Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose is an another adventure filled book with this time Enola trying to help find a missing man. She follows the clues and in true Enola fashion gets herself in all kinds of predicaments and with a little help gets herself out. I will always pick up an Enola story.

Enola strikes again! The newest installment is an engaging mystery with interesting characters, both fictional and historical. The rabid dog is a nice nod to classic Sherlock, and I loved that not only was Sherlock more involved in this mystery, but he and Enola are no longer at COMPLETE odds. There's a lovely sense of teamwork and camaraderie that offers something this series is in desperate need of- character growth.

While I am always interested in an Enola mystery, I found something lacking. The lack of movement in personality, situation, feelings, etc. is very frustrating. We're nine books in and I personally need to see more from Enola. There's an inconsistency when it comes to the characterization vs. writing- so many complicated sentences coming from a character who feels geared toward 12-year-olds, one who never grows and rarely changes. It's a confusing conundrum and hard to figure out who exactly this book is for.

Still, I keep reading and I do love the clever mysteries wrapped around historical figures and events. This mystery, in particular, is intriguing, with a missing man, a famous figure, a rabid dog loose and all sorts of shadowy figures. The pages do turn quickly, and it's a comfortably familiarity. While that's the case, I think unless there is more growth or a change that shakes Enola out of the same old, same old, I'll be slow to keep picking these up.

The Enola Holmes books are a fantastic historical mystery series. Aimed at middle schoolers and young adults it is one of the best mystery series for young people to have appeared in ages. Like the classic teenage sleuth Nancy Drew, Enola Holmes provides a strong female main character. But unlike the amateur detective that decades of girls grew up reading, she is rarely assisted by friends. Enola usually works alone. Her very name, Enola, is Alone spelled backwards. As her last name suggests, author Nancy Springer has created a character who is the sister of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Enola uses intelligence, ingenuity and logic, along with her flair for disguises to solve mysteries.

Enola Holmes is strong, independent, intelligent young woman. These are highly prized qualities of a modern teenager, but not for a gentile lady of the Victorian era. When the series began, Enola had run off to London to avoid her brothers’ insistence that she attend boarding school. She had determined that she would be the world’s first scientific perditorian, a finder of lost things or lost people. As society would not recognize women as professionals, and she was also hiding from her brothers, Enola had created an entirely fictitious male who was always absent from the office. When a man barges into the seeking help to find his best friend, and he will not deal with a female assistant and insists on dealing with the doctor directly. No longer hiding from her brothers, she need not hide behind her creation, so Enola in her exasperation with the rude client tells him that she is the real detective. The man calls her all sorts of names in colorful language and eventually leaves to go hire someone else. Enola is both insulted and intrigued and decides to find the man’s missing friend anyway, just to prove to the nameless nonclient that she can. During her investigation, she realizes that Sherlock is now on the case, and her competitive nature spurs her to outdo her brother.

Springer also does a fantastic job of world building. The author's descriptions of the cobblestone city streets with the variety of carriage styles and housing from fashionable homes with drawing rooms to decrepit flats paint the setting of late Victorian England. The detailed descriptions of Enola’s various disguises as well as her normal clothing help focus on the disparity between the classes. She describes ”modern marvels” of electric lights and elevators from Enola’s point of view, giving the reader insight into the public’s reaction for those inventions that we take for granted.

The author has once again woven actual historical figures into her narrative. The misogynistic client turns out to be the famed poet and author Rudyard Kipling. The missing gentleman, his friend Wolcott Balestier was an American writer, editor and publisher. Although the events in the story are completely fictitious, the relationship between Kipling, Balestier and his sister Caroline are all based in fact. Her research into these figures is reflected in the way she has written these characters. No longer needing to dwell on the character development for Enola, she spends a lot of time establishing these three people and the reader ends the book feeling as if they actually know these people. Scientist Joseph Lister plays an important part in the story and the former nurse and social reformer Florence Nightengale who was crucial in an earlier book makes a reappearance.

This book can be read as a standalone mystery. However, it is the ninth book in the series and all the character development for Enola and Sherlock evolved in the earlier books. I recommend that readers take the time to read this delightful series from the beginning. They are short, clever entertaining books that are well worth the reader’s time. I received a review copy of this book and binge read the entire series in just a few days. I enjoyed all the books. Springer’s well-crafted plots have no twists or surprises. But the strait forward fast paced stories are told in such an engrossing manner that they keep the reader captivated.

Although this is a Young Adult novel, cozy mystery readers of any age will enjoy this series. If you enjoy historical mystery and especially Sherlock Holmes pastiche, you will absolutely adore these books.

A rude, loud man bursts into Dr. Ragostin's (i.e., Enola's) office and wants the perditorian to find his dear, missing friend, an American publisher in London on business. When he is informed that Enola is the detective, he slags all women and Enola's looks, then storms off.

Taking it upon herself to find the missing man who never came home after an evening stroll, Enola dons disguises, questions the missing man's sister , also in town to manage his house, and travels all over London with her protective cabbie Harry, trying to find something that will lead her to the man. Enola meets a boutonniere seller who also has a prodigious vocabulary, hears reports of a rabid dog who attacked the missing man, exchanges blows with ruffians, and meets a scientist who is trying to find a way to prevent rabies from being the death sentence that it is. She also encounters a secret society operating in a neighbourhood of London, protecting the streets from dangers, including rabid animals. Meanwhile, Sherlock has been retained by the missing man's sister to find the man. Enola and her brother have a series of amusing and frustrating interactions, where Sherlock sometimes seems to forget that Enola is highly skilled as a perditorian, and at outsmarting her famous brother.

Enola remains one of my favourite fictional characters; she's generous, determined, funny and devilishly smart. She's also still a teenager, and makes a few mistakes during her self-imposed investigation that get her into some pretty dangerous situations. But, being quick on her feet, fast-thinking, and always having a dagger and various other helpful paraphernalia secreted about her, Enola manages to save herself repeatedly. Her witty observations and demeanour help her make connections with people, and her growing number of friends and acquaintances also aid her in finding the right dress for an event, and giving her useful background or historical information.

I love this series, was highly entertained during this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Things are finally coming together for Enola Holmes in May of 1890. She is living at the Professional Women's Club, attending school, and no longer avoiding her two elder brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. When a man named Ruddy bursts into the office of Enola's alter ego, Dr. Leslie Ragostin, and demands his missing friend be found, Enola is on the case, even after Rudyard Kipling (Ruddy) finds out that Dr. Ragostin and Enola are one and the same. He makes it abundantly clear he is not interested in hiring a girl and soon hires Sherlock Holmes to find his friend, Wolcott Balestier. But Enola is not giving up yet.

This is another fantastic Enola Holmes adventure. It might be my favorite so far with the addition of the wonderfully wordy Rudyard Kipling as a supporting character. Their banter together is delightful and fun, as Kipling's very imaginative insults do nothing to dull Enola's profound confidence. The mystery is intriguing, and as always, Enola's hijinks steal the show. She will stop at nothing to find Mr. Balestier, and that includes putting herself in elaborate disguises and dangerous situations. Sherlock's appearances throughout the book give Enola a solid partner, and his sometimes amused disapproval will make you smile.

This fun and imaginative series will bring joy to everyone and is highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose is the ninth book in Nancy Springer’s in The Enola Holmes Mysteries.

This already popular series got a boost of new followers with the release of two Netflix films, and that’s for a good reason. In Springer’s deft hands Enola comes to life. Her prose is full of light and drama and it’s entertaining from beginning to end.

As with the other books in the series, Enola is the star and Sherlock is a supporting character. Here, Enola is the storyteller. She tells you everything you need to know in her conversational, and a touch snarky tone. She’s sitting next to you, recounting her tale with spark and joy.

All of the books in this series follow a similar format, and Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose is no different. Readers will enjoy the mysteries built on mysteries and the inevitable scrapes that Enola gets into. The pacing is quick, the vocabulary grand and the adventures enticing.

While the first six books in this series were recommended for ages 10 and up, books seven through nine are being billed as YA. The only reason I can see for this is that Enola is growing older. There’s nothing objectionable in it, and if my daughter had already read the first six books, I’d have no problem handing her this one. They’re not a bad read for adults, either.

Technically, you don’t need to read all the Enola books before Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose, but I suggest you do. They’re all great, and you’ll understand the asides better if you do.

Absolutely adored Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose. I was right there with Enola, figuring everything out and working through her thought process. The world building is perfect to put us right into London, and the mystery itself was enjoyable to follow. Now I just need the 10th book.

ENOLA HOLMES AND THE MARK OF THE MONGOOSE by Nancy Springer will delight viewers of the Netflix series, fans of Sherlock Holmes, and readers of Alan Bradley's Flavia DeLuce series. Despite misogynistic views of the time, Enola Holmes (younger sister to the famous detective) is a talented sleuth in her own right with a coterie of willing helpers. Adept at disguise, she attempts to find out what happened to a young American involved with the publishing industry. Along the way, Springer educates readers about 1890 historical figures including Susan B. Anthony, Joseph Lister, and Rudyard Kipling. Famous places, like the Savoy Hotel in London, are also featured in this light and entertaining mystery adventure. Springer says it well: "I hope you enjoyed this novel, gentle reader."

eARC Review: Enola Holmes and The Mark of The Mongoose by Nancy Springer

Publication Date: September 5th 2023

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this eARC to review!

My Thoughts: Enola backwards is alone, just how Enola likes it. On her own, and no longer hiding from her older brother’s Mycroft and Sherlock, Enola works as a perditorian, a finder of lost things and people. I first heard of Enola Holmes through the Netflix movies based on Nancy Springer’s character and absolutely loved them. Enola was a character I could get behind, kind, smart, brave, and eccentric. I thought this series was such a clever way to reimagine a classic such as Sherlock Holmes. It is also set during the Victorian Era, which I have an odd love for mysteries set during that time.

Overall I enjoyed this book a lot! I thought the mystery itself was interesting and well put together. It had me guessing until the very end. I also loved being inside of Enola’s brain. The writing style that the author chose to use was a bit confusing sometimes because we are in Enola’s brain so it was very eccentric. I still enjoyed that part though!

I think lovers of mystery, and those who like Sherlock Holmes will like this book! It’s also written for and perfect for younger audiences!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I have never read an Enola Holmes book before, but recently watched both of the Netflix movies and enjoyed them. So when I saw this title on NetGalley as a YA book, I had to try it out.

I believe that even if you have not read any of the other Enola Holmes novels, or watched the movies, you would still enjoy this installment.

I loved the book. I read it in a day. I love Enola's wit and tenacity. The world building is wonderful, and I love the descriptions of her disguises. This was a fun read full of mystery, history and a few laughs. I will definitely be reading more of the series, and will be purchasing this one for my high school library.

Deepest thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martins Publishing for the ARC of "Enola Holmes and the Mark Of the Mongoose, in exchange for an honest review.
Once again, the game's afoot amid the cobbled streets and darkest corners of 1890 Victorian London. And once again, it'll require the relentless, perceptive and fearless investigation of a Holmes=ian detective with dauntless courage and intellect.
So who better than Sherlock's feisty and fiercely independent young sister Enola? Having now established a distant but respectful relationship with her famous brother, she's a consulting finder of missing persons herself.......but under the guise of a fictitious male name.
This ruse entices a potential client in cantankerous, irascible famous author Rudyard Kipling. He's seeking a dear friend, a young American publishing representative who vanished off the London streets,......but Kipling storms out enraged at the thought of dealing with a teen girl detective.
But Enola, intrigued enough to take on the case anyway, dons her endless variety of costumes and disguises to plunge fully into solving the dangerous mystery of what befell young Wolcott Balastier....even if it puts her own life at risk;
And guess what? Sure enough it does, as she encounters foaming-at-the-mouth rabid dogs, an ominous secret society of thuggish street vigilantes and further run-ins with the high strung, hot-tempered 'Ruddy' Kipling.
As I expected, this latest Enola Holmes adventure proved every bit as thrilling, clever and witty as all the previous entries. And again, author Nancy Springer's meticulous research recreates Enola and Sherlock's world of late 19th century London with such evocative detail. It's the kind of long lost world any reader can happily lose themselves in.
I'd wouldn't dream of missing any of Miss Holmes's baffling cases, filled with suspense and sometimes even laugh-out-loud moments..... and I'd more than recommend you don't miss this one either

This book is marketed for middle-grade/young adult but I'm not so sure that this segment of readers would be able to stick with it through the endless descriptions and slow development of the story. I found it tedious and I'm not a tween and I love a good Historical Fiction.

Enola Holmes has finally convinced her brothers to let her live her life independently and has settled into the Professional Women's Club and made friends there. The brother's only requirement is that Enola attend school. Which she does, when it suits her. She still maintains her office and it is there that she is contacted by a rather rude young man demanding to see her male employer. He doesn't take the news well that Enola is the scientific perditorian, a finder of lost things and people by using scientific methods, he seeks. But instead of shaking it all off and going about her business, Enola is intrigued and more than a little peeved, so she determines to find this rude fellow's best friend who has disappeared.

Wolcott Balestier, the young man who has disappeared, is a representative of an American book publisher who is in London to contract with English authors for their newest books. There is a segment of the American publish industry that has been "pirating" the manuscripts, publishing them without proper authorization. Could this have led to Wolcott's disappearance? As Enola investigates, she finds that the man's brash friend is none other than Rudyard Kipling and he has engaged her brother, Sherlock Holmes, to find Wolcott. This just makes Enola all the more determined to be the one who finds Wolcott, even if it means working with Sherlock. 3 1/2-Stars

My thanks the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

A rollicking fast-paced exciting read! Springer has a gifted hand with verbiage, both descriptive and conversational. She adroitly captures the youthful Ebola’s lack of sophistication and well-developed language skills This is an utter joy to read while simultaneously focusing on rabies and its human costs and development. Stellar descriptions abound. Highly recommend.

I love Enola Holmes and will keep reading these books for as long as they are published! That being said, this one was just okay for me.

The highlights, of course, are every time Enola interacts with Sherlock—I just love how their relationship has progressed through these books. Enola struggling with her desire to impress him but also not need validation from him—it's just perfectly portrayed.

The plot for this was a little all over the place for me. I don't know why, but it felt more far-fetched than her other adventures. And though there were a few call-back characters, I did miss some of the interactions with past characters, and instead we're given a few real-life characters in Wolcott Balestier and Rudyard Kipling. But I think this kept taking me out of the story. Every time Kipling was mentioned (a lot) it just made the story feel not real...but this is probably a me thing.

Anyways, I still enjoyed Enola's sleuthing and hijinks and will always recommend any of her books if you need a lighthearted and fun mystery!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an egalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the ninth book in the series but can be read as a standalone. I love the character of Enola Holmes, younger sister to Sherlock and Mycroft. She's stubborn, feisty, and doesn't mind stepping on a few toes. Such as her more famous detective brother and in this novel, author Rudyard Kipling.

See it all starts when an American woman begs for help in finding her missing brother. Throw in a bunch of savory eyewitnesses and a rabid dog and Enola is off on another adventure.

The novel is entertaining and is full of witty dialogue and memorable characters. I suppose the audience could be directed for a YA one but this high school English teacher was quite delighted.


Goodreads review published 04/09/23
Expected Publication Date 05/09/23

.Enola is finally on her own and no longer hiding from her brothers. When a representative from an American book publisher goes mission, his friend comes to Enola asking for help. He didn’t realize Enola is a girl and turns to Sherlock for assistance. Not accepting defeat, Enola works her case while Sherlock works his. She’s determined to figure out what happened to the young American and potentially working side by side with her brother.

This was a great read. I love catching up with Enola and seeing what she’s up to and how she annoys her brothers. I absolutely love the Enola Holmes books. It’s like coming home every-time I read one This one, like the previous ones, had me guessing on what was going to happen and I loved it. Highly recommend, especially if you’re a fan of the others in the series.

When Rudyard Kipling comes looking to hire someone to find a friend, Wolcott Balestier, who has gone missing, he expects to find a man. Instead, he finds (and insults) Enola Holmes, who decides she is going to find his friend to spite "Ruddy" and show him what a young woman can do. Working at times in conjunction with her older brother Sherlock, Enola finds clues others have missed that lead her not only to discover what happened to Balestier but may also put her in danger herself. Well written with smart and personable characters, historically interesting events, and a strong plot.

Enola Holmes is such a great character. She is a staunch suffragist and, as such, is modern for her times. She is also older than her years. This all comes together and creates some very entertaining, often laugh-out-loud, moments perfectly timed in an otherwise severe and even violent mystery. She is a gem in the YA cozy mystery world.

I found the historical elements very interesting. This story took on rabies in 1800’s England, and it’s another dark topic (often the focus in these mysteries is a darker element). I already knew some about how inoculations were created and delivered. Still, Springer makes it so real in her telling. Rabies is so scary, especially back then, and I felt that terror and tension reflected in the story.

I also loved the mystery. Sherlock and Enola working, not so much together, but in tandem, is amusing. The brother/sister relationship is fascinating as neither character is demonstrative about their feelings, which is a sentiment that is very true of the times, too. But they are also very similar, and this is where the fun comes into play. The mystery was focused and fast-paced, more so than in previous installments, and I greatly appreciated that. It also felt very authentic, as Enola gets into considerably dangerous scrapes, and her life is at stake.

Enola Holmes is a YA cozy mystery series that is authentic and entertaining for the adult or YA reader.

Enola is back at it again. Personally, I didn’t enjoy this mystery quite as much as I have some of her past ones. It was a bit to slow paced for me and I felt like she wasn’t able to get up to as much mischief as she as in past cases. I do still quite enjoy her tenacity and I love how she takes it upon herself to take on solving the mystery even though a man tells her that she could never. She is quite a firecracker and I love that girls get to have her as a model in books. This is quite a fun series and while this one may not have been my favorite; I still love to recommend Enola books for any readers looking for a good mystery.
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

Rudyard Kipling is asking Enola Holmes for help in this next exciting installment. The disappearance of an American book publisher is brought to Enola’s and Sherlock’s attention by Rudyard Kipling. When they find the crime might be connected to a vigilante group and rabid dogs with rabies Enola is determined to get to the bottom of things. Working together with Sherlock can Enola locate the missing man and help him along with appeasing the great writer Rudyard Kipling?

With a fast pace, an odd assortment of characters and clues abound this is another fun installment of the Enola Holmes mysteries!