Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Vicki Delany

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

A delightful cozy mystery! I enjoyed it very much. If you enjoy mysteries or stories with an amateur sleuth, and do not need the graphic reality with descriptions of gore and violence, this is a good choice. You can follow the clues to solve the mystery without any threat of nightmares.

One of my favorite genres is crime, including cozy mystery. In the genre, it is not the intricate mysteries that are important, but the mood creation and the characters themselves, who are most often amateur detectives. I must say that in addition to creating the mood, the mystery here also moved our logic. A mystery, a bit of ghosting and a strong female character is the key to success for me. I am always happy when I manage to read a sparkling piece of writing like this story. I regret not being able to read the story in order because the backlinks were there, but in some places I felt few. I'm sure I'm going to buy the previous parts as well, so that the character representation comes together in a big round whole. I heartily recommend it for reading to lovers of the genre. Thanks to NetGalley for the publication!

Scarlet House, now a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts. When things start moving around on their own, board members suggest that Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, might be able to get to the bottom of it. Gemma doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she agrees to ‘eliminate the impossible’. But when Gemma and Jayne stumble across a dead body on the property, they’re forced to consider an all too physical threat. Will Gemma and Jayne be able to solve the mystery behind the haunted museum, or will they be the next to haunt it?
This was a very enjoyable cozy mystery, and I couldn't put it down. Gemma was a reluctant sleuth in this story, but she was very smart and resourceful. I love how she observes everything and comes up with the answers. I can't wait until the next Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery! Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

It's always fun to return to West London, MA and the world of Gemma and Jayne's bookshop/teashop. The site of one of the founding families of West London is where most of the story takes place. When the West London Historical Society wants Gemma to use her famed powers of observation to help decide if the goings-on at Scarlet House are real or paranormal, she is bemused, but plays along. A side story involving Gemma's shop assistant Ashleigh and an aging popstar adds another layer to the book. And the return of Gemma's sister Pippa ramps up the mystery of what may really be going on at Scarlet House.

I received a copy of this book from. NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

I absolutely loved this cozy mystery!! I feel that you can read this as a stand-alone book, even thoughit is the 8th in the series. Yes, there are referencesto the other books, but nothing that caused me to be lost or forced me to stop reading.. I will be looking into the prior books though as I enjoyed this series.

First, I love that the main character, Gemma Doyle, co-owns the Sherlock Holmes bookstore with her Uncle Arthur. Gemma and her best friend Jayne are asked to attend a meeting of the Historical Society, which is being held at the Scarlet House. Odd things are happening so Gemma and Jayne are asked to investigate. While investigating, they come across a dead body!

Again, I really enjoyed this Cozy Mystery, which is the 8th in the series, so I will be looking into the first 7 and any more that ck.e out. The characters are interesting and the story flows quickly and very well.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and

This is the 8th book in the series and it continues developing the ongoing story of the characters without it being repetitive or stale. The mystery was very much enjoyable although with a convoluted ending. Gemma again delites as a sherlockian copy. Enjoyed the side story of Asheligh as again continues a good pattern of character development. Looking forward to the next installment

This story was good but there were some hard parts to get through. There was some great characters but at times were hard to push through to finish. The characters were relatable and free spirited.

Vicki Delany continues her Sherlock Homes Bookshop series with The Game is a Footnote. As with the rest of the books in this series, the protagonists, Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson, face the challenges of investigating mysteries in the town of West London, Massachusetts while also operating the bookshop and tea room that are dedicated to all things Sherlock. This particular installment sees Gemma and Jayne conducting an investigation into a series of events that have been occurring at the local historical museum, Scarlet House. Shortly after beginning the investigation, one of the workers at the museum turns up dead as the result of a fall from the loft of the barn. To add to the havoc, Gemma's clerk at the bookshop disappears during one of her shifts without notifying anyone which results in yet another investigation for Gemma to undertake.

The author of this series has done an excellent job of creating a diverse cast of characters that carry through the entire series as well as introducing new individuals as each case requires. The extraordinary consistency that the author has maintained with regard to the history of both the characters and the town makes it possible for the reader to enjoy and follow the storylines in the various installments regardless of the order they read them in. It is ideal to read from the very beginning to get the complete story of Gemma and Jayne. This is not absolutely necessary as enough of the backstory is disclosed within the book to enable a new reader to understand the diverse relationships of the cast. I look forward to many more adventures for Gemma and Jayne in the future and maybe even a spin-off series for Gemma's sister Pippa to pursue on her own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the books in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series. The author has once again written a tale that pulls you in quickly but leaves you hanging until the end to solve the mystery. The characters are well developed and the nonhuman creatures add to the storyline. I also love how the author makes so many parallels to Sherlock Holmes. An entertaining read that has you anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. I can’t wait!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Having read all of the books in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, I have grown accustomed to the mannerisms of the characters. Gemma is not necessarily a likable character, but she does grow on you. In this installment, she and Jayne are trying to disprove a haunting and end up with another murder investigation. The mystery was not as strong as some other books in the series, but I did enjoy it. I hope readers will take the time to get to know Gemma before discarding the series. It has become one of my favorites!

When it appears that a ghost is haunting the historical reenactment site Scarlet House in West London, Massachusetts, bookstore owner Gemma Doyle is asked to spend the night in the house to investigate. After she sees something she can't explain, a volunteer associated with the house is killed, and Gemma tries to solve the mystery before anyone else is hurt.

This cozy mystery story has hit its stride, with main character Doyle having mellowed out a bit in comparison to the earlier titles. It was nice to see Gemma's sister, Pippa, make an appearance, and a B storyline involving Gemma's employee, Ashleigh, made a good real-life issue to contrast with the more supernatural main storyline. My only gripe is that the reader didn't get to spend as much time in the bookstore!

Recommended for readers of cozy mysteries, Sherlock Holmes fans who don't take the Holmes canon too seriously, and anyone looking for a snug, New England mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Ghosties and ghoulie and things that go bump in the night are things that Gemma treats with disdain. The volunteers at the historical house insist that things are moving around at night and it can only be something supernatural. Gemma, on the other hand, thinks something far more corporeal and sinister might be happening especially after a body is discovered.

Like the focus of her bookshop, Sherlock Holmes, she believes that once you have dismissed all the other possibilities, no matter how bizarre, whatever is left must be the truth. And when she discovers the truth, there is a very human and rather sad motive for the events.

Four purrs and two paws up.

I just love the idea of a Sherlock Holmes-themed book shop that’s also attached to a tea shop serving scones and afternoon English tea service. Plus, this was an interesting mystery – the ghost story obviously had some human cause behind it , but it was really fun to watch Gemma and Jayne try to figure things out.

Alongside the spooky happenings at the museum, Gemma has another mystery on her hands – her shop assistant seems to have gone missing. In the past, Ashleigh has proven to be an enthusiastic bookseller – with ideas of expansion and dreams of owning her own bookshop – so it seems a bit odd when she disappears from the shop in the middle of the day, leaving the bookshop open and unstaffed. While everyone else is telling her to leave it alone, Gemma can’t help looking for her missing assistant.

The only negative thing I have to say about the entire story is one instance where Gemma does one REALLY stupid thing close to the end of the book. I mean, most of our amateur sleuths make blunders, but this one seems like a doozy. It starts off as just one sentence before snowballing into something more serious, but as soon as I read that one sentence I knew what was going to happen. It didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the story at all, but it did have me shaking my head and asking myself, “Gemma, are you kidding me?”

I honestly had a tough time figuring out who the killer was because there were just enough red herrings and believable suspects to keep things interesting.

Some of the supporting characters from the previous books play larger parts in this plot, especially Ashleigh the shop assistant, and Pippa, Gemma’s high-achiever sister. While others are barely in the story, like Gemma’s uncle. Even Gemma’s boyfriend, WLPD lead detective Ryan Ashburton, doesn’t figure as prominently as I had expected he would.

Overall, this was another fantastic entry in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series and I’m very much looking forward to the next one.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Tricky, tricky. Vicki Delany’s latest Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery takes an unexpected turn two thirds of the way through the book with the arrival of Gemma Doyle’s sister, Pippa. The Game is A Footnote went from a small local mystery of a haunted house and murder to an international story with Pippa’s arrival. Well done!
The Doyles will solve all sorts of crimes, historical and current ones, before they move on with their lives. Delany’s latest mystery is a puzzling one with an unusual cast of characters. Just right for a series loosely based on Sherlock Holmes. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what kind of mystery Gemma and her friends will find themselves in.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC. This is the 8th book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery. I love cozy mysteries and this was right up my alley. It was a little hard to get into because I haven't read her other books but I'm definitely interested in going back and catching up. And I love the cover the cover always draws me into a book.

The Game is a Footnote Earns 5/5 Ghostly Threats … Clever & Entertaining Cozy!

“Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!” A haunting may not be the typical situation in which Gemma Doyle gets herself entangled, but since her reputation has preceded her, her best friend’s mother is asking for her help. Leslie Wilson reports several unexplained occurrences at The Historic Society’s Scarlet House. The house is the oldest in West London, Massachusetts, with a rich history, but it’s recently been experiencing a few oddities: missing items, things in the wrong place, and plenty of after-hours hijinks. Gemma immediately thinks it’s just annoying pranksters, but agree to spend the night in the mansion to make sure. However, it’s not a non-corporal entity that appears. It’s the body of one of the volunteers.

Vicki Delany’s Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium series is a delight, and this eighth book is one of the best. I love all the innuendos and references to Doyle’s iconic series along with a cleverly devised mystery, angst with law enforcement, missing assistant, and encounter with farm animals, a pop star, and a killer raise the bar. Gemma Doyle is a clever protagonist, confidant, and realistically portrayed through her actions and connections with other characters, especially the partnership with Jayne as her Watson which is key to my interest in the series. Yet, there is the arrival of one to challenge her skill adding some interesting conflict. A surprise conclusion made the read worthwhile. Animal enthusiasts will like her dogs, and romance is there, it’s just not central to this storyline. Thumbs up!

⭐⭐⭐ -- Cute cover on this book!

"The Game Is a Footnote" by Vicki Delany is an intriguing addition to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. In this eighth installment, bookshop owner and amateur detective Gemma Doyle finds herself embroiled in yet another murder investigation when she stumbles across a dead body on the Scarlet House property.

As always, Delany's writing is sharp and engaging. She draws her readers in with her clever plots and well-developed (and likable) characters. Fans of the series will appreciate the return of familiar faces such as Gemma's friend Jayne Wilson and police detective Ryan Ashburton, while new readers will find themselves quickly caught up in the action.

Overall, "The Game Is a Footnote" is a satisfying mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Gemma is roped into trying to disprove that a local historical farm house is not haunted. She and Jayne show up to spend the night along with a few others. There is a disturbance, but Gemma didn't catch anyone. The next morning, after arriving home, Jayne discovers she left her purse. So they turn around and go back. Once there, everything is locked up. They go over to the barn as the animals are making a ruckus. It's at this time that they discover a body.

This is a fun series. Gemma just can't help herself. She is inherently nosy. This is an easy read and very enjoyable. The characters are fun and the story kept me turning the pages.

Another excellent edition to a wonderful series! Full of twists and turns that leaves you wanting more and enjoying each moment until the end when the killer is caught!