The Case of the Gypsy Good-bye

by Nancy Springer

 In this sixth installment of the Enola Holmes mystery series, Springer has her teen sleuth investigating the disappearance of Lady Blanchefleur del Campo, a beautiful and wealthy lady who was spirited away by a begging old lady down the city subway.  In addition, Enola receives a mysterious package covered with gypsy drawings, delivered to her by her famous brother, Sherlock Holmes, with whom she has developed a fragile relationship.  The package is obviously from her mother who disappeared a year earlier, leaving 14 year-old Enola to her own devices.  The package contains ribbons of paper with writing upon them, which must be deciphered before the message can be read.   With some misgiving, Enola teams up with her two brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft, to solve the mystery of Lady Blanchefleur, which involves slogging through the filthy underground tunnels of the London subway system. She also recognizes how to read her mother's letter which contains a startling message.  Enola shows her usual ingenuity in solving the crime, and the  reconciliation with her two brothers adds an interesting subplot to an already appealing series.  This novel stands alone, but would be better if the reader is familiar  with the other titles in the series.  --reviewed by Mrs. Sams