When I saw the Enola Holmes film on Netflix, I had no idea that it was based on the novels by Nancy Springer–I admit quite shame-facedly. Thankfully, Wednesday Books enlightened me and offered me the opportunity to read the latest Enola Holmes mystery, Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche, as part of the book tour to celebrate this new release.

Letitia Glover visits the home of Sherlock Holmes, but he is indisposed (depressed and actually on the sofa), when she meets with his younger sister, Enola, instead. Letitia’s sister, Felicity, has been pronounced dead after getting a fever and her cremation ashes have been sent to Letitia, but Letitia doesn’t believe that her twin is dead. She knows that she would feel that her twin was dead. Enola tells her that they will find out what happened to her sister.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is a delightfully fun YA mystery in which Enola matches her brilliant brother, Sherlock, idea for idea. Apart and then together, they don disguises and pretend to be other people in order to acquire the information they need to track down what exactly happened to Felicity Glover. Despite the fact that Enola is much younger than Sherlock her keen observations match his very well. And her character is as feisty as she is smart and just a pleasure to read about.

Evidently Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche is Book 7 in the series but can be read as a standalone. I say that, but I did watch the film so that may have filled in a few holes. Nevertheless, the book was so much fun to read that I am looking forward to reading the previous six books and hope that more are on the way.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for the latest Enola Holmes book! Also thank you very much for the physical ARC, the cover is gorgeous!

If you didn't already know the Netflix sensation, Enola Holmes, is based off the first book in this fun series by Nancy Springer, making this book #7. I saw the movie but went into this as a stand alone & I loved it!

Enola's banter and just her stream of consciousness thoughts are so entertaining and just leap off the page. She's 15 but doesn't really take no for an answer, even when that causes her to fly to the dirt from the horse & carriage she's driving. It's also great to see her banter & relationship with her brother, the great Sherlock Holmes. She doesn't need him to solve mysteries. 😉

This was such a fun story and is perfect for anyone looking for a good mystery. It is also a great pick for the teenagers in your life, especially with the holidays coming up (4 months till Christmas, y'all.)

So pick this one up on Tuesday, 8/31. You don't want to miss this!

This was my first one in the series and even though I hadn't read the previous ones I did not feel lost. The book was steady paced and had dry humor moments. I enjoyed seeing Sherlock getting one upped by his younger sister. The author made it very easy to visualize the events and characters. I will definitely be picking up more in this series.

Thanks to Wednesday books for the free book.
This was a fun read that I managed to finish in a day, which doesn't usually happen anymore. Enola is the younger sister of the famous, Sherlock Holmes, and like her brother, she solves mysteries. I loved how the siblings competed and outwitted each other. Enola also breaks the fourth wall, which pulled me into the story right away, and I didn't want to quit reading until I knew what happened to Flossie. I enjoyed the clues and the lengths Enola went through to figure out what was going on. It was just a lot of fun to read.
This is a book in a series, but I read it as a stand alone, and it worked fine for me that way.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer; Wednesday Books, 272 pages ($17.99) Ages 13-18.

...

15-year-old sleuth Enola Holmes joins forces with much older brother Sherlock to solve a case in this amusing, well-executed Victorian-era mystery, the 7th Enola adventure and the first in the series in 11 years.

Springer is true to the spirit of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle original in conjuring up the voice of Sherlock in both prologue and epilogue. (Sherlock recalls Enola appearing as "a fledgling stork" wearing "a frock that failed to cover her bony shanks" when he was summoned home after their mother's disappearance, the adventure made into a hit 2020 Netflix movie.)

Brainy, brash Enola narrates the rest. Summoned by Dr. Watson to help roust Sherlock out of his melancholia, Enola is at Holmes' residence when a young woman comes seeking assistance in the suspicious death of her twin sister, an artist who married an earl. Sherlock's determination that the cremated remains are of something "brown and furry" launches the investigation. The colorful plot features a temperamental horse named Jezebel, the reappearance of dashing young Viscount Tewkesbury and a brush with danger in Enola's visit to the grieving widower.

An excellent adventure! Dr. Watson is worried about Sherlock and enlists Enola's help to bring him out of his depression. Enola knows what he needs, he needs something to occupy his mind. When a young woman shows up on Sherlock's doorstep saying that her twin sister supposedly died, but she knows she didn't. Enola decides to take on the case. Sherlock decides it might be worth looking into, so he and Enola team up to figure out what happened. It seemed like it was very sudden and the same thing happened to the girl's brother-in-law's first wife. Could she really be dead? Enola and Sherlock with find out.

Some time ago I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it. However, it is now well into a decade later that this book #7 has graced us. Once again, I found myself really enjoying this book with the characters, the scenery, and the plot. I strongly feel that you do not have to read all the books in the series to pick this one up; which, is good seeing that it was some time ago that the last one was published. Overall, a very enjoyable tale of a teenage detective and I have to say that new cover art is a big improvement.

So. Much. Fun. Perfect escapism. This was a fast-paced witty romp through London and the English countryside filled with the hi-jinks of two of the most intelligent, obstinate, and creative detectives ever. The wit/banter and shenanigans between the two Holmes siblings was so on point - and oh so enjoyable. **Thank You so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!**

The Mystery itself had the perfect Gothic air reminiscent of Holmes' classic cases, with an ominous villain and difficult hurdles for Enola (and Holmes) to overcome in solving the mystery and bringing the perpetrator to justice. Hindered by everything from being a single young girl, to a troublesome horse named Jezebel, from visiting insane asylum's to various villains, Enola Holmes is willing to do whatever it takes to solve the case. Plus with plenty of the trickery and disguises fans of Holmes will expect, including one particularly grisly and ghastly transformation of one Miss Letitia Glover.

A quick, page-turning, adventurous romp of a mystery - thoroughly enjoyable. Recommend to both YA and adult audiences, who enjoy good witty historical mysteries. In terms of YA Readers perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco, Gail Carriger, and Alison Goodman.

Even as an adult reader (I believe the original series is considered Middle Grade/Young Readers, while this new addition is YA) and a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes (both the original stories and more modern rewrites and continued adventures), I loved this slice of Holmesian mystery and mayhem. I hope she continues Enola's adventures.

Come find me on bookstagram @museignitedreads

What I Loved
I love how Enola Holmes grabs the case by the horns and makes it her own despite her famous brother's involvement. Enola is spunky, strong, ingenious, and positively fearless. She carries the story to unexpected and thrilling places as she is much rasher than her always in control older brother Sherlock. I adore her and would happily follow her from crazy antics to crazy antics as she seeks to solve the case at hand.

I also enjoyed that the writing style is very in line with Sherlock Holmes mysteries. The Victorian formalities are always present, and there is a crispness to the language that flows in its unique manner. I quickly read the book within a day as the pages just flew by because of the focus on the mystery, the short chapters, and the life that Enola breaths into the story.

The look at women and women's issues during the Victorian age stayed true to the period. If looked at through today's eyes, they can be pretty frustrating. Misogyny was commonplace, yet Enola turns many of the Victorian sensibilities on their ear while maintaining others like the importance of the fashionable hat.

Characters

Enola Holmes is my favorite character. I love her pluckiness. But I've already described here under "What I Love." She does not work alone, though. Her older brother Sherlock, always the genius at noticing what others overlook, is her partner. Tewky, Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether, signs on, always willing to join Enola on adventures. There is a fun banter between Enola and each of the men working with her, which brings a playfulness to the story you won't find in a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Dr. Watson even plays a small part as he is uniquely qualified to help with solving part of the mystery.

What I Wish
My only wish is that Enola continues to be the powerful female protagonist with each series installment.

To Read or Not to Read
Suppose the thought of a spirited, fun, and incorrigible female protagonist makes you smile. In that case, you need to pick up Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche today!

Happy publication month!!!!!!

Thank you SO much Sarah and Lauren at St. Martin’s Publishing Group for sending me this physical ARC for review for this book tour. I absolutely LOVED this story.

I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and have been for some time. So when I heard about the movie Enola Holmes on Netflix I was immediately intrigued.
I LOVED the movie so much, I watched it 9 times with various family and friends I just couldn’t get enough.

I saw this book and HAD to read it and I am so happy I got that chance.

This story follows Enola, the much younger sister of Mycroft, and the very very famous Sherlock Holmes. She’s always getting involved in solving mysteries and has found herself in the middle of a missing woman’s case. She has to rely on her wit, cunning, and resourcefulness to find out what happened and restore this woman to her family.

The story begins (and ends) from the perspective of Sherlock himself recounting what took place in the plot of the Netflix movie as well as discussing his memories and encounters with his loud, independent, rule breaking, nosy sister. I loved this portion so much because, the way Nancy writes this book is EXACTLY how I’ve imagined Sherlock to be. Sarcastic, witty, arrogant, and prestigious. Yet, Enola is his equal. She is HILARIOUS, sneaky, clever, impossible and everything I want my heroines to be. She gives everyone a run for their money!

I annotated the absolute crap out of this book (swipe for photo) and had an incredible time. I can’t wait to read more from Nancy Springer and read more of the Enola Holmes series!

I want to thank the publishers and Netgalley for an arc of this book. I have been a Holmes fan and love that you get to follow Enola's story. The book starts with a brief background of Enola. This is a fun, adventurous book. Even though this is the 7th book in the series, you can read it as a stand a lone.

You get to watch Enola and Sherlock solve this case. Sherlock and Enola a similar but she is full of sass, independent and strong willed. Also Watson makes an appearance to be roped into the antics.The book is fun of humor, wit and banter. If you want a fun mystery I would highly recommend this book.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books
Publication Date: August 31, 2021
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers | Teens & YA

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer is the seventh book in this series! I had not read the previous books, but thanks to the detailed recap/catch up in the opening chapter, I easily slipped into the world of Enola & Sherlock Holmes!

This was such a fun read! I loved how the author captured the time period so well and brought in the language of many classes to the dialogue throughout the book. Can I just say that the word 'cad' is not used enough in modern, American English?

I absolutely loved the storyline! There were so many twists and turns and I loved solving this mystery with Enola! She was such an interesting character! I loved the way her mind works and how fiercely independent she is!

This is a fast paced book and is so enjoyable to read! I look forward to reading the remaining books in the series and all the ones to come in the future! If you are a fan of mysteries, I definitely recommend reading Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche!

I'm so grateful to Nancy Springer, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is number 7 in a series, but reads great as a stand alone. I have not read any of the others. I did watch the Netflix movie. This is a fun mystery. I truly enjoyed it. While the subject matter was not always fun, the story was great. I am totally addicted. For young women this is a step up from a Nancy Drew story, but historical. The characters are smart, brave, whimsical, with a sense of justice and caring. Family is important. Overall, a fairly predictable read, but totally fulfilling and rewarding. Loved it. 4.5 stars

Enola Holmes is back and just as smart, sassy, and charismatic as before!

Fans of the movie and the book series will be pleased by this new book in the Enola Holmes series. Millie Bobby Brown perfectly portrayed Enola, and reading one of these books is just like watching the movie. Fans of the series will be pleased to know that there are no major spoilers, although a few minor ones are contained within the prologue. If you haven't read the rest of the books but plan to, you may want to skip the prologue, as it isn't necessary to enjoy the rest of this book and it is the most spoiler-filled.

As for the mystery, it was fantastic! I loved the idea of a woman not being dead, but instead just missing. The way Enola and her brother work together to solve this disappearance was entertaining to read and I even found myself laughing at times. Just reading about Enola and her antics is empowering. Every girl could find something positive to take away from this book.

I most definitely recommend this new Enola Holmes book to fans of the original books and of Netflix's movie adaption.

Scheduled to post 8/28/21.

What an absolutely lovely read! I so enjoyed Enola Holmes and her voice and her escapades and her inability to back down from anything. ENOLA HOLMES AND THE BLACK BAROUCHE was a refreshing adventure that I sorely needed right now.

I have not read any of the other Enola Holmes novels, but I have seen the Netflix movie, which I adored, and of course I saw nothing but Millie Bobbie Brown as Enola in my head as I read. I'm pretty sure that's not a bad thing at all.

Despite not having read any of the other books, BLACK BAROUCHE pretty much stands on its own and you get enough recap within the text to settle yourself nicely into the lives of Enola and Sherlock that I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. The story itself is self-contained and I never once felt lost in the plot at all.

Enola's voice is a doll. I love it. Witty, at times indignant, forceful yet gentle and caring, smart and persistent, I couldn't get enough of it. I also really liked how she functioned within the parameters of the world in which she lived. Boundaries were certainly pressed, and it was very clear that it annoyed Enola to no end that she had to function within these parameters, but she's adaptable and there wasn't a scenario that she couldn't get through, or around, or over using her head and her willingness to get herself a little dirty.

She's very much at an age where she's toeing the line between child and adult. I think she's supposed to be fifteen (it say it in the book, but I can't remember the number) which, for a woman, is certainly adult enough during this time. But for Enola she uses her physicality like a boy would, who would still be considered a child at that age, for someone of her standing. I like how she played both sides like that. It made for some interesting scenarios.

Overall, ENOLA HOLMES AND THE BLACK BAROUCHE is a whimsical jaunt of a novel that's a quick read, a lovely ride, with an empowering female protagonist that stands on her own in a world that could very easily lock her away for simply reading too much. It keeps things light despite how dark the story actually is. I really, really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. Such a pleasant surprise.

5

The Review

This was such an engrossing and thought-provoking read. The author does an incredible job of capturing the tone and dialect of not only the era but the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novels following Sherlock Holmes. Yet despite the large shadow that Sherlock casts, Enola does an incredible job of outshining her brother and standing on her own as a remarkable literary heroine.

The mystery aspect of the narrative and the setting really did steal the show on this novel. The gripping tale of a twin sister seeking the truth about her other half after rumors of her death fell off was a great hook to grab the readers, and Enola’s, attention. The clash of culture between the high society atmosphere of the missing woman’s estate and the seedy underbelly of London and its countryside as they hunt for the location of the missing woman was interesting to see play out here and really made the narrative feel alive in the reader’s mind.

The Verdict

A masterful, thoughtful, and engaging novel, author Nancy Springer’s “Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche” is a must-read novel of 2021. A great springboard for the heroine to return after finding cinematic success on Netflix thanks to the highly talented Millie Bobbie Brown, the balance of character growth and the mystery was amazing to see, and what felt great was that this novel, while a continuation overall of the character’s personal arcs, was strong enough to stand alone for newcomers like me to the series to get engaged in the narrative. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

I really enjoyed this book and the mystery inside. It was fun seeing Enola, Sherlock, and Twekesbury again. I loved diving back into her world and going on an adventure. The mystery had some twists and turns that were surprising, but I will say I liked The Case of the Missing Marquess better. I feel like that one was less predictable and harder to figure out. The Black Barouche was also touching at times, because you could feel the love and connection between Letitia and Felicity.

I had not realized this was a book series until after I watched the delightful Netflix film starring Millie Bobby Brown, but my son and I enjoyed the movie so much I jumped at the chance to take part in this tour when Wednesday Books reached out. I have not read any of the other books prior to reading this one, and I will say the book absolutely stands on its own and no prior knowledge is necessary. In fact, there is a helpful prologue from Sherlock himself in which he summarizes the previous books for us! Unlike past books, in which Enola is running from Sherlock and Mycroft (while solving mysteries) so they don’t force her to go to charm school, this book finds the siblings working together. It’s been a bit since I’ve read historical fiction, which is kind of my first love, so it was fun being back with the more flowery language and historical elements. Enola is also a very endearing character, just as she was in the movie. She is 15 in this book, and while at first I thought she read a little older, I chalked it up to the Holmes siblings all being precocious and brilliant beyond their years. I also loved the nods to a budding feminism in Enola, and I hope that continues to grow, if the author continues the series.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, Sherlock Holmes and Holmes-adjacent stories, or who loved the Netflix movie like I did. It’s a delightful read that I finished in just a few hours, and you won’t regret picking it up!

Rating: 4 stars!

**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

Although this is book 7 in the Enola Holmes series, I have not read any of the previous books (nor have I seen the Netflix movie), but I had no trouble following or enjoying this one! Enola is the much younger (teenaged) sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, and a prologue penned by Sherlock provides some of Enola's background. Dr. Watson summons Enola: because Sherlock has "plunged into the deepest depression" and he hopes a visit from her might influence him for the better. During her visit, a prospective client calls, and Enola interviews her while Sherlock continues to lie, unresponsive, on the couch. The young woman has received a letter from her brother-in-law informing her that his wife, her twin sister, has died suddenly from an infectious disease that required her to be cremated, and he has sent a package containing her remains. As Enola opens the package to examine the contents, not knowing what she is looking for or at, Sherlock finally gets up and shows his expertise by preparing a slide and examining it by microscope. After announcing that the remains are those of a dog, Sherlock and Enola are both intrigued and accept the case, each working it from their particular positions of strength. The story is mostly told from Enola's perspective, with a prologue and epilogue by Sherlock. The mystery itself was not a brain-twisting puzzle, but determining what happened to the sister was just the beginning of the solution to the case. This was an enjoyable, quick read, with well developed characters and a fast-moving and fun plot. I will definitely be going back to the start of the series.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Young Adult is not a genre I have ever read. At least, not since I was 12 and was really into Nancy Drew. So why, you may ask, am I reading this one? I saw the first book as a production on PBS Masterpiece Mystery and loved it. But, more importantly, my 11 year old granddaughter loved it. I thought if the books were half as good as the PBS show, this would be a great way to encourage her to read more. Although I would not recommend this book for kids as young as my granddaughter, I highly recommend it for teens and older. The prose and situations are just not appropriate for younger readers. For me, I loved it. Enola is a kick-ass heroine and I loved how she took charge of this case and wouldn't let go.

Sherlock Holmes and his brother, Mycroft, have their hands full trying to manage there 15 year old sister, Enola. After trying, they have come to realize that Enola just isn't the sweet young proper English girl they envisioned. After trying, unsuccessfully, they have backed off and everyone is much happier. While Enola is visiting to Sherlock, a young woman comes to him for help. Miss Letitia Glover has received distressing news that her twin sister has taken ill and died suddenly. The note from Felicity's husband, the Earl of Dunhench, is short, brisk and not at all what a grieving husband would write. Letitia doesn't believe her sister is dead and neither do Enola and Sherlock.

As they delve into the death they discover forged documents and a connection to the Earl's first wife, who also died suspiciously. Enola goes undercover in the Earl's home, over the protest of Sherlock, and discovers that Felicity went missing after a mysterious black barouche was seen at the house. Enola and Sherlock form a plan, but to pull it off they need the help of Leticia, Dr. Watson and Enola's friend, the Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether.