I first discovered Enola last fall when I read all six of her books and then watched the Netflix movie. I thought her story was over so I was excited to learn about book number seven!

This book had more interactions between Enola and Sherlock than the previous books, and I was here for it! I love that Enola doesn’t let Sherlock get away with nonsense—and she doesn’t wait for him to get things done either. She has a tendency of getting herself into trouble and then getting herself out of trouble just in time to solve the mystery and save the day.

There were some new characters in this one that I enjoyed, as well as some cameos from old characters that were fun. The fast-paced plot will keep you reading, but Enola’s wit and smarts are the real hook of this book.

This one can be read as a standalone, probably more so than the previous six, but I enjoyed knowing the history of the character and all she’d been through as I read. I’ve always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes, and I just love Enola’s adventures as well!

CW: forced institutionalization.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me an ARE!

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Enola Homes and the Black Barouche

Author: Nancy Springer

Book Series: Enola Homes Book 7

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, sherlock holmes stories.

Publication Date: August 31, 2021

Genre: YA Mystery Thriller

Recommended Age: 15+ (murder, violence, slight gore)

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 272

Synopsis: Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of her more famous brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. But she has all the wits, skills, and sleuthing inclinations of them both. At fifteen, she's an independent young woman--after all, her name spelled backwards reads 'alone'--and living on her own in London. When a young professional woman, Miss Letitia Glover, shows up on Sherlock's doorstep, desperate to learn more about the fate of her twin sister, it is Enola who steps up. It seems her sister, the former Felicity Glover, married the Earl of Dunhench and per a curt note from the Earl, has died. But Letitia Glover is convinced this isn't the truth, that she'd know--she'd feel--if her twin had died.

The Earl's note is suspiciously vague and the death certificate is even more dubious, signed it seems by a John H. Watson, M.D. (who denies any knowledge of such). The only way forward is for Enola to go undercover--or so Enola decides at the vehement objection of her brother. And she soon finds out that this is not the first of the Earl's wives to die suddenly and vaguely--and that the secret to the fate of the missing Felicity is tied to a mysterious black barouche that arrived at the Earl's home in the middle of the night. To uncover the secrets held tightly within the Earl's hall, Enola is going to require help--from Sherlock, from the twin sister of the missing woman, and from an old friend, the young Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether!

Review: To start off, I didn’t know that this was the seventh book in this series. I don’t remember if it was listed or not, but I totally glossed over that fact when I got a chance to review this book. I did feel like the book did need some previous book context, but this can stand alone if you wanted to just read this one. The book alone was fairly well written though and I did enjoy the plot. I also really liked the world building and the banter between the characters.

However, I did feel like the character development was a bit too quickly done and that the relationship between Enola and Sherlock was too quickly repaired. I don’t know if the other books dove into their relationship, but if it did then you would need the context of them. I also felt like the pacing was too fast for me.

Verdict: It’s great, but needs context.

I’m going to be honest and tell you that the first I heard about Enola Holmes was because someone recommended I watch the movie starring Millie Bobby Brown (from Stranger Things). Well, the movie certainly got me hooked on the spunky, too-smart-for-her-own-good younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes and all of the adventure (or maybe misadventure) she gets up to. As soon as I realized the movie was based on a series of books…and really, what good movie isn’t…I knew I had to read them all.

Enola Holmes and the Black barouche is number seven in the series. In this chapter of her story Enola is now 15, and fancies herself quite grown-up, much to her brothers’ dismay. She’s basically living in London, solving mysteries, when Letitia Glover shows up asking for help in discovering what happened to her twin sister. They had received a note from her husband saying that she died, but Letitia doesn’t believe it and is desperate to learn the truth. There’s nothing for it but to investigate, so off Enola goes to uncover the truth.

Enola is such a headstrong and delightful character, I really can’t get enough of her. I’m not-so-secretly hoping that every one of these books is made into a movie because these stories really do leap off the page.

If you haven’t started this series yet, there’s no time like the present—dive in, Enola would!

I had never heard of this series until I watched a movie from an earlier book on Netflix. Now I am hooked on these characters!

While Sherlock Holmes can feel stuffy, his sister, Enola, is quite a hoot and perhaps Sherlock is just perplexed about what to do with a young woman that can outwit him at different times. Perhaps he should just accept it and work with her because she is not going to give up and will help solve cases. Two heads are always better than one I always say.

In this installment, we find Enola drawn into a mystery about a missing woman, presumably died and then cremated. However, her twin feels otherwise. There are a lot of mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance but who better to look into the situation than Enola?

I was drawn into this book from the first page. Granted, I imagined the actors from the movie in the various roles, but that only enhanced the story for me. I could imagine the situations Enola found herself in and admire her ingenuity in finding a way out of any bad situations. Granted, sometimes she needs a little assistance from her brother, but most of the time she has the situation well under control which is admirable for a fifteen year old young lady.

I found the mystery itself engaging, the characters both endearing and repulsive, and was glad to see one character get what was coming to him.

I now want to go and check out all of the books in this series and catch up on what Enola, Sherlock, Mycroft, and Tewkey are up to!

We give this book 5 paws up.

Enola is the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, born after Sherlock left home to pursue his studies.

As this story opens, Watson asks Enola to help with Sherlock's melancholia. While Enola is with Sherlock, Miss Letitia Glover shows up.

Her twin sister Felicity married the Earl of Dunhench, who has written that Felicity died - Letitia is convinced that her twin still lives.

Both Holmes siblings take on the case. Enola Holmes is a fearless heroine, and reading her adventures is tons of fun.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer is the latest in the Enola Holmes book series. I was quite curious to read this, especially after the Netflix movie left me with a little to be desired. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and seeing Enola and Sherlock truly working together on a case. it brings back several favorite characters and references and keeps you engaged until the very end!

This is the first Enola Holmes book that I have read and I must say that I found it charming and quirky. Easy to read, and I enjoyed seeing a different aspect of Sherlock Holmes. Will definitely be reading more of this series!

A fun mystery, perfect for YA readers who love Sherlock Holmes. I think I liked this one better than some of the previous books., because it’s a good story of female friendship. . Enola is center stage again, with Sherlock and Watson as minor characters..

Thank you, Netgalley, for my arc.

As someone who has loved Sherlock and Enola in film, this book was everything I could've asked for. After doing a movie night with one of my bookish gal groups, (and for me watching Enola for the second time!) we wondered more about the books! I saw that this one was coming out soon and had to get my hands on it!

We get all of the detective work that comes with the Holmes siblings as well as the adventure, wit, and brilliance that is Enola. One of my favorite things about Enola has always been that as a young girl, not matter what society says in the time period of her life, she isn't afraid to do things on her own! She also has a brilliant imagination and comes up with the most fun schemes to do her detective work! If you've seen any of the movies or read any of the books, we also get more of John Watson and more importantly Lord Tewkesbury.

A lot of people don't like to watch film before reading the books, but I loved that while reading this story I could picture Millie Bobbie Brown and hear her voice, along with the other characters; it helped my lack of imagination!

As the story goes, Sherlock is in one of his moods where he won't move; John Watson reaches out to Enola to see if she might be able to snap him out of it. With no such luck initially, Enola works her magic to get stubborn Sherlock out of his funk by taking on one of his potential clients, Felicity. While Sherlock has a more traditional way of doing things and doesn't always like his sister's interference and 'bizarre schemes', they begin to uncover the secrets of the black barouche and the earl who has allegedly claimed Felicity's sister has passed on.

If you enjoy YA and the Holmes siblings, you will enjoy this book!

As a math nerd, my favorite line in the book said by Felicity about the earl is: "'He has kept to his true self; he is like X in an algebra problem.'"

Thank you to Wednesday Books for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

For many people, the first time they heard of Enola Holmes was through Netflix. But Enola has been around for much longer than that.

In 2006, author Nancy Springer launched The Enola Holmes Mysteries with The Case of the Missing Marquess. It was followed by The Case of the Left-Handed Lady (2007); The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets (2008); The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan (2008); The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline (2009); and The Case of the Gypsy Goodbye (2010).

The good news for readers new to these books is that it’s suitable for new or returning audiences. A prologue gives a quick recap of events and perfectly sets the stage for jumping right in.

The initial lure of Enola is a strong young woman protagonist who isn’t afraid to follow her heart. But the real star is Springer’s prose. Enola’s voice is clear and conversational. You feel as if she’s recounting her tale directly to you. This makes for light and entertaining reading, balancing out darker moments.

As with any mystery, the devil is in the details. Springer could easily get lost in those, but chooses instead to dole them out in increments, allowing readers to act as sleuths in conjunction with Enola.

I’ve seen a number of reviews complaining that Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is “too short” and “not over 300 pages.” This seems odd since the other Enola books are all approximately the same length. The latest novel comes in at 272 pages. Perhaps readers are forgetting the intended audience is young adults? Perhaps they equate “longer” with “better”? Whatever the reason, the criticism is unfounded.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is a fast-moving mystery that leaves you wanting more.

First of all, let me say that, even though this is the seventh book in the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer, it is the first book of this series that I’ve ever read. The main reason why I decided to read it is because I really enjoyed the Netflix movie - featuring Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Caflin, and Helena Bonam Carter - so I thought to give the books a try, starting from the newest one, and I wasn’t disappointed. It is so well-written and developed that I found that it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel (also there is prologue narrated by Sherlock Holmes that quickly summarizes the previous stories), but I won’t deny that I plan to read the previous books because I loved the characters, and I was captured by the author’s easy and gripping writing style.

If you are already familiar with the series – or the movie –, you know that Enola Eudoria Hadassah Holmes is the youngest sister of one of the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and of Mycroft Holmes. On her fourteenth birthday, she found herself alone (after all, Enola backward reads “Alone”), following her mother’s sudden disappearance, and she sets out to find her, discovering that she is as skilled as a detective as her famous brother. Since then, she’s been living on her own in London and she’s been involved in many investigations, sometimes solving cases for or with her brother.

In Enola Holmes and The Black Barouche, Enola is in her brother’s office when a young woman, Miss Letitia Glover, comes asking for Sherlock’s help. Her twin sister Felicity has been married to the Earl of Dunhench for two years, but she’s just received a letter from her brother-in-law who informs her that Felicity has suddenly fallen ill and died, and her body has been cremated. Letitia is convinced that it is all a lie, and that Felicity is still alive… after all, they are twins and she would know if her sister had died. She doesn’t know why her brother-in-law would lie and Enola, taking to Letitia, promises to find out the truth. From here follow a series of adventures, subterfuge, and mysteries that kept me engrossed from the first to the last page.

It is really easy to adore the character of Enola Holmes. Independent, determined, incredible at disguise, witty and smart, she is very resourceful for her age and ahead of her time. I enjoyed her relationship with Sherlock. It is full of humor and respect and they work great together.

The Victorian England described by the author is accurate and atmospheric: women who can’t travel without a companion, a husband, or a parent (an innkeeper refuses Enola a room because she is not accompanied by a chaperone); the poor conditions of the asylums; the way, in general, women are treated. Even though it is aimed mostly to middle graders, I think that this thrilling, entertaining, and captivating novel would be a fun read even for adults.

The seventh entry in the series, Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is an easy and fun read. It's a great way to get younger audiences reading.

Enola, living in London, is begged by Mr. Watson to help with her older brother. Sherlock is stuck in a melancholy that Watson has been unable to break. While there, Enola takes on a case that Sherlock pooh-poohs. The client has a twin sister who is supposed to be suddenly dead, but the client knows better and hires Enola to find out what is going on. Enola finds herself in the middle of a large conspiracy than she imagined.

This is a fun book. Nancy Springer keeps the action moving. The chapters aren't too long which keeps readers engage instead of slogging through large paragraphs about things that aren't important. The story itself is fun and enjoyable. Springer gives Enola a good mystery.

(Sidebar:
Definition of Barouche- a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage that has a collapsible hood over the rear half of the carriage and a seat in front for the driver and facing seats for passengers.)

I read this book after watching the movie. UN fact, I hadn't read anything in the story before now. After reading this, I find the casting perfect and the tone and spirit of the books intact in the movie version. I look forward to other movies and going back to reading the other books.

The latest Enola Holmes tale is fun and mysterious, perfect to peak the interest of a younger reader (hey, moms! Borrow it from them!).

A charming little mystery, perfect for young readers interested in Sherlock Holmes. I think I liked this one better than some of the previous books. Enola is center stage again, with Sherlock and Watson minor characters. It's a good story of female friendship. Thank you, Netgalley, for my arc.

4.5 stars
This was actually my first Enola Holmes book and despite it being number 7, I did not feel confused about anything and I was able to jump right into the story. It begins with a prologue written by Sherlock Holmes which kind of describes some previous cases so it was also good to have that backstory.
In this case, a young woman, Tish, comes to Sherlock with a death certificate for her twin sister from her husband but Tish is convinced she isn't really dead. It was such a fun idea for a case and there were so many twists and little sub plots that brought the whole case together by the end.
Enola is a wonderful character. She is such an independent female character who really does what she wants. She is very smart and rivals Sherlock on being a detective. I also really liked Tish. She started out kind of timid and just wanting her sister back, but she ended up playing a really important part in finding out what happened to her sister.
Reading this book really makes me want to read the other 6 books in the series!

ENOLA HOLMES AND THE BLACK BAROUCHE was a delightfully fun read. Full disclosure that I haven't read the previous books, nor have I seen the movie yet, but that didn't impact my enjoyment of this book at all, because the author makes sure that you can read and understand this book independently of the others, which I deeply appreciated being the busy reader I am. Enola is quirky, smart and fearless, and you can't help but adore her as she works through the mystery of what is happening to the wives of a duke. I think my favorite parts were watching Enola and Sherlock interacting with each other and how Enola makes Sherlock rethink his views on women and propriety that were common to this era. This book has excellent pacing and is a quick and pretty easy read. It also has humor and is vastly entertaining. I appreciate not having to feel confused or slog through this book. The mystery at the story's center keeps you guessing, even though in hindsight, it's pretty obvious. There are clever twists and turns that keep the reader engaged the entire way through. My only issue with this book was that at times, some of the binds that Enola finds herself in felt predictable, but that only happened once or twice. ENOLA HOLMES AND THE BLACK BAROUCHE is perfect for fans of the SHERLOCK HOLMES series, fans of mysteries, fans of feminist main characters and for readers of historical fiction, and I really enjoyed reading it.

If you like Sherlock Holmes you like this book. His sister Enola is just like Sherlock, and solves mysteriös. Here she helps a woman to find her twin. I really like the Book

Are you familiar with Enola Holmes, Sherlock’s younger sister?

I ran across her on Netflix, and just adored Sherlock’s brilliant, precocious, and unconventional sibling.

So when I approved to read and review THE BLACK BAROUCHE by Nancy Springer, the newest book in the Enola Holmes series, I was thrilled!

And it did not disappoint!

When Letitia Glover shows up at 212 Baker St after getting a letter that her twin sister died unexpectedly, Sherlock is in one of his notorious funks. Fortunately, Enola is there, and learns about the twin’s suspicious death, and enthusiastically takes on the case.

This was delightful! Enola is quickly becoming one of my favorite fictional female detectives!

I’ve seen the first installment of this series on Netflix, but this book could definitely stand alone.

This gem comes out on August 31!

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 stars

Thanks so much to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for my free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer offers an adventure that is pure delight! Enola is clearly the new Nancy Drew for the current generation of young mystery readers. She is resourceful, intelligent, and doesn’t hesitate to break every rule for a young woman of that era. As she eludes her over protective brothers and searches for the truth behind the death or perhaps disappearance of a young woman, Enola’s escapades keep the reader charmed and engaged. I enjoyed every minute of this book! (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.)

What a charming read!

I must admit... I've been seeing the name 'Enola Holmes' floating around both the book community and on TV but I never gave it a second thought. Sherlock Holmes' sister?? Sounds like a cash grab gimmick. It can't possibly be any good. Boy was I wrong.

I picked up Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche and immediately fell in love with the sibling relationship between Enola and Sherlock. Filled with humor and a bit of mystery in the case of a missing sibling, Springer is able to keep the Victorian Who-Done-It genre fresh with this new story in her Enola Holmes saga.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is suitable for both new and returning audiences. Weather this is your first Enola Holmes book, or just the latest in your favorite series, you will not be disappointed.

The story follows Enola Holmes, the younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, but do not let her age fool you. At fifteen she has all the wits, skills, and sleuthing abilities as her brothers, and is quite the independent individual living on her own in London. When she is visited by a young professional woman, Miss Letitia Glover, Enola is tasked with uncovering the fate of her twin sister. Felicity (or "Flossie" for short) had been happily married to the Earl of Dunhench, but when Letitia receives a letter sparsely detailing her sister's demise, along with an urn of ashes, she refuses to believe it as truth. It is up to Enola to decipher the true meaning of the Earl's letter, and his intentions with Flossie, and to do that she will need the help of her brother, their colleague Dr. Watson, Letitia Glover herself, and a dear friend young Viscount Tewkesbury, the Marquess of Basilwether.

I've just finished my copy, and I'll say that this was a rather enjoyable read. I hadn't read the rest of the series, but during the prologue we get narration from Sherlock detailing some of the adventures Enola has been on in previous installments, which helped establish her character for me pretty early on. I appreciated how headstrong and independent Enola was, for such a young girl she did not hesitate while placing herself in danger if it meant finding a clue or discovering the truth. She did not allow others to make her feel inadequate, and was always the first person to dispell any doubts from her partners in crime. It did take me awhile to adjust to the writing style, as I don't often read books that take place in a historical setting, but felt the tone was completely appropriate for its time period. I enjoyed the mystery aspect, Enola piecing together exactly what happened to Flossie, but felt the ending was a bit rushed for all the build-up that had been established. Still, I was satisfied with the ending, and am interested to see what adventures are next for these characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy, and Wednesday Books for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour, all thoughts and opinions are my own and an excerpt will be posted on my blog on August 26th, 2021.