The Case of the Missing Marquess
The Enola Holmes Series
Nancy Springer

Puffin (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-14-240933-2 (0142409332)
ISBN-13: 978-0-14-240933-6 (9780142409336)
Publication Date: November 2007
List Price: $6.99

Review: Do you like mysteries and adventures? Then this is the book for you. The title of the story is The Case of the Missing Marquess, by Nancy Springer. It is the first book of the series and the main character is Enola Homes, a 14-year-old girl that will not give up at any point in the story.

In the beginning of the book, Enola and her mom weren’t very close to each other. They loved each other but kept out the other’s business. Suddenly, at Enola’s 14th birthday, her mom went away and didn’t come back to celebrate it. Enola thought she had something important keeping her busy, but when she didn’t come back, she got worried. So, when her brothers, the legendary Sherlock and Mycroft Homes, came to investigate, she runs off in an effort to find her mother. Using the gifts her mom gave her, she finds money and clues leading Enola to her. She disguises herself as a widow and a plain, middle class girl to escape the dangers of London, and stop her brothers from taking her to boarding school. She meets up with another runaway child and they help each other in a getaway from the criminals. Enola’s eyes are opened for the first time about the world around her.

Enola is strong minded and stubborn. She always tried her hardest in a situation. She was faced with many things, but she thought through it and came out on top. And, with her book of ciphers and messages on flower paintings, she would crack codes and hidden messages and find important things her mom left her.

I would recommend this book to children that are between the ages of 7-10. It was a very exciting book but sometimes, like in the beginning, it was slow. Once you read past Chapter 5, it got better. I can’t say it was a middle school level book; it was a little young for me. But it was still exciting and kept you guessing. It was well written, but at some times I got confused and re-read it. It was sequential and pretty easy to follow.

In conclusion, this book is exciting and adventure filled. It tells a story about what a 14-year-old girl in London with its many dangers trying to find her mom. She uses disguises and the money she finds through the ciphers her mom left for her to embark on her perilous journey.

Review written by Renee, Age 12, Grade 7. Date of review: April 2009.

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