Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer is another welcome chapter in the Holmes family saga. The relationship between Enola and her brother Sherlock adds to the enjoyment of reading this series. It is good to have an intelligent female protagonist with many talents be the heroine of her own story.

First of all, I want to thank Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read the book in exchange for an honest review. When I first saw that a new Enola Holmes book was out, I was dying to read it.

After reaching The Black Barouche, I found that I really enjoyed Enola’s witty and daring personality. I knew from the blurb that the book seemed to come up as a sequel to previous books with Lady Cecily, but I was honestly expecting to be more of a mystery. Or at least a stand-alone. There were many references to the previous books (that honestly sound more interesting than this one turned out).

There are many highlights, such as Enola’s relationship with her brother Sherlock and Enola’s ever-changing wardrobe. However, I feel the circumstances are a bit repetitive. They are constantly searching for Cecily because she has a personality disorder (left-handed vs. right-handed) that can render her utterly useless, but the plot advances so slowly. I think this is to cover up that there wasn’t much of a mystery to begin with—there was no twist at the end, no shocker, nothing. It was exactly as expected, with the angry father standing down and the resolution (conveniently) playing out behind the scenes. Both Cecily and her father appeared to be childlike to the point of annoying at times, so that really pulled back on the believability, especially when Cecily only went docile (right-handed) at the most inconvenient times.

I do look forward to the next installment in the Enola Holmes series; this one, however, is not a must-buy.

Thanks for he review copy. I enjoy going on adventures with Enola and solving mysteries. Looking forward to more books in the series. I like the Netflix show, too.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with a eARC of this book to read and review!

This is the 8th book in the series, and I have only read the first book in the series previously. After reading this, I would definitely say that you don’t have to have read all the previous books to enjoy it.

Enola Holmes, the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes. She is an extremely progressive and liberal woman for the time period (Victorian). She lives with other like minded ladies in the only woman’s club in London. She also attends school, and in her spare time investigates missing persons.

My favourite things about this book were 1) Enola is an extremely smart and likeable character with a great sense of humor 2) The contrast of Enolas life and that of other Victorian women who were controlled and suppressed by their fathers or husbands 3) The entertaining scenes and witty banter between Enola and Sherlock who are more alike that either would care to admit. 4) the details about womens fashion, and Victorian life in general.

Overall this book was an entertaining and quick read. I think it would be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

I am a huge fan of the original six Enola Holmes books. They have such a perfect arc following Enola's adventures as well as the changing relationship with her brother Sherlock. They are charming and everything a tween me would have wanted. Book 7 was a huge disappointment. It lacked all charm and everything that made the first six book unique. Because of this I almost didn't pick up the newest Enola adventure. However, I am so glad I decided to give it one more chance. The Elegant Escapade definitely leaned more toward the style of the original six though still not quite on par with them. There were classic awkward Enola moments, wonderful disguises, and a constant competition between Enola and Sherlock. We also get to see the return of Cecily Alistair, one of my favorite characters from earlier in the series. I did think wrap up was too quick but all in all a very fun read.

Enola Holmes has taken a break from being a finder of persons and things but when she hears that Lady Cecily Alastair may be being held against her will, she is on the case! A bold rescue is enacted, but a missing lady attracts the attention of Enola's brother, Sherlock. Can Enola keep Cecily from danger and convince her brother to trust her judgement on the matter?

I know I mentioned this in the last book, but I love Enola's newfound love for fashion. She knows just what outfit each situation calls for! I also appreciated that she takes advantage of those around her to learn what she needs to know and thinks outside the box to accomplish what needs done.

The one criticism I might have is that this book leans heavily into 'men are brutes'. Lady Cecily's father is an acknowledged cruel and selfish man, so I was surprised the author made Sherlock Holmes essentially saying, "Well, that's just how it is." When the canon has him threatening to cane a man for mistreating a woman. It did not feel like the Sherlock Holmes I know.

Overall, though, this was an enjoyable read. I'm excited to see what new case falls into Enola's lap next!

4 Stars

One Liner: Fast, entertaining, and light-hearted

Enola Holmes, the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes (yes, one and only), is back in action with the eighth book in the series. Like the previous one, this can be read as a standalone.
Enola lives in the Professional Women's Club, where women who share interests in various subjects and domains pursue classes and have intellectual discussions without the men disturbing or ordering them about.
It turns out that Lady Cecily, Enola’s friend, needs help yet again. Enola has rescued her twice from her nasty father and sets about doing it for the third time. However, Lady Cecily has disappeared after the rescue mission.
Enola is frightened about what could happen to her and is determined to find her at any cost. After all, Lady Cecily has a dual personality which can put her in difficult situations. Victorian society is no place for girls or women without male support.
Teaming up with Sherlock is just another inconvenience Enola has to survive to accomplish her mission.
The story comes in the first person POV for Enola Holmes.

My Observations:
I read Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche last year and loved Enola’s character arc. This book is just as entertaining if you like a young adult heroine who tends to run headlong into trouble and somehow manages to land on her feet every time.
Enola is easy to like. She is witty, adventurous, daring (to the point of being stupid at times), and is her own master. She is also a trustworthy friend. Being Sherlock’s little sister gets her brownie points.
This book has less than 250 pages and can be read in a couple of hours. The writing is easy and smooth. Various themes from the Victorian era are seamlessly woven into the story without resorting to preaching or drama.
The banter between Enola and Sherlock is such a treat. I enjoyed these scenes the most. However, the parts about Enola being alone and stuff got a little repetitive. She’s got her family now, so maybe they could learn to live with each other.
The setting comes alive and makes it easy to visualize the story. The descriptions are just enough to provide information for imagination.
There really isn’t anything deep in the book, though it does show the life of women in that era. The book is meant purely for entertainment purposes.

To sum up, Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade is a lighthearted and fast-paced addition to the series. Pick it up when you want something witty and fun to help you relax.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Oh my, this book was perfect! It reminded me of Nancy Drew! Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade was my first Enola Holmes book and it did not disappoint!

Enola finds herself helping her friend, Cecily escape from her father’s house because he has locked her, her mother, and all of her siblings in their rooms. Enola is determined to not only help Cecily survive on her own, but also prove that Cecily’s father is up to no good in order to free the rest of Cecily’s family.

Along the way, Enola teams up with her brother, Sherlock, her regular helpful cab driver, Harold, and her friend, Lady Vienna and at times, hilarity ensues.

Read this book, you will love it!

Another delightful Enola Holmes tale. Once again Enola is out for adventure. Her dear friend, Lady Cecily, is in trouble - her father has locked her up. Enola must help her escape and hide her until they figure out a solution. Of course an underage female is totally under the control of her father in these times so it isn’t simple. Add to this the fact that Lady Cecily seems to have a dual personality and Sherlock has been hired to find her. How will Enola prevail?

I've always loved this series. It takes what we know about Sherlock Holmes and victorian crime solving and puts it on its head. Enola is clever and at times frustrating but overall she makes for a great protagonist that we can all cheer for along the way.

This book was so much fun to read. I felt like I was immersed in England. I loved the Netflix movie Enola Holmes and this just felt like it took off shortly after. Nancy springer painted a vivid picture and I love that she challenges the status quo of typical life during those times.


Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book. Can't wait to read the next one and for the new Netflix movie.

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

Enola Holmes is a wonderful character - resourceful, brave, witty and with a good moral compass. In this adventure, Enola is focused on protecting her friend Cecily from her abusive father. There are short, but meaningful appearances by her brother Sherlock in this instance. It is a very fun quick read, I loved seeing Enola get in and out of trouble, and appreciated and related to a particular scene involving hair styling. Also loved Lady Vienna's confidence. The advance copy I had was missing the ciphers (there were just tags indicating what they would be), which would have been fun to try to piece together, but did not detract from the plot of the story.

When I’m feeling a little under-powered, when world events have me feeling low…the books I need are the books that make me smile.

Enola Holmes makes me smile.

She’s clever; she’s strong; she fiercely independent; and she is capable! Team her up with her brother Sherlock and the fun is amplified!

The mystery here is well crafted and the pacing quick. The book held my interest from the beginning to the end. And while I’ve only read one other Enola Holmes novel, I plan to keep this series on my radar.

I recommend the book to historical fiction readers, mystery fans, those who love Victorian England and anyone who enjoys a very readable book.

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade
by Nancy Springer
Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
Wednesday Books
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I fell in love with the character from Netflix and her books hard and fast after that. I was beyond happy to hear of a new YA Enola and novella coming out last year. While not as good as the rest, I still highly enjoyed the look back at old friends from the series.

I am beyond done chasing after Lady Cecily whom I had liked until this book. I just assumed, like others, she would have been safe after her last appearance but no. Even though it is fiction, it's still Victorian London and no woman is safe. Especially if she's "different" from others. Very sad to say I was not a fan of this one.
3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What can I say about the newest Enola Holmes mystery other than that I continue to love every moment of this series. There's a fire in Enola in this installment that feels a bit more on par to the earlier parts of the series which is refreshing and despite the focus of the mystery being once again our left handed lady, the story still felt new and exciting.

The new characters introduced here blend seamlessly into the well loved cast of the previous installments and the expansion of the world that this book has offered makes me even more excited to see what comes next for Enola.

I quite enjoyed the continuance of the occasional bit of more mature information being presented despite it being a children's series. Enola's lack of understanding of some of the things that the adults discuss will feel familiar to children reading the book while adult readers can chuckle about the implications of conversations Enola doesn't quite understand. Nancy Springer continues to deliver on books that are fun and appealing for all ages.

Overall I would suggest this to fans of the series, mystery readers young and old, and to those who enjoy a good bit of historical fiction.

Another fun adventure with Enola. This story features Lady Cecily again as a new set of troubles have befallen her. Enola is on the case this time with Sherlock! I enjoyed this one. It's fun to see Sherlock in this story and the ending is really good. An entertaining read.

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

I’ll be honest, this was disappointing.

It didn’t have nearly the same excitement and fun as all of the previous instalments of the series.

The series itself is still worth the read, but don’t expect much out of this one.

Enola Holmes is back, and trying to solve the mystery of what has happened to her friend Lady Cecily. Cecily has run away from home (with a little help from Enola), where her father had her locked in her room and was trying to marry her off to a cousin. Cecily had been kidnapped in an earlier book in this series, and even though it wasn't her fault, this made her "unmarriageable" by society's standards.

Enola is living at the Professional Women's Club, surrounded by other women who are interested in discussing current events, science, and other intellectual pursuits. She is attending classes at London Women's Academy, and is happy with how her life is turning out.

When she goes to visit Cecily, and is turned away at the door by the butler, she schemes to get inside and find out what is going on. But instead of letting Enola in, Cecily climbs down the rope and escapes her imprisonment. Cecily has a split personality, due to the abuse she endured because she is left-handed. Her "left-handed self" is forceful, daring and bold; her "right-handed self" is meek, accommodating and dutiful. When she escapes, she is her left-handed self, but by the time Elona gets her to the apartment she uses under the name Dr. Ragostin, Cecily has reverted to her right-handed self and remembers nothing of the escape. Sherlock shows up, having been hired by Cecily's mother to find her, and Cecily runs away.

Cecily's mother also is locked up in her home, in theory, but she and her maid have extra keys that make escape possible. Enola visits her and resolves to save not only Cecily from her father's clutches, but also her mother, and goes about finding dirt on Lord Alistair to free them both from his machinations.

The Enola Holmes books are always fun to read. They are quick reads for me, but I always enjoy reading historical mysteries with strong women outwitting the men in their lives. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

What to say about Enola Holmes. I had never heard of the series until the Netflix series came out and I fell in love with the character and her books hard and fast after that. I think I read all 6 in less than a week. I was beyond happy to hear of a new YA Enola and novella coming out last year. While not as good as the rest, I still highly enjoyed the look back at old friends from the series.

However, this Enola felt VERY MUCH like fan service. I am beyond done chasing after Lady Cecily whom I had liked until this book. I just assumed, like others, she would have been safe after her last appearance but no. Even though it is fiction, its still Victorian London and no woman is safe. Especially if she's "different" from others. Maybe its because all of the issues currently happening with women's rights that this book hit particularly hard but I also just didn't like that it had a very "best write another one since the Netflix series did so well". Very sad to say I was not a fan of this one.

Thank you to NetGally and the publisher for allowing me to read an E-Arc for my honest review.

What an engaging and entertaining character Enola is. I had watched the Enola Holmes movie on Netflix and because of that, read the first book in the series. Both the movie and book were very enjoyable and entertaining. It's exciting to have a female character who bucks society norms and does her own thing.

Despite being book 8 in the series (and a sequel to a previous book), the story does stand on its own. Enola's escapades and disguises are reminisent of Robert Downey Jr's version of Sherlock Holmes. She meets some kindred spirits who help her to rescue her friend.

Where this was less of a mystery as the previous book I read, it was definitely a delightful story.