy of the magazine that first published Holmes left behind by a visitor to her bookstore. She realizes how invaluable it is to collectors and decides to find the woman to return it. She finds the woman murdered and our sleuth begins. I love the introduction of a police detective that may be a love interest for the next book or not . The supporting characters are done to perfection. All in all a very enjoyable cozy read and the addition of the Sherlock Holmes elements are very well crafted. I look forward to the next in series. Thank you for the ARC that did not influence my review. This is a fun new series and a grand sleuth, I look forward to the next book. This review is cross posted on Amazon.

www.bookloons.com
Elementary, She Read
A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery
By Vicki Delany
Reviewed by Lyn Seippel

Crooked Lane Books, March, 2017

British divorcee Gemma Doyle is offered an investment she can’t refuse when her eccentric great-uncle invites her to the US to run his bookstore in the quaint town of West London on Cape Cod. The Sherlock Holmes Bookstore and Emporium is located at 222 Baker Street. Her uncle bought the real estate, formerly a hardware store, for the address. The shop specializes in everything Sherlock Holmes, including busts and posters of famous actors playing Holmes, DVDs of the movies, mugs, towels, playing cards, salt and pepper shakers and thimbles, plus current book series spinoffs featuring Sherlock and his relatives. The shop cat is called Moriarty and Gemma’s friend Jayne runs Miss Hudson’s Tea Room at 220 Baker Street.
At the end of a particularly busy time at the store, Gemma finds a rare magazine that doesn’t belong to the shop. In the crush of customers, someone slipped a priceless copy of Beeton’s Christmas Annual on the current novel’s bookshelf. The magazine features the first printing of “A Study in Scarlet” by A. Conan Doyle.
Gemma and Jayne set out to find the owner of the magazine, stumbling on her body instead. Gemma has Sherlockian observation and deduction skills and they are put to a test as she works to find the killer because the police arrest her for the murder.
Elementary, She Wrote, the first of The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries is a fun series that will appeal to cozy lovers. It’s told in first person by Gemma, a distant relative of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and includes lots of twists and turns to keep readers guessing.
Vicki Delany also writes the Constable Molly Smith series which takes place in Canada. That series is edgier and includes multiple points of view.

Shelves:
British divorcee Gemma Doyle is offered an investment she can’t refuse when her eccentric great-uncle invites her to the US to run his bookstore in the quaint town of West London on Cape Cod. The Sherlock Holmes Bookstore and Emporium is located at 222 Baker Street.

Vicki Delany's Elementary, She Read is quite possibly the coziest mystery I've ever read. Cozy mysteries aren't my go-to genre; however, Delany's tale has helped open up a whole new world of books for me. I'm highly anticipating the follow-up to this, the first in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series!

I mean, seriously, what's not to love about a protagonist who owns a cozy bookstore focused on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as books and items related to Sherlock Holmes in general? I had so much fun reading Delany's story that I completed in less than two days.

The characters are so lovable, yet flawed, and very well-developed. I adore the main character, Gemma Doyle, who lives in the sleepy Cape Cod tourist town of West London. Gemma is lovably snarky, absentminded, smart, witty, and superbly observant, making her the perfect amateur detective.

Gemma's best friend and owner of the tea shop adjoining the Sherlock Holmes Bookstore and Emporium, Jayne, is an excellent foil for Gemma. Put together, organized, and gorgeous, Jayne fits the role of Gemma's best friend perfectly.

I really like that Delany's book focuses on the mystery at hand and character development more than romance. While there are a few dates scattered throughout the story, as well as some teasers regarding Gemma's romantic past, I love that the mystery doesn't get bogged down by the minutiae of attraction between the sexes.

Furthermore, I enjoyed the easy, playful dialogue between the characters and the flow of Delany's writing style. The mystery at the center of the book is intriguing and I didn't come close to guessing which character is the culprit.

I have never delved into Sir Doyle's work or into the world of Sherlock Holmes, but after reading Elementary, She Read, I am incredibly looking forward to doing so.

"Elementary, She Read" is the first volume of a series about Gemma Doyle, a young woman who has a Sherlock Holmes specialty book store and is very similar to the famous detective. She is an attentive observer and sees much that escapes others (even the police), which leads to her being a bit arrogant when interacting with them. For her, the observations and the conclusions drawn from them are more than obvious and she does not understand how they can doubt that which leads to her alienating people. I have to admit that I found this a bit annoying. Gemma was not dislikeable to me, but occasionally she got on my nerves. Nevertheless, she is a very interesting character and her abilities are impressive, even though she occasionally overlooks something or is wrong (which I thought was good and realistic). The potential for further volumes is definitely there, especially if one considers her complicated relationship with law enforcement.

The case itself was quite compelling and well written. I guessed the killer early on, but it was still interesting to see how the puzzle was solved one step at a time. Notably was of course that the police suspected Gemma of being involved in the murders; as a reader, one knows that she's innocent, but it was quite understandable why the police came to that conclusion, and the protagonist's attempts to find the true culprit got extra weight because of that. Unfortunately, the way the detective reacted to Gemma was too extreme, because she seemed almost obsessed with this theory and thus not really professional. Hopefully, in the second volume, if the narrator is not again a suspect, that will be more balanced. Apart from that, I thought that all characters were well written and I especially liked Jayne, Gemma's best friend, and her ex-boyfriend Ryan. All the references to the books and films about "Sherlock Holmes" have also appealed to me and they gave the book a special note.

I'd rate this book 3.5 / 5 stars. I liked it a lot and the case was interesting, but Gemma was not one hundred percent sympathetic, which is why I took half a star off.

A cozy mystery located in the small town of West London. At first, I had trouble understanding if the bookshop was in England or the United States. I felt the characters were well developed. Once I was into the story the characters caught my attention and I read until I finished the book. Gemma' attitude annoyed me.
Gemma Doyle co-owns and manage a bookshop offering all kinds of merchandise about Conan Doyle and his works of Sherlock Holmes. Gemma and her best friend, Jayne become involved in a mystery when they find an early addition of a Sherlock Holmes story hidden in the bookstore. Gemma and Jayne trying to return to the person who left it finds a murdered woman. The homicide detectives turn out to be an old boyfriend of Gemma and woman who does not like Gemma. There are several twists and turns in the book. The ending is a surprise. I recommend this book.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Crooked Lane Books for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

ELEMENTARY, SHE READ (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #1)
In this brand new series which is a cozy mystery Gemma Doyle and her Great Uncle Arthur own a bookstore that is also a gift shop specializing in Sherlock Holmes books and gifts. Emma's best friend Jane who runs the adjoining coffee shop and bakery called Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, owns half of the Tearoom business. One day a busload of bridge players takes a tour to visit their business. In the same time frame Gemma notices a woman come in with a white plastic shopping bag.

While Emma is fixing the books on the bookshelf she finds a valuable magazine hidden between the books. It is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's first installment published. (no relation) Emma and Jayne go to the woman's hotel to try and return the magazine to the mysterious women and they find a dead body. They call the police and report it and soon Emma is the number one suspect. Emma is very observant and uses deduction to guess a lot of clues to various things.

The book is really a good mystery and the writing and characterizations are well done. I particularly liked the character of Jayne. Emma is pretty good as well. There are a lot more things that happens as this story progresses. You learn all that I have wrote in the first few chapters. Emma tries to clear her name but refuses to back off from investigating on her own. There is no graphic violence but plenty of action taking place in a Cape Cod town. This was a highly enjoyable read with the gentleness of a small town with people going about their business.
Five Stars. Highly recommended. It is not overly long, it can be

Title: Elementary She Read
Author: Vicki Delaney
Genre: cozy


I have to be honest when I initially saw this title, I was fairly certain it wouldn't be for me because I am not much of a fan of Sherlock Holmes, however I am pleased to say I was wrong. You do not need to be a fan of Sherlock Holmes to enjoy this book.
Elementary She Read is a charming cozy .. Vicki Delaney does such a brilliant job of setting the scene i I can picture myself browsing through The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop & Emporium and spending time with Gemma and Moriarty, and then popping into Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room for a spot of tea and a scone.
Without giving away spoilers or the plot , I throughly enjoyed the mystery and killer and the wrap up were well thought out and believeable (as far as cozys go).

I definitely recommend this one, even if you don't like Sherlock Holmes!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher

I always forget how much I enjoy a good cozy mystery! Almost as much as I enjoy finding a new to me author. This has all the earmarks of a classic mystery/who done it. Delany keeps it fresh, clever and engaging from start to finish. What book lover doesn't love a story set in a bookshop? My dream job. Enjoyable and will have you looking forward to the next in the series.

Elementary, She Read is the first book in a new series from the extremely prolific Canadian crime author, Vicki Delany. As I am a fan of her Constable Molly Smith series, I was delighted to have a chance to read this new effort. Gemma Doyle is the part-owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in West London, MA on Cape Cod. Oddly enough, Gemma is not a particular fan of the Sherlock canon. It's the other part-owner, her great-uncle, who is the true fan. But when Gemma's marriage fell apart and her great-uncle offered her the opportunity, she jumped at the chance to leave her native England and make a new start on Cape Cod. Five years in, she has made a success of the shop and expanded into the next door space with Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room. Her best friend, Jayne, is the baker and owner of Mrs. Hudson's, along with Gemma.

When a large tour group arrives Gemma and Jayne are welcoming and expecting brisk business. In the tumult of shoppers, Gemma notices a woman who is clearly not with the group. She seems distraught and furtive, not behaving normally. Gemma is a person who notices everything going on around her but she loses sight of the woman. In the clean-up after the group leaves, Gemma finds a what appears to be a bound and cellophane wrapped magazine copy of A Study in Scarlet stuffed into one of the shelves. If this is an original copy, signed by Arthur Conan Doyle himself, it could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Gemma thinks that the odd woman could have left it and sets out to find her. The problem is that when she finds her in a low-rent hotel, she is dead. Gemma is less than pleased to find that an old flame, Ryan Ashburton, is leading the investigation and that she is the chief suspect. Word gets out about the magazine and Gemma is quickly inundated with book collectors, greedy relatives and sensation seekers in general. Gemma and Jayne must spring into action to clear her of suspicion.

Gemma is a mixture of recklessness and an ability to reason in a very "Sherlockian" way. She can be an uncomfortable person to be around, I think, as she seems cold and dispassionate at times. But Jayne, her "Dr. Watson" and she are a formidable investigative team. I enjoyed Elementary, She Read and am looking forward to the next in the series. I hope that we actually get to meet Gemma's globe-trotting Uncle Arthur in the next book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.

RATING- 3.5 Stars

I enjoyed reading this fast paced cozy mystery. The characters had their quirks, but were likable. At times a bit far fetched, but a fictitious story that keeps the reader entertained. Just enough mention of Sherlock Holmes without being overkill.
Looking forward to reading what happens next~

Elementary, She Read
Vicki Delany

I loved the cover.

This was a very enjoyable story. Most of my reading is darker thrillers. This was fun, had wonderful characters, a tangled plot, and a real Sherlockian mystery.

Gemma Doyle is the delightfully refreshing propritor of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. She also has a extrodinary memory and a store cat that hisses at her. The setting is the town of East London on Cape Cod.
This is the first book in the series and I hope there are many more. Well crafted with lovable characters and lots of Sherlock Homes trivia. You will fall in love with these delightful characters as they try to solve a very tangled murder mystery . I loved it, made me laugh and feel good.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

"Elementary, She Read" by Vicki Delany is the first of a new series... A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery. It is a classic "who done it". Gemma Doyle is part owner (with her Great Uncle Arthur) of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium in West London on Cape Cod. Adjoining her bookshop is her best friend Jayne's tearoom. After a bus tour, Gemma finds a valuable copy of a Sherlock Holmes magazine hidden amongst her book offerings.

While trying to return the magazine to it's rightful owner, Gemma and Jayne stumble upon a body and Gemma becomes the primary suspect. Gemma is gifted with noticing things that other people do not, as did Sherlock Holmes. The book takes you on her journey to find the killer. Lots of interesting characters are introduced, including an ex-boyfriend, hunky antique books expert and other own residents.

This book was an enjoyable and quick read. It is my first book by this author and I look forward to reading some of her previous books and later books in this series.

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, I really didn't much care for it

First in the series.

This book just wasn't what I wanted it to be. I've enjoyed Ms. Delaney's other books and I loved the idea of a Sherlock bookstore, but I disliked the reality. Mostly, because I didn't really care for Gemma. There were a lot of little nit-picky things that all added up to make me dislike her. She was snooty and came off as condescending several times. I get that she's supposed be kind of a female version of Sherlock, but it's just too much. On and on she goes and then, "I only wanted to point out the obvious facts." Which of course I imagined being said in a really snarky voice. Plus she's one of those people that never orders their own food, just says, "I'll have some of yours." UGH.

Add in the extremely unpleasant police officer and I finally just ended up skimming through the story