Vampires! This fun and spooky story had me gripping the edge of my seat. I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Deixis Press for providing an early ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Richard Gadz delivers a curious and unconventional take on vampyrs and the legendary Dracul in this latest release. Instead of the familiar brooding immortals we often see, the vampyrs here are more like shadows—ethereal, formless entities that behave almost like a virus or parasite. They don't exist as independent physical beings but as a creeping infection, slipping into hosts to possess them. Once anchored, they feed and thrive, taking their prey by manipulating the living vessel they've overtaken. This concept hooked me immediately; it's not every day you see vampyrs reimagined in such an eerie, intangible way, and it was exciting to witness how Dracul himself used this power.

However, the journey to this revelation was a bit of a slog. The first third of the novel felt monotonous, slow, and lacking any real tension, which made it difficult to stay invested. I nearly set it aside multiple times, and that's saying something for a story centered on creatures as dynamic as vampyrs. When the plot finally found its legs, the intrigue began to surface, especially when the focus shifted to Dracul’s hosts and how they handled—or failed to handle—his possession. It was here the book really started to get its claws into me, but unfortunately, it never quite managed to shake off the lingering dryness that haunted much of the narrative.

The vampyr concept is undeniably inventive, and I applaud the author for breaking away from the tropes of traditional vampire lore, but the execution left me wanting more. I finished the book feeling like it was more of a cool idea than a fully realized story. I was captivated by the potential, but in the end, it left me feeling like it was just...fine.

A respectable 3 stars from me, maybe 3.5 for the creativity behind the vampyrs alone.

REVIEW
The Eater of Flies by Richard Gadz- 1/5
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DNF

Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

Normally, I love a good vampire book or monster retelling. But one of the most important things for either story to have is a hook; something the draw me in and keep me there. While I understand what this book was trying to do, there was just no hook to keep me interested.

#whatjillsreading

The Eater of Flies is the most creative remix of the gothic vampire story I've ever read! Gadz takes the classic vampire and transforms them into an entirely new, terrifying monster.

In a tiny Transylvanian village, an English business man arrives to collect on a debt, and ends up taking home far more than he expected. A bloodthirsty vampyr has been released in new hunting grounds, and it's up to a group of friends to track it down before London falls. But how can ordinary people defeat a monster?

I absolutely loved this book. The author pays homage to the great Gothic classics (especially Dracula) in the setting, so as the reader, you initially feel like you're in a familiar world; but then he pulls the rug out from under you once you are introduced to his new, horrifying vampyre. I was hooked all the way through, and want to read more of this author's books now.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves gothic stories and vampires; you won't be disappointed!

⛧☾༺♰༻☽⛧𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙛 𝙁𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 - Richard Gadz

Release Date: 10/24/24
Add it to your TBR!! 📖

Recommended for readers who love:

🩸Vampire Stories
🩸Gothic Style Writing
🩸Possessions
🩸Blood, lotsa blood

The writing style is beautifully gothic; Victorian without sounding full of itself. I was immediately drawn in by the descriptive scenes and interesting characters from the first page.

Even though the book starts out jovial, with a festive wedding, things quickly go off the rails. When one of our main characters goes to the mountains to collect a debt, they unintentionally release Hell itself after a mysterious box is opened. They are then thrust into a 'plague' of nefarious ministrations that they may not be able to escape. Lots of teeth clacking (trust me, it's creepier than it sounds), bloody attacks, and piles of corpses.

While the story starts in the Carpathians, it quickly makes its way back to the bustling epicenter in the city of London, which soon becomes wild with fright as people fight for their lives in this fresh and exciting take on the Dracula story we all know and love.

Even though I get heavy Bram Stoker's Dracula vibes from this twisted retelling, it's not a copy, and it's not a quick rehash. This version of events brings a new perspective to the classic by incorporating themes of possession and cursed objects. If you're looking for something spooky and bloody, definitely consider picking this one up in October!

Sadly decided to DNF this title as I couldn’t get into the writing, It has a great premise and I was looking forward to getting to read what is somewhat of a Dracula retelling but unfortunately the writing style just didn’t click with me for some reason - I found it relatively dry and it didn’t manage to draw me in despite the plot.

I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this. A gloomy and atmospheric Victorian era story, full of crime and greed, and most importantly - vampires. This unique Dracula reimagining puts an interesting twist on the traditional vampire, but with nods to the original story and vampire lore across the globe. I liked seeing how each of the (very different) characters all came together. The end was extremely satisfying and this was an all around good read.

I am sad to say that I didn't like this book much. It seems to have a great premise, a retelling of Dracula with the twist that Dracula isn't just one person but can be many. I was hooked in the first chapter. A really strong start. It was awesome and I was ready for a wild ride.

However, the overuse of exclamation marks and inner monologue punctuated within parentheses was overwhelmingly annoying. Additionally, there was way too much telling and not showing. For example, "The prisoner dropped! - and was still. His neck must have snapped instantly". Why not take the effort to show the horror a neck goes through? This is elementary writing. The journal entries didn't sound like someone journaling to themselves, either.

My apologies to the author and publisher, but this one didn't hit the mark.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview.

The book opens with a short recount of a vampire attack in a village in Transylvania before the main plot. Then in 1868, a debt collector from London goes to the same village to take possession up to the debt. Unwittingly, he takes a beautiful casket back to London which contains a vampire, Dracul.

The opening chapter is gripping, but after that the pace slows for a few chapters. That is until Dracul is released.

I’ve seen mention this is a retelling of Dracula, but I struggle to agree with that. At a high level, the plot is the same. A man travels to Transylvania to settle a debt, travels back to London, and a vampire “follows” him and begins terrorising the city. There are further nods, like characters sharing names, and a diversion to Whitby. The book even uses epistolary elements like Dracula.

That being said, Gadz excellently captures the writing style and atmosphere of Dracula. This book feels much older than it is, high gothic style, without becoming simpering as many emulations do. And it’s one of my favourite portrayals of a dark, brooding, Victorian London.

While Gadz nods to and borrows from various vampire materials before, there is something new in his take. (At least new to me!) in that his vampire rather than being a physical presence, is a possession. The idea it could inhabit anyone at any time helps to build tension. However the reader is told right away who is inhabited, and the suspense doesn’t last long and it’s always fairly obvious who the vampire will next take on. Perhaps some more unseen action or less obvious possessions would help to build the suspense still further.

Ultimately, I really appreciated the skillful homage to Dracula and gothic literature. It feels familiar but still brings something fresh to the Vampire subgenre.

Thanks to Richard Gadz, Deixis Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.
I find myself with two very different opinions on this book, hmm strange I know.
1. Too slow not enough action to make me want to keep reading.
2. Extremely well researched, the format and behaviour of vampires intriguing, characters varied and interesting and a very exciting, albeit gory, ending.
Recommend this to readers who prefer a slightly slower pace.

Many thanks to Deixis Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is marketed as a retelling of Dracula but only in the broadest of senses, with some vaguely similar character names and the primary antagonist being a Carpathian vampire on the loose in London. Maybe it’s for the best the books are dissimilar because The Eater of Flies lacks the atmosphere and storytelling of Dracula, so it’s not a favorable comparison. The journal entries were actually my favorite part of the book because they gave the most authentic Victorian feel, while the third-person portions of the book felt somewhat rambling and unpolished.

Overall 2.5 / 5 stars with a few bonus points for maintaining a decent pace and being easy to get through.

Thank you NetGalley and Deixis Press for providing me with a digital ARC of the Eater of Flies in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions expressed are my own.

The story begins, in the only acceptable place a story about vampyres could start, in Transylvania. Arthur Flemming is sent to collect debt and chooses among a veritable assortment of artifacts including a small antique box hastily sealed with lead. Upon bringing said box home he is warned not to open it. What ensues is the tale of Dracul and how it bounces between hosts in London, finishing with a grand finale of copious, ethereal death.

I want to point out that I've never read Dracula (I know, I know!). But maybe not being familiar with the gold standard of the vampire category leant itself to the fun I had reading this book. I have no idea what the difference between “vampyre” and “vampire” is, but again, rather than hindering, maybe it helped. I suffered from confusion once more by the list of characters thrown around at breakneck speed. I could not make sense of who was an important character and who was just a lowly extra. Gradually I realized they were all ensnared within a singular web unknowingly spun by a singular predator. Expectedly this made for a splash of gore every so often but I think readers not usually comfortable with the horror genre should be ok. It reads more like an old gothic horror novel (i.e. Frankenstein) than a modern slasher film.

The description of the various settings in this book is what really stood out. There was a line describing the general atmosphere of Victorian London that gives a small taste of what I’m talking about: “the industrial, gnat-soaked air was dyed an amber tint”. I have read a lot of books set in Victorian London, never has one line so succinctly captured walking through the streets in the evening must have felt like. Overall the Eater of Flies was an entertaining read to start off this halloween season and I genuinely look forward to reading more novels by Richard Gadz.

I actually enjoyed this book! The beginning hooked me in, and I was excited to read more about this different version of vampires. It was a new take on them from what I usually see in the media. I read Bram Stoker's Dracula years ago, but from what I can recall, we get to see little "easter eggs" in the characters, places, and events from the original in this version.

I thought it was great that the author included Dracul's perspective and the people he was controlling. It made the story very creepy and terrifying to see how it was thinking and trying to survive, especially towards the end!

Overall, I thought it was interesting. I will say that after the book's opening scene, it did slow down from there and felt like a blur till Dracul was set free and made his way through historic London. I wish there would have been more!

I plan on posting my review to my "Bookstagram" once it gets closer to the publishing date. Thank you, NetGalley and Deixis Press, for allowing me to read this book and share my thoughts!

Even bloodier than the original.

A gripping Dracula retelling that takes the original book and twists it on its head. Some aspects are the same such as the formatting of the original, that uses journal entries and newspaper articles, and the writing style itself which feels reminiscent of the classic novel.

If you enjoy the original but want something a bit grittier with more of a modern perspective you’ll probably enjoy this. I would however keep in mind that the content of this one is very different. This version of London and the characters themselves are much seedier. As the author points out “This is a story about greed.” All the characters are a bit morally grey here.

There were many new characters in this one as well as some of the originals who were the same in basically name alone. I did get lost a few times because the POV gets switched very quickly between them, sometimes from one sentence to the next without anything to break it up. Some of the characters POVs that were switched to also felt inconsequential and felt too far off from the plot. This made the storyline difficult to keep up with at times. I still liked reading most of the perspectives, especially the journal entries from one character.

One thing I like about this book is the twist to Dracula themselves. I say themselves instead of himself because this version of Dracula pulls from Chinese mythology, amongst others, and is a spirit like creature that infects different victims. Rather than an immortal being that keeps his own body. Dracula (dracul) ends up being much more parasitical than the gothically, romantic counterpart from the original. I do still have some questions left about their powers and those of the other vampires that appear. I’m not really sure about their strengths and weaknesses, as they differ from the original.

I think my favorite parts of the book were the prologue and the first couple chapters. The ending was fitting and tragic. The middle was delightfully grotesque. A great fall read.
3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and to the author for this ARC. This is my honest review.

I have decided to DNF this read, I got about 50% through, and have realised that now is simply not the time so in other words this is a soft DNF I think I will come back to this in the future when I think it will better suit my mood but for now I'll be stopping. I don't want to force myself to read this and end up not liking it for no good reason. In terms of rating I obviously can't properly rate it but from what I did read, this is a good and interesting if it continued to be at the same level through to the end I think this could easily have been a 3.5 or 3.75 however since I'm not finishing it now I will refrain from actually rating it anywhere other than here as I am required to do so before submitting my feedback.

Thank you NetGalley and Deixis Press for the e-ARC. The opinion is my own.

Four stars to me.

A retelling of Dracula with an overhaul in its mythology and characters! The first chapter is such a good chapter, unfortunately it did pepper out during the rest of the book and didn't stay at the same level. Still, I liked it.
This author brings a possession spirit as a vampire instead of the typical undead plaguing the streets and here our dear friend Harker was twisted into another character with only the name as its similarity (well, also still traumatized). This happened with a handfull of characters. You will never guess who is Van Hellsing here. He does exist! It's basically just for the cheeky reference but he's here and present in the action. Speaking of, this book has chapters that are third person and then we have the occasional journal entries, again as a nod to the original Dracula I'm assuming.

One thing of the plot I think could have been stretched on was with the bookseller The characters discovered both secrets too fast in my opinion, though Ruby's turn, I think, is very good. A bit confused on the vessel thing though and how the possession truly works.

Now, this is a much faster paced book, with a lot more blood and death happening, so if you expect it to be very similar to Dracula. It is not. It is however a book on its own even while borrowing certain assets and characters names.

Strong Dracula vibes with historical fiction. It has horror, it has thriller, it has suspense, and most importantly: vampires. As a vampire lover, this book was perfect and just scratched every itch. Really recommend if you love historical horror.

This is an entertaining take on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Gadz maintains the feel of a 19th century novel with a third party omniscient POV, which was a bit confusing until I realised what was going on. This POV really works here as it gives an almost cinematic feel as the focus moves from character to character. The prose captures the frenetic, hunting ground feel of the crowded theatre district that Dracula stalks. Another nod to the original is that the author also tells the story through diary entries and letters.

After an engaging opening the story slows down a bit while Gadz sets the scene and introduces the characters, but once Dracula has been let loose the tension ratchets up. In this story Dracula is a spirit that inhabits peoples’ bodies, which just adds to the suspense as the characters realise it could be anyone. I enjoyed this book a lot and recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Deixis Press for this opportunity. This arc will be available 10/24/24.


This is a giant “okay but why?” for me. I highly suggest leaving your thoughts that this would be like Dracula and all the vampiric lore you know behind when reading this book. It is a horror-esque Victorian vampire read that focused on the humans and less on the parasite. I was let down heavily.

*The Eater of Flies* is a thrilling dive into Victorian Gothic horror, blending the eerie allure of traditional vampiric lore with a gripping tale of crime, corruption, and dark humor. Set against the bustling and morally ambiguous backdrop of London’s West End in the summer of 1868, this novel immerses readers in a world where the opulence of high society collides with the gritty underbelly of the city.

The story kicks off with a tantalizingly sinister premise: a mysterious box from Transylvania, sealed and enigmatic, falls into the hands of unscrupulous individuals. When the box is opened, it releases a vampyr—an unsettling wraith-like creature with a parasitic nature. Unlike traditional vampires, this vampyr hides inside its host, whether young or old, man or woman, and its thirst for blood spells disaster for those around it.

The narrative is set primarily around Holmwood’s music hall, situated just off The Strand. This locale serves as the novel’s heart, where the arrival of the vampyr triggers a nightmarish chain of events marked by betrayal, murder, and a desperate race to contain the malevolent force before it can wreak further havoc. The story explores the depths of human greed—whether for money, power, or blood—and examines how it fuels the chaos unleashed by the vampyr.

What sets *The Eater of Flies* apart is its departure from conventional vampiric lore. The vampyr’s unique characteristics and the way it infiltrates its victims offer a fresh take on Gothic horror. The novel’s atmosphere is richly crafted, evoking the dark, foggy streets and the glittering yet morally ambiguous world of Victorian London. The setting is as much a character as any of the individuals, contributing to the story’s menacing and immersive ambiance.

The author’s use of pitch-dark humor adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, balancing the horror with moments of sharp wit and irony. This humor is particularly effective in highlighting the rampant greed that drives the plot, making the characters’ vices as compelling as the supernatural threat they face.

The characters themselves are vividly drawn, each with their own motivations and flaws. Their interactions and the unraveling of their secrets add depth to the story, making the eventual confrontations and revelations all the more impactful. The tension builds steadily as the vampyr’s influence spreads, and the stakes rise with each page.

Overall, *The Eater of Flies* is a masterful Victorian Gothic tale that deftly combines horror, crime, and dark humor. Its innovative take on vampiric lore and its richly detailed setting make it a standout in the genre. Readers who enjoy a blend of suspense, supernatural intrigue, and biting commentary on human nature will find much to savor in this chilling and entertaining novel.