The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime by Vicki Delany

 

First Line: I have to admit, it was a lovely wedding.

 

Gemma Doyle and her friends are in London for her sister Pippa's wedding. One evening, Gemma finds her ex-husband, Paul Erikson, waiting for her in the hotel lobby. He has a rare book that he wants her to see-- something he calls "the real deal". Reluctantly, Gemma agrees to meet him at their old shop, Trafalgar Fine Books, the next day. When Gemma arrives with Grant, a rare book dealer, they find Paul dead in his office.  

Paul's rare book is nowhere to be found, and due to their previous relationship, Gemma feels obligated to find Paul's killer. With the help of her best friend Jayne, Gemma follows Paul's trail of friends, enemies, clients, and ex-lovers, finally realizing that the puzzle of her ex-husband's last days is much more twisted than she thought.

~

Vicki Delany's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series continues to delight with this tenth book, The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime. Readers may not get to meet Gemma's illusive Uncle Arthur who's left in charge of the bookshop back on Cape Cod, but they do get to meet her ex-husband, Paul, who certainly proves how right Gemma was in divorcing him.

Once again, the interplay of all the characters is one of the best things in this book (and the entire series). A fight scene which includes the unlikely weapons of a handbag and an umbrella had me laughing out loud. In addition, a wicked plot twist had me smiling and rethinking my solution to the mystery. 

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime is definitely what my British husband would call "more-ish". I look forward to Gemma's next adventure. It can't come soon enough.

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime by Vicki Delany

eISBN: 9781639109272

Crooked Lane Books © 2025

288 pages

Cozy Mystery, #10 Sherlock Holmes Bookshop

Rating: A-

Source: Net Galley