Blogger Book Club

This is the fifth book in the Enola Holmes Mystery series written by Nancy Springer. In The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline Enola is still on the run from her older brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. This time there is a code to crack, a visit with the famous Florence Nightingale, and a landlady to save.
Enola returns one evening to find her landlady, Mrs. Tupper, had been kidnapped! All the rooms of the house, except Enola's, had been ransacked. The young girl who was employed by Mrs. Tupper to help with the housekeeping was tied to a chair. Enola has to act fast to find where her landlady is, to find clues to who took her and where.
As Enola searches the house for clues, she pieces together her landlady's life story. The clues lead to a past encounter Mrs. Tupper had, as a young bride, with Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War.
This story is one of mystery and political intrigue. Once again Enola out manuevers her older brother, Sherlock, and gains the admiration and respect of one of England's leading historical personages, Florence Nightingale, as she retains her independence. Enola solves the mystery, decoding the cipher meant to bring those profiteering during the Crimean War to justice, while protecting the career, and family name, of a new member of the House of Lords. An interestingly developed mystery with a strong female character, The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline is a fast moving adventure sure to keep mystery lovers enthralled. Hopefully Nancy Springer will bring us more of these mysteries featuring this likeable character, Enola Holmes.