Best read if you're familiar with the other Greta Helsing books (it is no burden to make yourself familiar with the Greta Helsing books, so, you know, do that); also, although the story here does stand alone, it's clearly a lead-in to future developments in Vivian Shaw's universe. Soft cliffhanger, let's say. This is not a complaint.

A mere 4 stars because although Shaw has been at pains to set up Lucy's history and personality so as to make it plausible that, at 10 years old, she adapts quickly and happily to her new un-life as a vampire -- well, it's just not that plausible. Which raises entertaining questions of what qualifies as "realism" in a fantasy about vampires, werewolves, and barrow wights, etc. But analogies can be made to any human experience that entails being wrenched out of one's familiar life and into another from which one can never return. Even if that familiar life has, like Lucy's human life, little to recommend it, familiarity counts for a lot.

It's also interesting to consider what makes capital punishment acceptable in fantasy universes when most readers of books like Shaw's are likely to object to it in our own. Something to contemplate another time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

I have not read any of the other books in this series so this was my first introduction into Greta Helsing's world, and it was a great introduction. There were several elements that I really like about this novella. From the moment I started reading, I was pulled into this world and was eager to return to it every time I had to put the book down. Even without reading the three previous novels, the characters and their relationships were written in such a way that I could feel how much of an accomplishment it was to get to this somewhat peaceful slice-of-life story. The characters were lovable without knowing their backstories because they were described so well that the character development was evident without knowing details. There is a tenderness to all the interactions that feels like they fought to get here.

I will absolutely be reading the other books in the world of Greta Helsing because now I want to know how all of these characters got here and who they were before I met them in this story.

I plan to do a review on my TikTok when the publication date gets closer.

A short visit back to London and Greta Van Helsing's world. All our favorites are back (besides Greta we have Varney, Ruthven, Grisaille, and more) plus some fun new characters (especially a grumpy old barrow wight) and a cameo from Dracula himself. So what happens? One night, Varney and Greta are surprised by a young barrow wight knocking on their door with a child who was just turned into a vampire. The rest of the book involves a little bit of tracking down the perpetrator but mostly turns into a custody decision for the new little vamp. Honestly, this is just a nice little novella featuring decent characters trying to do the right thing, which is basically my favorite book genre.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.

I absolutely loved this Novella! Full of charm and vampires, my favorite things! It was such a. Fun story and had such endearing characters. It was a quick and easy read!

I clicked on this thinking it was a standalone, and I am so so so so happy I was wrong!! I loved this novella, start to finish it was exactly my flavor, and the realization that this was an entire series was one of the most joyous realizations I've had of 2024! I am now reading the whole series from the beginning! I could see and understand each character clearly and root for them individually-even without the previous books of context. I find this to be a remarkable writing feat, the fact that I completely understood these characters and this world without having to have a hundred pages of exposition, is pure skill.
Vivian Shaw has just earned herself a lifelong fan. I am looking forward to the rest of the series!

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review

oooof a sleeper hit i didn’t expect to enjoy. Greta helsing you will always be famous to me i enjoyed your character that much and i don’t name drop in my reviews

Love love love these books! This novella was a delightful return to Greta's world of misfit vampires. I enjoyed learning some back story on some of our "heroes", also, a little Vlad Dracula action? So good.

I loved Shaw’s Dr. Greta Helsing trilogy so, so much that I squealed with delight when I saw this new novella set in Dr. Helsing’s world. It was wonderful, and I’m now excited to hope that Shaw, one of the best worldbuilders in urban fantasy today, might write more in this genre.

I loved this novella and am so happy to be back in Dr. Greta Helsing's world! This story was not as full of action as the previous books in the series, but more of an exploration of the characters and a filling in of backstory and leaving the door open (I hope) for another book in this series. The character, Greta, a doctor of the supernatural, shows such understated care as a physician for the many different beings who come to her - it is charming and endearing! The vampires in this story have complex personalities with insecurities and past traumas - they are fascinating characters and learning more about their personal histories is one of the delights of reading this series. I am so happy Vivian Shaw decided to write more in this universe!
I highly recommend this to readers of fantasy, urban fantasy and paranormal fantasy. All of Vivian Shaw's work is brilliant!

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a wonderful addition to the Dr. Greta Van Helsing series. It is charming and witty. Ms. Shaw successfully blends in nodern times with the gothic vibe. Hoping this isn't a one off as I'd love to learn more about Lucy and her acclimation into the arcane world.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

There were some references to current cultural events I.E. Harry Potter and Tolkien and things like that always throw me off in a fantasy book. I’m looking to be completely disconnected from the real world. Other than that I thought the book was good!

The publication of this novella is a delightful surprise. I was sure there wouldn't be further adventures of Dr. Greta Helsing and her found family after the trilogy concluded, but here we have a part-mystery, part slice-of-life story in which Greta, Varney, Ruthven, and Grisaille, along with some new friends, investigate the unwilling turning of a precocious 10-year-old. There is something so comfortable about revisiting these beloved characters, seeing them settled into their new domesticity, and I'm thrilled to see seeds planted for a future book.

A witty and charming story that is a fresh take on Dracula featuring Greta Helsing, a doctor to the undead who has to figure out who has turned an 11 year old Lucy into a vampire! This was a really cute read and i thought it was such an interesting take. It's got some of the classic characters but with a whole new perspective and the overall story itself was short and sweet. It's a fun time to read and I would absolutely recommend it!

*Thanks Netgalley and Orbit Books | Orbit for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*