This, the fifth in the Enola Holmes series, has Enola tracking down her beloved landlady, deaf-as-a-post Mrs. Tupper. One day, after arriving home from her job as Dr. Ragostin's secretary, Enola is asked by Mrs. Tupper to help figure out a message that is sent to her regarding "information from the Bird". Mrs. Tupper has no idea what this is in reference too and is a bit frightened at the underlying threat if the "information" is not forthcoming. And with good reason, for the very next day, Mrs. Tupper is kidnapped from her home.Enola manages to find a few clues as she searches through the ransacked home which eventually lead her to the bedside of Miss Florence Nightengale, "The Lady of the Lamp", the famous nurse and activist of the Crimean War. As it turns out, Mrs. Tupper was there in Scutari with her husband, as purveyors of goods that were sold to the army and camp followers on the Crimean penninsula. And that is where Mr. Tupper died, due to disease and neglect by the army doctors and orderlies. Miss Nightengale somehow managed to get Mrs. Tupper home to England, even providing her a dress and money to get there. Poor Mrs. Tupper, already deaf due to cannon-fire, arrive safely in England and proceeds to get her life back in order but never forgets Miss Nightengale, even saving the dress she was given. Thirty years later, this dress turns out to be the key to getting Mrs. Tupper home safely.
Very creative story in this one, loved meeting Florence Nightengale and reading more about the women suffragists movement. Enola also picks up news of her mother though is no closer to actually finding her.
