The Sign of Four Spirits: 01/29/24

The Sign of Four Spirits by Vicki Delany and Kim Hicks (Narrator) (2024) is the ninth book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series. Gemma Doyle listens through a closed door to a murder during a seance. She knows it can only be one of the people in attendance but figuring out which one is going to take a lot of work.

The main thing that keeps Gemma from solving the mystery soon is herself. She helps at first because she was there. But she's otherwise not all that interested in the case. It's only later when she realizes that a good friend of hers is in danger that she decides enough is enough.

I point out Gemma's reluctance to sleuth because it's the only thing that keeps this book going. The mystery is extremely easy to solve if you pay attention to the initial character interviews. Like Gemma I went first to the obvious suspect but then noticed a detailed from the actual murderer and knew who it had to be. Gemma, though, doesn't catch that detail. I'm not sure she ever catches the detail which strikes me as extremely odd for Gemma.

Gemma, though, does her due diligence and uncovers compelling a motive for the murderer. That's better than just realizing most of the suspects wouldn't have easy access to the murder weapon.

Five stars

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