Enola Holmes: The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer

Enola is back to being Ivy, who rents a room from Mrs. Tupper when her landlady requests Enola’s help. Knowing that Ivy is resourceful and might be able to help, Mrs. Tupper explains that when she was first married she followed her husband to Crimea where he died and a nice nurse helped Mrs. Tupper find her way back home and gave her a nice new dress for the trip. Just a few days ago Mrs. Tupper received a threat requesting that Mrs. Tupper request that she give them the message she was delivering for the “The Bird.” Enola questions her deaf landlady as best she can but Mrs. Tupper has no clue on who The Bird was and she did not carry a message for anyone when she came home. Enola leaves a message for whoever threatened Mrs. Tupper in the newspaper, similar to how she communicates with her brothers, and hopes that will be the of it. Unfortunately, when Enola returns home later she sees the house has been destroyed and learns from the daily girl that Mrs. Tupper was kidnapped. Enola realizes she has received more maternal care from Mrs. Tupper than from her own mother and decides she will bring her landlady home. Enola realizes that “The Bird” was Florence Nightingale and tracks her down. Enola forces a meeting with Mrs. Nightingale, who at first did not realize who Mrs. Tupper was.  Once Mrs. Nightingale does realize who Mrs. Tupper is, she contacts Sherlock Holmes, and Enola comes back for another meeting after figuring out what the code in Mrs. Tupper’s dress was. Enola ends up joining the first Professional Women’s Club to get resources to help her determine what the code says and learns some gossip on who the kidnappers might be. When Enola goes to see the house that Mrs. Tupper might be in, she spots Sherlock in disguise and walks right past him to go knock on the front door, figuring out that if she gets in trouble Sherlock will make sure she gets out. After confronting the kidnappers, Enola negotiates Mrs. Tupper’s release and the two make a hectic escape, return home for all their possessions and leave the house forever. Sherlock asks Mrs. Nightingale to let him know if Enola ever visits Mrs. Tupper, who is now living at her residence. Mrs. Nightingale sheds some light on what boarding school is really like for young girls, and what his mother was like. Sherlock starts to doubt if the life he and Mycroft want for Enola is what is best for her. Such a great read, eager to find out what Enola does next. The case is a nice mystery and full for laughter and moments of Enola struggling to be a young independent woman while missing a motherly (and brotherly) connection.

Character List/Book Summary:

Enola Holmes – pretends to by Ivy Meshle at work and with her landlady, in an effort to hide from her brothers. Is upset about the lack of information from the neighborhood about Mrs .Tupper’s kidnapping. In cleaning up the mess to see what the kidnappers might find Enola discovers the nice dress the nurse with the light sent her home in. Enola is fascinated by the needlework in the crinoline, and realizes later it is Morse code.

Sherlock – Florence Nightingale hires him to find Mrs. Tupper once she remembered what Mrs. Tupper was used for. See Enola at Mrs. Nightingale’s house, but is not able to catch her or talk to her. In disguise he is at The Whimbrel’s house when Enola walks past him to go inside. Sherlock stops one of the kidnappers from escaping, but in doing so he is not able to get Enola or Mrs. Tupper.

Mrs. Diana Tupper – realizes Enola has several disguises, asks for her help about a threat she received. Was deaf most of her life and did not get a message from the nurse with the light in Crimea or know what was written on the paper she was given.

Florence Nightingale – helps Mrs. Tupper escape from Crimea after her husband, a solider, died. Does not see people only writes letters and responds to written questions sent up to her. Collapsed after she came home and has been bedridden ever since. Enola sends her a message using the code in the crinoline and is granted an audience with Mrs. Nightingale. Knew Enola’s mom and what a crusader for women’s right she is, but has not heard from her lately. Does not stop Enola’s escape from Sherlock and tells Sherlock that she would not know if Enola visits Mrs. Tupper ask she never goes downstairs anymore.

Lord Sidney Whimbrel – “The Bird” was sending messages to him using a code about the corruption of the officers in Crimea and funds being diverted from their intended use. Died and his oldest son, Rodney, just took a seat in the House of Lords. Rumor in the Professional Ladies Club is that Rodney is weak and his younger brother is the force and there is family issues over that Crimea thing.