🌟🌟🌟🌟 (3.5 rounded up)

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime, (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #10) by Vicki Delany from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.

In the tenth entry in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, author Vicki Delaney gives us another thrilling adventure from Gemma Doyle.
This time around Gemma is back in London for her sister Pippa’s wedding with Ryan, Jayne, and Donald Morris in tow. At the reception and ready to call it a night Gemma’s ex-husband Paul Erickson makes an unexpected appearance in the lobby. Awkward as it can be, Gemma notices that life hasn’t been kind to Paul and he seems defeated. Paul confesses that he misses her and begs for her opinion on a rare book. Although reluctant, Gemma agrees to meet with him in the morning at their old shop. As usual with Gemma, nothing can ever be easy. Taking Ryan as moral support, they arrive to find that Paul has been murdered and the mysterious book is missing. Of course, Gemma and friends get pulled into the middle of a murder investigation, which appears to have ties to a high-profile international incident that Pippa is involved with. Gemma, Jayne, Donald and Ryan travel throughout London and Yorkshire, dodging tails searching for answers and end up being learning that a distant relative could be involved.

One thing I really appreciated was seeing a more “feeling” version of Gemma as opposed to her usual hyper-focused, rational self and how this version of her interacts with and appreciates her friends quirks and all. As always, the author has given us a cleverly plotted cozy mystery with a fun and quirky cast of characters in a fast-paced story filled with twists, turns and plenty of red herrings. Being a devoted fan of the author and the series, although not my favorite in the series, I really enjoyed it just wished for more of a climax but nonetheless it was an entertaining read.

This book is a departure from the series in that it takes place in London, UK instead of West London, MA so the reader is left with a lot more big city drama than the usual closeknit cozy small-town. I think London itself was an actual character in this book because of the multitude of locations mentioned within the pages.

Gemma Doyle and her friend Jayne Wilson, her friend and bookstore patron Donald, Jayne's fiancé Andy and Gemma's boyfriend Ryan are all in the UK for Gemma's sister Pippa's wedding. Pippa does something high up in the British government that is a very hush hush position and her work affairs are not to be discussed with anyone. Gemma's ex-husband Paul shows up unexpectedly at the same hotel where Pippa's wedding takes place, claiming he wants to show Gemma a book that is "the real deal" and she should come to the shop they both owned while they were married. Except Gemma stumbles upon a dead Paul instead. Why was he killed? And what was the motive that Pippa's office is now involved?

Honestly, I struggle with British mysteries because I cannot keep all their nobility titles straight. Viscount this, Earl that... who outranks whom and why should I care? The nightclub scene with the many minor whatevers in attendance cause me a bit of frustration.

A good read but I prefer the ones set closer to Gemma's real home.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane books for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.


Gemma is back home in London to attend her sister Pippa’s wedding. At the wedding reception Gemma runs into her ex husband who is waiting outside the hotel where the reception is held. Gemma and Peter were married until he cheated on her with a younger sales clerk at the bookstore they had together. Gemma is tired after being up for several hours since she wasn’t able to sleep because her luggage was missing and she needed to wear something to the wedding that she wasn’t traveling in. Peter tells Gemma that he has a book that he wants her to see so they agree to meet at his bookstore the next day around noon. Gemma and two of her friends arrive and talk to two of the saleswoman who don’t even know if Peter is their or not and when Gemma goes to his office to see if he’s there finds him dead. The police are called and Gemma decides to investigate. Gemma is able to figure out that one of the saleswoman whose son went to school with Gemma’s cousin at a private school killed Peter who found a letter where Gemma’s relatives paid a teacher off to ensure Gemma’s cousin wasn’t expelled and the saleswoman’s son is set to be a political officer who is rising through the ranks. This book was such a cute cozy mystery.

I love this series, and this installment is no exception. Gemma and friends have traveled to London for Gemma's sister's wedding and, after a chance encounter with Gemma's ex-husband, a body is found. These are interesting, fast-paced mysteries that hold the attention, and continue to bring in more details for future books. I have to admit, I enjoy the ones more when they are in the US at the bookshop/tea room, but England is so fun to visit and I enjoyed it very much. Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advance digital copy! All opinions are my own.

The tenth book in this series. I have read #1,6,7,8 and 9!

In The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime we find Gemma in London for her sister's wedding. She is accompanied by Jayne, Ryan and Donald who are all finding London amazing. Donald is in his element because Sherlock Holmes memorabilia is everywhere. Gemma is surprised to be approached by her ex husband, Paul, and even more surprised when he is found murdered the next day. Of course Gemma involves herself and all her friends in trying to solve the mystery.

I was especially pleased to see the return of Pippa, Gemma's sister who holds a high powered and mysterious position in the Government. Little links like this one with Mycroft in the Sherlock Holmes books are frequent in this series. Pippa is a great character who could probably support a series of her own.

I thought this was a very entertaining read with lots of red herrings, great characters and very effective descriptions of the setting.

Gemma Doyle is back in London! Her sister, Pippa, is getting married and Gemma is looking forward to a relaxing vacation - yeah right. Does that sound like the Gemma Doyle we know and love? Of course not!

The night of her sister's wedding, Gemma sees her ex-husband in the hotel where the reception is taking place. She is shocked, to say the least, but he insists he has something to show her. Resistant, at first, she finally agrees, only to find that he's been murdered!

Gemma is on the case with her friends to solve the crime before they head back to West London, where Uncle Arthur is "minding the store", but really throwing things into chaos.

Lots of London imagery, as one would expect, and Vicki Delany writes with such description, you can imagine all the places mentioned. A quick read, but a fun one - a great book to start out 2025 with!

4 stars.

*Mentioned Kings Cross Station and Platform 9 3/4, but the book says 12 3/4; not sure if this was on purpose for copyright reasons, but something to note if you're familiar with Harry Potter*

**Unable to post to Amazon currently**

Gemma Doyle is the owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop in West London, MA. Heading to London for her sister, Pippa’s wedding, Gemma arrives safely, but her luggage doesn’t. To make matters worse, she runs into her seedy ex-boyfriend, Paul, in the hotel after her sister’s reception. He says he has a priceless book to show her and sets up a time to meet with her the next day. When she arrives at the meeting point with Pippa’s husband, they two find the strangled body of Paul. As Gemma searches for the priceless book and uncovers clues about Paul’s death, she realizes that the clues lead her to a high-born relative of her mother. What was Paul involved in that lead to his death?

The plot is well developed, engaging, and full of twists and turns. The characters are likable, realistic, and easy to relate to. The building of the mystery is well done and draws the reader into the story. Readers who like mystery, London, Sherlock Holmes-esque mysteries, and mysteries with well-hidden motives will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections

The Incident of the book in the nighttime by Vicki Delany is the tenth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series and the first one I have read, and it was excellent. I had no problems not having read the back story, and enjoyed the story so much that I already have got my hands on the first two books in the series. Gemma and her friends have travelled from the USA to London for her sister’s wedding. Her sister has a government job, but it is becoming increasingly obvious that she is something secret squirrel in the government.

Gemma leaves early as she is jet lagged and bumps into her ex-husband in the lobby. They use to own a bookshop in London but he bought her out seven years ago as part of the divorce settlement before she moved to the USA. He tells her he has a rare book to show her and arranges to meet her at the old shop the next day at noon. When Gemma and friends arrive he is dead - murdered.

Gemma decides to assist the police in finding the murderer for old times sake. Sadly the London police don’t need her help and she keeps getting into trouble with them. Of course this doesn’t stop Gemma, and she and her friends and up on an adventure that takes them all over London, out to aristocratic mansions in the English countryside, and even to a fancy nightclub which descends into a brawl. In the process they have to deal with suspects, the British police, secret government agencies and the US Secret Service. I loved it, the story was fast-paced, witty and at times dangerous. When the murderer and the motive was revealed I was very satisfied.

The book was a real page turner and resulted in a late night as I stayed up to get the the end.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for providing an advanced copy of this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

An exceptional entry in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mysteries, taking place in London while Gemma and friends are there for her sister's wedding. See my complete review on www.reviewingtheevidence.com

I enjoy the interactions from the 2 MC and how they have moved forward in their relationship. I liked visiting Scotland in this book. The mystery kept me guessing. I look forward to more in the series

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gemma Doyle and her friends are in London for her sister Pippa's wedding. A happy time, right...not so much as Gemma's ex-husband finds her in the lobby of the hotel where the reception is being held and wants to meet her and show her a book. When Gemma and the friends she brings with her go to Paul's used bookstore, they find him murdered. So once again Gemma and her friends find themselves looking for answers and trying to stay off the police radar. But this time they also have Pippa requesting they leave the case alone. Is that because the murder may involve something to do with the secret job Pippa has with the government?

3.5 I think this was the most in the series from an investigation stand point. Gemma and her friends romping around London and other parts of England to help solve a mystery after her sister’s wedding. Gemma continues to not be my fav but she was enjoyable as sharer of home country culture in this book. I missed Ryan in this book as he was off her her father. The mystery didn’t seem super engaging towards the end because of the limited number of people it could be and the ending felt a little blah for a cozy. But I think this is my fav of the series. Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime
Book 10 in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series
by Vicki Delany
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ISBN: 9781639109265
Pub date: Jan 14, 2025

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an e-copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime is a well-written mystery. The setting for this novel is London, England. The core characters from the earlier books have made the trip to London for Pippa, Gemma’s sister’s, wedding. Gemma’s relationship with her sister is a highlight of the novel. There verbal sparring between the two is snappy, but never derogatory. Their interactions add another layer to the two characters. Humor is also woven throughout the book, which is always fun to read. The plot is well-paced with plenty of red herrings. The mystery isn’t an easy one to solve. Gemma’s ex-husband is found dead. He’d stopped Gemma as she left her sister’s wedding reception, telling her he had a book he wanted her to see. They arranged to meet the next morning at the bookstore they co-owned during their marriage. Instead, Paul’s body is found in his office, and Gemma is caught up in another murder. She follows multiple clues that go nowhere before she finally solves the case and puts her deductive skills to the test. The latest book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series is a quick, fun read. 4/5 stars.

Literary Cozy Mystery in which a British MA Holmes-themed bookshop and tea room owner who's visiting England uses her deductive mind to solve her ex-husband's murder and a book's theft.

5/5 stars: This is the tenth entry in Delany's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, which is a Literary Cozy Mystery and features the British owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium and co-owner of Mrs Hudson’s Tea Room in Massachusetts who has traveled to England for her sister's wedding finds herself using her deductive mind to investigate her ex-husband's murder and a rare book's theft. As she and her best friend follow his trail, she realizes his mystery is anything but elementary and she'll have to work fast to solve the case before her time in London–or in life–is over. With plenty of twists and turns, Delany has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Delany's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's a joy to catch up with Gemma, her friends and family in London and follow the hi-jinks for uncle, employees and pets get up to back home. I especially get a kick out the very “irregular” Donald, Gemma's quirky Holmes super fan friend. Additionally, it's great to see Gemma's relationship with her detective boyfriend, Ryan continue. Although I miss Gemma's hilarious hate/hate relationship with store cat, Moriarty, there's a great dog in this book, Horace, her father's schnauzer. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Elementary, She Read. I simply adore this series, Delany's captured the essence of Holmes and sprinkles the book with tons of Holmsian Easter eggs. Highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc.

Gemma Doyle heads to London for her sister’s wedding, but her plans take a dark turn when her ex-husband, Paul Erikson, is found dead in his office. Paul had promised to show her a valuable rare book, now missing, and Gemma feels compelled to investigate his mysterious death. Teaming up with her best friend, Jayne Wilson, Gemma follows a tangled trail of Paul’s associates across London and Yorkshire. As secrets unravel, the case grows more complex, and danger looms. Can Gemma and Jayne solve the puzzle before time runs out?

This is the tenth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, even though I haven’t read any previous instalments in this series. It was easy to pick up the gist of character relationships making it easily understandable as if it was a standalone.

I found this to be an okay mystery, not much suspense or thrill to finding out who the killer was or the motivations behind the murder. Also, for me, the pacing of it was off. I thought some parts were too long and then the ending everything was wrapped up too quickly with so many moving parts. And I was left a little deflated when they just let the murderer get away, very disappointed.

Gemma Doyle and her friends are in London for her sister Pippa’s wedding to rare book dealer Grant. Gemma is surprised to meet her ex-husband Paul Erikson in the hotel lobby. He wants to show her a rare book and they agree to meet at their bookstore, Trafalgar Fine Books, the next day where Gemma finds Paul's strangled body.

Paul had been desperate about his finances so what was he willing to do? Gemma feels she owes something to Paul and vows to find his killer.

This was another fine entry in the Sherlock Holmes bookshop mystery series.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.

The last person Gemma expected to see when she arrived in London for her sister's wedding to Grant was her ex-husband Paul who had fallen on hard times. She really didn't imagine that Paul would be murdered and that she would end up trying to sort out the villain. This is a nice addition to the series but entirely enjoyable as a standalone. Newbies might find the London-West London thing a little confusing at first but it works. Fans might be disappointed that Ryan, Gemma's love interest is in the background for much of this but it was nice to learn more about Grant. Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc. Good characters and a twisty mystery make this a good read.

Gemma and friends are back in the Tenth release for the series. Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity for review. My review opinions are my own.

Gemma is traveling to London for a wedding of a friend when she is drawn into a intriguing murder of her ex husband. He had asked her to meet him to review a priceless book but is murdered before their meeting. With no sign of the book in question and suspicious circumstances of his last weeks Gemma is determined to solve his murder and find the missing book.

This was so well crafted I turned pages to conclusion. This series is always a wonderful experience with great characters, intriguing sleuths and fun atmospheric settings. Well done to the author. I look forward to the next in series.

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime, by Vicki Delany, is the tenth book in the series of A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery.
Even though I have read none of the previous books, I could easily understand the relationships among the different characters, so the book can be easily read as a standalone novel.

In this mystery, Gemma and her friends go to London to attend her sister's wedding. Pipa is getting married during the festivities of Baker Street and Sherlock Holmes. The narrative is well conducted, not necessarily breathtaking, but interesting to be followed.
Gemma meets her former husband in her first night in London, and is invited to go to his bookstore under the excuse of his finding a very interesting book. To her surprise, she finds Paul murdered in the office of the bookstore that used to belonged to them.
The story is then described as Gemma, with the help of her friends and sister, tries to investigate the people connected to Paul's murder, as well as the clues left around the city she used to know so well.
All in all, the book is perfect for those looking for a cozy mystery. I got interested in getting to know about the other titles in the series.

I thank Netgalley, Crooked Lane publishers, and the author, who provided me with this advanced copy in return to my honest evaluation.

In THE INCIDENT OF THE BOOK IN THE NIGHTTIME, Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery book 10 by Vicki Delany, Gemma leave’s her sister’s wedding reception early and runs into her ex-husband, Paul. He still loves Gemma. Paul wants Gemma to come to his bookshop in England to look at a book, possibly a collector’s item. I read on to see what happens. I doubt Gemma will reunite with Paul, but I am curious to find out if the supposed book adventure is a ruse.

I find it interesting that the story takes place in London, England, instead of in West London, Massachusetts, where Gemma’s bookshop is located. Despite the mystery surrounding the death, this book seems slow-moving to me. Thank you, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of THE INCIDENT OF THE BOOK IN THE NIGHTTIME.