Strange Beasts

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Oct 15 2024 | Archive Date Oct 22 2024

Talking about this book? Use #StrangeBeasts #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

"Such an absolute joy to read. Highly recommended."TJ Klune, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea

In this fresh-yet-familiar gothic tale—part historical fantasy, part puzzle-box mystery—the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes collide in a thrilling exploration of feminine power.

At the dawn of the twentieth century in Paris, Samantha Harker, daughter of Dracula’s killer, works as a researcher for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena. But no one realizes how abnormal she is. Sam is a channel into the minds of monsters: a power that could help her solve the gruesome deaths plaguing turn-of-the-century Paris—or have her thrown into an asylum.

Sam finds herself assigned to a case with Dr. Helena Moriarty, daughter of the criminal mastermind and famed nemesis of Sherlock Holmes and a notorious detective whom no one wants to work with on account of her previous partners’ mysterious murders. Ranging from the elite clubs of Paris to the dark underbelly of the catacombs, their investigation sweeps them into a race to stop a Beast from its killing rampage, as Hel and Sam are pitted against men, monsters, and even each other. But beneath their tenuous trust, an unmistakable attraction brews. Is trusting Hel the key to solving the murder, or is Sam yet another pawn in Hel’s game?

"Such an absolute joy to read. Highly recommended."TJ Klune, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea

In this fresh-yet-familiar gothic tale—part historical fantasy, part...


Advance Praise

"A riveting gaslamp fantasy that's equal parts bloody mystery and flat-out supernatural romp. Morris deftly weaves existing lore–from both the classic literature her characters are born of, and a taxonomist's handbook’s worth of supernatural creatures–into a vivid feminist tale whose pages fly. A delightful debut, bursting with affection for its magical world." –Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

"What a luscious and fantastical treat! With virtuoso world-building, Morris effortlessly transported me to an enchanting realm teeming with monsters, mysticism, and the paranormal. Prepare to be utterly absorbed. Strange Beasts is a magical debut!" –Emily Habeck, USA Today bestselling author of Shark Heart: A Love Story

“A whip-smart, lusciously atmospheric adventure through the dazzling theatres and chilling catacombs of turn of the century Paris.” –Frances White, Sunday Times bestselling author of Voyage of the Damned

“Strange Beasts is a propulsive collision of historical fiction and fantasy, all tied together with an opulent, gothic bow. A terrifying delight.” –Signe Pike, author of The Lost Queen series

“Engaging and delightful, Strange Beasts draws the reader into a gothic setting that seems all too real. I was at once intrigued and a little spooked by all the familiar names, especially when I began to realize just how effectively Susan Morris has used our own nightmarish archetypes to trap us in her tale.” –Troy Denning, New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels of science fiction and fantasy

“Morris cleverly weaves together historical, literary, and mythological threads to create the endlessly rich world for her supernatural sleuths in this gripping mystery. With gorgeous prose and an unforgettable pair of heroines, Strange Beasts romps through the opulence and intrigue of turn-of-the-century Paris, offering an exploration of femininity, power, and the nature of monsters—as well as a thrilling adventure full of wit and heart. I can’t wait for the sequel.”—Kate Alice Marshall, USA Today bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods and Rules for Vanishing

“In Strange Beasts, Susan J. Morris gives readers a subtle alchemy of beauty, poetry, suspense, and horror, nestled perfectly in Paris during the Belle Époque, a world that is recognizable but also uniquely her own. Hel and Sam are a stunning pair, fighting monsters in the darkest catacombs, while at the same time fighting against a world that would make monsters of them. A delightfully wicked read.” –Jaleigh Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The Mark of the Dragonfly

“A magnificent book. Of gaslamps and murders, of Paris, of secrets and love, and of finding yourself and trust. I treasure this tale, I hope it’s the first of many, and until those many start appearing, I’ll reread this one. Often.” –Ed Greenwood, creator of The Forgotten Realms




"A riveting gaslamp fantasy that's equal parts bloody mystery and flat-out supernatural romp. Morris deftly weaves existing lore–from both the classic literature her characters are born of, and a...


Marketing Plan

  • Social campaign with over 5M direct reach plus paid promotions
  • National print, broadcast, and online media campaign including radio and podcast interviews
  • Extensive review copy mailings to booksellers, media, and influencers
  • Netgalley and Goodreads promotions
  • NYC launch event with broad influencer and media attendance 

Bindery partners with influential book tastemakers to identify and publish resonant stories. This book will receive continuous prepublication and post launch promotion by book tastemaker Kathryn Budig, whose highly engaged audience exceeds 440k followers and is the largest community on Bindery to date.

  • Social campaign with over 5M direct reach plus paid promotions
  • National print, broadcast, and online media campaign including radio and podcast interviews
  • Extensive review copy mailings to booksellers...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781959411642
PRICE $18.95 (USD)
PAGES 400

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)

Average rating from 408 members


Featured Reviews

Field Agent, Hel Moriarty (Helena), and Sam Harker (Samantha) Research Librarian. for the Royal Society of Abnormal Phenomena are sent to Paris to solve a series of murders that seem to be the work of a werewolf.

Paranormal mystery, very light same sex elements, strong feminist theme.

Was this review helpful?

I always enjoy a good monster story! I love all the different monsters and lore behind them, intertwined with the overarching mystery. I felt both the Sherlock Holmes and Dracula influences, and it does a good job of paying homage to them. The characters were compelling with lots of twists and turns. The dynamic between Sam and Hel was definitely a highlight and I enjoyed how their relationship slowly progressed. The author did a great job of making this monster-ridden, bloody Paris feel very real. All in all, a highly enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

This was a gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

Was this review helpful?

Okay I loved it. I'm such a sucker for anything Sherlock Holmes and Dracula. This was so well written and just adored the characters

Was this review helpful?

I rated this book 5 stars because I loved every single second of it. Such a unique story and fabulous characters. Everyone please read this asap.

Was this review helpful?

My kindle formatting was unfortunately broken. I wasn't able to read so leaving five stars. I saw a note about "EPUB available late May" so I will try downloading again later in the month.

Good luck to Inky Phoenix Press on your first launch!! Rooting for you :)

Was this review helpful?

Samantha 'Sam' Harker wants to get out of research and into the field, but to do so she must work with the dangerous Dr Helena Moriarty, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes' nemesis.

As they investigate a monster killing men in Paris ,both are keeping secrets....

Really interesting world building going on. We have the Holmes stuff, Dracula, and the monster hunters Sam and Hel work for. It's also written well in a modern style, thankfully. It is primarily a supernatural mystery novel, and if you were expecting a romance you'd be disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

I read this and sat a few days on it to gather my thoughts. I’ve decided that as a stand-alone book, it’s okay. However, as the beginning of a series, it’s great. I was left wanting to know more about the characters and their relationship. The mystery itself was relatively easy to follow, I just wish I saw more growth with the characters and with each other

Was this review helpful?

a fabulous historical fiction with gothic vibes and strong female leads! what's not to love! loved the paris setting and atmosphere.

Was this review helpful?

Its dark and moody, which we all love! I didn't think I would like this in all honesty. Im not into anything remotely real world or taking place in an actual "world" I dont like renditions and I dont like vampires. Usually. lol I loved this! I was thinking about this book when I was not reading, and Ive been stalking the author for more! Thank you for allowing me a chance to read this beauty before the mass of the world.

Was this review helpful?

I read this and and thought I must have hallucinated because it was exactly like a sapphic fanfictionish fantasy that I wished existed but obviously never would. The femme daughter of Mina Harker and the butch daughter of Professor Moriarty team up to solve a string of supernatural murders? They start to fall in love? It looks like the start of a Holmes-Watson style fantasy series?

And, most importantly...IT'S FUN!! A great old-fashioned murder mystery but with magical beasts and will-o'-wisps and feminine rage. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved Sam, wanted more of Hel's thoughts and feelings, and am ravenous for the sequel and more of the Moriarty crime family. The only reason I would dock a star is because I think this debut set up the sequel a little too much (like the scene with Hel's brother didn't go anywhere, just introduced him as an important character in the future), but whatever, it worked on me, I want a sequel now. I give the star back for enjoying myself so much.

Also just the image of the son of Van Helsing walking around in jingling cowboy boots and thinking he's the hottest thing in Europe was 10/10

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting little supernatural mystery. An urban fantasy whodunit set in 1900s Paris featuring descendents of the characters from Dracula and the tales of Sherlock Holmes.

The mystery hit a good balance between not being extremely obvious very early on and still giving the reader enough clues to piece it together before the protagonists might as the story goes on, if they were paying attention.

The mystery was inventive and the story made interesting use of folklore. 1900s Paris was both a atmospheric backdrop as well as a deeply important aspect of the story the book tells.

My only real issue is that the story felt a little too exposition heavy in the first part, with every interaction initially having several breaks to deliver exposition. This does get better as the plot gets moving and the book settles into a smooth pace.

Samantha and Helena were pretty enjoyable characters to follow and their burgeoning relationship is cute, though perhaps a little too subtle beyond the exposition. It'll be interesting to see where it goes.

Overall, Strange Beasts is an entertaining work of urban fantasy that borrows from some classics to deliver a intricate and well written mystery. If you enjoy Holmesian mysteries with a supernatural twist, I'd highly recommend picking this up.

Was this review helpful?

This one really shocked me how much I liked it, loved loved loved the Dracula & Sherlock influence!!

Great monster story and look forward to more from this author in the future.

Was this review helpful?

Strange Beasts is a fitting title for Susan J. Morris’s debut novel. It is indeed strange because I hadn't encountered anything like it before, and it is a beast of a story that gripped me from the first page by the throat and didn't let go until the end.

I won’t delve too much into the plot because this book is an experience everyone should have without any prior knowledge. But I must mention the atmosphere and the characters. The vibes of gothic Paris were masterfully done, so much so that the setting almost manifested itself on the pages as I was reading. This is perfectly complemented by Sam and Hel, an incredible duo who were fierce enough to be awe-inspiring, yet vulnerable enough to be relatable.

Susan J. Morris’s debut is a witty, intelligently written story that will both dazzle the reader and give them chills. It’s one of those stories that will reinvigorate your love for fiction by reminding you that there are still talented authors out there who can offer something new and unique.

Was this review helpful?

So this book very much struct me as a fantastic beasts and Sherlock Holmes smashed together.

There's plenty blood and gore!

I wouldn't say this has a title of a vampire book as there's very little actual vampire action which I was sad about as it seemed promised.

In a sentence this book is a who dunnit with beasts and a slow burn love story!

4*

Was this review helpful?

I wouldn't say that historical fiction is an apt genre for this book, but it was still a fantastic read! Initially, I thought the mixing of literary characters and figures from different time periods would be too much of a melting pot, but it ended up being just the right amount of crossing over, along with new material. The characters are relatable and the plot has great twists and turns that kept me guessing. It is, at the end of the day, a kind of "whodunnit" piece, but definitely stands out thanks to the unique premise and masterful writing. I'm really hoping there is a sequel!

Was this review helpful?

I loved loved loved this one. A mystery in the spirit of Sherlock Holmes with Dracula energy? Yes, please. The character development and slow burn romance were perfect. I want more Sam and Hel! Will be recommending to my friends., for sure.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely loved this! Who doesn't love a 1900s romantic whodunit with mystical creatures and Sherlock Holmes vibes? This book had everything. It was well written, and the storyline was beautiful as well as disturbing (up my alley, for sure).

Sam and Hels, two affiliates of the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomenon in London, are dispatched to Paris to solve a string of brutal murders. All of the victims are wealthy men yet no valuables have been taken. It is apparent that the culprit is not human, but what is it? Sam and Hels are both no stranger to mysterious phenomenon. Sam is hiding secrets of her own. Hels has a bad reputation - all of her previous partners have died in the field. Who or what is killing these men and why?

Sam and Hels were the perfect sleuthing duo. I enjoyed the slow burn romance throughout the book but the mystery of solving brutal murders was my favorite part.

Thank you to netgalley and Bindery books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

League of extraordinary gentlemen meets Sherlock and homes.
I enjoyed it - would have preferred a touch more spice. Could perhaps be cut down a smidge.

Was this review helpful?

A nice paranormal mystery driven by the daughter of Mina Harker and the daughter of Moriarty !
Sam, a quiet girl, is used to work at the library and is not a field agent, and Hel is a badass heroin with a nefarious reputation. Both have secrets and are searching for more than the Beast who kills people in Paris. And yes, they will go to France to investigate and find the monster.
As a French girl, I really enjoyed the historical accuracy of the story and the french dialogues, always perfect - which is so rare ! (I must admit, I even learnt few things).
The slow burn romance was sweet and I'm really impatient to meet again Hel and Sam in book 2 !

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Already desperate for a sequel. This book is very action-packed and you are thrown straight into it. I loved the characters and their relationships, loved how the author merged the fictional universes of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes and still added so much, loved the Belle Epoque Paris setting... I loved pretty much every single thing about this book. The fact that this is a debut is insane to me. It was so well crafted, extremely engaging, the pacing was perfect and the author nailed the slow-burn romance. The only reason why I'm not rating it 5 stars is because I found the ending predictable and knew the character was guilty (and the method they used) as soon as they were introduced.
4.75 stars

Was this review helpful?

This was EVERYTHING.

I’ve never been one for mysteries as I tend to find them too predictable and makes the overall experience… boring. Here, I completely forgot that there was something I should even be looking for! The atmosphere, the characters, the book as a whole creates it’s own pace and secrets where I found myself not wanting to solve the mistery myself but rather watch Sam and Dr. Moriarty do it.

The underlying topics like class struggle and misoginy made it all feel more real and round even tho we are talking about monsters.

I can’t wait to have it on my shelves (and make my friends buy it) when it comes out!

Was this review helpful?

Dracula meets Sherlock Holmes meets fierce, independent women, meets a gothic Parisian atmosphere in the early 1900s, meets Fantastic Beasts, meets murder mystery... AND it's sapphic? Yes. Sign me up. Take my money. Put my name on the roster.

I thoroughly enjoyed Strange Beasts!

The world building, though minimal, was easy to understand. This is a world where monsters and/or paranormal beings exist and are known.

I loved watching Sam and Hel's relationship blossom. To me it felt authentic, and I am very much looking forward to seeing it develop further in a sequel.

I very much want to give this five stars, however I have a small gripe: throughout the book, there is French dialogue without translation and as I don't speak French, this was mildly irritating! My choices were either Google translate it as I went or just push through and assume it wasn't super important. I went with the latter most of the time, and while I don't feel I missed a whole lot, I would have liked to know what they were saying.

This was well written, well researched, and well plotted. Highly recommend. 4.5 stars.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to The Bindery team and to NetGalley for this ARC! This review contains spoilers.

FINALLY a good horror/mystery/crime book! With a good narrator! Interesting characters! And where it wasn't clear who was the villain from the start!
I really liked this book and read it in three days. The setting of Paris, the catacombs, everything weaved together was so satisfying to read. Needless to say, I need book two. I am begging. I want to know what Hel and Sam will get up to in Ireland. Will they meet Hel's family? Will they kiss again? I have to say, I didn't give the book 5 stars because to me the romance between Hel and Sam felt like it wasn't fleshed out the way it should have been. What I mean with that is that from the comments Hel makes (e.g. when she says something along the lines of Cyprien won't be able to resist her in that dress, she looks good etc.) one can clearly see that she likes her. Sam on the other hand never really mentions being attracted to her. That felt a bit off to me. I would have liked for Sam to give little indications (before the kiss) that she was indeed also interested in Hel, romantically. But ah, nevertheless, I enjoyed this story so much!

Was this review helpful?