Sunday, April 23, 2023

SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY: Vicki Delany and Sherlock Holmes #bookgiveaway

Today on Spotlight Sunday, I thought I'd enjoying talking to you about my Sherlock Holmes Bookshops series, how I came to write and it, the inspiration behind it, and the fun I'm having with it.  Read on for a chance to win a book in the series



There is, as we are always being told in creative writing classes, no such thing as a new idea.

It’s all been done before. Take the story of an orphaned boy: a lowly (and lonely) childhood; a hidden, ever-watchful guardian; dangerous times; an eternal enemy; the big reveal of the boy’s true identity; then, armed with knowledge of his destiny, boy saves world.

It’s been written a hundred times, from the tales of King Arthur to Star Wars to Harry Potter.  (Why it’s always a boy, is a post for another day.)

The trick is not to come up with an original idea, because you probably can’t, but to make it your own.

Enter Sherlock Holmes. I don’t have to tell you how popular Sherlock is right now, from movies to TV to more books than you can count. Colouring books, puzzles, mugs.  Old books reissued and re-illustrated, new ones being written.

Favourite characters reimagined.

Make it your own, they say.

And so I created Gemma Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium.




I’m a cozy writer and I’m also a keen mystery reader. When I was looking for inspiration for a new series, I thought a bookstore would be fun.  The idea popped into my head: A bookstore dedicated to all things Sherlock Holmes.

When I started to do some research on that, I quickly discovered it’s not such an unfeasible idea.  You could easily stock a store with nothing but Sherlock.  Not only things I mentioned above but all the stuff that goes with it: playing card sets, tea towels, games, puzzles, action figures, cardboard cut-out figures. The list is just about endless. Throw in all the modern pastiche novels, nonfiction works on Sir Arthur and his contemporaries, maybe a few books set in the “gaslight” era. And, presto, a fully operational bookstore. What would a bookstore be without a cat?  In this case, one Moriarty, who has a strange antipathy to Gemma.

I’ve enjoyed stocking my bookstore, and as befits a book about a bookshop, I drop a lot of names of real books.  Many I have read, some I haven’t, but I enjoy fitting the book to the imaginary character buying it.

Because cozy lovers (and me) love food to go with their reading, I put Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room next door, run by Gemma’s best friend Jayne Wilson.

My original intent was that the main character would be a normal cozy character. A nice young woman who owns an interesting bookshop, lives in a pleasant community (in this case, on Cape Cod), and has a circle of friends.

But, by the time I got to page two, Gemma Doyle had become “Sherlock”.

And that’s been enormous fun to write. Gemma has an amazing memory (for things she wants to remember), incredible observational skills, and a lightning fast mind. She is also, shall we say, somewhat lacking on occasion in the finer points of social skills. Jayne is ever-confused, but always loyal.

Like any modern Sherlock, such as Benedict Cumberbatch’s interpretation, Gemma deciphers cell phone signals and finds clues on the Internet. Like any Sherlock, her relationship with the local police is complicated, but in her case it’s because she’s in love with Ryan Ashburton, the town’s lead detective, and he with her, but the relationship is difficult because it’s hard to be with a woman who seems to be able to read your mind. Detective Louise Estrada (Estrada/Lestrade. Get it?) doesn’t trust her one bit.

But Gemma Doyle investigates nonetheless, because:

“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.”

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

But Gemma Doyle, in the manner of Sherlock Holmes, observes.

To take the theme of ‘no such thing as a new idea’ further, the eighth book in the series, The Game is a Footnote,  sees Gemma and Jayne reluctantly investigating a possible haunting in a Cape Cod historical enactment museum.  The title is derived from Sherlock Holmes famous saying, “The game is afoot’ .

Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, reimagined as modern young women just trying to get on with life. And solve mysteries.



Do you love Sherlock Holmes? Do you have a favourite movie/TV/book adaption?  Can’t stand Holmes? Sherlock Who? Leave a comment below to be entered in a draw for a signed copy of the eighth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop book, A Three Book Problem.  US and Canada entries. Contest ends Tuesday April 26. Please leave your email address so we can contact the winner. 

Follow Vicki at www.vickidelany.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor. You can sign up to receive Vicki’s quarterly newsletter at Vicki Delany – Canadian Author of Mystery Novels and Suspense Novels » Contact


70 comments:

  1. I read the original Holmes books and love your series. The only movies I've seen were the Robert Downey Jr ones a few years ago. And as a kid I liked the cartoon Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century.
    kozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. The original books are great (although some are definitely better than others)

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  2. I like all the different interpretations of Sherlock Holmes because he's such an interesting character but what comes to mind first whenever I hear the name are the old black and white movies with Basil Rathbone. ckmbeg(at) gmail (dot) com

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  3. Would love to read the next one in this series. From your Miata,Tea room, PEC fan

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  4. I love Sherlock Holmes, even though I haven’t read any of the books yet. I watch the Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century, Robert Downey Jr movies, and the Wishbone episodes.
    Kitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net

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  5. I've watched Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr. But my favorite Sherlock was Jeremy Brett. sue.stoner72@yahoo.com

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  6. My uncle belonged to a sherlockian society. Always fun to hear about his adventures

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  7. I love Sherlock Holmes. Read some of the books. An interesting character for sure. I've watched the Robert Downey Jr movies. Pretty good. Thanks for the chance. Love the book cover!
    jarjm1980(@)hotmail(dot)com

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  8. I love Sherlock Holmes and especially enjoy Benedict Cumberbatch’s interpretation. On a sidebar, I also thought Enola Homes and Enola Homes 2 with Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, Helena Bonham Carter were great movies. In those movies, Enola is Sherlock's sister who is also a sleuth. I have read several of the books in your Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series and loved them!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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    1. I enjoyed Enola Holmes also. Fun interpretation.

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  9. I’ve seen the Jeremy Brett, Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr. Versions.
    Wskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  10. I am also a Sherlock Holmes fan! Thanks, for this most interesting article.
    lindalou64(@)live(dot)com

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  11. Love your Sherlock books, read them all. Benedict Cumberbatch did an excellent job as Sherlock and I also enjoyed Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill in Enola.

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  12. I love this series! So much fun. I am not really into Sherlock Holmes but I do enjoy a good mystery!

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  13. I’m a Sherlock fan and enjoy your books. I like how you let the characters grow and evolve. I also enjoy you other series particularly the Catskills resort series. It has a wonderful sense of time and place.

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  14. I started reading Sherlock Holmes as a a young girl home in bed with a lengthy illness. I had nothing but time and I spent a lot of it learning the nuances of English speech of the time and the intricacies of Sherlock's mind and world. I love what you have done with Gemma's character and the Sherlock stories and eagerly look forward to, hopefully, many more.

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  15. Being something of a non-traditionalist, I enjoyed Enola Holmes and crew as well as the television version with Jonny Miller and Lucy Liu. Love the way Joan Watson (Liu) grew her character. Will have to look for your Sherlock Bookstore books. I do love the Lighthouse Library series.

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  16. I have read Sherlock Holmes when I was younger. Your mysteries have been extremely enjoyable and well written. I have read many of your novels set in Canada. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  17. I enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes movie with Robert Downey Jr. Reading the Sherlock Holmes mysteries was a favorite escape for my many years ago. Your new mystery/cozies sound extremely inventive and creative. Reading your books gives me days away from reality. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  18. What a fun story, Vicki! Mr Right is a big fan of Sherlock, especially on screen, and rewatching the Jeremy Brett and Ted Hardwick series is comfort TV for us, though we also enjoyed the Downey-Law movies and further afield, Enola Holmes and the TV show House.

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  19. I very much enjoy cleverly reimagined Sherlock tales. My favorites are Laurie R. King's Russell and Holmes stories. We even named our two new kittens after them (even if they are both girls).
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  20. Hi Vicki! I love this background about your Sherlock Holmes bookshop series. Thank you for sharing!

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  21. My favourite adaptation is Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. I love the humour they bring to the characters. I'm very interested in reading Vicky Delany's books.

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  22. I do love Sherlock Holmes, & think that the most recent iteration - with Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman as the duo was as close to the initial characters as a modern telling could ever be.

    I've also been reading this entire series (currently in A Three Book Problem) & am enjoying them immensely, as well.

    Should I be lucky enough to win the contest, my email is alyxmorgan2010 (at) gmail.com.

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  23. It is always rewarding to read anything you write, Vicki. My wife and I just thrive on all your series, and absolutely preorder any upcoming book. It has been such fun to fill our leisure time reading and listening to your books. We love Sherlock Holmes and his way of solving mysteries. Your Gemma Doyle is a modern Sherlock, and even though we all know so much about the Sherlock Holmes books, we enjoy reading your series, as it is fresh and exciting. Your choices of narrators for all your series are stellar. We particularly enjoyed narrator Jennifer Van Dyck, who read the two Catskill Summer Resort Mystery series (which we mourn not being able to read any more). Thank you, thank you, thank you! Luis at ole dot travel

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  24. I do love all your books. I love Sherlock Holmes books .jcook22@yahoo.com

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  25. I LOVE all things Sherlock Holmes. I have movies, tv shows, books and every single one I watch or read over and over again. catwoman-1@outlook.com

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  26. Love Sherlock Holmes. Hgershman@ yahoo.com

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  27. Wonderful post, Vicki. Thank you for sharing your inspirations for your terrific cozy series. Sherlock Holmes will always be a cornerstone in the mystery genre's foundation and will (no doubt) continue to inspire writers for years to come. As for Holmes, one of my favorite Sherlock films is the British-American production of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976) with a screenplay written by the same man (Nicholas Meyer) who penned the novel on which the film was based. It was also a Sherlock pastiche, so I’m sure Gemma has it in her bookshop!

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  28. Both my husband and I love the A.Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes books. We agree that Basil Rathbone IS Sherlock Holmes in the movie versions. I thought Jeremy Brett did a good job in the TV versions. After all, Sherlock is a rather fevered, unlikeable character at times. I've enjoyed all the versions I've seen: Johnny Lee Miller, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Cushing, Robert Downey Jr., etc. Gene Wilder played Sherlock Holmes's Smarter Brother back in the 70s.
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  29. I am neutral on Sherlock Holmes. I am in the middle of Book One of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Series and I am hooked on Emma Doyle. I hope to read the rest of the books in the series.
    marlros@msn.com

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  30. I can't wait to read this series! I love your books and I've read a couple Sherlock Holmes books many years ago.

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  31. Love the series read all and have the hardcovers in my personal library also read and also own all but newest Eva Gates lighthouse series

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  32. I have always preferred only The Canon books. I never want to confuse others’ works/ideas with Doyle’s. But your stories have opened a whole new world for me! Thank you!!!

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  33. I haven't read any of the original Doyle books, but have like various movies and the Benedict Cumberbatch episodes. I haven't read any of your series but need to. So many cozies, so little time! seboggs [at] comcast.net

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  34. Actually, I've never read any Sherlock Holmes books so I don't know much about him. More books to add to my TBR list.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  35. I've read and loved all of the Doyle Canon as both a child and as an adult. I also read many and liked most of the newer Holmes tales by other authors, as well as some pastiches (Solar Pons). The most unusual Sherlock interpretations I've seen were Frank Langella in The Strange Case of Alice Faulkner which was on cable Years Ago, and a stage performance by Charlton Heston of The Cruciifer of Blood.
    kimmwrtr(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  36. I do enjoy him. I've never read your series and would love to get a copy!

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  37. Basil Rathbone is my favorite Sherlock Holmes, I feel this films of Holmes truly captures the suspense of the books. My all time favorite is The Hound of the Baskervilles. I love catching these old films. More of his films on my list are:
    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,
    Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon,
    Sherlock Holmes Faces Death,
    The Spider Woman, The Scarlet Claw, and
    The Woman in Green. roseb2007@verizon Rosemarie

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  38. Loved the old movies like Hound of the Baskerville's thank you for the chance deborahortega229@yahoo.com

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  39. Great post, Vicki. I love hearing about all the different types of merchandise that could go into a bookstore dedicated to Holmes.

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  40. Thank you for sharing how you came up with the idea for the series. I love Sherlock and I will be checking out the series. I love your writing.

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  41. I'm just getting reading to watch Enola Holmes. I like hearing about you picking books to match with the characters in your books. I also think coming up with merchandise for your book's bookstore would be fun too. Thank you for the chance to win. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com

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  42. First, thank you for the opportunity to know you and your Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series!! I love, love Sherlock Holmes - read the books, watched the movies and TV series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and U.S. series "Elementary" starring Lucy Liu and Johhny Lee Miller! My TBR has just grown some more because I'm going to look up your Sherlock Holmes series. Thank you for the giveaway.

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  43. Hound of the Baskervilles was my favorite movie - his disguises and 'Oh Watson, the needle'.....couldn't believe they let that line remain! I've read all your Sherlock books and am anticipating the next one with great impatience. barbara@kenandbarbie.ws

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  44. I saw the movie with Robert Downey Jr., but I don't think I've read any Sherlock books. I would love to win this! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com

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  45. Back in the mid-90's there was a PBS kids series called "Wishbone", about a dog who relived classic literature. I loved the episodes they did on "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and "A Scandal In Bohemia." Actually I love ALL of them, even more than my kids did, I think. lol a007gyrl@gmail.com

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  46. I love everything connected to Sherlock Holmes and have enjoyed your cozies immensely! I binge watch Ronald Howard in the 1950's serie, Basil Rathbone in the movies, Jeremy Brett (SO perfect as Holmes) in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr. -- just everything Sherlock! lnchudej@yahoo.com

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    1. There is no shortage of Sherlock things to watch and read.

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  47. I can’t believe that I totally missed the “Lestrade” even after reading all the books in the series!
    Many times I have given up on a series because I get bored or disappointed. That has never been the case with your writing. Your talent and hard work are appreciated.
    dmm00@comcast.net

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  48. I do love Sherlock Holmes books, movies & TV series. Visiting the Sherlock Holmes house on Baker Street was a highlight of my last trip to London!

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  49. I love everything Sherlock. My favorite adaptations were by Basil Rathbone but mostly Jeremy Brett. I can watch those episodes over and over. I started this book series because of the Sherlock reference. And it’s the only (cozy mystery) series I am caught up on.

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  50. I do enjoy Sherlock Holmes and I especially like the Benedict Cumberbatch an Robert Downey Jr. takes on him. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  51. When reading the original titles of Sherlock and your newest writings I enjoy both stiles and believe you've definitely added to the originals in bringing a female associates view to the mysterys. Kat
    PS
    What is that on the table before you.

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    1. Whole snapper. I'm at a restaurant in Costa Rica.

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  52. Love Sherlock Holmes! Love the thought process behind finding out whodunit. One of my favorite adaptations would probably be "ELEMENTARY", a TV version with a female doing a role reversal. Although discontinued, I can sometimes find reruns.

    Thank you for the chance to win a copy of "A Three Book Problem"! I would love the opportunity to read and review it.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  53. I am one of those that love Sherlock Holmes and Watson. I really love how Watson just so casually takes Sherlock for who he is. Thanks for the give a way. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  54. I am also a sherlock fan it whatever variety it comes. I particularly like the laurie king series
    fruitcrmble AT comcast DOT net

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  55. I love your Sherlock bookstore series! I don't know which of the Sherlock actors is my favourite. They all bring something different and interesting to the character. (Of course, I've read the original stories many times.)
    D H [ dahcda66 @ gmail DOT com ]

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    1. The great thing about Sherlock, is he can be recreated in so many interesting and diverse ways. As in my series. I see Sherlock as a thirtysomething woman.

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  56. I love Benedict C.'s Sherlock. Such a great character! I'm looking forward to reading your book! :) l walker at truevinedotnet

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  57. I am a Sherlock fan, in just about all of the variations. I haven't watched the Watson series or the slapstick versions but I enjoy Basil Rathbone's Sherlock just as much as Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock. I did not catch the Lestrade bit.

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  58. Completely forgot to add my email tracy.condie@gmail.com or (tracy dot condie at gmail dot com)

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