Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fifteen year old Enola Holmes, the baby sister to Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, is requested by Dr. John Watson to check on her brother as he is currently in a state of melancholy. Since their sibling reunion, Enola had not seen her brothers and was eager to assist. However, upon arrival another lady appears, needing Sherlock’s unique skills to find out what has happened to her twin sister, Felicity. Tish has received a letter from her brother-in-law that Felicity has died but Tish believes it to be false because twins always know. As Sherlock appears to be ignoring the lady, Enola takes it upon herself to find Felicity. Gradually, the case becomes interesting to Sherlock and soon brother and sister are working together to find, and save, Lady Felicity. Only now the case has taken a diabolical turn as Enola soon discovers that this is not the first of the Earl’s wives to have gone missing. Enola must use all of her resources to save the lady in question. She must even call upon her old friend, Viscount Tewkesbury.

I like the characters in Nancy Springer’s rendition better than others because in each book they convey such growth. If you follow from the first book Sherlock (and Mycroft) were such dunces when it came to women and their situations. By the sixth book, the reader could see that they had a new understanding for the females of the world. Though that doesn’t stop them from still being “old-fashioned” in regards to women of their acquaintance, it does allow them to see the women as strong characters. That is what Enola and Tish Glover truly are in this novel. These women are fierce in their protection but also in their sense of justice. However, there is compassion in them that shows a growth even in one as young as Enola.

The world that Nancy Springer writes is compelling and wonderfully written to make visualization easy. To start and end the novel in Sherlock’s voice is another way to show his growth, but it also allows for the reader to see the endpoints of the case from his point of view. The mystery itself was not hard to uncover as it is one used in historical fiction many times, but it was nice to see a women at the helm. The horrible conditions of the asylum are not new but Springer conveys the fear, disgust, and sadness in Enola and Tish so well that the reader cannot help but feel it as well. The best parts are seeing the interaction between Sherlock and Enola as they come up with their plan, but it also nice to see that Enola can still surprise Sherlock with her own network of associates. I was slightly disappointed that Mycroft was not involved in this story, but Dr. Watson and Viscount Tewkesbury more than made up for the omission. There is wit, danger, tragedy, but also humor throughout the novel making it a fast read.

I have read all of the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer, and believe this to be a wonderful continuation of her series. If you have not read the series, please do so.While the prologue does a good job of bringing a new reader up to date, it is not the same as reading the series. If you are in a hurry, then you could read this novel as a standalone. If, however, you are someone who prefers the details then reading the whole series before this one would make it better.

Overall I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.