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

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.