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Strange Beasts
Strange Beasts: A Thrilling Gaslamp Fantasy Full of Stabby Heroines, Slow-burn Romance and Mortal Peril | Susan J. Morris
2 posts | 2 read | 5 to read
'A whip-smart, lusciously atmospheric adventure' Frances White 'Fantastic and fresh' Wesley Chu 'Inventive, engaging, and terrific fun' H.G. Parry In Belle Epoque Paris, a monster is murdering powerful men. Stopping it may be a woman's job. When the Gendarmes ask the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena for help, they don't expect them to send Samantha Harker. She's a researcher, more used to papercuts than knife fights. Sam is also the daughter of Dracula's killer and can see into the minds of monsters. It's a perilous power, one that could help her crack this case ? or have her thrown into an asylum. Dr Helena Moriarty is Sam's reluctant partner, the Society's finest agent who has forged a formidable path in her notorious father's shadow. Professor Moriarty is in hiding, but he still makes his presence known: Hel's partners have a way of dying in mysterious circumstances. From Paris' glittering opera house to its darkest catacombs, the investigation pits Sam and Hel against magic, monsters, and men. And beneath their tenuous partnership, something else is growing . . . But is trusting Hel the key to solving the murders? Or is Sam just another pawn in a Moriarty game? With characters drawn from the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes, Strange Beasts is a twisty puzzle box of a historical fantasy ? perfect for fans of Freya Marske, C.M. Waggoner, and Gail Carriger.
LibraryThing
review
julesG
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Mehso-so

Set mainly in Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century, this alternate history murder mystery fantasy novel packs a lot into it's nearly 400 pages.

Working for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena Samantha Harker (yes, the daughter of Dracula's killer) and Dr Helena Moriarty (yes, her father is the Moriarty) are teamed up to solve why werewolf-like beasts attack men in Paris, France. ⬇️

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

julesG Shadowed by Van Helsing (the younger, a childhood friend of Sam's) the two soon find a promising lead that involves chasing through the Paris catacombs, placating ghosts and not getting murdered, or incarcerated themselves.

I would love to give this debut novel more than 3 stars, but there were a few too many things that I struggled with. While the main characters are fleshed out with warts and all, most of the secondary characters ⬇️
1mo
julesG lacked depth, which made it easy to determine which characters mattered for the murder mystery and which didn't; so, not enough red herrings. I was fairly certain I knew who was behind the murders early on, which might be the reason why I thought the plot was a bit convoluted.

All in all, a good start to a new series. I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment.
1mo
62 likes2 comments
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rachelsbrittain
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I think I've got an appropriately spooky tbr picked out for October #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3mo
24 likes1 comment