Review: Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess

Title: Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess
Author: Nancy Springer, Serena Blasco
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 27, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Enola Holmes is on the case! A graphic novel adaptation of Nancy Springer’s bestselling mystery series about Sherlock Holmes’ resourceful younger sister!

Raised by her mother on the family’s country manor, Enola wakes on her 14th birthday to discover that her mother has disappeared, leaving only a collection of flowers and a coded message book. With Sherlock and Mycroft determined to ship her off to a boarding school, Enola escapes, displaying a cleverness that even impresses the elder Holmes. But nothing prepares her for what lies ahead. Her journey quickly leads her into the dark and sordid neighborhoods of London where she finds herself involved in the kidnapping of a young marquess. Will Enola evade her two brothers and succeed in her new independent life, even as she continues to follow her mother’s trail?

This delightfully drawn graphic novel adaptation also includes a portfolio of pages from Enola’s secret notebook.

Review:

Enola Holmes, younger sister of Sherlock Holmes, wakes up on her 14th birthday to find that her mother is missing. Her mother left without leaving a note, so Enola asks her brothers Sherlock and Mycroft to help search for her mother. However, her brothers want to send Enola off to boarding school because they think their mother has run away for good. Enola must escape the life her brothers have planned for her so that she can continue searching for her mother, and maybe solve a mystery or two along the way.

I love reading adaptations and retellings of Sherlock Holmes stories. This one was original because it was about Sherlock’s younger sister. However, it did not portray Sherlock in a positive light. Him and his brother Mycroft wanted to send Enola off to become a proper lady, when all she wanted was to find her mother.

Enola was a fun character. She was determined to find her mother, and was willing to do anything to complete her goal. She was also creative and great at problem solving. At the end of this graphic novel, there were some pages from Enola’s notebook, with her notes on the case and details about how she solved problems. This was some fun insight into her character.

The Case of the Missing Marquess was a fun mystery graphic novel!

What to read next:

Other books in the series:

• The Case of the Left-Handed Lady
• The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets

Have you read The Case of the Missing Marquess? What did you think of it?