I really liked this! The way it incorporated the lore of different iconic gothic novels into the plot/backstory of the book (the Phantom of the Opera part had me like !!!) could’ve felt cheesy or contrived, but it worked for me. The setting was so lush, I thought the plot was very clever and well-constructed and the slow burn romance had me tearing up and swooning. And the ending had me crossing my fingers it's going to be a series, because I want to read more and see where things go from here!!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the digital ARC, all opinions are my own.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I really should have written this review about a month ago, when the book was fresh in my mind, because I think I'm encountering exactly why this was a 3 star book for me: it wasn't terribly memorable.

Don't get me wrong, I do remember the broad strokes of it: a Sherlock Holmes-esque story that is also queer and is about monster hunters, specifically monster hunters in Paris. Which is a really fucking cool concept, and so it was devastating when I realized I was just not engaging with the story much at all.

But this can and should work well for others, and I truly hope it does because there is so much to love! I'm just sadly not going to be in that group for this book. (And also sadly am writing a very unhelpful review about it.)

Thank you to the publisher, Bindery Books, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

It’s not bad, but it’s extremely meh. Meaning, it’s not doing anything very special – although I might feel differently if I was a major Dracula or Sherlock fan, perhaps. I can’t tell you if there are any Easter eggs in here for readers who are fans, because I wouldn’t have caught them if there are…I hope there are, that would be cooI.

Most of the tension in the first third hinges on the Let’s Not Communicate trope, which I despise and strongly feel is lazy storytelling. There were some nice feminist moments, like acknowledging and highlighting the shop girls of Paris, and I was genuinely impressed to see a grindylow, which is not a mythological beastie that appears often in the stories I read. But I was bored by the characters, by the sexism, by the eye-rollingly over-the-top secret societies or cults or whatever. The worldbuilding was terribly basic. There was nothing hooking me to keep reading, to read this book instead rather than some other one. You know?

It probably would have been a solid three star read had I finished it, but I just had no interest in finishing it. So I won’t.

Excellent monster detective story! It was hard to put down, because I was hooked from the first chapter. I hope this is the beginning of a series.

I really enjoyed a lot of this. The murder mystery aspect, the urban fantasy, the slow burn romance between Hel and Sam. Over all it was a very enjoyable book. For some reason it took me ages to finish and I can't definitvely say why. I definitely had a hard time keeping up with all the French names and was a bit confused about who some people were in the end.
The ending was very satisfying though and I liked the set up for a part 2 that was not a huge cliffhanger but rather temptation. Really nicely done.

Strange Beasts is an incredible book. It’s everything you want a paranormal mystery (with a romantic sub plot) to be. It’s exciting with lots of action and tense scenes and twists. Its a great mystery with lots of clues that slowly build into a complete picture, with red herrings new developments and multiple different bad guys (for lack of a better all encompassing word) the MCs are constantly fighting against in some way. The romance is really sweet. Sam and Hel compliment each other really beautifully. They’re a wonderful pair, both as a detective, Sherlock-and-Holmes-esque mystery solving duo (if Sherlock was the daughter of a renowned criminal and Holmes had psychic visions and a chef-level ability to discern specific smells). This better fucking be a series because the romantic plot line doesn’t wrap up in this book and I need Sam and Hel getting together as a couple like I need slices of cheese on apples and my dog needs peanut butter to take her meds.

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris is a thrilling mix of paranormal mystery, historical fantasy, and a touch of romance set in early twentieth-century Paris. The story follows Samantha Harker, the daughter of Dracula’s nemesis, and Dr. Helena Moriarty, descended from Sherlock Holmes’ famous foe. Together, they navigate eerie mysteries and supernatural threats as an unlikely yet captivating detective duo. The atmospheric settings and clever character dynamics make this a fun, suspenseful read that keeps you guessing with twists, tense scenes, and intriguing magic.

This was a really fun book that I enjoyed! I especially adored the character dynamics and backstories of the two female protagonists—studious Samantha Harker and monster-hunter Dr. Helena Moriarty. Their identities cleverly nod to iconic literary figures (yes, Harker from Dracula and Moriarty from Sherlock Holmes), skillfully weaving these familiar characters into something fresh and unique. The story was darker and more intense than I anticipated, but if you’re a fan of macabre, gothic tales, you’re in for a treat. Many thanks to Bindery Books (via NetGalley) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘Strange Beasts’ is an engrossing gothic puzzler which exquisitely weaves in elements of historical fantasy. The story is set in early twentieth-century Paris and it centers on Samantha Harker who works for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena and who happens to be the daughter of the man who killed Dracula. unknown to those around her, Sam has a talent that few – perhaps any – people possess; she can, quite literally, pick the brains of monsters which many would envy and this talent may assist her in the solving of the murder riddles that have stamped Paris or lead her to rot in a mad house.

I received the ebook as an Arc from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley!!

There are a few things that will get my attention - paranormal mysteries, creating a new, unique story using already established, well known lore, and anything associated with Sherlock Holmes. This book has all of that with an atmospheric setting. In this book we have 2 young women, both with a well-known family member, being pulled together into a partnership to solve a mystery. There is an element of opposites attract and a budding love story has our FMCs race through the city of Paris. This was such a fun read and look forward to future works by this author.

Overall, I’m giving it a 4

I'm going to be really honest, I just grabbed this book because I LOVED the cover and the premise sounded amazing, I was so pleasantly surprised with how beautifully written this book was. From the fantastical settings to the character development, it was all amazing.

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris from Bindery Books via NetGalley. It is currently available to the public.

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris is a fantastical mystery involving the daughters of Jonathan and Mina Harker from Dracula and Dr. Moriarty of Sherlock Holmes. They belong to an organization that investigates strange happenings. When a case of interest to both of them comes up, they reluctantly team up to solve it. You see, Dr. Helena Moriarty has a bad track record of dead partners. Plenty of adventure and supernatural thrills in this story. I really liked the mash-up of these worlds. There was also some very interesting magic and science involved. An engaging read with some devilish twists.

What is this brilliant little debut? Is it Historical Fiction? Yes. Is it Mystery? Yes. Is it Fantasy? Yes. Is it Comedy? Well, yes. Is there a bit of Horror? Yes! Is there even a bit of Romance? Hmmmm, kind of? Yes!

I’m going to be following Susan J. Morris closely from hereon in ( I promise I’m not only saying that because she’s named one of her cats after She-Ra Princess of Power!).

‘Strange Beasts’ demands that you pass through the decontamination chamber of each of those genres, and then surrender all disbelief before cracking its spine. Once you've done that, get the first few chapters over you - like dunking your shoulders under straightaway if the sea’s cold - and when you surface, you’ll be wholly engrossed by, and given over to, Sam and Hel’s escapades.

Having just finished ‘Lucy Undying’ by Kiersten White, I hopped, skipped, and jumped into another Stoker-inspired narrative. Throw in a bit of Conan-Doyle and some rampaging monsters, and I was fairly drooling over this.

One reason for the book’s triumph is Morris’s talent for writing tinglingly alive scenescapes (just look at that swoon-worthy cover art – it perfectly captures her world). There are backdrops in ‘Strange Beasts’ so striking that they bristle. In fact, I kind of wish I could claim that I’d dreamt up the settings in a dream of my own (or, in some places, a nightmare – those catacombs!).

I finished the novel a week or so ago and have been mulling over its review ever since (because I have one niggle with it). But I’ve been surprised at how much time I’ve spent thinking about it afterwards, and at how lucid my memories of certain events are, as well as how vivid the figures of Sam and Hel remain. Going back and glancing over other readers’ responses sparks a pleasure at remembered scenes, and it pleases me to say that ‘Strange Beasts’ has that energy and that grit to linger and dwell.

My qualm with the book is that, much as I want it to be Sapphic, much as I want the characters to be queer, much as I want ‘Strange Beasts’ to state a position on or reflect experience of LGBTQIA matters, we simply can’t qualify it as Lesbian solely on the strength of a single kiss that could be constrained as devoid of romance, given the circumstances under which it happens. I see all these reviewers adding tags like Queer, Sapphic, Lesbian, and LGBT, and I wish, I wish, I wish, that ‘Strange Beasts’ was that; that it incorporated and developed a meaningful Sapphic aspect. But it just doesn’t. I hope that a series with these two characters (as Morris has said that Sam and Hel will find their way into another book soon!) will see that element fostered in their maturing narrative. There was scant time spent with Sam and Hel alone, allowing them to interact on any significant emotional level, so if there’s more of that to come, I’ll be thrilled to read the follow-up.

Overall, I’m delighted to rate ‘Strange Beasts’ highly, and I was hugely entertained whizzing round turn-of-the-century Paris with two dynamic, frankly, swashbuckling, young women.

Big, big thanks to Bindery Books for a very last-minute ARC approval. I’m excited to see what other new titles they release through Inky Phoenix Press imprint!

if youre going to read any book make sure it is this one! so good, the writing! the characters! this author is so talented and care about these characters so much.

a must read.

I really enjoyed this book. I am a sucker for a retelling with strong female characters, so this one had me hooked. While not exactly a retelling, it is a really great continuation of some classic tales. I loved how Sam and Hel are descendants of some really well known mystery/horror characters, and I really liked the way that Morris tied their family histories into the story. The characters feel original and clever, while still honoring the stories from which they are derived. These two women are truly fantastic, and I was rooting for them from the start. The story itself is well plotted, and while I did predict the twist, I did not do so until near the reveal, so that's always appreciated. The setting is magnificent. As a francophile, I really loved the time spent in Gilded Age Paris. It was a lovely tour of the city of lights by way of a mystery to solve and some supernatural evil to defeat. Morris seamlessly paints a picture of women fighting for their own power in a world run by men, but she disguises that message in a really fun romp through Paris to fight baddies. I was here for it!

Thanks to NetGalley, Bindery Books and Susan J. Morris for an ARC of Strange Beasts! An homage to Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and all of the classic tales of things that go bump in the night. I loved getting to know Sam and Hel in this dark and atmospheric gothic tale with a feminist twist. I can't resist a good murder mystery with supernatural elements.

I devoured (pun only partially intended) this book in just a couple of sittings! STRANGE BEASTS is all you could want in an autumnal YA book: monsters, badass heroines, and a series crossover you never knew you needed. I might be out of the loop. but I never would have thought of pairing DRACULA and SHERLOCK HOLMES even though the parallels are fairly obvious if you think about them. But put them in a YA detective story? Hot dog! I was surprised to find this was Morris' debut because it's such a compelling read with great story beats and twists. I have already recommended it to a few library kiddos and I know they will love it as much as I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest and late review.

4.5 stars and one of my favorite books of the year!

Strange Beasts was such a fun murder mystery! I've found that I really like murder mysteries that are also genre blends and this fit that perfectly! Sherlock Holmes vibes! Monsters! YEARNING! This book had it all. I literally ate up the crumbs Susan J. Morris gave me for the romance, and if she writes a sequel in this world I'll be tuning in. I thought the murder was also very creative, and the lush atmosphere of 1900s Paris was perfect. Just so so so good, I want to reread it immediately.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris #ninetyeighthbookof2024 #arc #draculaadjacent #sherlockholmesadjacent #inlovewiththecover

CW: death, murder, mythical creatures, gore and violence, old time insane asylums

The daughters of Jonathan and Mina Harker (Dracula) and Dr. Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes) pairing up to solve supernatural crime involving werewolves? In 19th century Paris? Yes please.

Sam and Hel are both really great characters. They’re both fully written with realized backstories and complicated histories and motivations. Often one half of a duo is more fleshed out but these characters had equal weight, despite Sam being the primary narrator. Their interaction with each other was very enjoyable.

Was this written especially for me? Probably. I enjoyed following Sam and Hel on their adventures, learning a little bit of French along the way, and now I need to plan a trip to Paris. The cover is spectacular.

Thank you to @bindery_books and @netgalley for the advance copy. (Available now, pub date was 10/15/24)