This was my first book by this author, but it will not be my last. It did take me just a little while to really get into the story. However, after a little bit of acclimation to the characters it really grabbed my attention. The mystery had me second guessing myself a couple times and was a delightful wrap up at the end. I look forward to the next title by her.

The Game is a Footnote by Vicki Delany is the eighth A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. I found The Game is a Footnote to be a slow starter as we are given the detailed history of Scarlet House in West London, Massachusetts. I normally enjoy each new addition to this series, but I could not get into The Game is a Footnote. The author gave detailed descriptions of people’s attire along with their hairstyles (do I really need to know what each person is wearing down to their socks). In one scene, Gemma notes what is on the nightstand in an individual’s bedroom. We are even told the title and author of the book along with the placement of the bookmark. Gemma is a smart woman who is quick to notice details. I found two scenes that were out of character. Jayne mentions to Gemma that spending the night at Scarlet House reminds her of childhood sleepovers and pajama parties. Gemma is clueless and needs an explanation (you cannot tell me she did not read about it in a book or see it in a movie). The other scene is regarding Moriarty and a lily plant. Gemma has no idea that a lily is poisonous to cats (would you let a cat chew on a plant). The mystery is straightforward. The whodunit can easily be solved. The why is a no brainer thanks to certain details being mentioned a few times. There is a subplot that did not fit. It distracts Gemma from the main mystery. I thought the person involved acted out of character. The romance between Gemma and Ryan baffles me. There does not seem to be any chemistry and he does not appreciate her problem-solving abilities. Gemma’s sister, Pippa comes to town for a visit. Pippa is one smart cookie. I like what she added to the story and the mystery. It made the whodunit more intriguing. The Game is a Footnote has a spooky mystery with a historic house, a bruhaha in the barn, shifting items, a displeased detective, an absent assistant, and a sleuthing shopkeeper.

This is the eighth book in the series and my first. The author did a fantastic job at setting the scene for the Scarlet House. I was a tad confused at the many characters. I was able to follow the clues and was surprised by the ending. I enjoyed Gemma's observations.

I am fairly sure I have not read any of the previous seven books in this series, but I didn’t get the impression that it affected this reading. I liked Gemma and Jayne as characters, enjoyed the trying to figure out who done it. I will for sure be going back and looking for the previous books in this mystery series.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

Scarlet House, is a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts. Things are starting to move themselves and it looks like the museum is haunted. When a body turns up, Gemma and Jane are sure that it's a human causing all the trouble. With Detective Ashburton trying to keep them safe and out of trouble the girls become involved. This is book 8 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series with lots of returning characters. An enjoyable series without blood and gore.

This is my first time reading this series, and I started with the last book published.

I did enjoy it and read it quickly. I think more to find out the mystery than because I was thoroughly engrossed. As a first-time reader of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, I had difficulty with Gemma Doyle - the main character. I found her to be brassy. I slowly came to like her character, but honestly, I liked Pippa - the sister more.

Gemma and her best friend, Jayne, are asked to look into a ghost haunting an old Cape Cod home. Gemma and Jayne along with fiancee Andy stay in Scarlet House, where strange occurrences are taking place. Gemma does not believe in ghosts and sets out to prove that what is going on is just someone's idea of a mean prank. The next morning, Gemma and Jayne leave, only to return 15 mins later to retrieve Jayne's purse left on a chair, where she discovers a dead body in the barn. Different characters, strong personalities, and murder along with a well-written story grabbed my interest and I can honestly say I read this book in 1 day.

I didn't love it, but I did like it and will read another book in the series. (probably start with book 1) .

As a newbie to the series, I did miss out on Gemma's backstory and how she learned the trick of the trade. We know her sister Pippa works as a secret gov't agent, but how did Gemma come to be in Cape Cod and how did she learn her investigative skills? Def. Will go back and read book 1.

I enjoyed the mystery and how it all tied in together with Pippa's reason for being in the US.

Book number eight in the series and adventures with Gemma just keep getting better! Vicki Delany continues to up the suspense and manages to entertain at the same time. The addition of a few new characters also adds interest. Love the setting and characters. The idea that an old home was haunted plus a murder had me going through the whole book. It was well written and excited that there might be more books.

This is one of my favorite series and this one was just as good as the others! I love Gemma and Jayne they are great characters, well I just like all the characters I am even starting to like the cranky cop Estrada...lol. Hope there will be another one!

I honestly had a hard time getting into this one. Maybe if I'd had an audiobook version it would have been easier for me to power through the beginning and enjoy the remainder better.

Update, yes the audiobook made it easier to power through the slow intro.

The eighth entry in this series continues its history of excellence. Familiar characters continue to be placed into new situations, which has kept the series from getting stale. Hopefully it will continue for a long time to come.

Really good, complex mystery. Very interesting and a lot of moving parts. Love Pippa. Hope to see her in future books!

Emma gets talked into looking into the strange things going on at Scarlett house. Is Scarlett House haunted or is there something more sinister going on?
With her trusted employee disappearing and her sister surprising her with a visit, there is a lot going on top of planning her best-friends wedding.
Another wonderful story with Emma and her crew, look forward to reading the next one!

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Gemma Doyle isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. In fact, she can be downright irritating, and not just to her boyfriend. When Gemma is asked to look into a haunted museum, with the possibility that ghosts are playing games, she isn’t exactly jumping for joy. But she and Jayne step in to find the truth. They didn’t expect to find a body.

Gemma and Jayne are unique characters, much of the time; they are interesting and easy to like. At other times, they are impossible to like. This was the case in; The Game is a Footnote. Sometimes I truly disliked Gemma. She is rude and insufferable at the best of times, and she has a superior attitude which makes it hard to enjoy the story. A haunted museum is nothing new, it has been used in many cozy mysteries. The suspects were all over the place, with a few that should have been far more relevant taking a back seat in the investigation. The killer came as no big surprise, and the motive for the killing was just a little too reminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes story without the intrigue.

There are a few chapters in the book that got my attention, and some of the more outrageous characters stick with the reader. I would love to explore the museum, haunted or otherwise. I liked some characters better than others. Oddly enough, I like Pippa, Gemma’s sister, more than Gemma herself. The aging pop star gives us a secondary mystery. Unfortunately, this story was far too predictable for me and didn’t tickle my fancy as much as other books and series by this author. Hopefully, this will change with the next installment.

I found this book very intriguing and couldn’t put it down until I finished. I really liked the characters, the weird things going on at the Scarlet House that no one could explain, and the storyline. The reveal at the end was very surprising.

Dollycas's Thoughts

A ghost appears to be haunting the historical reenactment site Scarlet House in West London, Massachusetts in the latest Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery. The museum board asks bookshop owner Gemma Doyle to give her input on the problem. While she doesn't believe in ghosts she reluctantly agrees to spend the night in the home with her friend Jayne and Jayne’s fiancé Andy. Two others camp out in the barn to observe things there. A big storm blew in, they all heard some weird noises, and something upset the barn animals but Gemma had no explanation for any of it. She assumes someone is playing some practical jokes. Then the next day, following a meeting to report on their sleepover Gemma and Jayne find a dead body in the barn.

Involved in another murder investigation, Gemma and Jayne delve into the site's history, its board, and volunteers in hopes to uncover who is behind the murder and the mischief at Scarlet House.

Add to that Gemma's sister Pippa arrives from England for a surprise visit and Ashleigh, Gemma's unique employee, left in the middle of her shift and is now missing. Oh, and bookshop cat Moriaty has a medical emergency.

_____

Ms. Delany has packed a lot of mayhem into this book and I wouldn't ever expect anything different.

The characters in this series are strong and well-developed. I did enjoy that it was Jayne's mother, Leslie, that got Jayne and Gemma mixed up with the people at Scarlet House.  I also enjoyed Pippa's surprise visit. Readers are able to see a different side of both Gemma and Jayne. Another character is introduced which brings havoc to the story regarding Ashleigh. I questioned some of the behavior but it worked as a distraction as intended. I was drawn into all the character's interactions easily.

The main mystery was pretty straightforward with clues nicely dropped in all the right places. The darn Gemma is a brave soul traveling around the drafty old house by herself while a thunderstorm was booming outside. I wouldn't have done it. She also goes to do some investigating without Jayne by her side and she lands herself in a real fix that she eventually got herself out of. I love this woman. Her keen way of observing things everyone else misses and the way she brings the clues all together are always fun to observe. I want to be just like her in my next life. She pulled this mystery together for a fantastic reveal. While I was on the right track there was a nice little twist that I really enjoyed. She also kept at it to solve the mystery of the missing Ashleigh too.

I love the way Ms. Delany tells a story. Her descriptive style paints wonderful pictures of time and place and brings her characters to life. It was so easy to escape into this story.

The Game is a Footnote is a marvelous addition to this series. It truly was A Perfect Escape!

The Game is a Footnote is the latest in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series by Vicki Delany. It was fun visiting West London, Massachusetts and Gemma, Jayne, and Detective Ryan again. Once again Gemma and Jayne discover another dead body, but some people believe a ghost is responsible so they set out to prove that a real live person is the real culprit. They start investigating and putting all the clues together just like the great Sherlock Holmes would have done to prove that a live person is responsible for the crime and not a ghost like some believe. Will they find out who the killer is before there is another victim? Read The Game is a Footnote to find out.

The Game is a Footnote

Book 8 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery Series
by Vicki Delany

Gemma Doyle, part-owner of both Mrs. Hudson’s Tearoom and the adjoining Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, is skeptical of the current case she’s being asked to investigate. According to Leslie Wilson, mother of Gemma’s best friend Jayne, possible ghostly happenings have occurred in the oldest home in the town of West London, Massachusetts. Scarlet House was built in 1648 and despite its age, it doesn’t have a history of hauntings or other paranormal activity. Until now. Items are disappearing from their usual spots only to be found later in odd places.

But the board chair, Robyn Kirkpatrick, had an unsettling experience while giving a school group a tour. Robyn saw a woman at the end of the upstairs hallway—a woman she didn’t know and couldn’t identify. Robyn looked away for a split second and when she looked back, the woman was gone. Further questioning of the staff revealed Robyn was the only one who had seen her. Gemma is on the verge of telling Robyn and the rest of the board she has no interest in pursuing this case, but instead she finds herself agreeing to spend the night in the old home, to see what is really going on.

The night doesn’t go well. Instead of clearing up the mysterious goings-on, the mystery deepens when a rolling pin is found where it wasn’t earlier, and something sets off the animals in the barn. Eventually, everything calms down and nothing is found to explain the commotion. At an emergency board meeting the next day, Jayne and Gemma give their report. Once back in town, Jayne realizes she’s forgotten her purse at Scarlet House and they go back to retrieve it. Once they get there, retrieving the purse is forgotten with the discovery of a body in the barnyard. No longer is this a case of a possible poltergeist, but of a murder. Someone is targeting Scarlet House for unknown reasons. Gemma needs to find out why before another murder occurs.

Vicki Delany
Publisher
Hardcover | $26.99
Published by Crooked Lane Books
Jan 10, 2023 | 320 Pages | 5-1/2 x 8-1/4| ISBN 9781639101450

#TheGameisaFootnote #NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks

I just love Vicki Delany's A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, and 'The Game is a Footnote' is no exception. There are so many nuanced layers of enjoyment to be had as British ex-pat Gemma seeks to resolve the murder of a re-enactment museum staff member with the usual blowback from law enforcement. Gemma is just such a delightful, quirky, brilliant character and I cherish the time I get to spend with her as she attempts to make her hometown a safer place while retaining a relationship with her policeman boyfriend. The resolution, involving Gemma's mysterious sister Pippa was a bit of a surprise for me. I loved it and can't wait for more!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I really like Gemma and her ability to be factual in what she sees that others just don't notice. I enjoyed the mystery and hope for many more in the series.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.