If Sherlock Holmes had been a woman, you would essentially have Gemma Doyle. Gemma was born and raised in England. She moves to Cape Cod (West London, Massachusetts) to build a business with her Uncle Arthur called the Sherlock Homes Bookshop Emporium. It is a place of products all devoted to Sherlock Holmes. It has the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories and books, but it also has novel series that are based on Holmes like Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series (which I highly recommend and review those books on this blog). It has non-fiction books on Homes and his cultural impact. Additionally, it has souvenirs from television shows based on Holmes, puzzles, and other mystery series set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Connected to the store is Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room, which is run by Gemma’s best friend, Jayne Wilson (who is a stand-in for Watson).
Book One revolves around the murder of an older woman who was touring Cape Cod and had visited Gemma’s store. She leaves behind what is supposedly an original copy of a magazine issue where some of the Holmes stories were published in. Gemma goes to return the magazine to the woman in her hotel, but she is found murdered. Gemma becomes a primary suspect in the eyes of Detective Lousie Estrada. This complicates matters because Estrada’s partner is Ryan Ashburton, Gemma’s former boyfriend.
As a result, Gemma is determined to clear her name and find the real killer. Unfortunately, in her investigation, she comes across another dead body and becomes even more determined to clear her name. Like Sherlock, Gemma is very perceptive of small details, much to the annoyance of the people around her. It’s interesting to see a woman have this attribute. Gemma sometimes comes off as blunt, which is not always seen as a “feminine” trait. It might explain why she receives the reaction she does.
I really enjoyed the beginning of this cozy mystery series I just discovered. It is clever and the characters are interesting.
Next Novel in Series: Body on Baker Street