Detective Abby is back, y'all, and this book reminds me why I love fantasy murder mysteries.

Strange Beasts is a historical fantasy mystery novel with one of the most unexpected crossovers I've ever seen in a book: Dracula and Sherlock Holmes. I haven't read either original piece, so I might have missed some easter eggs, but I think I knew enough about them in general to understand the backstories of the characters. I really liked the gothic vibes, and even though I'm typically not a fantasy of monster-hunting tropes, I actually enjoyed it in this book. Also, I've said it so many times recently but you have to forgive my current game obsession...this gave Betrayal at the House on the Hill vibes.
The story follows Sam (the daughter of the woman who killed Dracula) and Hel (Moriarty's daughter) as they navigate the streets of Paris on the hunt for a murderous beast. The pacing was well done, and the book kept my interest the whole time. The story is peppered with plot twists, and although I called most of them (including the main killer), I only called the twists a few chapters before they happened. The ending was satisfying, and it leaves the potential for a sequel, which I would definitely be interested in.
The cast of characters was quite interesting. I really liked Sam and how her visions of monsters helped with the mystery. I also liked the development of Sam and Hel's relationship dynamics. Hel reminded me a lot of Alice Quicke from the Talents trilogy, and I really liked her air of mystery and how it related to the case. I can't say much about side characters to avoid spoilers, but I didn't hate Cyprien, and I found most of the other side characters to be rather intriguing.
If you're in the mood for a gothic historical fantasy and murder mystery for the upcoming spooky season, be sure to check out Strange Beasts.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

4/5