These novels are honestly really delightful. I picked up the first because I was curious after watching the movie and wanted a quick audiobook read, and I'm hooked! Where book 1 was lots of setup and more character work, book 2 is way more about an actual mystery and a case for Enola to solve.

I do have to suspend disbelief pretty hard at times, to be honest. Enola is 14 and living on her own in London with nothing but her quick wits and intelligence to survive, hiding from her brothers and trying to figure out how to be a detective of her own. Her narrative also reads so much more like she's 16 or 17 than 14; especially with how the climax of this particular mystery plays out.

However, it's super easy to get sucked into Enola's life as she tries to figure out this case and what she wants to do with herself in the face of a society that doesn't want her to be anything but a pretty little lady to be wed to someone and kept in a pretty house. The strength of these novels so far is Enola's desire to be independent, and the intense loneliness she feels because of it.

The Sherlock coda was a really nice touch. I love that he's still intensely worried about his 14 year old sister being on her own in London, but it shows that he may understand that she can take care of herself, for now.

Super excited to move on to the next! These are just plain fun, and perfect mysteries for younger teen readers.