It’s hard to believe, but “The Sign of Four Spirits” is the NINTH book in Vicki Delany’s excellent Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series! Often, longer-running series get a little tired and repetitive by this point, but not this one. This installment is as fresh, unique, and enjoyable as the first one. (Side note: While I think the story would work as a standalone, you’ll definitely appreciate the main characters and relationships more if you’ve been reading in order. However, the actual mystery plot is fully contained in this volume, and the author provides enough backstory notes that you should be fine if you decide to start with this one).
“The Sign of Four Spirits” has all the elements of a good cozy: a likeable protagonist, a fun and quirky best friend, pets, a handsome member of law enforcement, and, of course, a murder to solve. Our main character, Gemma Doyle, runs a Sherlock Holmes-themed bookshop. Like the great detective, Gemma is also incredibly observant and detail-oriented, which makes her quite competent at investigating. This time around, Gemma has been roped into attending a seance at a friend’s home. Chaos ensues, and she 0nce again finds herself putting on her detective hat and helping the police solve the case.. The story flows well, with plenty of clues for the reader to unravel alongside Gemma. As an added bonus, we get to see Estrada starting to develop a new attitude toward Gemma’s assistance.
By the end of the book, everything makes perfect sense. After Gemma finishes her “big reveal” scene, you’ll see how all the clues played into the eventual resolution.
Definitely 5 out of 5 perfect chunks of creamy Brie!
It’s hard to believe, but “The Sign of Four Spirits” is the NINTH book in Vicki Delany’s excellent Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series! Often, longer-running series get a little tired and repetitive by this point, but not this one. This installment is as fresh, unique, and enjoyable as the first one. (Side note: While I think the story would work as a standalone, you’ll definitely appreciate the main characters and relationships more if you’ve been reading in order. However, the actual mystery plot is fully contained in this volume, and the author provides enough backstory notes that you should be fine if you decide to start with this one).
“The Sign of Four Spirits” has all the elements of a good cozy: a likeable protagonist, a fun and quirky best friend, pets, a handsome member of law enforcement, and, of course, a murder to solve. Our main character, Gemma Doyle, runs a Sherlock Holmes-themed bookshop. Like the great detective, Gemma is also incredibly observant and detail-oriented, which makes her quite competent at investigating. This time around, Gemma has been roped into attending a seance at a friend’s home. Chaos ensues, and she 0nce again finds herself putting on her detective hat and helping the police solve the case.. The story flows well, with plenty of clues for the reader to unravel alongside Gemma. As an added bonus, we get to see Estrada starting to develop a new attitude toward Gemma’s assistance.
By the end of the book, everything makes perfect sense. After Gemma finishes her “big reveal” scene, you’ll see how all the clues played into the eventual resolution.
Definitely 5 out of 5 perfect chunks of creamy Brie!
chewietellsall 