Strange Beasts
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Product Details
Publisher: Bindery Books
Release Date: October 15, 2024
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook
ISBN: HC: 978-1-959411-91-8; PB: 978-1-959411-64-2; EB: 978-1-959411-65-9
Trim: 5.5 x 8.25
Page Count: 384
Susan J. Morris
“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?
About the Author
Susan J. Morris is a fantasy author and editor best known for a writing-advice column featured on Amazon’s Omnivoracious blog (which TIME magazine online once called “clever,” and which she hence forth has never let anyone forget), and her work editing Forgotten Realms novels. Susan delights in running workshops for Clarion West and in moderating panels for writing symposiums. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her partner; her cats, Adora and Kitava; and entirely too many plants. Strange Beasts is her debut novel.
Visit the author’s website at susanjmorris.com
About the Tastemaker
Kathryn Budig is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher, author, and founder of the online community Haus of Phoenix and the Inky Phoenix book club, with over a 400,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook. She’s known for curating magical realism, historical fiction, and dark fantasy books with a focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC themes and authors. In 2023, she founded Inky Phoenix Press in partnership with Bindery Books, where she has a thriving membership community. Budig is the cohost of the Webby Award–nominated podcast Free Cookies, was the yoga editor at Women’s Health magazine for five years, and is the author of The Women’s Health Big Book of Yoga and the bestselling wellness guide Aim True. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her wife, Kate Fagan, and their dog, Ragnar.
Join The Inky Phoenix community at inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com and follow the tastemaker on Instagram @kathrynbudig
Reviews
“While the novel’s world is based on well-known Dracula lore, Morris delivers a fresh, unique tale that will delight mystery, fantasy, and horror readers alike. Give it to fans of C. L. Polk, Alix E. Harrow, and T. Kingfisher.” —Library Journal
“Strange Beasts is filled with the sensual, lush prose that is the mark of a dynamic writer—but with mystery, murder, and monsters on top. Such an absolute joy to read. Highly recommended.” —TJ Klune, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea
“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
“Strange Beasts offers us fantastic and fresh new stories about old monsters and legends. Morris displays exceptional skill with her prose and storytelling as she leads readers through the dark and atmospheric underbelly of gothic Victorian Paris. Sam and Hel are a great team up and will make you want to know what happens next well after you reach the last page. It’s going to be a terrible crime to have to wait for the sequel!” —Wesley Chu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the War Arts Saga series
“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 theaters and chilling catacombs of turn-of-the-century Paris.” —Frances White, Sunday Times bestselling author of Voyage of the Damned
“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 J. Morris has used our own nightmarish archetypes to trap us in her tale.” —Troy Denning, New York Times bestselling author of more than forty science fiction and fantasy novels
“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 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, New York Times bestselling author of The Mark of the Dragonfly
“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
“Deftly blending literary homage, gothic mystery, and supernatural adventure, Strange Beasts takes readers on a thrilling journey through the dark underbelly of belle epoque Paris. Inventive, engaging, and terrific fun.” —H. G. Parry, author of The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door and the Shadow Histories duology
“Author Susan J. Morris checks all the boxes in the wonderful Strange Beasts. Engaging characters, true suspense, well-played horror, great storyline—but where she really shines above is in her ability to paint such a vivid picture. Morris puts you right there in England around the turn of the twentieth century, with enough familiarity to the sister horror novels written in and about that same time frame. You recognize the names, you see the terrain unfold before you, you know enough of the horrors, and so you are carried along on this adventure as if you, too, have much to lose. Now that’s a thriller!” —R.A. Salvatore, New York Times bestselling author of the DemonWars and the Legend of Drizzt series