Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is a fun, mystery novel following Enola Holmes, a witty teenage who is adept in solving mysteries around her. This book is a YA take on Nancy Springer’s previous children’s books also following Enola Holmes, and it’s an absolute showstopper.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche had me hooked from the very first chapter. Enola is a captivating protagonist, witty, charming, and smart as she is. The characters around her also caused the book to flourish, each one having their own independent personality and character.

The plot is also such a strong point. The mystery the book follows is such a complex one, you can’t put the book down once you’ve started. Every plot twist had me reeling, flipping pages fast and faster to try and see what happens next.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is a very fun, thrilling novel that is absolutely worth your time.

How did I miss this series? Well, I saw the movie listed on streaming and loved it. That led me to the series and St. Martin's had it listed so I dove in and now I want to catch up with the previous six books. It's a good thing that this mystery works fine as a stand alone.
Enola (Alone spelled backwards) is fifteen and living on her own in London. As the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft she shares their intelligence and then some. In this case she, along with the assistance of Sherlock, she friend Tewky and their client, Tish, set out to find out what really happened to Tish's twin sister. Tish has been informed that her twin has died and that's that according to her husband, a titled man with a shady background. Felicity wasn't his first wife. Not believing she could have died without Tish feeling the loss, she has turned to Shetlock and Enola for answers. What has become of Felicity? Enola sets out to find answers by going undercover.
From the mystery to the setting, from the characters and the historical period of 1889, this was a totally engaging read. Humor, tension, a great puzzle, it has a bit of everything to keep the reader entertained. I'll say no more because I don't want to commit spoilers. Don't be concerned about the YA label - any age can enjoy this series.
My thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Who's ready for a brand new story arc in the Enola Holmes universe? As we swiftly discover in the opening pages of this latest installment of the series, Enola has reconciled with her brothers and is living as an independent Consulting Perditologist in London. However, she's dismayed that her brothers, famous old Sherlock and Mycroft, are all too happy to continue in their prior indifference to family relations. When Dr John Watson comes calling, asking a favor of her in regards to Sherlock's welfare, she's more than happy to oblige.

<a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Enola-Holmes_Updated-HC-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-6455" src="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Enola-Holmes_Updated-HC-197x300.jpg" alt="" width="197" height="300" /></a>As she's attempting to twit and cajole Sherlock out of another one of his dark humors, who should come along to 221B Baker Street but a client in need of assistance! Miss Leticia Glover has just received a rather peremptory letter informing her that her twin sister is dead and, shockingly for the time and place, cremated. Tish, as she's known, insists that if her sister Flossie were dead that she would somehow feel the loss of their bond. Enola is immediately intrigued, with Sherlock also drawn in to assist once he hears Tish's plea in greater detail.

Apparently, Flossie had been a beauteous young governess who drew the eye of the widowed Lord Dunhench several years hence. Once the Holmes ascertain that His Lordship's first wife also died abruptly and was subsequently cremated -- and that the urn of ashes sent to Tish as the remains of her dear sister do not, as a matter of fact, contain what was advertised -- the game, as Sherlock would say, is afoot.

One of the most fun parts of Enola Holmes And The Black Barouche is in contrasting the ways Enola and Sherlock go about investigating. While Sherlock undertakes the humble disguises and solitary rambles that have been his wont since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's canon, Enola is both far more audacious and sociable. Having discovered her love of fashion, she's more than happy to disguise herself as a number of modish young women making their ways in the world. It's also lovely to see her make the reacquaintance of her dear old friend Tewky, he of <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2018/02/11/the-case-of-the-missing-marquess-enola-holmes-1-by-nancy-springer/">The Case Of The Missing Marquess</a>, and recruit him to her cause.

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As always, Nancy Springer incorporates real-world historical injustices into her fictional capers, giving readers of all ages real food for thought as to how society has evolved from where it used to be. Her works also serve as a cautionary tale on how bad things can get if women and nonbinary people neglect to vigilantly protect our freedoms. These wonderfully feminist middle grade novels serve the perfect blend of mystery and adventure with social conscience, and should be on the bookshelf of any young reader with an inquisitive mind.

One note: if you don't want to be spoiled for the first six books, do skip over the prologue. Charmingly written as it is, it also details quite a bit more from the prior novels than is usual in most mystery series. You'll definitely be caught up with the plot to date, however!

The Frumious Consortium is proud to be part of the official blog tour for this novel.

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Enola Holmes And The Black Barouche by Nancy Springer was published August 31 2021 by Wednesday Books and is available from all good booksellers, including

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This series is about Sherlock Holmes' younger sister Enola Holmes. One of the few stories I liked better as a movie (minus the love interest that didn't appear in the story)

Aged for tweens, but a fun read about how she keeps outsmarting Sherlock

Thank you to NetGalley, Nancy Springer, and the entire team at St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an Advanced Copy of this book, as well as for letting me partake in this book tour. All opinions in this review are my own.

This book is number 7 in the Enola Holmes series, yes - that Enola Holmes - and while I haven't read any of the other books yet, this book needs no outside knowledge for its grand adventure. I hadn't even watched the movie before reading this book, but now I can say I have watched the movie which is based on the first book in the series, and I so look forward to reading all of the other 6 books in this set. Black Barouche stands alone in its storyline, but if you are familiar with the characters from classic Sherlock Holmes, or the Enola Holmes movie from Netflix, you will recognize many of the characters as well. Nancy Springer does a wonderful job writing in the dialect appropriate for the time period (late 1800s), while making it easy to understand for modern audiences. This is a young adult book, possibly middle grade reading level, but there is no simplification of the book just for it to be more easily understood by younger audiences, it just is written easily for all ages to comprehend.

This book is the female power Sherlock Holmes I wish I had when I was younger. The mystery is written in such a way that I wasn't able to solve it much faster than Enola did, which was lovely considering I am usually able to solve these types of books quite quickly. There were no complete leaps in logic where it brought you out of the story, even when Enola talked directly to the reader. I enjoyed the intro/outro by Sherlock as well - it was a nice touch. This book is not overly long, with the physical copy I read coming in under 300 pages, yet it is a complete mystery that has twists and turns, leaving you satisfied with the resolution as well.

I don't want to delve too far into the mystery of this book, as I found it to be unique to many of the books I have read (at least in recent years) but overall 5/5, 10/10, gold star, whatever you want to do in order to rate this book highly. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I look forward to recommending it to the younger audiences I know who also gobble up mysteries.

Available now wherever books are sold!

* Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advance copy for review purposes *

The Netflix movie introduced me to Enola Holmes, and it was such a delight to watch. I have not read any of the prior books, but fortunately, this revival of Nancy Springer's series includes a handy summary of the story so far in the form of a letter by Sherlock Holmes; I did not feel lost joining so late in the game. In this adventure, Enola and Sherlock work together to help a young woman clear up the mystery around the sudden death of her twin sister. We also get a cameo from Watson.

Enola is a wonderful character. She is smart, witty and does not let challenging situations stop her, while sporting impeccable fashion.. She does not think through her plans as much as she could, but has a talent for recruiting allies. The mystery was not particularly mysterious, but it makes for a very fun read. The villain and his method are infuriating, but not unusual for the time. And there are six other books in the series to enjoy!

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche all starts when Miss Letitia Glover shows up at Sherlock’s door. She is trying to discover what happened to her twin sister, Felicity. The last time Letitia saw her she was marrying the Earl of Dunhench. But more recently, Letitia received a letter from the Earl telling her that her sister is dead. But Letitia does not believe it.

Luckily, Enola also happens to be at Sherlock’s place and takes on the case. And her first task is to go undercover and make her way to the Earl’s residence to find out what’s going on.

This isn’t the first of the Earl’s wives to die in mysterious circumstances and things become even more suspicious when they find the death certificate with Dr. Watson’s signature on it.

But when Enola gets to the Earl’s home, she finds that she might be a little over her head. This is not a case she can solve on her own. She will need the help of Sherlock (much to her chagrin), Letitia (who becomes her friend), and even someone she hasn’t seen in quite awhile, THE Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether.

They all help her in their own ways and what they discover is an evil plot to silence women who do not fit the Earl’s standards.

I really love this book. I love Enola, of course. I love Sherlock. It’s fun seeing this caring, less serious side of him.

I LOVE Letitia and how devoted she is to finding her sister. What she’s willing to do to scare the crap out of the Earl is truly spectacular. It’s one of my favorite scenes in the whole book.

I also love Tewkesbury as well as the the little bit of Watson we see in the book.

I also really liked watching Enola and Sherlock work together. Sherlock clearly adores his sister (whether he likes showing it or not) and it was fun to see them working together on a plan. While seeing Enola figure things out on her own is amazing , something about seeing her come up with a strategy with her brother and her friends made it even more fun to read

There is also a scene at a mental hospital that I thought was done really well. It’s respectful of the people there, but also showed how bad the conditions were at the time. I once took a whole class on the history of mental health and…well, let’s just say, mental hospitals/institutions during this time period were really, really bad. And they were pretty much helping no one. They were a place to store people who didn’t “fit” into society. The book showed that but also showed empathy for the people who were committed there. I truly appreciated it.

I also LOVED the ending. I might have cried. Happy tears!! (don’t worry lol) No spoilers but two people are reunited and omg it’s such a wonderful scene.

I definitely want to read the rest of the series and re-watch the movie. If you love fun mysteries with brilliant characters, this is definitely the book for you. Highly recommend!!

While it’s not strictly necessary to read the other books before this one, I think it would help. Or at least watch the Netflix movie (that helped me know who most of the characters were).

The Case of the Black Barouche will involve the skills of both Enola and her brother, Sherlock, to solve. A young woman is reported to have died and been cremated but her twin sister doesn't believe the news and asks for help. The adventure begins in earnest when Enola connects body snatchers, black carriages, and insane asylum to the missing sister. This story will appeal to readers of all ages who enjoy a good historical mystery.
Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

I never read any Enola Holmes books when I was a kid. (Actually, I don’t think I was a part of the target age demographic when they first were published.) I also haven’t seen the Netflix adaptation yet even though the trailer caught my attention as soon as it was released. From what I’ve been exposed to, however, it seems like the stories are quick and fun, and that’s exactly what Springer’s latest addition to the Enola Holmes series, Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche, is: a fun, quick, and wild ride.


It is younger YA plot wise, but older YA language wise, which is what I struggled the most with while reading. Though very time period accurate, I was glad that I read this on my Kindle because of the sheer amount of words that I, as a full grown adult, had to look up. Most of the time, the words or phrases were unknown to me simply because they have gone out of usage over the years. The language can be a challenge, but if you don’t mind not fully understanding certain terms or descriptions (nothing that I had to look up impacted the plot much in any way) or if you don’t mind keeping a dictionary close at hand, it won’t be a problem for you.


However, these challenging words and Springer’s syntax and diction actually worked extremely well for the narrative as a whole and added a great sense of voice. Even though this is the seventh book in the series and the voice has been firmly established for the seasoned reader. Because you can read this book as a standalone (or as your first Enola Holmes novel), the ease in which Springer was able to bring Enola, Sherlock, Watson, and all of the other characters in this novel to life was incredible. Even though I kept hearing Millie Bobby Brown’s voice in my head (thank you Netflix for that), Enola has a very distinct, strong voice that emulates her character so well. What was most interesting to me in regards to voice, was that I immediately read the story with a British accent. The cadence and tone that was portrayed throughout the narrative was so very British, in addition to the accenting of words when in dialogue, that it pulled me into the story even more. (With that last opinion, please take it with a large grain of salt since I am not, in fact, British and my only context to make such assertion is from media and from my brief visit to London a few years ago.)
 To go along with the great voice, the pacing for this book was so quick.

It is short (less than 300 pages), so there’s not much going on behind the main plot which sticks with a very linear format. There’s no large subplots or emotional arcs or anything of the sort that made the mind wander away from the main mystery. It’s a very surface level story, which works so well for this kind of mystery novel. With the lack of foreshadowing or anything of that nature, it’s simply Enola working through the mystery step by step, and as the reader, we’re just along the ride with her as she figures and works things out. Because of this, when the big reveal happened at the beginning of the third act, I wasn’t expecting it because I had no idea where the story would go.


Overall, this book was much more than I expected. I had fun while reading this book. The pacing was nonstop; I had no idea where the story was going through the whole thing, which, I think, is the hallmark of a great mystery. I was surprised by how much I liked this book, and though it wasn’t a groundbreaking story, I did enjoy the ride while I was on it.

My rating: 3.5 stars

If you watched and loved the Enola Holmes movie on Netflix, you will enjoy this book. It is technically the sixth book in the series, but it stands pretty well on its own, especially if you have the background from the movie.

Enola is a strong, stubborn young woman who, like most young women, makes several mistakes along the course of the story. This was actually one of the things I liked most about this book. Movie Enola seems to be all knowledgeable and never make a wrong move, but book Enola is as flawed as any other teenage girl.

When Sherlock enters one of his famous depressions, Enola steps forward to take the lead on his next case. Letitia Glover comes to the Holmes siblings with the riveting story of her twin sister who married far above her station and her untimely demise and unconventional cremation. As well as the peculiar feeling that her twin has not died at all.

Enola, of course, jumps headfirst into the mystery. The friendship that forms between her and Letitia Glover, or Tish, is one for the ages. In a story absent of romance, the friendship between these girls really shines. It was definitely one of my favorite parts of the book.

I don’t read middle grade much (or ever) but this one made me actually want to go back and read the beginning of this series. It was a fun and easy read. I rated it 3.5 stars basically for that reason. It was entertaining, but nothing deep or particularly amazing or immersive.

Overall, this was a great read and a perfect introduction to mystery for young readers and especially for fans of the Enola Holmes movie.

I would recommend this if: you are in the mood for an easy MG read, you enjoyed the Enola Holmes movie

I would not recommend this if: you are looking for a deeper or more engaging read

Great novel by Nancy Springer. I'd never read any of the Enola Holmes books, so I appreciated the foreword, but I'll definitely be picking up a few of them now!

Enola Holmes is spunky, smart, and utterly independent. Her disguises never cease to make me smile or laugh and I was sucked along for the ride when she decided to take over this case from Sherlock. I like mysteries that don't give too much away or come with twists and turns and this was exactly that--And at the same time, I could easily follow Enola's logic as she solved the case. Honestly, I became more enamored with following Enola than I did her story, a remarkable feat for modern-day protagonists that all seem to otherwise blend together.

I’m so excited this series is continuing! I think the Netflix adaptation really brought a lot of attention to the series and brought Enola to life. I don’t know if it’s just being able to have a face and personality to put with the character, or if the author really seems to have added some of the movie character’s personality to the book character, but I can easily imagine everything about Enola and exactly the way she would say some of the things in the book. It made this book a bit of a different experience than the earlier books in the series.
This installment finds Enola working in tandem with her famous uncle and also the return of a long-lost friend…
I love Enola’s character, her wit and her bravery - but most of all her compassion for others. I enjoyed seeing her work with Sherlock, filling in some of the people-skills gaps that he tends to have.
Fans of the movie or the prior books in the series will not be disappointed. I look forward to reading more!

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

Book Content Warnings: Historical Mistreatment of Mentally Ill Women

Enola Holmes is back! As a first time reader, it was easy to pick up where the last book left as there is a prologue detailing the outcomes of those books.

I enjoyed that the story was fast-paced and many of the events were funny. Enola is an unusually strong feminist for the period. Sherlock give the grumpy energy to Enola’s sunshine personality.

There is much of the story dealing the historical mistreatment of women in mental institutions so be aware.

Overall, this is a short and exciting book that will have you laughing.

Should you read this book in my opinion? Yes. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for involving me in the Blog Tour!

Having always had a love for Sherlock Holmes, I of course had to read about his little sister. I was not disappointed. Even though this is a YA I still enjoyed it very much and will be looking for more stories.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this brilliant installment in the Enola Holmes series, and inviting me to join the blog tour to celebrate its release! As luck would have it, this was my introduction into Nancy Springer's work, though I had heard the buzz about the novels as well as the accompanying film. At first, I was worried that I would feel left behind starting in on the 7th volume, but that fear was immediately quelled in the very prologue! Sherlock Holmes himself provided a letter giving a run-down of his sister's exhaustive exploits-- doing an amazing job of catching up a new reader as well as outlining the relationship between Enola and her family. I felt attached to the characters in a way I didn't expect, especially being only a few pages in!

In this way, Sherlock brings us up to speed and melts into Enola being called for by Dr. Watson to pull her brother out of one of his 'tempers'. While she is there, a distressed woman named Tish walks into his office asking for help, and Enola jumps at the chance. This twin tearily tells the young sleuth she had received word from her sister's husband that she had died from a mysterious, contagious illness that necessitated her body to be cremated afterward. Tish refuses to believe this as truth, and insists that she would have felt it had something happened to Flossie. Enola's compassionate heart goes out to the pair in an instant, and her enthusiasm for the case also rouses her brother into action.

The trio (along with Dr. Watson and friends) set out to investigate the Lord of Dunhench-- running into many obstacles along the way that made for excellent plot twists-- but really showcasing the strength and empathy of the titular character as she outsmarted the men who, in this day and age, believed her to be much more incompetent and fallible than she was. Enola is such a likable person, and as someone who never felt drawn to any Sherlock Holmes novels despite having a healthy interest in mysteries, I was reassured by the fact that I related to her and enjoyed the life her snarky wit brought to this world. Thank you so much to Nancy for giving girls and women everywhere a smart mind to look up and aspire to.

This was such a refreshing change of pace for me. I enjoy a good Sherlock Holmes story and this one was so much fun. Once I finished listening to this one I immediately wanted to watch the Netflix movie because it gave me all those feels.

Enola is such a fun character. I love that she doesn't let society's expectations of her stop her from doing whatever she wants. She tests her older brothers, especially Sherlock, but even he eventually resigns to the fact that he can't control her even if he tried.

When Letitia Glover requests Sherlocks help finding her twin sister Felicity Enola can't help but step up and go on the search herself. It isn't until she finds herself in a bit of hot water that she enlists the help of Sherlock, Leticia, and her old friend the Viscount Tewkesbury. Follow the clues with Enola as she works to solve this mystery and you won't be disappointed.

This book is fast paced and entertaining to say the least. It was exactly what I needed to read right now and has me in the mood to read more mysteries!

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is a fast paced and entertaining mystery. For me it was so refreshing to be not only back in the mystery land, but also with a Holmes book. There's something about this Victorian setting mixed with the fashion, tasty treats, and language that feels like my comfort zone. This one is perfect for younger YA readers, long time fans, and new ones coming from the Netflix show. Enola Holmes is a quick witted heroine who I love following.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer is another of this fascinating series, featuring Enola, Sherlock's sister, working with her famous brother. Sherlock has been in the grip of melancholy, so sever that Watson, his friend and physician has contacted Enola to ask for assistance. She arrives at his place of abode and tries many things to annoy him out of his situation, not of which work, until a possible new client arrives. Ignoring her brother, Enola invites the young woman in and purposely seats herself and the client with their backs to Holmes and begins to discuss the case. When he becomes unable to resist, he leaps from the divan and takes over. At this point they are investigating separately, but seem to keep running in to one another, as their minds work remarkably similarly.

Springer has captured to essence of Holmes. Her language is formal, and stiff enough to be reminiscent of the original. Enola is almost a female version of her brother, certainly having his creative mind and his facility with disguises. The mystery is a good one and evokes so much history of the time, it's frightening. As Holmes, Holmes, and Watson work to solve this crime and being it to a conclusion, they manage to keep one thoroughly entertained. A delightful series and a worthy pastiche. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Wednesday Books through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #wednesdaybooks #enolaholmesandtheblackbarouche

I’ve read Enola’s previous adventures when they were first written and watched the Netflix movie with the missing marquess. This new story is entertaining but deals with a hard topic - mental health in the 19th and early 20th century in England. It was at times difficult to read about the state of asylums and how women could be falsely admitted when the men in their lives wanted to be rid of them.
And with that I have let the mystery of the meaning of the black barouche out of the bag. But the reader needs to be aware that there are trigger issues in the novel.
The prologue and epilogue are told from Sherlock’s point of view. This adds something to the story that takes it up a level from the younger perspective of a middle grade book.
I liked the book and struggled with the content. I think that a parent may want to be aware of the contents so they could explain or discuss some of the heavier issues.

I am such a fan of Sherlock Holmes and after the Netflix show Enola Holmes I wanted to know more about Enola! Reading Nancy Springer’s Enola Holmes And The Black Barouche did not disappoint. Springer does an amazing job of transporting you back to 1880’s London and taking you on a journey through Enola’s point of view. It is the 7th book in the Enola Holmes series and quite frankly now I want to read books 1-6! Going in to a series on the seventh book didn’t take away from the story at all. I didn’t feel lost or confused. It was definitely a quick read that reels you in from beginning to end. The mystery and intrigue of the story was really fun to uncover. Enola Holmes is so independent, clever and witty and I dare to say a better detective than Sherlock himself. I look forward to reading more of Enola Holmes’ adventures!

Thank you to @netgalley @MacMillanUSA and Nancy Springer for allowing me to be part of this book tour!