Gemma and Jayne donate their time to raise money for the rebuilding of
a burned out museum--but a killer wants a piece of the auction--in this
fourth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery
Walking her dog Violet late one night, Gemma Doyle, owner of the
Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, acts quickly when she smells smoke outside the
West London Museum. Fortunately, no one is inside, but it's too late to
save the museum's priceless collection of furniture, and damage to the
historic house is extensive. Baker Street's shop owners come together to
hold an afternoon auction tea to raise funds to rebuild, and Great Uncle
Arthur Doyle offers a signed first edition of The Valley of Fear.
Cape Cod's cognoscenti files into Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room, owned by
Gemma's best friend, Jayne Wilson. Excitement fills the air (along with
the aromas of Jayne's delightful scones, of course). But the auction
never happens. Before the gavel can fall, museum board chair Kathy Lamb
is found dead in the back room. Wrapped tightly around her neck is a
long rope of decorative knotted tea cups--a gift item that Jayne sells
at Mrs. Hudson's. Gemma's boyfriend in blue, Ryan Ashburton, arrives on
the scene with Detective Louise Estrada. But the suspect list is long,
and the case far from elementary. Does Kathy's killing have any relation
to a mysterious death of seven years ago?
Gemma has no intention of getting involved in the investigation, but
when fellow shopkeeper Maureen finds herself the prime suspect she begs
Gemma for her help. Ryan knows Gemma's methods and he isn't happy when
she gets entangled in another mystery. But with so many suspects and so
few clues, her deductive prowess will prove invaluable in A Scandal in
Scarlet, Vicki Delany's shrewdly plotted fourth Sherlock Holmes
Bookshop mystery.
