Series: Enola Holmes #9
Publication Date: 05th Sep 2023
Genre: YA Historical Cozy Mystery
3.8 Stars
One Liner: A quick entertainer
May1890
Elona Holmes is leading a happy life, pursuing her education and investigation without hiding from Sherlock and Mycroft, her older brother. They have managed to find a common ground (where Elona will not be civilized into a gentle society lady).
One day, Rudyard Kipling (Ruddy) bursts into Enlona’s office only to find that the investigator is a young girl. He leaves in anger and hires Sherlock. Enola, of course, is determined to prove her worth by solving the case before her talented brother.
Wolcott Balestier, an American writer, vanishes one evening. His sister, Caroline, is distraught. What if the book pirates kidnapped Wolcott? Is the publishing industry ruthless enough to do anything, or is the something else that put him in danger? Where is Wolcott, and can Elona find him before it is too late?
The prologue and epilogue are in the third person, and the rest of the book is in Elona’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
I’ve read the previous two books in the series and enjoyed them. This is no exception, though I wouldn’t recommend beginning the series with this book. The story is more focused on mystery, and it can be hard to understand the dynamics between Enola and Sherlock without reading at least one of the earlier works.
As YA cozy mystery, the book has a lot of action, where Enola is coming up with innovative ways to investigate (and get into trouble). Of course, she also manages to save herself in most instances.
With the first-person narrative, Enola also tends to address readers (in parenthesis). Her voice is quirky and funny and suits her energizing personality. We also see glimpses of her vulnerability though she reminds herself that Enola is the inverse of alone (this is a recurring statement and appears at least twice in each book). I do like to see her bond with Sherlock, though given their personalities, we know why it is so hard.
The setting and the then practices, costumes, etc., are detailed and vivid. Enola is often under disguise and loves to provide information in detail. I love how her corset is a mini-thrift store and has just about everything from a dagger to twine and stationery. This is why our dresses need pockets!
The mystery, as such, is lighthearted, but enough drama, action, seriousness, and intrigue to keep the readers hooked. There are no last-minute twists or reveals. We can guess the events halfway through the book but still feel curious enough to see if we are right.
The book has real-life characters – Rudyard Kipling and the Balestier brother-sister duo. The author’s note at the end explains the fact from fiction and her inspiration for using the characters. Oscar Wilde also makes a guest entry, so look out for him. ;)
I did miss Enola’s other friends, though Harold, the loyal cabbie, is present whenever necessary. There aren’t enough scenes between Enola and Sherlock, though this time, she uses leads provided by him and others to progress in the case. Watson has a teeny role (just one scene).
The pacing is really good. Despite various descriptions, the book moves at a steady pace. There isn’t any character development, but I wasn’t looking for it, either.
To summarize, Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose is an interesting and fast-paced historical cozy mystery with a YA heroine. It may not be as engaging as a standalone but should work nevertheless.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s (Wednesday Books), for the eARC.
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