What a fun read!

Based upon the cover, I thought I might be served up an offering of bug-infested horror monsters with trite dialogue and flat characters. Instead, I received a rather fast-paced and quite thrilling retelling of the classic Dracula tale, except with the narrative and the characters slightly . . . changed.

Our action takes place in mid 19th century London, between the Strand, Fleet Street, and some very congested streets of theatre performers, bookshops, and other businesses. Extreme poverty on one end, vast wealth on the other, and greed all around. And into this mess has been transported an ornate, gilded container with a leaded seal, inscribed in a Hungarian dialect that none yet can read. Sir Pompous Ass, our greedy Victorian gentleman, orders the container opened and releases an evil spirit, an undead creature that can slip from one human host to the next.

I really, really enjoyed this Dracula retelling, and all of the little details that went into this book. I had completely forgotten that keeping pet hedgehogs was a Victorian pest control thing until it was mentioned as an aside in this book. The side-pornography business of bookshops. The hustlers on the streets.

I am a new fan of Richard Gadz. My thanks to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for an arc of this book! Kudos!

Dracula is a creature of the night feeding on unsuspecting people, thriving on the blood of the innocent. But what if Dracula was a spirit rather than a creature? And what if he wasn’t alone?

The characters in this book were good and well-rounded. Their motivations and actions made sense with how the author wrote them. However, I feel like the characters were not the main focus of this novel. Especially since certain characters had names that were in the original Dracula but their characters were completely different. I didn’t totally like that because it made the book feel like it was trying to be different from the source material.

The overall plot of the book was both similar and different from the source material. Into the second part of the book, when it deviated greatly from the original Dracula, I thought that the book was really great. However, the beginning of the book seemed like the author was trying to rush through the events to get to what they really wanted to write. I wish that the author would have just taken inspiration from Dracula rather than trying to rewrite it in a new way.

I really enjoyed the book once I separated it from the source material. If you are looking for a really interesting vampire book, this is it. However, if you are looking for a Dracula retelling, I think that this book slightly misses the mark.

The book received mixed reviews, but I have to say, I absolutely loved it. There’s something about this time of year, when everything is cold and dark by 4:00 PM, that makes it the perfect setting for a dark horror comedy mystery. The atmosphere really enhances the enjoyment of the story, drawing you into its eerie yet humorous world. Victorian times in England mixed with the allure of vampires creates an intriguing backdrop that has captured my interest. I am thoroughly enjoying the book, as the prose is easy to read and flows seamlessly. The ambience is just right, evoking a perfect literary atmosphere that resonates with my passion for Victorian-themed literature. In fact, I believe this book excels in capturing that essence beautifully. This revisiting of Dracula didn't disappoint and I am sure some other fan of macabre and book will enjoy it lots my love for Deixis press for grant me access to this ARC

3.25 stars
i think the setting and time period of this book was perfect, the grungy and dingy nature of victorian london made it so atmospheric and just assured you that you really didn’t want to be living there
the supernatural aspect was also quite good, the way it interacted with humans and changed individual people in different ways was so interesting
i thought it ended a bit abruptly, and the character we ended with wasn’t particularly active in the story, but I didn’t mind that too much as it showed the younger perspective of someone who wasn’t too involved but still had to live through it all
the characters, i could take or leave. most of the male characters sort of blended together in my brain and i didn’t really find myself caring whether they lived or died or what they chose to do in the plot. i think that most characters being morally reprehensible in different ways was great, though.

NIce take on the old vampire novel - I feel like the 21st century vampire is a creature much like a parasite. Less diabolical, more part of the natural order of things. I enjoy this take a lot, because medical history and natural sciences are scary enough as it is.

Sherlock Holmes meets Dracula - written in the style of a Dark Horror Comedy/Mystery. The author uses letters and diary entries to help tell the story from different character viewpoints. You'll also see some familiar names appear in this novel (think the ship Demeter, and Van Helsing).
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I thought the author did a great job of reinventing how the Vampyr infects people - it's a spirit inhabiting bodies as opposed to biting and turning people into vampires.
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Although the prose were really easy to read, I just found most of the writing to be very plain and non-descript. There wasn't much character development, which is really important to me as a reader. The only character I really remember is Dracul, the rest have already fled my mind.
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Ultimately, this wasn't my cup of tea - but I do think it would resonate really well with those that love the dark comedy/mystery genre. I also think that readers new to the horror genre would be able to digest this novel fairly well - I didn't think it was overly gory or scary.

The story begins in 1868 London when an art curator secures a box from an estate sale and unbeknownst to him the sealed box had originated in Transylvania. The box was never to be opened since it was said a mysterious evil resided within but since these people don't believe in legends or folklore sometimes being true, of course they opened the box which only held small bones. They never noticed the dark, shadowy, cold mist swirling around the room yet they did feel a pervading sense of malevolence weaving between their bodies.

Vampyr's are legends and spooky stories to be told as entertainment at fancy dinners and parties but soon this one vampyr will find a new home in London if it can keep it's rare tastes secretive until it finds others of it's kind to join it so they can become a new society because there are plenty of necessary, abundant meals for their acquired taste to be had in this overly, populated city.

I enjoyed this atmospheric book so much and I can't wait to find similar books that have such a unique twist on a well known vampire topic. This book was so well-written and edited which made it even more pleasurable to read. I loved the historic element of nineteenth century London capturing their style of speaking, the way they dressed, their modes of travel through the city, the shops, the inequality of the wealthy and the poor was depicted so wonderfully that I felt as if the story was really taking place all around me.

I thought that all the characters were richly developed and I found myself really caring or despising them. I just love when books make me feel emotions I wasn't expecting especially from a horror novel. I can't recommend this book highly enough, a true favorite read of the year for myself and I know that other horror fans will be impressed as well. I'm looking forward to reading more books from 'Richard Gadz' in the future!


I have given a rating of 5 RAVENOUS VAMPYR 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!


I want to thank the publisher "Deixis Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic, horror story and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

This work is told similarly to the original Dracula that it’s inspired by, using excerpts from journals, private notes, and traditionally written exposition. I was a bit thrown off at first, because many of the names used by Stoker were used in this work, but for different characters who were completely unrelated to the original characters. I didn’t prefer this, especially at the beginning of the work.

While I started off thinking this was going to be a strong reimagining, there were a few things that left me disappointed. There was little-to-no character development beyond what was needed for the plot, which left the characters feeling flat and difficult to connect to. It was easiest to connect with the character during the journal entries, and it made me wish the whole work had been written using them. The work is also told from many POVs, often with no indication of when a POV was switched, which made it difficult to keep up sometimes.

What was strongest about this work was the vampyr itself. The author took it in a different direction than is generally associated with Dracula, choosing to make the vampyr more of a spirit that infects different hosts rather than its own, physical entity. This was well done and added much interest to the read. I would have loved some more clarification or details relating to the vampyr and its powers though. I did like that the author included brief mentions of different lore relating to these creatures from around the world.

If you’re looking for a darker vampire-centric historical fiction, then you may enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Deixis Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Full Review:

“...[Get] that abomination off my premises! You brought it here, Flemming, it’s your responsibility! Yours! Yours alone!” Both of them had a crawling feeling of dread, but neither were aware of the dark form, which had no form, drifting in the extremities of the room. It surged like an incoming tide , disoriented from months of imprisonment, hungry and searching. p47

The Eater of Flies was definitely not what I was expecting, but I loved it! I loved how much detail author Richard Gadz uses to create the setting– This brooding Gothic mood intersected with the bawdy fun of a theater location, makes the perfect playground for the horror magic of Gadz's vamps.

This retelling of the Dracula myth centers around John Harker's perspective, which gives the author freedom to recreate the Dracula myth into something fresh and never-before-seen. Gadz achieves this end, with vampires that remind me of some of my favorites, like 30 Days of Night meets Phantom of the Opera.

Reading Notes

Four things I loved:

1. In a well-lit street, not far from the Lyceum and the Covent Garden market, stood Holmwood’s Music Hall, its name proclaimed in brightly coloured lettering from which only one of the o’s was missing. Patrons filed into the front of the building, while two young women lifted their skirts to hop-and-step down the muddy side alley that led to the artistes’ entrance. p46 Such great setting details in this book! Gadz provides just enough and just the right details. It makes me feel like I can reach right into that world and touch something.

2. I am really enjoying the theater scenes! I love this place, an old an moody theater, for the return of Dracula. (Or something very much inspired by and that definitely gives Dracula!)

3. This is wonderfully entertaining, like Gothic vampire meets Olde West. And that is just as colorful and bawdy as it sounds!

4. Harker suddenly slammed his fists down on the arms of the chair. He spoke with tightly controlled menace. “Damn you, sir, I have no wish to associate myself with odious predators like you, but you have the ear of the authorities and as a public servant you have public duties. Unless urgent steps are taken, every citizen of London may be in danger. I am in deadly earnest. Do you not understand me, man?” p60 I love this brooding intensity! I've enjoyed every iteration of John Harker.

5. I'm not sure what I expected from this retelling of one of my favorite myths, but it really hits all the notes. It's original, wonderfully Gothic, and actually scary. I love a good scary vampire!

Four things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. I found the plot a little difficult to hold onto through the absolute chaos of some of the scenes. The chaos was intentional and well-written, but all the activity distracts from what's really happening.

Rating: 🪰🪰🪰.5 /5 buzzzzzz
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Sep 27 23
Format: Audiobook, Libby
Read this book if you like:
👻 spooky stories
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family stories, family drama
👭🏽 adult women's friendships
💇‍♀️ women's coming of age
😵 curses

Thank you to the author Richard Gadz, publishers Deixis Press, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of THE EATER OF FLIES. Translated by Rachel Ward. All views are mine.

Thank you to Richard Gadz, Deixis Press and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

The Eater of Flies seemed to have everything working in its favour for me to like it; 19th century London, vampires, a connection to Bram Stoker's Dracula, one of my favourite novels. The title The Eater of Flies is a reference to Renfield, the zoophagous madman from Dracula so I thought maybe it was about him.

Unfortunately, trying to shoehorn in a connection to Dracula devalued what could have otherwise been a really good vampire story which I enjoyed a lot. Stylistically, it was very much gothic and it wasn't too far removed from actual 19th century novels. It didn't feel like a book that was written recently.

The vampyrs themselves were really interesting. Instead of them being corporeal beings who reproduce through the exchange of blood with a human, the vampyr in this book was a mist that possessed people who then thirsted for blood. They were almost like zombies and they were much harder to fight. I've read a lot of vampire fiction and it's not often that you find something new and interesting in what is a very old genre.

If you go into this book expecting a Dracula retelling, then you will be disappointed. Go into this book expecting a thrilling vampire story that even manages to do something new with the monster and try your best to ignore the not-so-subtle Stoker influences.

If the title was different and the character names were changed then this book would have gotten a much higher rating.

I give The Eater of Flies 3 stars.

This review will be posted on clearlyreads on 1st December

I didn't really care for the writing here. It left me feeling unsatisfied and was nowhere near the rich, dark story that Dracula, which this is based on, is. Starts pretty slow too. Not a bad read, just not for me!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

4.25 stars

London's West End, 1868 - an obscure box hidden away in a remote Eastern European village has been brought back to England and opened without regard for the dire warning scratched on its surface, unleashing a monstrous creature upon the city. The weakened vampyr-wraith descends upon an unsuspecting populace, jumping from body to body, wreaking havoc and leaving a torrent of bodies in its bloody wake. As it gains in power and tries to call more of its kind to London to feed, it's up to a handful of plucky Brits to capture and destroy the deadly vampyr before the entire city falls to its overwhelming power.

Readers familiar with Bram Stoker's "Dracula" may recognise certain elements, certain names, etc., but this is absolutely a different, terrifying take on the vampyr lore of old. I really enjoyed the read, although honestly I wish it could have been a bit longer to cover some more background and flesh out a few more aspects of the storyline. It's also written in the old Victorian style which gives it a spookier, Gothic authenticity. If you like stories with twists on the traditional vampire/vampyr lore then you'll probably really enjoy this book!

Thanks to NetGalley, author Richard Gadz, and Deixis Press for giving me access to a free digital ARC of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and are provided voluntarily.

The Eater of Flies is a dark and twisted romp through Victorian London that delivers a fresh, creepy twist on vampire lore. The gritty setting of Holmwood’s music hall, with its mix of high society glamour and seedy underworld vibes, is vividly brought to life. The vampyr isn’t your typical cape-wearing bloodsucker—it’s something far more unsettling, and I loved the eerie originality.

The mix of gothic horror, crime, and sharp humor kept me hooked, even when the story’s pace slowed a bit. If you’re into atmospheric tales with morally questionable characters and a touch of the macabre, this is a must-read. London has never felt so deliciously sinister!

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book was quite well written, I was gripped from the prologue and enjoyed the writing style which was very reminiscent of classics from the time. The reason for my 3 star rating is that the book didn’t quite live up to my expectations (which is my own fault) - I was looking forward to a spooky, haunting, thrilling and even scary retelling of Dracula. While we did get vampires and a whole lot of blood, I cannot say I felt any suspense or fear whilst reading. Instead, this book felt like it drew a lot of influence from Sherlock Holmes, in that we had a mystery to solve and followed both the protagonists and the villain. Again, this is not a criticism, but it impacted my enjoyment as it felt more like a detective story than a horror.

I always love a good retelling, and this one of Bram Stoker's Dracula is no different! The plot mirrors Dracula in some sense, but with the twists the author has created, The Eater of Flies can truly stand it's own ground without needed to be officially labeled as a retelling. The gothic style truly was captivating throughout the entire read. Seriously a great read any time of year, but fit perfectly into my reading theme for October. Well done, Gadz!!

This book is a loose Dracula retelling where vampyrs are non corporeal and have to inhabit human hosts in order to feed. Dracul arrives from Transylvania to Victorian London in a sealed box and is accidentally let loose on the people of the West End. Our intrepid heroes have to battle not only the vampire but also human greed in order to save England.

I have to say that this was a nice throw back to more traditional vampire tales while also putting a unique twist on it. Did I need a break from vampires just being leads in paranormal romances? Yes, yes I did and 'the Eater of Flies' definitely hit the mark. The story was well paced and well written. The writing style was reminiscent of the Victorian era while still being easy to read. Our cast of characters didn't get the most detailed development but it was enough for us to care about them. (Or not care about them if they were, in fact, the worst.)

I really liked this book and thought it was a great read for spooky season.

Reviews went live on 10/27 on Fable and Tik tok, will be going live on Goodreads and Storygraph on 10/28.

This book was a wonderful lyrical retelling of Dracula. I love descriptive and atmospheric books and I think that this one did that really well. I also think it was the perfect length, because sometimes books like this can drag in parts, but it was brief enough to set up an atmosphere and a feeling of dread while still moving the story along. This is probably one of the better vampire books that I have read in awhile.

very interesting rewriting style of Dracula. the entire vibe is completely shifted by the change from the much more courtly/traditional classic Dracula to this vibe, as well as the idea of instead of the vampire (a singular entity) the vampyre (a parasite that hijacks the mind of its host), which causes a lot stronger a moral dilemna in this one, as well as a lot cooler scenes. i still prefer the original, but this one is nice. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

It is the summer of 1868 in London, and the West End buzzes with a chaotic blend of affluence and moral decay. A tightly sealed box from Transylvania, falls into unscrupulous hands. & a vampyr a wraith-like parasite that hides inside a host, is released. This book was a fun, quick read., with a fun fresh take on Bram Stoker's Dracula. If you love retellings of classics then you will love this one. I highly recommend it!