This and That with Karen : The Game is a Footnote by Vicki Delany

Dec 28, 2022

The Game is a Footnote by Vicki Delany

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing “The Game is a Footnote” the 8th instalment in "A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop" Mystery series by Vicki Delany. It can easily be read as a standalone but I recommend reading in order.

Gemma Doyle and Jayne Wilson are back on the case when a body is discovered in a haunted museum in bestselling author Vicki Delany's eighth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery.

Scarlet House, now a historical re-enactment museum, is the oldest building in West London, Massachusetts. When things start moving around on their own, board members suggest that Gemma Doyle, owner of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, might be able to get to the bottom of it. Gemma doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she agrees to ‘eliminate the impossible’. But when Gemma and Jayne stumble across a dead body on the property, they’re forced to consider an all too physical threat.

Gemma and Jayne suspect foul play as they start to uncover more secrets about the museum. With the museum being a revolving door for potential killers, they have plenty of options for who might be the actual culprit.

Despite Gemma's determination not to get further involved, it would appear that once again, and much to the displeasure of Detective Ryan Ashburton, the game is afoot.

Will Gemma and Jayne be able to solve the mystery behind the haunted museum, or will they be the next to haunt it?

I enjoyed this mystery, thought it flowed well and kept my attention. The setting of West London in Cape Cod is idyllic and this time the action is centred around Scarlet House Museum.

I loved the characters of Gemma and BFF Jayne along with Mrs. Ramsbatten and Ryan. Gemma and Ryan's relationship is progressing nicely and I like how they are compromising to keep things harmonious. We got to know Gemma’s sister Pippa more in this book and I liked how she was in same line of work as Sherlock’s brother Mycroft. The side story with Gemma’s employee Ashleigh was nice as it showed a softer side of Gemma.

I look forward to the next book in this series and seeing where their relationship goes.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, with enough twists to keep you interested. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.