An Enola Holmes Mystery (Book #5): The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline

This is the 5th Enola Holmes book, but the first one that I have read.

I am not in favor of "fan fiction" so the premise of a (much) younger sister of Sherlock Holmes isn't one I am drawn to. However, if I ignore that part, the mystery itself was OK. I liked the use of Florence Nightingale and the

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coded ribbons.

The narration of my audiobook edition (by Katherine Kellgren) was excellent and that turned a 2½ star story into 3 stars.

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I very much enjoyed this book. Studying multicultural literature has made me consider and appreciate the role of seeing different cultures, and one's own culture(s), represented in children's literature when these are not the typical thing one sees. As a woman, though, I had almost forgotten the

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role of gender in this process until reading this book. Not only is the female protagonist a scrappy young girl (which one could say about Nancy Drew or some other female protagonists), but many other significant characters in the book are women, too. And the point of view of women, explicitly having to face misogyny and male dominance, is not something I was lucky enough to find in my reading when I was a young girl. I highly recommend this work for young girls who find themselves being relegated to relating to supporting characters in the books they enjoy.

Librarians can identify and recommend this book for girl readers if displays and programming is available, as well as for mystery fans.

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When Enola Holmes' kindly old landlady is abruptly kidnapped, Enola must use all her disguises and detective skills to determine why she was abducted and bring her home.

Fifth in the successful Enola Holmes mystery series, The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline is by far the most connected to real-world

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events. Whereas Enola's considerable powers of deduction have until now been directed at fellow fictional characters, in this volume she meets and later investigates the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale. While Springer takes some liberties with the personality and motivations of the real-life Nightingale, these embellishments are freely acknowledged in a postscript by the author. This installment of Enola's adventures is also unique in that it much more concerned with the mysteries of the past. Determining exactly what happened between Nightingale and Enola's landlady Mrs. Tupper during the Crimean War becomes instrumental in solving the case.

At this point in the series, it seems as though Springer is falling into a rut. The addition of a real-world figure, however fictionalized, brings new life to the story but it seems as though we've seen it all before. The abduction of Mrs. Tupper closely resembles that of Dr. Watson in the Case of the Bizarre Bouquets, up to and including the codes that Enola must solve to get them back. This is by far my least favorite of the Enola Holmes mysteries, although it proceeded by The Case of the Gypsy Goodbye, in which one hopes Enola might find some sort of resolution with her absent mother, who has been traveling with gypsies for the last four books.

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Enola Holmes has run away from home so that her older brother Sherlock can't send her away to boarding school. But now her elderly, deaf landlady has been abducted and Enola sets out to find out where the woman is and why she was taken.

The addition of Florence Nightingale, and her depiction, made it a 5-star. Believable and also entertaining.

My biggest complaint about this one was that it was too short! I hadn't paid attention to the length when I started listening and as the mystery started wrapping up, I thought there must be more dimensions and twists and turns coming only to be surprised that it was truly over. I do like that it

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becomes apparent that Sherlock has no idea what he's actually suggesting Enola submit to by going to boarding school and such. I also really enjoyed the Crimean War history and Florence Nightengale cameo - I don't know much about either so it was a treat to learn more.

Listened to the Playaway narrated by Katherine Kellgren. Kellgren is excellent as always - she's become one of my very favorite narrators to the point where I'll pick up audio books just because she narrates them. I can't wait for the last Enola Holmes audio to be released; I hope it's soon.

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This is the second book in the Enola Holmes series that I've read. While this book was as well written as the first the suspense fell short in this volume. I got bored about halfway through but managed to finish. The mystery of the crinoline was a bit underwhelming and seemed to drag. I'm rating

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this book three stars because the writing is good but the plot is lackluster.

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This book is of such superior quality it's a wonder Nancy Springer isn't huge spot-her-in-the-street-and-beg-for-autograph kind of huge. Enola's path this time crosses that of Florence Nightingale in a gripping mystery that takes us back to the Crimean War. I love when Enola's story intertwines

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with that of famous historical figures. The description Springer makes of war is absolutely chilling and well worth a read. I also really enjoyed her eye for detail - it's lovely to be able to decode a message alongside Enola. She doesn't talk down to her readers, and I found that refreshing.
Enola still is the wonderful girl she's been from day one and it's a privilege to follow her for her social conscience is truly welcome.

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The latest entry in this series starring Enola Holmes, the equally clever but much younger sister of Sherlock Holmes, takes the reader on a rollicking chase all over London. Enola is “alone” spelled backwards, and once again, that is how Enola finds herself. She was abandoned by her mother

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under mysterious circumstances, and has been on the run ever since from brothers Sherlock and Mycroft, who want her to enter finishing school like a proper young woman of her class. When Enola's nearly deaf old landlady is kidnapped, it's up to her to solve the secret message hidden in an old crinoline by none other than Florence Nightingale and rescue Mrs. Tupper, who has become the closest thing she has to family. Enola’s knowledge of the language of flowers, her skills with disguises, and her quick thinking combine to keep her one step ahead of Sherlock, but just barely.

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The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer is the penultimate of the Enola Holmes series. In this one, Enola meets Florence Nightingale to help solve a decades old mystery.

The clues are in code, sewn into an old horsehair petticoat (the pre-hoop skirt meaning of crinoline). The reason

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Enola's gotten herself involved is because her landlady has drawn the attention of international thugs. This then is the book where Enola's landlady gets an interesting backstory, just as "His Last Vow" (series 3, episode 2 of Sherlock) does for Mrs. Hudson (because Doyle never really did give her much of a character or story, so she's free game).

I realize it's a rather common and inevitable for a historical fiction series to eventually include some actual historical figures. But these meetings of fictional and factual are often forced.

Here Enola is taken under Nightingale's wing even though she's in self imposed exile. A young woman with Sherlock's abilities who has successfully survived on her own and solved crimes now eagerly learning spying from an ex-nurse who was also apparently a spy stretched my suspension of disbelief a little too thin.

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In late nineteenth-century London, fourteen-year-old Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, turns to Florence Nightingale for help when her investigation into the disappearance of a Crimean War widow grows cold.

Very fun mystery in the style of Sherlock Holmes (but with more action) that will appeal to both younger readers and adults alike.

In late nineteenth-century London, fourteen-year-old Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, turns to Florence Nightingale for help when her investigation into the disappearance of a Crimean War widow grows cold.

On her fourteenth birthday, Enola Holmes (youngest sibling of Mycroft and Sherlock) woke to find that her mother had left in the night, leaving behind only a series of cryptic clues. To avoid being sent to boarding school, Enola flees her brothers' care and heads to London, where she alternately

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looks for her mother and solves mysteries. She is adept at interviewing witnesses, constructing disguises, and cryptography, yet she is still just fourteen. When her deaf old landlady (who has filled a mother's role for Enola) is kidnapped, Enola springs into action. She will stop at nothing to discover what happened to Mrs. Tupper and get her back.

Another wonderfully engaging adventure for Enola, rife with delightful historical details (like Mrs.T's pride in her window, though it costs her window taxes) and great interactions between Enola and Sherlock Holmes.

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Listened with my 11-year-old while on a road trip. We both enjoyed it.

Another fun entry in the series, I can't believe I only have one to more book in the series left to read. Please Ms Springer give us more Enola cases soon!

Enola shows her intelligence through her decryption skills and her maturity with her negotiation skills. Avoiding her brothers is still a problem, however. This series is evolving nicely.

This story has Enola risking her alternate aliases to help find her landlady, Mrs Tupper. She has come to find her as a maternal figure in the absence of her mother. When Mrs Tupper is kidnapped Enola is on the case. During her complex journey to find her landlady Enola finds herself needing the

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assistance of Florence Nightingale. Again, Sherlock witnesses the very clever Enola solve the mystery. He also takes into consideration the advice from Florence Nightingale who is very much an independent and influential unmarried woman.

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Fourteen-year-old Enola Holmes has been avoiding her older brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft, since their mother's disappearance a year ago. She has no intention of ending up in a boarding school. She's been living in London in disguise. Now her landlady, Mrs. Tupper, has been kidnapped, and Enola is

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on the trail of the kidnappers. Her search uncovers a connection to the Crimean War and “the Lady with the Lamp”. It also brings her dangerously close to her brother, Sherlock, who is also on the trail of the kidnappers. Can Enola rescue her landlady without being caught by her brother and sent to boarding school?

Enola Holmes is a smart, spunky heroine who will appeal particularly to tween girls. Her attitude and behavior reminds me of Amelia Peabody. The stories lean more to action and adventure to appeal to middle grade readers. I listened to the audio version read by Katherine Kellgren, one of my favorite audiobook readers. She perfectly captures the humorous melodrama of the story.

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This is the 5th Enola Holmes book, but the first one that I have read.

I am not in favor of "fan fiction" so the premise of a (much) younger sister of Sherlock Holmes isn't one I am drawn to. However, if I ignore that part, the mystery itself was OK. I liked the use of Florence Nightingale and the

Show More

coded ribbons.

The narration of my audiobook edition (by Katherine Kellgren) was excellent and that turned a 2½ star story into 3 stars.

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