Elementary, she wrote - The plot

What is the book about.

Hello, friends! If you read my previous post, you already know that I’m a little bit tired of reviews that don’t really go in depth about the books. That’s why I’ve decided that, instead of reading a book and writing a quick review, I’m going to dedicate a series of posts to a single book.

Here’s the link to the post:

My problem with Bookstagram

This week, we’re going to dive into the world of Elemental, dear reader, by Vicki Delany.

Let’s get started!

What’s the book about?
Gemma Doyle runs, along with her cat Moriarty, the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop, a bookstore specialized in the famous detective, located at 222 Baker Street in Cape Cod. After a visit from a group of bridge players, Gemma discovers a rare and very valuable magazine containing the first Sherlock Holmes story. A remarkable find that stops seeming coincidental when one of those women turns up dead.

From the very beginning, Gemma becomes the prime suspect, but with the help of her friend Jayne —who runs Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room— they set out to investigate and clear her name, following the clues of an attractive rare books expert.

Source: Alma Publishing

Who is the author?
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and versatile crime novelists, and also a bestseller in the United States. She has written over fifty books, ranging from clever mystery and gothic suspense novels to gritty police stories. She currently writes four mystery series:

• Tea by the Sea

• Sherlock Holmes Bookshop

• Catskill Resort

• Lighthouse Library

But we’ll explore her more in another post.

Why did the book catch my attention?
Where do I even start? Sherlock Holmes and rare books… what more could I ask for? Although I must confess I’m not a huge fan of the books, I’m fascinated by everything about the world and the aesthetic surrounding Sherlock Holmes.

I hope I don’t offend anyone, but I think that my problem with the books was that I first saw the series and the movies, and my mind formed a mistaken idea about both the character and his stories. One day I decided to read A Study in Scarlet and, I must admit, some parts confused me and overall, it disappointed me. A few months later, I read The Hound of Baskerville and redeemed myself a bit: I liked it much more and, in my opinion, the plot was more cohesive. I know I should give the famous detective another chance and keep reading more of him, which I will soon.

Back to the Elementary, she read book, it caught my attention because I think it will be able to recreate the atmosphere and the feeling I imagine when I think of Sherlock Holmes. To give you an idea, this is the moodboard of what I imagine the book will be like.

Source: Pinterest

I think it will be interesting to compare this moodboard with the one I make later, once I’ve finished the book.

In the next post, I’ll share a recipe inspired by the book.

Tell me: did you know Vicki Delany? Have you read any of her books or the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series? What image do you have of Sherlock Holmes: the one from the books, the movies, or the series?