Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley of this from NetGalley for review.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this. This is a Victorian paranormal mystery with strange killings happening. It features two strong women who venture into the dark depths of Paris, France to unravel a series of killings that look like they have been done by a werewolf or some other sort of beast

Sam is a researcher for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena but this time she wants to help with field work. She has a personal mystery that she thinks ties in to the mystery of the Beast. Since the Beast appears to be targeting only men Sam is given approval to help on the case and is paired with Dr. Helena Moriarty. Helena's partners have a habit of turning up very dead despite Helena's strange success rate on her cases. Can Sam survive her partnership with Helena, Sam keep her secret powers as a channel hidden, and unravel this gruesome mystery?

This is in a fairly generic paranormal Victorian setting. There is a bit of history around werewolves being extinct, but there isn't a lot of depth to the world building here. I did very much enjoy our two main characters; they are both tough and resourceful women.

The mystery unravels slowly here and has a very Sherlock Holmes feel to it. The story was witty and entertaining with many twists and turns that kept me engaged.

There are some paranormal aspects with Sam's strange channeling powers and some odd alchemy. There is a heavy theme of feminism and woman's rights as well. Additionally, there is a hint of romance but I honestly found this to be a bit abrupt and odd in the way it played out. I didn't dislike the way it played out, it just felt forced.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this but didn't love it. I did love the characters, the twisty turny mystery and the Victorian Parisian setting. I would have liked more depth to the world building and a mystery that moved at a faster pace. I also felt like the side characters could have used more development. I definitely enjoyed this and would love to read more adventures with Sam and Helena and see this world developed a bit more.

This was such a fun read. Sherlock Holmes meets Dracula, all wrapped up in a queer little bubble. A murder mystery with a fantasy twist, likeable characters (except for you, Van Helsing, you can leave) and an ending that made me hungry for more.
I would have liked a bit more development for the romance, but I'm getting slow burn vibes and so it does make sense we aren't jumping right into it given the characters mistrust of each other in the beginning. The build up of them working together and learning to trust was well done, but the synopsis hinted at more of a romance than we were given.

This went on for WAYYYY to long. I was really vibing with the setting and story at first, but by chapter 18, I was done with it. I think the pacing is off for what it’s supposed to be, not to mention that Sam is just too much of a little bitch of a character for me. Like girly, grow a backbone

I ate this up! It took me a minute to start this because life happened and I'm kicking myself for waiting. This was a perfect blend of 1900s historical romantic and puzzle box whodunit. Throw in some mystical creatures and Sherlock Holmes vibes and you have this fun, exciting, gothic story. It was well written, dark, twisty and had my questioning everything.

Slow burn romance while solving gruesome murders.....this was right up my alley. I'll recommending this to all my friends for spooky season.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Strange Beasts feature Sam, the daughter of Johnathan and Mina Harker, as she tries to solve mysterious murders in Paris. This was a great blend of mystery, fantasy, and light horror. It was a fun read and wraps up well, though o can certainly see this becoming a series if the author wanted to.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was great! I requested it because it was a gothic mystery and the premise sounded really good, I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint.

It's quite immersive because the descriptions really set the scenes and mood, and the gothic vibes are definitely there. The mystery was intriguing and though it wasn't super complex, it had good pacing and tension, so I was hooked. It was incredibly easy to read cause I felt like I was in it, I wasn't aware I was reading as you sometimes are, you know?

There's a sprinkle of sapphic romance but it's very subtle and, honestly, not the most interesting part about this. I liked the world and setting, and I really enjoyed that the characters were related to characters from Dracula and Sherlock Homes we know so well.

It seems like the start of a series, but it doesn't end with a cliffhanger, so you can easily read this as a standalone and enjoy it. That said, I do hope it's a series as long as the author has an overarching story to tell! I will keep my eye on this.

3.5 stars
Strange Beasts has an intriguing concept, with the daughter of Mina and Jonathan Harker, and the daughter of Prof Moriarty, teaming up under the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena. It felt like a lot to bite off from the outset but didn't disappoint.

I wouldn't say I was entirely hooked or itching to keep picking it back up until around the 75% mark, but it wasn't by any means exhausting to get through and didn't feel like it dragged anywhere.

Extra half star for the asylum scene which definitely had the potential to be handled with less tact, however was done with 2024-perspective respect and dignity. It honestly made this one of my favourite scenes of the book!

Strange Beasts is a victorian monster-hunting mystery blending together the world of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes. After a series of gruesome, seemingly supernatural killings, the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena sends their affiliates to Paris. On the case are Sam, the daughter of Jonathan Harker, and Hel, the daughter of James Moriarty. Their chemistry as partners from the get go is brilliant, with both of them contributing to solving the case in interesting ways while also having motives and secrets of their own.

I personally love a supernatural crime solving story and adding an occult society a là Hellboy or Van Helsing—cherry on top. Strange Beasts for me was that perfect mix of gothic, historical fiction, mystery and fantasy.

What's not to love? A Slow burn romance gothic murder mystery featuring Dracula and Sherlock Holmes' daughters? I devoured this!

I love reading paranormal books and adding mystery and fighting scenes. Sign me up!
This book was great; the main character was great. Sometimes, the writing seemed long-winded and confusing during the inner monologue.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the way the story was written.
This book had me ready for more. I loved learning French while reading and the education about mythical beasts. Very mythical beasts but more deadly.
Thank you to Binderly Books, NetGalley, and Susan J. Morris for the chance to read this book for an honest review

Had a great time reading this period piece/urban fantasy/ monster hunter/mystery/lowkey feminine rage manifesto?

Great fun! It was a perfect mix of fantasy, light horror and nods to beloved classics with a little sapphic romance and a lot of femininism. The twists kept me guessing and surprised me but they didn't feel confusing or like they were there just for the sake of being twisty. The story dragged on a little bit at times but it never lasted long as there was always a new element coming to help pick up the pace. The atmosphere was brilliantly spooky, mysterious and had gothic vibes I really loved. The downsides for me were that I wasn't a fan of some of the more gruesome descriptions as I get grossed out quite easily and also I went in expecting a standalone but the ending feels like it's not.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with this eARC.
4.25🌟 thoroughly enjoyable, I loved the main characters and can't wait to read more of them! The author did a wonderful job of creating a very atmospheric early 20th century Paris. The mystery was engaging and the political elements were well done without being overly preachy.

This debut novel is an amalgamation of Stoker’s Dracula and Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Strange Beasts sees a couple of unlikely paranormal investigators team up to catch the gruesome deaths of what is suspected a werewolf.

I really enjoyed this one. I think this has great potential as a series and I could see it being adapted as a TV series. My main qualm as to why it isn’t a 5-star read is that at times thought it was a tad slow and difficult to understand what was going on.

The ending was good and makes me want to read a sequel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

What a page turner! Perfect balance of fantasy, historical (Victorian Paris), romance, and horror all with a modern feminist bent. Lots of twists and turns, but never to the point that you get lost, it’s always just one step ahead of you. Hoping for a sequel!

This book was a curiosity. And possibly too clever for me. Somehow it manages to feel equal parts Dracula (a niggling sense of unease and a world that feels slightly askew but even stranger in it’s familiarity) and Sherlock Holmes (too clever by half and giving you the pieces in a way that will absolutely make sense but that you’ll never figure out before the reveal). At its core this is a story about the space women exist in the world, and how it’s almost always relational to a man.

Sam and Hel prove that it’s possible to be subject to these views but to work the system towards their own ends. A fun Edwardian gaslamp tale that leaves the door open for more. Curious about what fun Sam and Hel could get into in the Emerald Isle.

Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the gifted e-ARC.

Strange Beasts is an urban fantasy whodunnit — told in a witty, Holmesian style. The Dracula and Sherlock Holmes influences are very apparent. This was overall a very “vibe-y” gothic mystery.

I loved the sapphic elements (though there wasn’t much “romance”), the feminine rage, and the monsters. It did feel a bit long. There were a lot of twists and long-winded moments by the end of the book.
My rating: 3.5⭐️

I’d recommend this for fans of Sherlock Holmes, quirky characters, whodunnits, and feminist novels.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bindery Books for an ARC of Strange Beasts in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed the mystery intertwined with characters inspired by Dracula. The captivating phrases and quotes drew me in. I truly adored it and will recommend it to everyone.

Totally enjoyable and well-written, the monsters and mystery made for such a fun ride. Some really visceral descriptions that had me a little grossed out at times, but I loved it. The crossover between the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes was delightful! I will say I wanted a little more from the romance - I understand it was supposed to be a slow burn, but it was maybe too slow as I feel some moments really caught me off guard as I felt there hadn't been adequate build up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you to Net Galley and Bindery for the ARC. I was excited to read this because I love murder mysteries, sapphic romance, and Dracula and Sherlock. Unfortunately, the only thing I liked were the details about perfume. The characters were one dimensional and the plot was boring.