Fiction - European People, Places & Cultures, Fiction - Island Peoples, Places & Cultures, Fiction - Mysteries & Thrillers
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Overview
As Enola searches for the missing Lady Blanchefleur del Campo, she discovers that her brother Sherlock is just as diligently searching for Enola herself-and this time he really needs to catch her! He is in possession of a most peculiar package, a message from their long-lost mother that only Enola can decipher. Sherlock, along with their brother Mycroft, must follow Enola into the reeking tunnels of London's dark underbelly as they solve a triple mystery: What has happened to their mother? And to Lady Blanchefleur? And what does either have to do with Mycroft, who holds Enola's future in his everso- proper hands?
No one, not even Sherlock, is left unchanged or unsurprised in this brilliant conclusion to the Enola Holmes mystery series.
Editorials
Children's Literature -
When the beautiful Duqessa Blanchfleur del Campo goes missing, it falls to Enola Holmes, sister of the better-known Sherlock, to crack the case and recover the missing lady. This is the fifth book in the series of books about Enola's adventures, but it can be read out of sequence and without the confusion that often accompanies "catching up" with a series. Brief nods are made to earlier books as spunky, level-headed Enola dons disguises and pseudonyms to keep her whereabouts secret from her brothers. Meanwhile, Enola scours London, above and below ground, to locate the kidnapped duchess. While ferreting out clues to Blanchfeur's disappearance, Enola discerns the involvement of her earlier nemesis, Mrs. Culhern, and suspects that Duqessa Blanchfleur was taken for her elegant clothes and glorious red-gold hair. Meanwhile, Enola receives a gypsy prophecy suggesting the whereabouts of her long absent mother, sending her on another search to find out why she was abandoned. This is a fast-moving, exciting, and wonderfully feminist adventure that offers both fun and great storytelling for middle readers. Certainly, the tales have not ended because now that Enola is reunited with her famous brother, she will undoubtedly be taking part or taking the lead in more amazing adventures in London Town. Highly recommended. Reviewer: Lois Rubin GrossSchool Library Journal
Gr 5–9—In this fifth book in the series, Enola, younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, discovers that the royal Duque del Campo's wife, Duquessa Lady Blanchefleur, has gone missing. Through an array of pseudonyms and disguises, the 14-year-old sets out for the grimy underside of Baker Street's Underground station to search for her. Along the way, she encounters an old Gypsy woman wearing a chrysanthemum-blossom amulet displaying Enola's long-lost mother's initials. The woman bestows a fate upon Enola—that she is destined to be alone forever unless she chooses to defy the fate. As Enola struggles with the del Campo case and her mother's whereabouts, she collides with Sherlock. He hands over a mysterious packet that was left on his doorstep, revealed to be a cryptic "skytale" sent by their mother. Feelings about her abandonment begin to change, and all three siblings set out to Lady Blanchefleur. Although Springer builds upon the earlier titles and characters, a different side of Enola's character is presented. Through 19th-century London's dark atmospheric settings, Enola's flair shines through with perseverance and ingenuity. Her descriptive internal monologues demonstrate sensitivity as she discovers her mother's real reason for leaving. In this brilliantly written emotional tale, children will appreciate Enola's self-discovery on the importance of family and her determination to find her true fate.—Krista Welz, North Bergen Public Library, NJBook Details
Published
November 10, 2011
Publisher
Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Pages
176
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780142418888