I'm not sure why I enjoy these books as much as I do since I find the main character, Gemma Doyle, quite annoying. Obviously this is the way that Delany wants to portray her and Gemma's friends state on at least two occasions that “she's learning" to be more diplomatic.
I have to say that, although it's the Sherlock Holmes canon that gets referenced heavily in this series (for obvious reasons), this particular novel had overtones of Agatha Christie, specifically Murder on the Orient Express or maybe And Then There Were None. You could also liken it to Georgette Heyer's Christmas Party. The murdered man invited a house-full of people who had reason to resent him or fear him for a weekend of Sherlockian shenanigans. Gemma and her friend Jayne have been hired to provide entertainment and food, so are on hand for the murder and to observe the actions and reactions of these guests. Let's just say that they don't show themselves off to advantage.
Being unnaturally observant and also willing to be nosier and less polite than others, Gemma is in the perfect position to learn a lot. She dismays her boyfriend, the detective, by telling him several details that the guests haven't seen fit to disclose to him. By the end of this, the seventh book in the series, even Louise Estrada, the hostile detective, has had to admit that Gemma has talent. (She is an obvious Inspector Lestrade figure in these stories, reluctant to admit that observation and deduction can go as far as Gemma or Sherlock can take them).
I have no idea if Delany intends to continue this series, but it does seem to me like she wrapped things up neatly by book's end. I would be unsurprised if Gemma gets retired and Delany moves on to newer ideas and a different main character.
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