The Devil in the Details by Vicki Delany

 The Devil in the Details

Book Summary

The game is once again afoot in Vicki Delany’s eleventh Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery, when birthday festivities end in freezing-cold murder.

Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. It’s supposed to mark not only the birthday of Jayne, her partner in crime, but also that of the Great Detective himself. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s party. To make things even better, Jayne’s wedding is only a week away.

But the much-anticipated affair quickly turns to disaster with the presence of the bride and groom’s respective exes in attendance and other unruly guests. With drama at every corner, Gemma and Jayne take a break on the chilly deck overlooking the ocean when they spot the body of a party attendee floating in the water below.

As Detective Ryan Ashburton takes a closer look at the guest list, Jayne’s wedding is in peril, especially when it is revealed that her fiancé, Andy, is a prime suspect. With the police closing in and more lives on the line, it’s up to Gemma to keep Andy from prison and save Jayne’s wedding day from ruin.

My Thoughts

The Devil in the Details by Vicki Delany is not what I expected.  The story started with too much information.  The author introduces Gemma, Jayne, Ashley, Great Uncle Arthur, Ryan, along with other characters and animals.  The town is described as well as the bookshop, tearoom, Uncle Arthur’s home (where Gemma resides as well), and the Blue Water Café run by Jayne’s fiancé.  Jayne's birthday party is that evening at the Blue Water Café, and we learn all the details. With her wedding in a week, Gemma also shares the latest updates.  The content is excessively detailed and progresses at a slow pace.  

The mysteries were straightforward (at least I thought so).  On the first death, Gemma waffles between suicide, accident, and murder.  However, she investigates it as a murder.  Gemma, as usual, keeps details from the police.   The ending felt unsatisfying, serving mainly to prove Gemma was correct.  The narrative moved slowly, with minimal action and recurring information.  The Devil in the Details is the eleventh A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery, it can be read as a standalone.  Clearly, I didn't find The Devil in the Details enjoyable—a letdown, especially since I had high expectations for this story.

The Devil in the Details is available from Amazon*.  While The Devil in the Details was not up my alley, I enjoyed the previous book in the series which is The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime (Kindle version currently on sale for $2.99).  Vicki Delany also writes under the pen name Eva Gates and Eva Gates has Whose Body in the Library coming out on June 9.  It is the thirteenth A Lighthouse Library Mystery.  Thank you for dropping by today.  I will return on Wednesday, January 7 with The Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Ann Krentz.  Have you set a reading goal for 2026?  It was the hot topic on Facebook this weekend.  Personally, I feel that it does not matter how many books that you read as long as you read.  It should be about finding stories that resonate with you, so that you have a fulfilling reading experience (quality instead of quantity).  I hope that you have an upbeat day.  Take care, stay warm, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

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