Strange Beasts

By: Susan J. Morris

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

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?

©2024 Susan J. Morris (P)2024 Podium Audio

Critic reviews

“A magnificent book . . . of gas lamps 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 gas-lamp 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 taxonomy handbook’s worth of supernatural creatures—into a vivid feminist tale where the pages fly. A delightful debut bursting with affection for its magical world.”—Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

"In Strange Beasts, Susan J. Morris gives readers a subtle alchemy of beauty, poetry, suspense, and horror, nestled perfectly in Paris during the belle epoque . . . 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, The New York Times bestselling author of The Mark of the Dragonfly