Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris is a gothic fantasy, full of monsters, and a murder mystery conspiracy. Samantha Harker works for The Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena. She goes from being a researcher to working in the field with Dr. Helena Moriarty (Hel) to investigate the murder of men in Paris. Sam and Hel find themselves in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the Beast and other dangerous creatures that takes them into the catacombs of Paris.

I would recommend this book for historical fiction and gothic readers. I felt immersed in the details of the story, throughly enjoyed the clever story with feminist characters and terrifying monsters, and was left wanting another book immediately. It’s a perfect book for fall, this cover is amazing!

Thank you Bindery Books and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris is a intriguing mix of historical fantasy and gothic mystery. Set in early 1900s Paris, it follows Samantha Harker, who can connect with monsters, and Dr. Helena Moriarty, a detective with a wild reputation. They team up to solve a set of creepy murders. The book is a blend of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes, making it a thrilling read about power and relationships. Morris’s writing pulls you right in, and the characters are really well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Strange Beasts.

This book just didn't do it for me unfortunately. I really wanted to like it. It had a lot of elements that I was excited about like alchemy, mystery, monsters, and badass female detectives.

But, I had problems with the pacing, the characters, and the relationships in this book. For the pacing, I felt like there were too many misdirects to keep me interested. It was decently predictable but just too much going on. I felt like every other chapter was focused on the idea of someone else being the villain. I was pretty much forcing myself to continue up until the 50% mark where it did pick up. I did like both Sam and Hel but didn't quite get their connection. It felt like they barely knew a thing about each other but were put in dangerous situations together and that's where the attraction came in. I didn't quite understand the goals. It just felt a bit convoluted. There were a lot of characters but none that we got to know to any extent. Van Helsing just felt like a weird random side character. Hel's father and brother were supposedly running like the whole thing but we literally knew nothing about them.

That said, I can see how other people would like it. I definitely don't think it was a bad book. It just wasn't for me at the present time. I think I might be interested in other books by this author because I do think some of her prose was really well done.

Overall, 3 stars.

I thought it was a standalone book, but I guess it's the first in a series. The mystery is wrapped up nicely, but the background leaves so many questions open that I expect a few more books to follow.
The rule-abiding librarian and researcher Samantha Harker and the unconventional free spirit of Helena Moriarty couldn't be more opposite and they need a long time to find their dynamics. Both are full of secrets and not ready to share but forced to trust each other.
I enjoyed the slow but steady development and will look out for the next instalments.
The atmosphere of Gaslight Europe is described beautifully and the magic blends in seamlessly.
It's advertised as sapphic but it's only very light and I hope their relationship will deepen in the future.

I'm torn about this book - there was a lot to enjoy, but it also didn't wholly hang together in a satisfying way for me.

Things I liked:
- Fun semi-historical romps through turn of the century London and Paris, with lush descriptions of the cities, fashions, and culture
- Hel! Love an awkward super-competent ice queen haunted by her past
- The incorporation of folklore and mythical beasts

Things I struggled with:
- The mystery was not so mysterious; for some reason I twigged whodunnit pretty much right away, so didn't get any juicy tension as the story progressed
- Sam. She wasn't a _bad_ character but her channelling and fear of being 'broken' did not land for me, perhaps because I didn't fully understand the actual dangers involved
- The 'romance'. Without wanting to spoil things, I found it extremely perfunctory and unsatisfying. There were SO MANY opportunities where the 'slow burn' could have burned (the wound tending scene! the lift out of the catacombs! dressing for the theatre!) that were completely cold; meanwhile Sam's remarking how dreamy all the male characters are.

Maybe part of this is down to the tropification of book marketing these days; maybe it's down to this being an obvious set up for book 2 and not wanting to play all the cards at once. Either way, I wish we could've had more of the promised sapphic romance, which is still woefully underrepresented in popular fiction.

I'll definitely check out Susan J Morris' next books, though I'll be careful to avoid getting my hopes up based on the marketing!

Sherlock Holmes vibes, a bit of queer romance, and monsters? Oh heck yeah! I absolutely enjoyed this novel and the two FMCs who made this story amazing. Not only did I enjoy the slow burn between Sam, daughter of Dracula's killer and Hel, daughter to Sherlock Holmes' nemesis- Moriarty, but I absolutely loved them solving the murder mysteries together! I have to say, the murders were pretty brutal, and that was also a selling point for me.

Gaslamp fantasy has become one of my favorite genres and this was did not disappoint! A lush gothic tale that’s part historical fantasy and part mystery with a cover that’s to die for!

Samantha Harker is the daughter of Dracula’s killer and Dr. Helena Moriarty, daughter of Sherlock Holmes nemesis team up together in an action packed adventure to stop a monster from a string of brutal murders in Paris.

This was such a fun story with a slow burn saphhic romance. and dazzling whodunnit mystery. The author gives us a fantastic gothic atmosphere that still lingers on the historical side and the relationship between Sam and Hels was so much fun to unravel along with their individual secrets from each other. Definitely a great book for the autumn season with gothic paranormal Sherlock Holmes vibes!

4.5 stars

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris

"This is what happened to channels. Channels got visions from monsters, and those visions led them astray."

Our author, Susan J. Morris, delivers an atmospheric novel in old-world France. A genre-splitting endeavor is finding purchase in both the horror and who-dun-it genres. Our main protagonist, Samantha Harker, is blessed (or cursed)with the ability to channel past and future visions of beasts. Instead of toiling around in the research library for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena, she barters her way to a position in the trenches.

After partnering with Hel Moriarty, daughter of the infamous Professor Moriarty, they are en route to find answers to a supernatural killing in France. As the story progresses, a kinship bonds between the two. While both women have endured scarring from their upbringings, their differences cultivate a formidable investigative team. The killings continue with hidden messages that spark visions from Samantha, compelling them to examine all they come in contact with.

Hatching a plan to corner a beast thought to be responsible for the deaths, Samantha intuitively envisions an outcome before it happens. Although morally the right decision, she attempts to stop the attack before it happens, but the situation goes awry and ends in a compromising position.

"If everyone else thought you were mad-did it matter that you weren't?"

There was a riveting mix of interpersonal relationships, one that questioned the fabric of loyalty throughout. It kept the reader guessing as to the motivations of every character involved. I enjoyed the cleverness of how our antagonist drew forth upon social hierarchy to invoke revenge. The unabashed use of such a simple item drew out the beast to do their bidding and was brilliant in context.

In my experience, there was a lack of seamlessness in the story, or possibly this was just my perception. There were times when I felt as though I had lost the plot. However, I found that by the end, the story made sense.

To summarize, it took a bit of will to get over the hump, but I felt rewarded by the author who connected the dots in its conclusion. Overall, I had an enjoyable experience and look forward to seeing where this investigating tandem takes us. This gets 4 out of 5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery Books for free access to this title for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a lovely little book. There’s plenty of Sherlock Holmes vs Dracula stuff out there, but Morris went with the enemies of both and teamed them up.

There are some really lovely turns of phrase throughout, particularly in dialogue. I love the rage, the organic feminist themes, and the ridiculously slow burning romance that had me struggling to remember if this book had been labeled as queer or not. I’m absolutely salivating for a sequel.

This book didn't quite click for me, particularly because I found the writing style challenging. However, I think it will appeal to other readers.

Set in the 1900’s with some serious Sherlock Holmes’s vibes, this romantic who dunnit is full of gothic vibes and mystical creatures.
It really has it all in this unique and fun way story

This one really grabbed me, in the way that campy novels and good fanfiction does. I think queer fans of Deanna Raybourn will like this one— it’s got this strange aura of being a slightly cozy magical murder mystery, despite the gore and plot being fairly mounstrous and gory. It feels like watching an episode of a good 2000s era case of the week show, where it blends the romance and fun effortlessly with darker topics.

Strange Beasts is the sapphic, magical murder mystery of your dreams. Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Deanna Raybourn.

Strange Beasts By Susan J Morris is a fun, adventurous, gothic mystery set in the early 1900s. Sam Harker, the daughter of Dracula’s killer, and Helena Moriarty, daughter of Professor Moriarty, partner up to solve a string of brutal murders. Sam and Hel both have their own secrets and as they get closer and closer to solving the crime, more secrets are revealed, causing the two women to have to learn to trust each other in order to not only solve the crime but stay alive.

This book is different than most books I read, but it sounded really interesting so I wanted to check it out. Overall, I really enjoyed the story! It was interesting, fast paced, and full of adventure. I loved the empowerment that Sam and Hel had (and developed throughout the story). Anyone who likes mysteries, Sherlock Holmes, or mythical creatures would enjoy this book!

"Men like him are entirely too quick to call a woman mad or monstrous just because she can do something they can't. Don't do it for them."

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The presence of two characters from two very different worlds, Samantha Harker and Helena Moriarty, was what enticed me the most.
Sam's ability to channel and discover new things, as well as his talent for discerning different smells, was amazing. I didn't guess who the culprit would be, which surprised me, and the motive was well-crafted.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to the next adventure.

4.5 stars!

A 1900s whodunit, with fantasy horror elements featuring the descendants of huge literary names the likes of Harker, Moriarty and Van Helsing? How could I not dive in with the highest anticipation and expectations, especially when it is also sapphic? This is so incredibly ambitious but I think the author did an exceptional job, especially with the elusive and quite frankly terrifying Moriarty. I thoroughly enjoyed the literary references even though I have not read the original texts of Dracula or Sherlock Holmes. I think this book is motivating me to read them though!

While the pacing felt a little rough; long-winded in parts and abruptly quick during epiphanies, I very much enjoyed this mashup of horror, fantasy and crime/mystery. This book also felt like a massive setup for a series building towards a huge final showdown, which is incredibly exciting. Absolutely please throw more unique monsters, criminal masterminds and sapphic romances my way.

Thank you Bindery Books, the author and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I leave this review voluntarily.

this was so lush and atmospheric, i genuinely loved it so much. i was instantly compelled to read this from the title and cover, and it definitely held up. the writing was solid and the storytelling was absolutely captivating. highly recommend reading in the fall season!

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley.

This book combined so many things I absolutely love and it was great fun! We take elements from Sherlock Holmes and Dracula, with a story of the descendants of recognisable characters from those two books. We follow the daughter of Mina Harker and the daughter of Moriarty as they must work together to solve a series of murders. Their investigation starts in London but takes them to Paris. They work for an agency that covers magical occurrences and creatures and I loved some of the folklore references that were woven throughout this story.

This was a really compelling mystery that was well-paced, interesting and with plenty of twists and turns. We see our investigators facing interference from villains, their own colleagues and troubling people from their pasts. We see them battle with the misconceptions and prejudice around women and the difficulty of trying to convince people of serious information who don’t care to listen.

The setting was fantastic and I loved the time period this was set in and the themes explored. It was a really evocative and entertaining novel.

Strange Beasts is the successful blend of Sherlock Holmes, Bram Stoker, and Patrick Süskind. It features endearing characters whose psychology is well-captured by the author, leading us at a frantic pace through a dark, mysterious, and very strange adventure where literary and folkloric worlds intertwine. I particularly enjoyed seeing Van Helsing, but in a very different light, and as a French reader, I appreciated the various inserts in my native language as well as in Latin, and the nod to Gaston Leroux and his Phantom of the Opera! A gothic adventure full of references and dark magic.

Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris has interesting settings and some engaging characters. Loved the Dracula and Sherlock Holmes aspects. I found at times that I was told, rather than shown, characters emotions, and wished they were fleshed out better. Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC.

Sam and Hels were a great sleuthing team. I love the characters. I love the plot of the book.. i love a good murder mystery. The slow burn romance was good as well. I love the way the author wrote the book. Here is a summary of the book. Sam and Hels, two affiliates of the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomenon in London, are dispatched to Paris to solve a string of brutal murders. All of the victims are wealthy men yet no valuables have been taken. It is apparent the culprit is not human. What is it?

You'll have to read the book to find out! Thanks netgalley