The Case of the Missing Marquess

This book again gives us an outsider’s perspective on the great detective, this time from the perspective of his underestimated younger sister.

Adrift in a detailed, exciting, and often horrifying Victorian London, Enola must not only search for her missing mother - and the titular missing marques - but also avoid the constraining, dangerous “help” offered by her well-meaning but obliviously sexist older brothers.

To do so, she learns how to turn seeming weaknesses into strengths, in entertaining and often very relatable ways. And I feel compelled to say that while the movie is fine, the book is much… show more.

Enola Holmes, sister of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, is inventive, creative, curious, and adept—despite what her much older brothers Sherlock and Mycroft think about her. The story has suspense and twists and turns all the way, especially when Enola solves the case of the Missing Marquess, and ultimately, the disappearance of her own mother. Nancy Springer has included some well-researched and written historical information about the London environment of Sherlock, and she expertly creates a setting that is hard to ignore. It also shows the resilience of a determined young woman. I recommend this book, as both a history… show more.

I’ve been a Sherlock Holmes fangirl since my teenage years. When my high school friends were hanging band posters on their walls, I opted for a huge black and white poster of Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes instead.

When I learned that there was a book series featuring Sherlock and Mycroft’s younger sister, I gleefully leapt on it. I appreciate that Enola’s not a helpless girl, dependent on her famous older brothers. She’s gutsy, clever, and very, very brave. Braver than I could ever be. I enjoyed living vicariously through Enola as she endeavored to solve the mystery of her… show more.