Synopsis

Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of Sherlock, is now living independently in London and working as a scientific perditorian (a finder of persons and things). But that is not the normal lot of young women in Victorian England. They are under the near absolute control of their nearest male relative until adulthood. Such is the case of Enola’s friend, Lady Cecily Alastair. Twice before Enola has rescued Lady Cecily from unpleasant designs of her caddish father, Sir Eustace Alastair, Baronet. And when Enola is brusquely turned away at the door of the Alastair home it soons becomes apparent that Lady Cecily once again needs her help.

Affecting a bold escape, Enola takes Lady Cecily to her secret office only to be quickly found by the person hired by Lady Cecily’s mother to find the missing girl—Sherlock Holmes himself. But the girl has already disappeared again, now loose on her own in the unforgiving city of London.

Even worse, Lady Cecily has a secret that few know. She has dual personalities—one, which is left-handed, is independent and competent; the other, which is right-handed is meek and mild. Now Enola must find Lady Cecily again—before one of her personalities gets her into more trouble than she can handle and before Sherlock can find her and return her to her father. Once again, for Enola, the game is afoot.

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Review

Ever since I saw the movie on Netflix, I have been captured by this series and have enjoyed every book I have read so far. There is something about this spunky Enola Holmes that draws me in each time. Enola is a self-proclaimed perditorian, which is a finder of lost things or people. She does this exceptionally well, and in this novel, we find her saving her good friend Cecily from her locked room and uncovering a way to keep this from happening again. Because of the time period in which this book is set, most women are considered property. Cecily’s father is not a kind man, and he apparently is up to some unscrupulous things.

We learn more about Enola’s life at the woman’s home and outside the home. Her brothers are always concerned for her, but she is taking classes that thrill them since they just want her to be happy and stay out of trouble. That last part is hard because she is not afraid to stick her nose in where it doesn’t belong when it comes to her friends.

Cecily is a unique character, and I wonder if she is bipolar because she becomes two different people depending on which hand is dominant at the time. The left-hand Cecily is bold and not afraid of anything. The right-hand Cecily is a simpering food and can’t stand up for herself. I liked how Enola would draw out the left-hand Cecily when she needed someone that was more forthright.

I enjoyed the fast pace of the story, Enola’s unique costumes, and the interaction between all of the characters. The descriptions drew me in, and I felt like I was a part of the story. Enola is a role model for young women to achieve more than they think they can.

These are fun reads, so check this series out. We give it 4 paws up.

About the Author

Nancy Springer is the author of the nationally bestselling Enola Holmes novels, including The Case of the Missing Marquess, which was made into the hit Netflix movie Enola Holmes. She is the author of more than 50 other books for children and adults. She has won many awards, including two Edgar Awards, and has been published in more than thirty countries. She lives in Florida.

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