Hi! I'm a massive fan of the original Sherlock Holmes (Adventures, Memoirs, etc.) but I love the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer.
It's about the fourteen-year-old sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes who runs away to escape her brothers' threat of sending her to boarding school (where she will be perilously corseted figuratively and literally) and, hiding out in London, not only eludes the best efforts of Sherlock with a myriad of disguises but establishes herself as the World's Only Scientific Perditorian (in other words, finder of lost things and persons), solving mysteries.
Here's 6 reasons that it's one of my favorite book series, and a treat for Sherlockian fans!:
Enola is a super deep, unique character with a distinctive voice. She is strong (not as physically as in the movie), witty, and relatable. Her characterization is precise and consistent---all in all, beautifully written!
Sherlock is nearly spot-on (not in the movie, he was kinda horrible in that) although through Enola's eyes (so pretty different from Watson's POV), who admires him but also never skips a chance to tease him.
One of Sherlock's biggest flaws (to a feminist like me) is his sexist outlook---a dismally low regard of women's intelligence. Enola joins Irene in directly proving him wrong by outsmarting him---the World's Most Famous Detective! In Enola's case, so repeatedly that he even admits it (in the Black Barouche) and learns to respect her.
Sherlock and Enola's relationship is perfectly crafted, a mix of sibling protectiveness and relentless teasing. They're humorous and (occasionally) dramatic interactions!
The historical accuracy is in practically breathtaking detail---but done in an entertaining way, as Enola thinks of things rather than for the sake of teaching or explaining.
And for anyone who likes the original stories like I do, the Victorian language in this series is awesome! It's not as much as a complicated monologue as Conan Doyle sometimes wrote, but playful and carefully worded.
If you're interested in learning more about Enola there's a 6-book series (plus a sequel) and a movie. The books are short so not a lot of commitment! A second sequel (Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade) is coming out Sept. 6th. I'm very excited!
The movie's pretty different but really good and stars Millie Bobby Brown (from Stranger Things). It's super cool and great for anyone who wants to see a strong girl protagonist solve mysteries and use jujitsu! So, basically, everyone here.
I hope you liked this post! If you're a fan of Enola or her dear brother, please say so in the comments! :)