While I never had the chance to read about Gemma Doyle’s adventures in England in There’s a Murder Afoot, I didn’t really miss anything by moving straight to the sixth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series. A Curious Incident just might be my favorite in Vicki Delany’s series. Gemma’s still quirky, but she shows a surprising side in this one. I never would have thought she’d like a child.

When eleven-year-old Lauren shows up at Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, asking for help in finding her lost cat, Snowball, Gemma insists she’s not a consulting detective. In fact, she didn’t even notice Snowball was white on the posters for the missing cat. But, that night Gemma’s dog Violet leads her to the neighbor’s gardening shed where she finds the cat. Violet might have found her, but Gemma basks in the glory.

Unfortunately, Lauren shows up again. This time, she’s offering ten dollars for Gemma to prove Lauren’s mother, Sheila, isn’t a killer. Sheila’s obsessed with her garden, and hoped to win this year’s trophy from the West London Garden Club. But, the morning of judging, she woke to find her garden destroyed. She stormed over to Anna Wentworth’s house, and, in front of everyone in the garden, accused Anna of the vandalism and trying to steal Sheila’s husband. The resulting fight is the talk of the community until Anna is murdered that night. It’s only logical for the police to question Sheila.

Lauren panics, even though Gemma assures her the police will find the killer. Gemma can’t stand Sheila, seeing her as self-centered and egotistical and neglectful of her daughter. But, Gemma’s had enough when Sheila abandons Lauren and the teary-eyed girl shows up at the bookshop. She takes Lauren in, and finally decides the girl needs help. It’s time for Gemma to use the intelligence that’s been compared to Sherlock Holmes.

As I said, this is my favorite of the books in the series. Gemma seems a little kinder, a little more empathetic in this one. Even the bookshop cat, Moriarty, who is not a Gemma fan, approves her actions in this case. Best of all, Delany plays fair with the reader. It’s not her fault that I didn’t catch her most obvious clue in A Curious Incident.

Vicki Delany’s website is www.vickidelany.com

A Curious Incident by Vicki Delany. Crooked Lane, 2021. ISBN 9781643854748 (hardcover), 304p.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a .PDF to review for a journal.