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Enola Holmes Mysteries (books)


wildwoodflower

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Moderator's note:  This thread is about the book series.  For the movies, see Enola Holmes Film Series.

I didn't see these mentioned here, but I have to say these are some of my very favorite Sherlock Holmes related stories ever. Nancy Springer's set up for the character's introduction is brilliant, The Holmes brothers are very in character and the historical acuracy is pretty spot on. Enola is the reason my granddaughter (7) thought she needed a corset (for hiding weapons and other useful items :)). Springer writes believable girls who are smart, plucky and well-rounded people yet with the flaws and naivte of youth.

 

(If something about these has been posted already, sorry. There's a lot of backlog I haven't got to yet.)

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I have seen a lot of fanfiction featuring Enola but I didn't know that there were actual books written about her. Guess I will have to look for some Nancy Springer novels.

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This is completely new to me, so I'm guessing nothing has been posted previously. (When in doubt, try the advanced search function, accessible via the "cog-wheel" link to the right of the standard search at the top of each forum page.)

 

I'm curious as to what Enola's relationship to Sherlock and Mycroft is (unless the answer would be a spoiler for that brilliant introduction). How old is she in the stories?

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This is completely new to me, so I'm guessing nothing has been posted previously. (When in doubt, try the advanced search function, accessible via the "cog-wheel" link to the right of the standard search at the top of each forum page.)

 

I'm curious as to what Enola's relationship to Sherlock and Mycroft is (unless the answer would be a spoiler for that brilliant introduction). How old is she in the stories?

 

I remember thinking the premise couldn't possibly work and that it sounded very fanficcy, but Nancy Springer has a lot of kids books under her belt and this series is charming and delightful and exciting and full of adventure and danger and its also hilarious. Enola is the fourteen year old sister of Mycroft and Sherlock, an embarrasing late life baby who is only two when her father dies. On her fourteenth birthday her mother disappears and that's how the series begins. Enola.is awesome. I've recommended this series to a lot of people and none of them have been disappointed.

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Oh, dear, I do hope she's able to find Mummy! (That's a statement, not a question -- the answer would surely be a spoiler!)

 

The mere concept of Mycroft and Sherlock dealing with an uppity baby sister is hilarious. I'm glad to hear that it's nicely carried through. What's the title of the first book?

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Oh, dear, I do hope she's able to find Mummy! (That's a statement, not a question -- the answer would surely be a spoiler!)

 

The mere concept of Mycroft and Sherlock dealing with an uppity baby sister is hilarious. I'm glad to hear that it's nicely carried through. What's the title of the first book?

 

I think it's "the Case of the Missing Marquesa'. (not with my books at the mo), but if you google Enola Holmes mysteries all the titles will come up. She wrote six and claims the series is over, but... I hope not. Not steering you wring honestly. I have met no one that didn't love these books after they got past their preconceptions about what they were getting into.

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I think it's "the Case of the Missing Marquesa".

You're virtually correct, The Case of the Missing Marquess. And here's info on the series.

 

 

She wrote six and claims the series is over....

This may be the motive behind the fan fiction that Fox mentioned.

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I offered to buy some of these for my daughter when I spotted them in a supermarket last summer, but she wasn't interested (she's totally into fantasy fiction). I haven't tried them myself as I haven't been feeling like reading children's books lately, but I have heard some of the twenty-something Frenchlockians singing the praises of these books.

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I offered to buy some of these for my daughter when I spotted them in a supermarket last summer, but she wasn't interested (she's totally into fantasy fiction). I haven't tried them myself as I haven't been feeling like reading children's books lately, but I have heard some of the twenty-something Frenchlockians singing the praises of these books.

 

They are not just children's books, they are really good mysteries and so engaging, My granddaughter is eight and loved them and she adores anime, Doctor Who, unicorns and werewolves (sometimes wereunicorns, it's very complicated:-) But the funny thing is all the grown ups I've recced them too either have grown children or no children and devoured all the books. They're soooo good. Honest.

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Frenchlockian

I really like that. I have a favorite little local bookstore that is more then willing to feed into my Holmes fetish. I'll have to hit them up for some of these.

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  • 1 year later...

An unusual name, yes, but not a made-up one (just like Sherlock and Mycroft).  The Enola Holmes novels make fairly heavy use of codes and cryptography, and the protagonist's name (which spelt backwards is "alone") is but one example of Mrs. Holmes' interest in such matters.

 

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  • 6 months later...
On 2/19/2013 at 12:36 AM, wildwoodflower said:

I remember thinking the premise couldn't possibly work and that it sounded very fanficcy, but Nancy Springer has a lot of kids books under her belt and this series is charming and delightful and exciting and full of adventure and danger and its also hilarious. Enola is the fourteen year old sister of Mycroft and Sherlock, an embarrasing late life baby who is only two when her father dies. On her fourteenth birthday her mother disappears and that's how the series begins.

(Yes, this is the book series that the movie is based on.)

I looked up author Nancy Springer [link] the other day, and found this:

Quote

Her two older brothers had left the family for college by the time she hit puberty. Her mother was a professional artist, who painted oil portraits of pets. Springer was 14 when her mother's health began to deteriorate due to [...] an early-onset form of Alzheimer's.

Good heavens!  Well, they say write what you know!

 

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  • 2 years later...
On 2/19/2013 at 11:47 AM, wildwoodflower said:

She wrote six and claims the series is over, but... I hope not.

Sorry!  Should have come back here and posted an update in 2021 when Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche was published, presumably prompted by the success of the 2020 movie.  It has been followed by two more novels, Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade (2022) and Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose (2023), as well as a bit of short fiction called "Enola Holmes and the Boy in Buttons" (2021, available only electronically).  And that is most definitely that. according to Ms. Springer.

We've read Barouche and Escapade, we're nearly finished with Mongoose, and we've enjoyed them all.

 

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