MMGM with a review of Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels, Volume 2 by Serena Blasco, translated by Tanya Gold

Enola Holmes:  The Graphic Novels by Serena Blasco, translated by Tanya Gold
Format:  Print-ARC
Publisher:  Andrew McMeel Publishing
Number of pages:  208
Publishing:  December 6th, 2022
Source:  Publisher in exchange for an honest review

This is the second book in the Enola Holmes graphic novel series and includes three mysteries:  The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan, The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline, and The Case of Baker Street Station.  I am only slightly familiar with Nancy Springer's work, having only read her first novel, The Case of the Missing Marquess and also having watched both of the Netflix film adaptations, but only recently learned of these graphic novel adaptations.  I'd consider myself a fan of Enola Holmes and really enjoyed this graphic novel.  She's so resourceful, intelligent, and creative when it comes to her disguises.  I also really like her independent streak and not wanting to conform to being a "sensible lady," despite her brother's strong attempts. 

In The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan, Enola encounters a familiar young lady, Cecily who appears to be held against her will by two older women.  Upon seeing Enola, they hastily guide her away, but not before Cecily cleverly drops her pink fan.  Concerned for Cecily's safety, Enola attempts to follow, but loses them.  Not long after the encounter, Enola learns that the women plan to force Cecily into a marriage with her cousin and an all-out hunt for Cecily ensues.

In the second story, The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline, Enola's landlady, Mrs. Tupper is kidnapped after having received a cryptic message from some mysterious person named Scutari.  The note requested that she give her message to "The Bird." Through flashbacks, we learn that Mrs. Tupper's husband died during the Crimean War and that following his death, she attempted to return to England and was only successful after receiving help from the lady of the lamp.  A large portion of this mystery is trying to locate the abductors carriage, searching Mrs. Tupper's room for clues and following down leads.  Enola also dons a wig to meet the infamous Florence Nightengale while trying to avoid her brother's, who this time are trying to force her to go to a boarding school.

In The Case of Baker Street Station, Lady Blanchefleur has been abducted and her husband, Duque Luis Orlando del Campo has enlisted both Dr. Ragostin (Enola) and Sherlock Holmes to help find her.   Exploring the underground railway and city streets, Enola bumps into a few leads to her mother's whereabouts and also Lady Blanchefleur's.  At the same time, Enola meets up with her brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft and together they solve the disappearance of their mother, Eudoria Holmes.      

One of the highlights of reading this graphic novel are the watercolor illustrations, the vibrant colors and I especially love the way Enola's feminine beauty, independence and her lovely disguises are depicted.  Each mystery is followed by Enola's secret notebook where she shares her case notes, illustrations of the clues she used to solve the case, her disguises and historical details about the people and places she encounters.  For example, in the first notebook entry there is information on the secret language of fans which also played a part in the second Netflix movie.  There's information on how to read morse code and how morse code can be adapted by using other symbols, like using flowers for the dashes and dots to write secret messages.  There's even a section on palmistry and how to write a message with invisible ink.  In addition to gorgeous artwork and exciting sleuthing, I can see this book appealing to kids who enjoy mysteries, books with secret cyphers and codes, or for readers who are fans of the original book series, or the Netflix movies. 

I hope you'll check all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.   

**A huge thank you to Andrew McMeel Publishing for the print ARC**