A very good surprise! The summary left me a little skeptical about the character of Samantha Harker (I often have trouble with "children of..." especially when it comes to classic works), but I ultimately really enjoyed my reading. Samantha is an endearing character, and her relationship with Hel is very fun to follow. They totally drew me into the story. I don't know if a sequel is planned, but if so, I'll be a reader!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bindery Books, and Susan Morris for the ARC of Strange Beasts. I am thrilled to share my thoughts on this captivating debut!

Morris masterfully delivers a gothic, historical fantasy that blends elements of classic horror with the thrilling intrigue of a detective story. Set in the atmospheric streets and catacombs of 1903 Paris, the novel follows two fascinating heroines, Samantha Harker and Dr. Helena Moriarty, as they investigate a gruesome series of murders. Samantha and Helena are an unlikely duo brought together by their shared expertise in the paranormal.

From the first page, I was drawn into the chemistry between Sam and Hel, as well as the tension between trust and suspicion. Their slow-burn relationship adds a satisfying layer to the already gripping plot, balancing out the grisly murder mystery with emotional depth.

The author puts together elements of classic literature, folklore, and feminist themes, all while crafting a plot filled with twists and turns. The feminist undertones, especially the depiction of the two women grappling with a patriarchal society, make this novel even more engaging. Morris doesn’t shy away from exploring darker, macabre aspects of both history and myth, giving the novel an edge that kept me hooked.

For fans of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes, this novel offers plenty of nods to these iconic tales, while providing something fresh and unique.

Overall, Strange Beasts is an exhilarating blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and detective mystery, with strong queer representation and a compelling cast of characters. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a gothic adventure that delves into the monstrous both within and without.

I can’t wait to see what Susan Morris does next and am eagerly hoping for a sequel!

Rating: 4 stars

Once again, thank you to NetGalley, Bindery Books, and Susan Morris for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

If you love your books gothic and filled to the brim with monsters and folklore then this is one to read. Two female detectives navigate grisly murders across Paris, uncovering shady organisations as they follow a trail of clues.
The setting for this story was beautifully decribed and the characters were really intriguing from the beginning. I enjoyed seeing Samantha Harker grow beyond her legacy as the daughter of Dracula's killer, into her own woman with teeth and claws. Dr Moriarty, her enigmatic partner, was a delight to follow as she wrestled with her own demons.
I would love to give the story a solid 4 stars but I feel it suffered a little from 'saggy middle' with pacing slowing before the big pay-off.
A fun and enjoyable take on the gothic monster genre.

I enjoyed this paranormal mystery fill with monsters and compelling characters (Helena and Sam). Set in Paris, the author did a wonderful job of bringing this paranormal mystery to life on the pages and I found myself thinking of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes as I read. It's a unique story with plenty to enjoy.

Really wish I'd liked this one, but there were so many things I struggled to get my head around; there didn't feel like there was any world building, which made it difficult to follow the story, I wasn't sure I liked the characters, and I just didn't feel like I was drawn in.

Set in Paris in the early 1900's Samantha Harker, the daughter of infamous killer of Dracula, is a researcher for the Royal Society for the Study for Abnormal Phenomena. No one realizes that she is just as abnormal as the creatures she studies. Samantha is able to channel the minds of monsters. She joins up with Helena Morarity, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes arch rival, to stop a dangerous killer that is on the loose. Hel and Sam must fight men and monsters to solve the murder. They also begin to grow closer to each other as they begin to develop the beginnings of trust in their partnership.

I had a very good time with this book. The mystery was very fun and exciting. I really loved both Sam and Hel as characters. They worked really well tougher and had very snappy banter. There isn't a ton of romance in the book but I liked where it was leading. I do hope this will become a series because the world and characters are so fun. I would jump at the chance to read more of their adventures and hopefully get a little more of their romance. I am looking forward to doing an audio reread of this book soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First off, that cover is FIRE, and the concept is cool as hell. Ladies (the descendants of famous literary characters) hunting monsters in Paris in the dawn of the 20th century? YES, PLEASE.

The story lags at times, but the concept and characters are so enjoyable, it doesn't effect the read too much. Sam and Hel team up to hunt "The Beast" who is killing wealthy men. Along the way, they encounter lots of supernatural creatures, bossy men, and a new partnership that seems destined for danger.

The book really rests on the combo of Sam and Hel and they complement each other perfectly (I loved that Sam had some real skills to bring to the table as the "new girl.") Watching their partnership develop was delightful. A compelling run of events in the catacombs under the city is a highlight of the book in which you feel how high the stakes are.

The Beast hunt again gets a bit drawn out and there are a bit too many red herrings, but these are small quibbles. Overall, this was a fun crime-fighting team. Next time, I'd prefer the crime to be fleshed out a bit more. The bad guy was a little too easy to pick out in advance!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

In 1900s London, The Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena tracks down monsters and magic in an attempt to keep the world safe. Samantha Harker is a researcher there. She is the daughter of Mina (Wilomena) and Jonathan Harker of Dracula fame. Although amazing at her job, she wants so badly to be in the field. A string of beastly murders in Paris is her chance to show her boss what she can do as well as maybe answer a lingering question about her own family. Here we meet Hel Moriarty, the daughter of the infamous Professor Moriarty- Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis. Sam will be Hel’s partner- that is, if she can stay alive long enough to be considered a partner and keep her own secret from everyone watching her too closely. As Sam tries her best to prove her worth, Hel is trying to escape the clutches of her father who is continuously manipulating whatever and whoever he can to get her back into the family clutches.

These two battle all kids of monsters, the threat of Van Helsing’s son (Jakob) trying to steal their thunder, and a Moriarty chess game so complicated that Sam isn’t quite sure how she’s wrapped up in it until the very end.

This debut novel is EPIC. It brings the new generation of your favorite classic heroes and villains front and center. It expertly highlights the misogyny of the times, the complexities of family history, and the bravery needed to forge your own path. Waiting for the next one is going to be torture. @susanjmorris I need more Sam and Hel!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the perfect October read- pub date is 10/15/24. Don’t sleep on this one!!! Thank you soooo much @netgalley and @bindery_books for this #advancedreaderscopy - it’s spectacular.

#2024bookchallenge92of75
#netgalley
#strangebeasts
#heathcliff

I’ve never been a huge fan of the mystery genre in general, but I think that’s because every character is a man or doesn’t pass the Bechtel test.

But this book has lead me to discover that I actually do enjoy a good mystery! It was fun, and I enjoyed that both the main characters are strong women in two different ways without those ways being opposed. I will say that I could see the end coming quite early in the book, but that leads it to be more cozy, when you know how it will end, it’s comforting and in a mystery it lets you enjoy what’s happening more.

This was absolutely delightful! I LOVED the characters and I really like how this was magical realism and the way the plot and the characters came together. I loved the combination of science and magic as well as the call backs to previous well known literary works. I really liked how the main characters were themselves the children of said previous books (Sherlock, Dracula) and how they were all grappling with their more famous parents work and influence even though it wasn’t a main part of this book. A great read, really engaging and honestly a perfect fall/halloween read!

⋆⋆⋆⅞ — this was super fun! and that's kind of all i have to say about it. i don't imagine this becoming a favorite or anything, but it was a nice experience. i had no idea what was going on half the time, but i loved the historical/paranormal atmosphere.

and i love, love, love the mc's feminism. this was set in the early 1900s, and i love how realistic sam's portrayal was to the era. she caught herself stereotyping other women or focusing on a man's attentions, realized what she was doing, and tried to change the way she thought about things. like so many historical/fantasy books have the fmc be a "feminist" but disparage the women around them for not being similar. there's a lot of mistress (side) characters in this book, and 80% of fantasy fmcs would have despised them, but sam understood where they were coming from, their economic situations, and the fact that there were so few paths available to women for self-determination in the year of 1903. she actually likes women! as people! (and also romantically, but that's not what i'm talking about.)

thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.

Thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy!

I was immediately drawn in by the synopsis, but this unfortunately fell flat for me. I DNF’d around 20% because I was quite confused. The lack of world-building probably had a lot to do with it.

But, I still encourage people to read this! I’m not saying it’s a bad book. It just wasn’t for me.

3 stars for an excellent idea

My thanks to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This book very easy to dive into. Straight away I was thrown into the story by the pace of the plot, the complex and genuine characters and the beautiful city of Paris in what I like to think of as a more civilised time that the author so wonderfully describes even if monsters here are real.

The relationship between the two main characters continuously develops throughout the story and it’s that which draws you in and keeps you glued to the pages. I loved reading about Paris; the fashion, trends and the historical culture were very detailed and the author did a fantastic job of describing it so beautifully.

This is a quirky historical crime, thriller mixed with monsters and friendships pushed to the limits by secrecy and family history. I did feel a bit dizzy constantly flipping from one suspect to another at breakneck speed but it was still good fun. A book to be enjoyed by most ages but mainly young adults.

TL;DR: I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and the pacing... really liked the character development... but then the mystery plot felt a bit disjointed several times. Definitely will be looking for more works from this author!

Characters:
Sam and Hel both felt like fully fleshed-out characters to me, even though we only followed Sam's POV. Their motivations and internal struggles were clearly outlined and the execution of their character development was done really well, in my opinion.

Hel learning to trust and have faith that someone could not only WANT to stick around, but be strong enough to do so... Sam learning how the world really is and how she can move about within it and how to accept the feminine rage she feels without letting it completely overtake her... all great stuff!

I do wish there had been just a BIT more of the romance developing here... it definitely leaves off feeling like we're going to see more of Sam and Hel, and I didn't necessarily need or want this to be primarily a romance, and I liked the slow-burn nature of it... but just a couple more scenes of flirtation, maybe?

Plot:
The plot was simultaneously interesting/clever... and kind of confusing and jumbled, I thought. I liked the concept of it and I can appreciate wanting to make a mystery plot actually mysterious and not super obvious... but there were times where it felt a little bit too disjointed and confusing. But I would rather have it be a lil harder to follow than easy as hell to follow, I suppose!

Themes:
Feminine rage was absolutely a major theme I saw in this. Sam is adjusting her worldview, due to her experiences being actually out IN the world more... and she's realizing that a lot of men do not deserve the benefit of the doubt that she has always given them. She is also realizing that she feels ANGRY about this, and about the way she sees women being treated -- villainized, laughed at, scoffed at, brushed off, pushed to the outskirts of society if they don't fit the mold... and she has had it. But she also doesn't want to go overboard and fully give in to the rage to become hateful and a monster.

I really enjoyed how the author handled all of that -- the monster they're chasing being a literal manifestation of this kind of rage and the result of giving in to that rage so fully.

And then a lot of conversation surrounding childhood trauma/family trauma, with Hel's journey. She has been gaslit into struggling to trust & believe the reality she exists in, because of everything her father did and the mental and emotional abuse inflicted on her throughout her life.

I do not normally read this genre. I was enthralled by Sam and Hel's dynamic as well as who they are as individuals. The locations are stunning. The action lifts off the page. Great pacing. While there are a bevy of characters, they each serve a purpose. With well known characters like Van Helsing and Dracula, the story reads more grounded and empowered due to the female leads of the book.

Gothic, eerie, and romantic. Not as horror-focused as I thought it would be, but I have selected it for my horror book club nonetheless!

Thank you Bindery and NetGalley for this ARC!

This was exactly the book I never knew I wanted! Right from the start this book grips the reader with the main character, Sam, hiding a mystery of her own and setting off on a new dangerous adventure. It was an extremely fun mix of the worlds of monsters, Dracula and Sherlock Holmes. The mystery the main character and her detective partner, Dr. Helena Moriarty, flipped the script with wealthy important men reported brutally murdered throughout Paris.

Sam as a main character was smart with very real human flaws and I absolutely loved it. She represents the average woman thrust into dangerous situations in order to solve these murders. Helena held some mystery held a mysterious air of her own with her estranged familial connection to her father, Professor Moriarty, and her penchant for disappearing on Sam.

Throughout the story the pair follow threads of the investigation that bring them to cross dangerous people and creatures alike in a way that keeps the plot moving at a very fast pace. I personally loved how the beasts were pulled from ancient lore and urban folklore. They were so well woven into the story and just added to the fantasy within this urban setting.

If you are looking for a murder mystery adventure with two female lead characters and a touch of queer representation, don’t skip this one!

This is such a fun book! The disparate elements (historical fantasy, secret societies, mixed retelling, a touch of the Gothic) come together very nicely, and at the center of it all is a puzzle box mystery that took me a while to really sink my teeth into, but wrapped up in a way that had me hooked all the way to the end. I get the feeling that "Strange Beasts" won't be for everyone, but for those who are into some very specific things, it will definitely be a win.

One gripe I do have is that the tone and atmosphere did sometimes lack the weight and maturity I would have liked, and I struggled to connect with Sam. (Hel, however, is excellent.) There are some moments throughout the narrative that are almost slapstick, and Sam's attraction to Hel is very subtle, almost unnoticeable, until the end. Van Helsing also felt like an unnecessary addition at times. But I would definitely read another caper with these characters. :)

First of all, I absolutely can't believe this is a debut novel! Wow. From the very beginning, I was totally obsessed with the writing style. I loved how it was beautifully descriptive, but also felt fast-paced like any good monster-hunting mystery novel should be. I loved the characters, and I appreciated that we got the entire book–even while in 3rd person–from Sam's perspective. This made Hel a more mysterious character and we got to really solve the mystery of her alongside the overall mystery of the book. I also like how we got to see Sam grow throughout the novel, really coming into her strength while never losing her femininity, even showing how that could be wielded as power itself.

I loved all the nods to other classic stories, especially the Phantom of the Opera cameo! You can tell that the heart of this story comes from a love of Sherlock Holmes and Dracula and these classic gaslamp mysteries, because I was absolutely transported the entire time. And the twists! Over and over again in this book I was surprised, never truly knowing where it was going to end up, which I think is the most crucial thing in a mystery to make it impossible to put the book down.

This will be a great book for historical fantasy fans, classic literature fans who want a fresh spin on those beloved stories, or anyone looking for a book you're not going to be able to put down.

I am very much hoping that she writes more books in this world, because I definitely need more Hel & Sam adventures (and I'm very eager to see where their...partnership ends up.) Also, if this is the level of quality we can expect from Bindery books, sign me the heck up.

I give this book a 4.5! (but rounded up to a 5 for Netgalley's star system)

Equal parts clever and charming.

And a fun page turner.

But the best part? It’s a debut that promises more mystery shenanigans to come.

I kinda love it’s a world of the grown children of fictional characters we know already. There is an odd comfort in that when jumping into a new historical fantasy world. I was surprised how fast I read this- it was full of nerdy gems.

Highly recommend to my Sherlock fan friends looking for a feminist vibe.

I was unsure if I needed the romance… but it slowly grew on me.

Thank you @netgalley & Bindery Books for this ARC- I’m excited to see how this world grows!

Pub Date 15 October 2024

4/5