A Study In Sable by Mercedes Lackey is the latest in her Elemental Masters series.

I’ll admit, going into it, I was… hesitant. After the last Valdemar series novel of hers let me down, especially since she’s been one of my favorite authors for years, I wasn’t sure what she was going to do with her Elemental Masters series. This series is one that she’s always done riffs on fairy tales on though, so I was expecting that – what I wasn’t expecting was Sherlock Holmes and John and Mary Watson.

In this novel, Sarah and Nan, the medium and the telepathic, have had their talents called upon to help John and Mary Watson (evidently Elemental magicians themselves) with a more occult occurrence, which they can’t deal with themselves, and that Holmes calls “twaddle.” Once Holmes vets them, they’re allowed to help with the case that John and Mary want to take care of.

It’s nice to see Sarah and Nan at work, all grown up and independent and how they’ve changed since the last time they were in one of the Elemental Masters books, and the story, revolving around a diva who it seems can keep the affections of many and yet is haunted by a plethora of ghosts, makes for fun, light reading. The one thing I’m still not quite sure of though is why Holmes and the Watsons are really in the book at all – any skeptic and pair of supportive characters with powerful backing could have taken their places, in all honesty.

I did enjoy this book though, and the chance to see Sarah and Nan in action again; I really do like them as characters, and think there’s a lot that could still be done with them. A few other cameos from previous stories show up as well, making me wonder if the author was going for nostalgia, or was saying a goodbye to the series. It’s difficult to tell at the moment, but I hope to see Sarah and Nan again.