For nigh on half a century, my grandfather was a what we would call a family practice doctor in a small town in the Midwest. He had a million stories of his long practice, everything from the reclusive survivor of the Titanic disaster who came in once a year from New England, to the time he diagnosed malaria at 10 paces in Duluth because he’d seen so much of it in the War. (“I feel terrible, Doc,” the man said. “You have malaria,” said my grandfather. The patient told that story forever: How did a doctor thousands of miles from endemic malaria do that?) My grandfather’s medical practice was bound indelibly with the community he served; sick and well, his trade was helping people. The main character of Strange Practice, the debut novel by Vivian Shaw, reminds me of my grandfather in the very best way.

Admittedly, there are a lot of differences, so let’s get those out of the way first: Dr Greta Helsing is in her mid-30s and lives in London, where she has recently inherited her father’s medical practice. Dr. Helsing, like her father before her, ministers to the ghouls and vampires and mummies of the capital city and beyond. (As far as I’m aware, Grandpa only ministered to humans.) Secrecy is maybe just as important as medicine for many of her patients, and Greta goes well out of her way to make sure the supernatural denizens of her practice are given the best care she can manage. There’s never enough money, and sometimes her patients are more obstreperous than she’d prefer, but she genuinely loves her work.

The action starts with a house call. She visits Edmund Ruthven, one of London’s oldest vampires, because Sir Francis Varney, another aged vampyre (the y denotes certain morphological differences), arrived on Ruthven’s doorstep after being viciously attacked by men dressed as monks. Though most vampires (and vampyres) tend to heal quickly, Varney’s cross-shaped puncture wound is festering, and he’s running the vampire equivalent of a fever. Helsing works through the night, plied with expertly made coffee and strangely perfect surgical expertise by Ruthven, and manages to stabilize the vampyre.


If any of those names sound familiar, it’s because they should. One of the more charming aspects of Strange Practice is the way Shaw wends in characters from penny dreadfuls and Gothic novels, but updates them for the modern day. Sir Varney is the main character of a mid-19th C penny dreadful called Varney the Vampire; or, the Feast of Blood. (How I adore Victorian titling.) A somewhat soapy tale in the vein of Dark Shadows, Varney the Vampire influenced Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Speaking of Dracula, Greta Helsing’s family dropped the Van in Van Helsing, the surname of the vampire hunter in that work, after they traded from antagonism toward the supernatural for understanding. Edmund Ruthven is the vampire protagonist of The Vampyre, written by John Polidori, though often attributed to Lord Byron. Both The Vampyre and Mary Shelley’s seminal Gothic novel Frankenstein come out of the same fireplace literary dare, one attended by some of the foremost writers of the day. Sometimes this kind of allusiveness can be annoying, butShaw does a wonderful job tipping the hat to her literary forebears without sweating the details overmuch.

In the morning, after Varney is stabilized, Greta heads back to her practice, and Ruthven works a source in the British museum. They’re all suspicious the attack on Varney is related to a series of killings attributed to “The Rosary Ripper,” a serial killer who has put London on edge, murdering women and stuffing cheap plastic rosaries into their mouths. Greta ministers to ghouls and mummies; Varney recuperates; Ruthven works his considerable contacts. Like any great detective yarn (much of medicine is detective work), Greta’s efforts to minister to her patients dovetails into larger, more dastardly plots, ranging both above and below the city and through a considerable amount of history.

This book is a joy to read, unlocking every bit of delicious promise in the premise. It’s peopled with fun and interesting characters. I certainly want to know much more about Fastitocalon, a good friend of Greta’s father who views her protection as a familial duty, and is also of unknown supernatural stock. The way the novel uses its London setting is a credit to that fine city. But the thing I find so compelling about Strange Practice is the fundamental decency of its main character: Dr. Greta Helsing practices a formidable sort of kindness, looking on her secret and sometimes monstrous community, and doing everything in her power to ease their ills. Medicine is a practice, and she’s working towards its performance of good every day.

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"His mind felt full of shattered ice and quicksand, all sharp edges and dull helpless sliding at once, poisoned with blue, drunk with it."
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This was a cool find, and not quite what I expected.

Dr. Greta Helsing (the family dropped the "van") is in the family business. She serves as the go-to medical practitioner for the Things That Go Bump In The Night - she takes care of them and they, in turn, as we learn as the story develops, more than take care of her in return... When a new, unidentified, source starts attacking London's TTGBITN, Dr. Helsing quickly steps in, hunting the hunters who are hunting her and her friends... Sound confusing? It's really not - and the story development and cast of characters are more than original enough to keep you entertained, curious, and in suspense throughout the book.

Both Greta and her "monsters" are more human than you might expect in a book about supernatural characters. Their foibles and quirks are endearing and make them eminently relatable. From the blurb and the opening pages, I rather expected Greta to be much more stiff-upper-lipped than she turned out to be. I was pleased to be surprised in this regard; I often think that protagonists are a little too perfectly prepared for what comes their way in supernatural stories - or at least too perfectly, unflappably, adaptable. Real life is messy and off-kilter and throws even the most stoic for a loop now and then - it was a refreshing delight to see protagonists be similarly situated, especially because they persevered nevertheless. It made the story more interesting and the characters much more believable.

Add on to that a delightful story-telling style and original voice, and you have a recipe for success in my book! There were teasers in the text suggesting more adventures for the indomitable Dr. Greta, and a preview of the next installment was provided - I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what she and her fascinating team of compatriots stumble up against next...

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"Is it really over, do you think?"
Ruthven looked bleak for a moment, and then his smile came back, wry now, a little crooked. "No. It's never going to be *really* over; as long as we exist, there will be people determined to try to remedy that condition. But this part of it is done with."
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While I enjoyed STRANGE PRACTICE overall, I couldn’t help feel a little duped. The series carries Greta’s name but she’s one of six POV characters. It was a disappointing realization because Greta was my hook into STRANGE PRACTICE. A descendant of Van Helsing runs a medical practice for the supernatural? Yes please. As a character, Greta Helsing is a great change of pace from the sulky, angry heroine that dominates most urban fantasy books. Greta enjoys her job and genuinely cares for her patients. However, she also the only main female character in the book. And, as a fraction of the POV characters, her importance becomes overshadowed by her supernatural patients.

It was clear that the author had a lot more fun writing the vampire’s POV. Although their character development was still slim, it was easier to connect to Ruthven and Varney. They had quirks and were directly affected by the plot. By the end of the book, I knew only as much about Greta as I learned in her introductory chapter. She’s sweet and she cares, but she’s also incredibly reactive. I don’t want to her challenge people to duels, but her medical practice and skills should have directly influenced the research. Perhaps this is because of her dedication and niceness, since she spends a lot of the novel nursing other characters, but nice doesn’t have to mean passive.

Exposition drove most of the novel. It was kinda great that the characters solve mysteries through research but most of the novel felt like a bottle episode. For various reasons, the main characters spend their time hiding in Ruthven’s mansion. While I loved both Varney and Ruthven, I wasn’t sure why they were separate POV characters. Ruthven is charming and can mingle in human society, Varney is dark and twisty… but that’s about it. With so much lived backstory to these characters there’s an endless possibility for future plots.

I would have liked to seen more the London’s haunts that supernatural’s frequent. Greta has such a wide variety of clients (ghouls, mummies, sirens, witches, vampires), it would have been an easy way to introduce us to the their world. The STRANGE PRACTICE series will continue with other books; there’s a charming romantic set-up between Greta and Varney and the characters have developed a strong bond. It’s so rare to have an optimistic main character and a happy group of friends that I’ll be watching for the sequel. Hopefully in the next novel Greta Helsing will earn that series title and be a more focussed, driving force.

After reading urban fantasy novels, I've been really wanting to find more books in this genre. It's so different from high fantasy and stories set in alternate worlds ... and it's really addictive once you get into it! I was super excited to receive this ARC so here is my review:
I so so so badly wanted to like this book, you really have no idea! It seemed like the perfect book for me, with its cool protagonist and story setting. However, I just couldn't get into this story. No matter how hard I tried, it all was just too bizarre. The switching of voices between characters was very jarring and it was hard to keep it straight in my head. One minute, the story seemed like it was set in Victorian times and the next minute, it seemed way more modern. It all just threw me off and I couldn't enjoy myself. There are a lot of positive reviews on GoodReads so maybe this is just one of those times where I am in the minority. If this book's premise sounds like something you would like, give it a shot!

Vivian Shaw’s STRANGE PRACTICE is urban fantasy meets classic Gothic literature, a striking combination that makes for a unique and compelling read. Throw in a cast of lovable misfits and fascinating world building and this is a sure winner.

Dr. Greata Helsing (her family dropped the “Van” from their name ages ago) inherited a highly specialized medical practice from her beloved father: one that caters to the unique needs of the supernatural community. There are only two such practices in the entirety of London, so Greta’s a very busy woman — unfortunately, it’s not exactly lucrative despite the brisk business. Turns out that banshees don’t have much in the way of traditional currency. Thankfully Greta has rich and powerful friends to help her out, ones who are notable in the supernatural underground. Supernatural-adjacent Greta may not have any special powers of her own, but her abilities as a doctor and her empathy for those considered monstrous even by non-human standards are highly valued by her clients. So when Greta and those she holds dear are threatened by the revival of an ancient religious cult targeting the supernatural, the entire community is thrown into an uproar.

It is Greta’s relationships with her friends and clients as much as the mystery behind the cult murders that carry STRANGE PRACTICE forward. Unlike many urban fantasy protagonists, Greta is far from socially isolated and has strong network of true – if unusual – friends. After her father’s death, the once-demon Fastitocalon (Fass to his friends) took up the role of parent and mentor to Greta, guiding her through the fraught world of the supernatural. But Fass has little care for his chronic health issues, and Greta finds herself constantly trying to treat his ailments even while the two run headlong into danger. She also treats her friend Edmund Ruthven, the posh vampire who suffers from chronic depression and ennui after a few too many centuries of living.

Shaw does a commendable job of incorporating characters and supernatural creatures from classic Gothic literature into her story without making it feel derivative or gimmicky. The differences between vampires and vampyres are explained by comparing Ruthven and Varney (of Varney the Vampyre fame), the particularities of ghoulish culture are explained, and even a mummy from a famous Pharaoh’s tomb makes an appearance in the story in a very natural way. Greta may be a medical doctor, but it’s clear that anthropology also holds a special place in her heart, a fact that made me rejoice because of the richness it added to the world. A private detective certainly wouldn’t have the same curiosity about the composition of poisons targeting the supernatural. Three cheers for unique protagonists!

Greta’s an unusual protagonist for urban fantasy not only because of her profession, but also because she’s a solid 15 years older than your average UF leading lady…and she’s much more earnest. For a story about ritualistic killings and creatures of the night, STRANGE PRACTICE is a very heartwarming and affecting book. Greta and her friends took me completely by surprise and I found myself very invested in their lives. A strong debut from a promising new voice in fantasy, STRANGE PRACTICE by Vivian Shaw is a delight from start to finish.

Greta Helsing follows in her family's footsteps by inheriting an extremely specialized, and sometimes just plain freaky, medical practice. She's one of very few doctors to supernatural creatures and everything that goes bump in the night. Greta doesn't have magical powers herself, unless you count treating banshees for vocal strain, mummies from coming completely unraveled, and the like. It's fairly quiet and doesn't pay a lot, but she's been prepared for this all of her just supernatural-adjacent life. Then, a group of monks suddenly begins killing fellow Londoners - the living and the undead - and Greta has to put all of her not inconsiderable skills to the test if she wants to stop these deranged murderers, save her life, clients, and her medical practice.

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw is an incredibly promising beginning for a brand new urban fantasy series. I'm so glad that I got selected via NetGalley to review this novel. It has so much to love about it from a great central mystery, an intriguingly quirky cast of characters, a great monster lineup, and it's plenty creepy. Although some of the medical aspects comes across as a bit overly technical and clinical, the characters are what really make the story come to life. My favorites from the story are Ruthven and Fastitocolon (you can call him Fass). Ruthven is a vampire, of the classic draculine type, and a long time friend of Greta's and Fass has known her family for generations, he's definitely powerful but no one really wants to be the one to directly ask him what he is exactly - that would be rude. Another character that's really cool to see get a modern treatment is Francis Varney, aka the title character from the gothic penny dreadful Varney the Vampyre. And, yes, there is quite a difference between vampires and vampyres!

Overall, if you love dark urban fantasy, gothic horror, a solid mystery, and memorable characters, Vivian Shaw's newest novel, Strange Practice is a real treat. I'm dying to see what's next up in the Dr. Greta Helsing series. Do yourself a favorite and try your next favorite!

A fresh take on the urban fantasy that, unfortunately, suffers from an over reliance on a tic-y writing style and a heroine that is the least interesting character in this supernatural London. Ms. Shaw's use of italics grates as, to me, it shows a lack of trust in her ability to demonstrate the heft of a line of dialogue or action and prevents the reader from interpreting said dialogue or action in his or her own way. Take the line, "I let it go." for example, and place the emphasis on each of four words in turn. By doing so, the reader can read in agency or force of will, uncertainty as to the object, or objections as to the conditions in which the object is kept, etc. If I, as the writer, direct you to place the emphasis on one of those words, your role as an active reader diminishes. Now, obviously, sometimes this is necessary but I argue that 2 to 3 times a page is obtrusive and distracting. I look forward to the next entry; hopefully Ms. Shaw acquires an editor with a sharp red pen.

Strange Practice introduces readers to a unique spin on a leading lady in the form of Dr. Greta Helsing (the van was dropped generations ago), a doctor who treats all forms of non-human supernatural beings. The book isn't just about the concept of having a doctor visiting with these unusual patients to treat what is ailing them. As what happens with any character dabbling with the supernatural, Greta gets pulled into figuring out why monks are trying to murder her. This leads her to uncovering a scheme behind the murders of other fellow human/undead Londoners. I enjoyed the relationship between the vampire/vampyre characters. It came across like they had know each other for years, which is how a relationship between immortals like that should be. The author also has a wonderful gift in making the supernatural characters seem very human. Yes, even ghouls get ear infections, my friends. I think this is very important when you're writing a series such as this one where humans and supernaturals are interacting constantly. I felt like the writing was a bit muddled and distracting at times. The author would go off on very descriptive tangents in the middle of characters having a conversation. There wasn't much by way of character development for Greta, but maybe that will happen in future installments. No sappy romance between humans and supernaturals, which I felt was very appropriate considering the darkness portrayed throughout the book. Overall, very interesting to start to what I believe will be a promising series.

Vivian Shaw offers a fresh and charming take on the “they walk among us” fantasy trope with one simple twist: Dr. Greta Helsing is a medical doctor, not a cop. A dedicated physician, Helsing is driven by the need to ensure the vulnerable have access to compassionate and ethical medical care. And, really, who is more vulnerable in modern London than vampires, ghouls, trolls, and other supernatural creatures?

Life as a supernatural doctor isn’t easy. Most of her clients live outside the bounds of society; they are poor and unable to pay. There’s also extremely limited literature on various maladies and how they might manifest differently in other species. Oh, and there’s the fact that someone in London appears to be hunting the poor dears, and possibly the good doctor herself.

I enjoyed Strange Practice. Shaw manages the delicate balance between taking her time and keeping the story moving. This book is titled as the first in a series, so there’s an element of team-building inherent to that, but it never feels tedious.

The cast of characters manages to feel... is it okay if I say "human"? is that speciesist? Helsing is rather single-minded in her care for her patients, and while she is fool-hardy at times, she never enters TSTL territory.

I was delighted that the book didn't have a romantic plot between Greta and the other human male in the little circle. (I truly do not hate romance in fantasy novels. I do, however, hate romance that feels like a distraction that was shoe-horned in rather than an organic part of the plot.) The book <em>does</em>, however, lay the groundwork for possible romance (though, given the characters, HOW? and WHY?) in future volumes.

The plot itself isn’t going to set your hair on fire, nor is there a clever twist/reveal at in the last act. (And no cliffhanger!) Shaw does a fine job of storytelling without overextending it. It gives me hope for the next installment of Helsing’s adventures.

Greta Helsing is not your traditional general practitioner. She treats the supernatural. Groomed for this job since childhood, Greta is a natural. That is, until a group of monks start killing humans and vamps. They want to rid the world of evil. Not only is Greta treating one of the would be victims, her occupation in itself is deemed evil and makes her a target. This was a fun read. Greta is a very likable character. I really liked Ruthven too.

I am deciding not to finish this book at 12%, so there will be no rating. I also will not be reviewing this book anywhere, even in a DNF capacity, as this is not something I normally read. I knew I was stepping outside of my reading comfort zone, and I really think it's just a case of this book/genre not being for me. I don' want to leave a negative review because of that. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

Fun horror/mystery/medical story

The book covers a lot of genres. Although I am not a big fan of horror, I enjoyed this book. The horror aspect was somewhat muted, with much of the emphasis on the mystery and medical aspects. The action scenes were very good and the character development excellent. Some of the wording was so clever that I would reread those passages. I also found that Vivian Shaw tries for plausibility and logic; that things make sense. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

Whoa now this is how you open a series! What an incredibly creative and unique perspective on the old doctor who chases a mystery plot.

Greta Helsing is a doctor to what most of us would call things that go bump in the night. Vampires, Vampyres, rusalkas, witches, mummies, ghouls, goblins, demons, you name it she treats it. Makes for very fun reading. I particularly enjoyed a passage where it became clear that Dr. Helsing has prescribed Effexor for a ghoul, hah! Mummies come to her for brittle bones and she pines for a 3-D printer to print custom bones for the mummy patients.

Wrapped up in this book is a nice cozy mystery plot and the possible beginnings of a romance.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more in the series.

What a cute, charming, original book. The monsters are the good guys and... well, I don't think I completely understood who the bad guy was, but I didn't really care since I was enjoying the story so much. Greta Helsing, from the family made famous by Dracula, is the doctor of the undead. If you're a vampire with a bad case of garlic poisoning, a mummy with back issues or a ghoul with an ear infection, Greta will make you better. When a string of supernatural murders start getting too close to Greta and her friends, she will have to lead a mismatched monster team to stop the bad guys before it's too late. There is an unexpected romantic angle that made me smile, and really well written characters based on classic books and movies. The dialogue and dynamics among the characters bring an unexpected dose of humor. I look forward to seeing where this team of misfits takes us next.

Well written and well researched, I love alternative history fiction like this. For fans of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but with a woman's touch.

I'm afraid my hopes were not high for this book. I expected much less than it delivered. What a pleasant surprise to find a creative twist on vampires, ghouls and other creepy creatures. Fun and smarter than many of its genre, this is the beginning of a promising series.

Thanks Orbit Books and netgalley for this ARC.

Greta and her gang will cause a sensation. This is like no novel I've read before- fresh, fuzzy, and freakish.

Vivian Shaw's Strange Practice has just about everything I look for in a modern, urban fantasy. Dr. Greta Helsing (a descendant of those Van Helsings) is a GP to the supernatural inhabitants of London – vampires, vampyres (there's a difference), demons, ghouls, mummies, werewolves, you name it. When the story begins, Greta is doing a house call and she finds out there has been another attack in a string of murders involving a weird religious sect. Through the developing arc of who, or what, is behind the Rosary Ripper murders.

Shaw develops Greta's London throughout the story, and I loved reading about all of the supernatural beings she encounters, treats, and cares for. Each type of being has their own social hierarchies, and I really enjoyed the fact that Greta has to rely on her knowledge of mythology, folklore, and the like, along with her shared family history, in order to figure out her patients' symptoms and probable cures. Maybe it's me, but I think it's rare to find a female protagonist who isn't in her twenties in urban fantasy these days, and I liked that she was slightly older than the typical protagonist and was slightly stiff and reserved around other people until she became familiar with them. There's a little bit of a budding infatuation, but I liked that this was mostly focused on the relationships Greta has with her friends and colleagues. Romance is nice, but it's better to have a core set of people to rely on and trust when things go terribly, terribly wrong. She truly cares about her people, and her people care about her.

And if you love London and aren't there now, this book will make you long to be back on those winding streets and wandering through those dark alleys on a cool night. As soon as I started reading this, I felt like I was transported right back to that city, and I felt like I could trace the routes these characters took in map I have in my mind. It felt real, it felt wonderful, and it made me wish I could go back just to see if I could catch a glimpse of the others hidden in the shadows.

Strange Practice is a thrilling romp through the London we think we know with a fantastic set of characters that will keep you hooked until the very end.