The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan: An Enola Holmes Mystery [Hardcover]

Nancy Springer is finding her stride. Far from being derivative, Springer has effectively used the fame and atmosphere of the much-loved Holmes canon as a springboard to develop her Enola Holmes character, Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes' younger sister, and to create a series that is exciting, entirely innovative, appealing and quite capable of standing on its own literary merit ... thank you very much!

Beginning with the very first mystery in the series, THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS, we have seen Enola Holmes' character develop, blossom and ultimately flourish as she pursues her career as a "perditorian" - a finder of lost things. She is forced to keep one eye constantly looking over shoulder as she deftly eludes the dogged pursuit of her elder brothers who seek to find her and place her in the stultifying environment of a school for proper young ladies - an ongoing problem she'll face until she reaches the age of majority and can legally live on her own. But, as her mother, who is also in hiding, was so fond of saying, Enola Holmes is doing very well on her own!

In THE CASE OF THE PECULIAR PINK FAN, Lady Cecily Alistair, the missing marquess from Enola's very first case, is in trouble again. This time she's been kidnapped by her own family. Her two dowager aunts, both full-fledged, entirely insufferable battle-axes are holding her against her will and, with the full permission and collusion of her estate minded father, are forcing her into an arranged marriage against her will with a foppish but financially well-situated cousin.

Instead of watching an established series author sit back and bask in the warmth of previous successes, I'm thrilled to witness this charming young adult series continue to grow in quality - deep characterization, effective dialogue, high quality plotting and, of course, wonderful attention to Victorian atmosphere and details that rivals Conan Doyle's original series.

As the title character and the leading lady in the series, Enola is exceptionally well developed. While she is neither female chauvinist or militaristic suffragette, her independence and self-assuredness continue to grow as she lives on her own and approaches the age of majority at which point she will be free of her brothers' relentless pursuit. But she also exemplifies that baffling and ultimately paradoxical teenage blend of cock-sure bravado and angst and uncertainty; incipient adulthood contrasted against an occasional reversion to childhood fear; and, of course, self-direction and self-confidence versus the obvious desire for occasional adult guidance and assistance. Enola's budding femininity is also charmingly and endearingly presented in wonderfully good taste with all due regard to Victorian sensibilities.

Sherlock and Mycroft are portrayed as typical 19th century men in their attitude toward women and whatever intellect they may possess. That is to say, they are at least patronizing and chauvinist and perhaps, in Mycroft's case, downright misogynist. That said, the very special relationship between Enola and Sherlock seems to have turned a corner in this, Enola's fourth outing, as Sherlock develops a grudging respect for Enola's abilities and a tentative belief that, as their mother said so often, she just might be able to make it on her own.

Highly recommended for mystery lovers of all ages. I'm willing to bet that twenty years from now there will be a host of adult female readers who will look back on this series with the same fondness that many of today's adult women remember their love of the Nancy Drew series.

Paul Weiss

I've read all the Enola Holmes books and loved them all, but The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fans is definitely my favorite one. They just keep getting better! I would reccomend these books for girls who are probably twelve and up. I'm fifteen myself and I know that I wouldn't have really enjoyed this series when I was younger. Of course, if differs for everyone, but that's what I would reccomend.
Enjoy!

When is a fan not really a fan but a way of speaking? Enola Holmes does not get herself involved in the ways of Victorian ladies, but she does know a few things about the language of fans. This comes in very handy for her one day when she encounters her old acquaintance, the Honorable Cecily Alistair, under most unusual circumstances. While resting in a ladies' lavatory (actually hiding from her pesky brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft), she sees Lady Cecily come in with two overpowering escorts. It doesn't take her long to figure out that something is terribly amiss. Sitting quietly, disguised as a lady scholar, she observes that Cecily seems to be under stress as the two matrons with her boss her around. When Cecily's eyes, peeking over her pink fan, meet Enola's, they begin an interesting communication.

Cecily opened the pink fan and began to ply it as if to cool her face. I noticed that she used her left hand --- significant: she chose to be her true self rather than obeying the demands of propriety. I noticed also that she positioned the fan as a frail sort of barrier between herself and her guardian. Behind its brief concealment her gaze caught mine, and in that moment the fan almost as if by accident tapped her on the forehead.

I understood her signal at once: Caution. We are being watched.

Before they part, Cecily manages to cleverly drop her fan near Enola. Her friend definitely seems to be in need of rescuing (yet again, because in another adventure she actually saved Cecily). Enola no sooner leaves the lavatory attempting to follow the trio than she literally bumps into Mycroft. While she manages to run from him, it has set her next adventure off rather badly. Those brothers of hers are always trying to reign her in and make her into a respectable "lady." Though she does adore them (especially Sherlock), she cannot risk getting under their powers and losing her freedom. Despite the fact that Sherlock has proven himself to be a magnificent detective, Enola continues to flee and do her own detective work in various clever disguises. It is just her way of being herself, which, if she lived with them, could never happen. But more pressing to her than anything at the moment is to figure out if there might be more information coming from the little pink fan.

Before this wonderful adventure is over, 14-year-old Enola will have encountered any number of odd, eccentric and colorful characters, such as her elderly landlady, Mrs. Tupper, "deaf as a cast-iron gatepost"; the fierce mastiff who protects a baron's wealthy estate; and Dawson, the overprotective maid who talks too much. Her propensity to find trouble, and her ability to know how to handle it, places her in one dangerous situation after another. This time she ends up at an orphanage --- up to her old tricks, outwitting the wealthy but sleazy baron of Merganser and his son, who are plotting to acquire Cecily's fortune. Even Sherlock gets involved in the mayhem.

Through all of this, Enola continues to search for the meaning behind her missing Suffragist mother's messages and, through veiled messages in the daily Pall Mall Gazette, tries to distantly stay in touch with her brothers. From one disguise after another, she dashes through a whirlwind of adventure.

THE CASE OF THE PECULIAR PINK FAN is Nancy Springer's fourth Enola Holmes mystery. These books, which can be read as stand-alones, are delightful studies in Victorian times and a clever girl who marches to her own beat.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts

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