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My daughter just loves this newer series. We're particular about writing quality and we enjoy this author tremendously. My kids will not even read a book they feel is beneath them in vocabulary and complexity. We are anxiously awaiting the next volume! A quote from my daughter sums it up best: "It is engaging and witty. Enola is so lifelike you wish you could meet her in person!" This story sparked great interest in reading a new biography on the remarkable life and influence of Florence Nightengale as well! We would very highly recommend this series to our fellow homeschoolers!
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Enola Holmes first sprang onto the scene in THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS and then continued her adventures in three subsequent novels. Fans of Enola no doubt realize she goes to great lengths to stay hidden in London. She parades around in her alter-ego, Miss Meshle, in an attempt to stay free of notice from her much famous older brother, Sherlock Holmes. While Enola does maintain her freedom from such restrictions as a fancy boarding school or uptight social gatherings, she is nevertheless very much alone (her name spelled backwards is still "Alone").
In fact, the closest thing to family would be her dear landlady, Mrs. Tupper. Mrs. Tupper may be deaf and a dreadful cook, but she certainly doesn't ask questions concerning Enola's sometimes eccentric and erratic behavior. She also recognizes that there is more to Enola than meets the eye and confides in her concerning a mysterious message received in the mail. Apparently someone is after Mrs. Tupper to deliver a "bird-brained" message --- or else. While utterly clueless, Enola realizes this is no idle threat when Mrs. Tupper is kidnapped the very next day. Time is short for Enola to rescue perhaps the only person who really cares about her.
The smallest amount of clues is left behind for Enola to make sense of. These include Mrs. Tupper's brief history in the Crimean War, some old embroidery on a crinoline, and a brief encounter with a very famous nurse, Florence Nightingale. Enola's first encounter with the seemingly invalid Nightingale is fruitless and exasperating. The crinoline, however, proves more fruitful with a hidden Morse code in the embroidery. Armed now with an important secret message, Enola once again approaches Florence Nightingale with the hope of coming one step closer to locating the missing Mrs. Tupper. Florence informs Enola that she has also hired her own detective to solve the problem, and Enola comes face to face --- literally --- with the last person she expects or wants to see: her older brother, Sherlock.
Enola is now faced with two very difficult problems. She still has not found her beloved Mrs. Tupper, and time is running out. Also, now Sherlock is hot on her tail to bring her home and force her into a "proper" school and other "proper" engagements girls of her age should be experiencing. Will the cryptic crinoline lead Enola to Mrs. Tupper? Will Enola be able to maintain her freedom with the insatiable Sherlock Holmes on the case? Only the younger sister of the great Sherlock Holmes would be able to juggle the two problems with relative ease and a hint of danger mixed in.
Nancy Springer has successfully created a series of mysteries that capture the sincerity and complexity of the original Conan Doyle stories with a new and vibrant character in Enola Holmes. Enola proves once again that she is able to match wits with her male counterparts and perhaps has more fun in doing it. I appreciated the richness of language in relation to the time period and of course the wondrous and equally spooky setting of London. This was my first Enola Holmes mystery, and I am a converted fan.
--- Reviewed by Benjamin Boche
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When Nancy Springer started this series, my first reaction was, "Sherlock's LITTLE SISTER?? Oh, give me a break!" However, the entire series, including this latest entry, has proven to be a delight.
I would stringly recommend to read the other books, in order, before this one - the character development, and the development of Enola's relationships with her brothers, is a strong element in the stories.
Nancy Springer obviously knows Sherlock Holmes, and also has a gift for getting inside the head of a young Victorian girl. The stories are exciting, but also plausible (no attempt to be Indiana Jones). Although they are billed as young adult novels, this 59-year-old enjoys them immensely. Highly recommended!
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While this author writes for children, her books are very enjoyable for adults as well. She does not write down to children. Her description of Victorian English life strikes me as very accurate. The premise of this series is that Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes have a much younger sister, Enola Holmes. Enola (which is "alone" backwards), as a late in life surprise for their parents, is a bit of an embarrassment to the Holmes brothers. When their mother, a liberated woman, goes missing, Enola flees as well in order to avoid being shipped off to a boarding/finishing school, where she would be trained to become nothing more than a decoration to a wealthy man's life. Enola abhors the mere idea.
Enola fled in the first book in this series, and in subsequent stories she has inadvertently encountered older brother Sherlock, who has been searching for her. Affection is growing between the two siblings through their brief encounters. Sherlock is also developing a growing respect for his clever, daring little sister.
In this story, Enola and Sherlock independently encounter Florence Nightengale, who helps guide Sherlock to some understanding of why his little sister flees at the mere sight of him.
I really enjoy this series and look forward to more installments of the on-going saga of Enola and Sherlock Holmes.
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