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In this delightfully witty fantasy adventure, Dr. Greta Helsing, doctor to the undead, must defend London from both supernatural ailments and a bloodthirsty cult. Greta Helsing inherited her family's highly specialized and highly peculiar medical practice. In her consulting rooms, Dr. Helsing treats the undead for a host of ills - vocal strain in banshees, arthritis in barrow-wights, and entropy in mummies. Although she barely makes ends meet, this is just the quiet, supernatural-adjacent show more life Greta's been groomed for since childhood. Until a sect of murderous monks emerges, killing human and undead Londoners alike. As terror takes hold of the city, Greta must use her unusual skills to stop the cult if she hopes to save her practice, and her life. Strange Practice is the first novel in Shaw's debut series, the Dr. Greta Helsing Novels - perfect for fans of Neverwhere and V. E. Schwab. Dr. Greta Helsing Novels Strange Practice Dreadful Company show lessTags
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andreas.wpv Different type of protagonist and friends, but dealing with the un- or supernatural, solving crimes and preventing disasters.
This is very similar though in style and tone, mood of the story. It is tense, yes, but holds no horror or exceeding brutality. The protagonist is human, and like a human, and the story has an undercurrent of kindness that many novels miss. And it is funny at times, from gentle humor to laugh out loud.
51
Member Reviews
This is exactly my kind of thing! I love when fantasy fiction thinks through what the day-to-day implications of magic and supernatural creatures would be in the modern world. And I think doctors are compelling heroes, but most stories relegate them to supporting characters and/or gloss over what they actually do all day. Dr. Greta Helsing is the protagonist I didn't know I've always wanted. And this book has a cheerfully twisty plot and a great bunch of characters. I can't wait til the sequel comes out in July!
(Originally reviewed at thelibraryladies.com.)
First off, thanks to Orbit for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a review! I read the description for it, and was pretty much like “Yep, gotta read that!” As a lover of urban fantasy, it’s been a distressing few years recently. Many of my favorite series (“Mercy Thompson” and “Kate Daniels”) are beginning to show their age and are likely (perhaps hopefully) going to wrap up soon. Beyond these, many of my other forays into the genre have yielded middling returns. Either these books stray too closely to tropes already well-established in staple series in the genre to trigger any sense of originality and interest, or…they’re just kind of bland? Not so with show more “Strange Practice!” Shaw has expertly introduced a new leading lady with a unique perspective on her urban fantasy world and lifestyle, and I was digging it the entire way.
Greta Helsing is a doctor for the strange and unusual, the monstrous and the arcane. It is a family practice after her family decided to turn away from the hunting business and re-focus in on the helping side of things. Right here we have such a unique take on urban fantasy that I was immediately completely sold on. Not only is Greta a great character on her own, but her perspective as a doctor presented readers with an entirely new lens through which to view the supernatural world. How do mummies get by with their rotting bodies? What about sunburns for vampires? Do any of these creatures suffer from mental illnesses? Cuz living forever could have some major psychological implications. Not only was there a plethora of creativity in this area, but Greta remained true to this focus throughout the story, even when the evil monks showed up and the action really got started.
A big frustration of mine with urban fantasy is when the heroes or heroines sillyly jump beyond their own abilities, somehow thinking (and for plot convenience, accurately thinking) that they can play on the same field as magical beings who have million times the magical power as they. Suddenly the author is forced to create loop hole after loop hole to keep their protagonist up and moving instead of simply being hand-swiped away in the first minute. With this in mind, it was refreshing that Greta’s entire perspective on her situation was always rooted firmly in her position as a doctor. Even more so, in that she realizes the unique service she provides to her clients and understands the importance of staying safe, not only for her own sake, but for those who would suffer without access to medical care. As I said, refreshing, and when she does end up in the action (cuz of course, she must), she plays a believable, yet important, role. See?! It is possible to keep your heroine grounded while also staying true to the action of your story!!
Beyond Greta, I was surprised to discover that we had several other point of view characters as well. I always wish there was some way for these book descriptions to hint at this possibility, as it always feels like a bit of a side-swipe to be set up as if the book is from one protagonist’s point of view, and then end up with a handful of others. But alas. With this story, it is of no matter since I thoroughly enjoyed the perspectives these other creatures brought. We had a vampire and a vampyre (the distinction having to do with the type of blood they require), a demon, and even a few chapters from the viewpoint of the nefarious schemers. There was quite a lot of unique world-building and monster “history” that was brought in with all of these characters, and the many other supernatural beings who made appearances.
I particularly liked the tone of the story. Dark, witty, and full of literary allusions that were great fun to spot. There as a nice balance struck between the horror aspects and the vampire-friendship-fluff. On one page there would be murder and mayhem, and on the next, a vampire shopping spree! And never once does the story get swept away by its own concept. It would have been all too easy for the humor of the story to have veered into the silly, but Shaw walks the perfect line. Lastly, the setting of London for this story gave it an extra dash of depth, as, like the city itself, the timeless aspects of these creatures that are steeped in history and meaning must now adapt to exist alongside the speed and change of the modern world.
If you enjoy urban fantasy, and are hankering for a new series to follow, I can’t recommend enough that you check out “Strange Practice!” show less
First off, thanks to Orbit for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a review! I read the description for it, and was pretty much like “Yep, gotta read that!” As a lover of urban fantasy, it’s been a distressing few years recently. Many of my favorite series (“Mercy Thompson” and “Kate Daniels”) are beginning to show their age and are likely (perhaps hopefully) going to wrap up soon. Beyond these, many of my other forays into the genre have yielded middling returns. Either these books stray too closely to tropes already well-established in staple series in the genre to trigger any sense of originality and interest, or…they’re just kind of bland? Not so with show more “Strange Practice!” Shaw has expertly introduced a new leading lady with a unique perspective on her urban fantasy world and lifestyle, and I was digging it the entire way.
Greta Helsing is a doctor for the strange and unusual, the monstrous and the arcane. It is a family practice after her family decided to turn away from the hunting business and re-focus in on the helping side of things. Right here we have such a unique take on urban fantasy that I was immediately completely sold on. Not only is Greta a great character on her own, but her perspective as a doctor presented readers with an entirely new lens through which to view the supernatural world. How do mummies get by with their rotting bodies? What about sunburns for vampires? Do any of these creatures suffer from mental illnesses? Cuz living forever could have some major psychological implications. Not only was there a plethora of creativity in this area, but Greta remained true to this focus throughout the story, even when the evil monks showed up and the action really got started.
A big frustration of mine with urban fantasy is when the heroes or heroines sillyly jump beyond their own abilities, somehow thinking (and for plot convenience, accurately thinking) that they can play on the same field as magical beings who have million times the magical power as they. Suddenly the author is forced to create loop hole after loop hole to keep their protagonist up and moving instead of simply being hand-swiped away in the first minute. With this in mind, it was refreshing that Greta’s entire perspective on her situation was always rooted firmly in her position as a doctor. Even more so, in that she realizes the unique service she provides to her clients and understands the importance of staying safe, not only for her own sake, but for those who would suffer without access to medical care. As I said, refreshing, and when she does end up in the action (cuz of course, she must), she plays a believable, yet important, role. See?! It is possible to keep your heroine grounded while also staying true to the action of your story!!
Beyond Greta, I was surprised to discover that we had several other point of view characters as well. I always wish there was some way for these book descriptions to hint at this possibility, as it always feels like a bit of a side-swipe to be set up as if the book is from one protagonist’s point of view, and then end up with a handful of others. But alas. With this story, it is of no matter since I thoroughly enjoyed the perspectives these other creatures brought. We had a vampire and a vampyre (the distinction having to do with the type of blood they require), a demon, and even a few chapters from the viewpoint of the nefarious schemers. There was quite a lot of unique world-building and monster “history” that was brought in with all of these characters, and the many other supernatural beings who made appearances.
I particularly liked the tone of the story. Dark, witty, and full of literary allusions that were great fun to spot. There as a nice balance struck between the horror aspects and the vampire-friendship-fluff. On one page there would be murder and mayhem, and on the next, a vampire shopping spree! And never once does the story get swept away by its own concept. It would have been all too easy for the humor of the story to have veered into the silly, but Shaw walks the perfect line. Lastly, the setting of London for this story gave it an extra dash of depth, as, like the city itself, the timeless aspects of these creatures that are steeped in history and meaning must now adapt to exist alongside the speed and change of the modern world.
If you enjoy urban fantasy, and are hankering for a new series to follow, I can’t recommend enough that you check out “Strange Practice!” show less
I bought this one on a whim as my free book from my monthly Audible subscription and am so happy I was impulsive with my credit! This book was phenomenal.
Greta Helsing is a doctor to the supernatural. If you are a vampire, werewolf, ghoul, demon, or the like in the London area, you go to Dr. Helsing for care. When a serial killer begins picking off humans and supernatural alike, Greta is sucked into the mystery, being the one who is called upon to patch up an attack on the friend of a friend, who is coincidentally a vampire. A secret sect of terrorizing London, and they don't appreciate Greta's meddling with their attempted slayings. Can Greta and her band of misfits get to the bottom of the murders before the killers silence them for show more good?
Granted, I am a fan of all things supernatural but this was a fantastic read. Everything from the deary setting of London to the eccentric and likable characters ( I don't think I have ever wanted to hold and cuddle a ghoulette more in my life) was enough to draw me in and get me hooked. In addition to the action packed plot line, the authors writing style was captivating, almost lyrical. Although the story could be a stand alone novel, I was excited to learn that this is one in a projected series, following Greta and her unique medical practice across various other mysteries and unfortunate supernatural events within London. If you are a fan of the supernatural, and a good ol fashioned mystery, I cannot recommend this one enough! show less
Greta Helsing is a doctor to the supernatural. If you are a vampire, werewolf, ghoul, demon, or the like in the London area, you go to Dr. Helsing for care. When a serial killer begins picking off humans and supernatural alike, Greta is sucked into the mystery, being the one who is called upon to patch up an attack on the friend of a friend, who is coincidentally a vampire. A secret sect of terrorizing London, and they don't appreciate Greta's meddling with their attempted slayings. Can Greta and her band of misfits get to the bottom of the murders before the killers silence them for show more good?
Granted, I am a fan of all things supernatural but this was a fantastic read. Everything from the deary setting of London to the eccentric and likable characters ( I don't think I have ever wanted to hold and cuddle a ghoulette more in my life) was enough to draw me in and get me hooked. In addition to the action packed plot line, the authors writing style was captivating, almost lyrical. Although the story could be a stand alone novel, I was excited to learn that this is one in a projected series, following Greta and her unique medical practice across various other mysteries and unfortunate supernatural events within London. If you are a fan of the supernatural, and a good ol fashioned mystery, I cannot recommend this one enough! show less
I will admit that I haven't read all the books referred to in this one. It managed to be complete without it and neither tried to be over-clever about how much the author had read or talk down to me.
Dr Greta Helsing (they dropped the Von a few generations ago for political reasons) works as a medic for the supernatural creatures that occupy London beside the ordinary people. There are spells on her Harley Street rooms to keep prying eyes from seeing too much, but she's happy. Her work makes her happy, not so much cash but a lot of satisfaction. Then one day Ruthven (a vampire) calls her to tend to Varney the Vampire, who has been stabbed by a dagger and isn't healing properly. This leads her into a strange situation where a murderous show more bunch of monks are killing supernatural and ordinary mortal without any qualm. Messily. Mortal and immortal have to join forces to defeat an unusual enemy and they find that they work well together.
It was a fun read. Greta is so matter-of-fact about it all, she grew up with these people around her and she knows that she has value to them. She is also clever and wants to solve what's going on for her patient's sake and to keep peace. I really had a blast reading it. show less
Dr Greta Helsing (they dropped the Von a few generations ago for political reasons) works as a medic for the supernatural creatures that occupy London beside the ordinary people. There are spells on her Harley Street rooms to keep prying eyes from seeing too much, but she's happy. Her work makes her happy, not so much cash but a lot of satisfaction. Then one day Ruthven (a vampire) calls her to tend to Varney the Vampire, who has been stabbed by a dagger and isn't healing properly. This leads her into a strange situation where a murderous show more bunch of monks are killing supernatural and ordinary mortal without any qualm. Messily. Mortal and immortal have to join forces to defeat an unusual enemy and they find that they work well together.
It was a fun read. Greta is so matter-of-fact about it all, she grew up with these people around her and she knows that she has value to them. She is also clever and wants to solve what's going on for her patient's sake and to keep peace. I really had a blast reading it. show less
A few days ago in another review I described a certain type of British voice—sly, irreverent, prone to send-ups and slight non-sequiturs. Strange Practice is the sort of book that nails it absolutely perfect. Add in the reimagined Gothic characters, the urban fantasy world, and the twists on the standard fantasy-mystery plot, and this was a joy to read.
First of all, the characters. Greta’s no nonsense and gets things done, without becoming an Avenging Warrior. She’s a doctor, first and foremost, and knows her limits. I liked her compassion and her heart, and how much her actions were informed by her job. And the supporting cast? Lord Ruthven, the cheerful and domestic vampire. Lord Varney, who’s shy and kind and prone to show more depression. Fass, the ex-demon accountant who fills the role of “kindly uncle”. Not to mention the museum curator, the family of ghouls, the rusalka nurse… I want to keep them all, but especially Ruthven. Ruthven’s just great.
The mystery follows from the voice—a little odd, a little zany, some nice repurposing and remixing of both history and Gothic fiction tropes. It’s balanced very nicely between “here’s an utterly weird thing” and “okay, that’s actually kind of unnerving” and it’s told in multiple points of view, which both fleshes out the world and keeps the tension going. (Also, the undead POVs are, predictably, pretty amusing.)
I went into this expecting it to be all right, entertaining enough for a few days, and instead, I might have found a new series and author to follow. Exceeded expectations all ‘round! I was reminded most strongly of Genevieve Cogman and Gail Carriger, if you’re looking for read-alikes, and fans of the Rivers of London books and Good Omens will likely also enjoy this one.
Warnings: Murderous cult. Mind control. Mention of violence against sex workers. Possibly strained cheek muscles from grinning. If you’re squicked by attraction across vast age differences, there’s a bit of that.
8.5/10 show less
First of all, the characters. Greta’s no nonsense and gets things done, without becoming an Avenging Warrior. She’s a doctor, first and foremost, and knows her limits. I liked her compassion and her heart, and how much her actions were informed by her job. And the supporting cast? Lord Ruthven, the cheerful and domestic vampire. Lord Varney, who’s shy and kind and prone to show more depression. Fass, the ex-demon accountant who fills the role of “kindly uncle”. Not to mention the museum curator, the family of ghouls, the rusalka nurse… I want to keep them all, but especially Ruthven. Ruthven’s just great.
The mystery follows from the voice—a little odd, a little zany, some nice repurposing and remixing of both history and Gothic fiction tropes. It’s balanced very nicely between “here’s an utterly weird thing” and “okay, that’s actually kind of unnerving” and it’s told in multiple points of view, which both fleshes out the world and keeps the tension going. (Also, the undead POVs are, predictably, pretty amusing.)
I went into this expecting it to be all right, entertaining enough for a few days, and instead, I might have found a new series and author to follow. Exceeded expectations all ‘round! I was reminded most strongly of Genevieve Cogman and Gail Carriger, if you’re looking for read-alikes, and fans of the Rivers of London books and Good Omens will likely also enjoy this one.
Warnings: Murderous cult. Mind control. Mention of violence against sex workers. Possibly strained cheek muscles from grinning. If you’re squicked by attraction across vast age differences, there’s a bit of that.
8.5/10 show less
Quirky and interesting!
Dr Greta Helsing is a monster doctor, she serves London’s undead and otherwise non-human population. Vampires, ghouls, and demons, oh my. And when some rampaging monks start killing off humans and monsters alike, Greta is on the case!
This fun little mystery revolves around Greta and her ensemble of monster friends. What I really liked was that Greta was not a kick-ass, take no prisoners, all-powerful, all-magical heroine. No, she was a doctor. When there was a medical emergency, she kicked ass because that is what she was supposed to do. When there was a monster emergency, she was human and did her best within the limitations being human imposes. I loved the cast of characters around Greta, the relationships she show more built with both humans and monsters, and the very vivid London scenery that Shaw built in the narrative. I had a lot of fun reading this book and am looking forward to the next one in the series. show less
Dr Greta Helsing is a monster doctor, she serves London’s undead and otherwise non-human population. Vampires, ghouls, and demons, oh my. And when some rampaging monks start killing off humans and monsters alike, Greta is on the case!
This fun little mystery revolves around Greta and her ensemble of monster friends. What I really liked was that Greta was not a kick-ass, take no prisoners, all-powerful, all-magical heroine. No, she was a doctor. When there was a medical emergency, she kicked ass because that is what she was supposed to do. When there was a monster emergency, she was human and did her best within the limitations being human imposes. I loved the cast of characters around Greta, the relationships she show more built with both humans and monsters, and the very vivid London scenery that Shaw built in the narrative. I had a lot of fun reading this book and am looking forward to the next one in the series. show less
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader. If you like this post, you might like others on that site. Consider checking it out!
---
"But,” Cranswell had said, “what about the killing people thing? In all the books and movies?”
“Well, really,” Ruthven had told him, looking rather tired, "don't you think it’d sort of attract public attention, all these random individuals dropping dead of sudden blood loss? Any vampire who kills when he or she feeds is a vampire with some rather significant impulse-control problems, plus I’m not even sure it would be comfortably possible to down that many pints of the stuff in one go. Even if you don’t have access to blood from a bank, it’s much easier and wiser to take a small show more amount from several individuals than drain one person to the point of death, and far less likely to get you noticed by people with the pitchfork-and-torch mentality.”
Cranswell had blinked at him. “That...actually kind of makes sense.”
"Exactly, which is why nobody suspects it."
WHAT'S STRANGE PRACTICE ABOUT?
Greta Helsing is a doctor with a very particular specialty. Yes, she's one of those Helsings--somewhere along the line they dropped the "Van." Like her father before her, Greta treats the supernatural denizens of London from all sorts of ills--colds, chest congestion, infants with ear infections, drinking poisoned blood, keeping mummies' bodies together, stuff like that. Routine--but strange, too.
Then a serial killer starts terrorizing the city, eventually attacking a vampyre--viciously. And it wasn't just one, but it was a group dressed in monks' robes. Greta has to work hard to keep him "undead." The nature of the attack and the injuries make it clear to Greta and a vampire* that her patient sought help from that this was a deliberate strike at a supernatural being. And an organized group with weapons targeting her patients? Greta has to look into that--and maybe see if she can do something about that.
* Yes, there are apparently differences between the sanguivores spelled with an "i" and with a "y." Also, I love the term sanguivore.
TONE Having determined that this is something I want to talk about, I realize that I’m having a hard time explaining it. But here’s what I can come up with.
The voice here isn’t typical of UF—it’s not cozy by any means, but it’s warm. It’s snark-free, but not overly serious. The characters largely treat each other like old friends—functionally family—and that atmosphere permeates the novel.
You could almost make the case for this being cozy—but what the villains of the piece do break every rule of cozy—whether we’re talking cozy fantasy or cozy murder mystery. This coziness doesn’t carry over to the acts of violence perpetrated by the monks, nothing is softened here—but the humanity of the response (whether it be a human, vampire/vampyre, or other doing the responding) comes through.
The subtle use of a Monty Python bit took me by surprise and made me chuckle audibly. Several things in the book struck me similarly (but not that audibly).
READING LIST
Something one of the sanguivores says made me curious, so I went to Duck Duck Go, and yup…they were a literary character. As was nearly every named character in the book*—or, like Greta, a descendant of one.
I rather enjoyed this—and were I someone at all interested in Victorian horror, this book would provide a nice little reading list. Now, I am curious to compare Shaw’s depictions of these characters with the originals—but I’m not that curious (yet?). But I can think of a few friends who would be, I’m hoping they do after I get them to read this one so they can save me the time/effort.
* I really should’ve looked up the others—I guess I’ll have to do that while reading Book 2, Dreadful Company.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT STRANGE PRACTICE?
“You are not human,” she said at last, “but you are people. All of you. The ghouls, the mummies, the sanguivores, the weres, the banshees, the wights, the bogeys, everyone who comes to me for help, everyone who trusts me to provide it. You are all people, and you all deserve medical care, no matter what you do or have done, and you deserve to be able to seek and receive that care without putting yourselves in jeopardy. What I do is necessary, and while it isn’t in the slightest bit easy, it is also the thing I want to do more than anything else in the world.”
I was a little taken aback initially—somewhere between being hand-sold this book (14 months ago) and starting it, I’d gotten the idea that it took place in the late 1800s. When I opened it and was confronted with a very 21st Century setting on the first page, that both threw me (and relieved me, I wasn’t that sure I was up for that setting, really). I was a little disoriented for the first chapter or so, but Shaw got me settled quickly and engaged me in the tale a lot quicker than I anticipated.
That engagement didn’t falter—it only grew. I devoured the book and was very happy about it throughout—okay, I wasn’t at all happy about what happened to a couple of characters, places, etc. at the end. But by that time it was too late, I’d already added Book 2 to my “To Buy” list and was invested in the outcome of Strange Practice, and more invested in a character or two than I'd expect for only having spent less than one novel with them.. The plot is pretty straightforward, but we’re given a couple of good twists to keep the reader on their toes—and one inevitable move proved very not-inevitable.
This is a great world that Shaw has given us, populated with the kind of characters you want to see. The fact that our protagonist—and her allies—are focused on healing, improving, the safety and well-being of everyone they come across* gives this book (and will give future books) a different feel than your typical PI/fighter/instrument of justice Urban Fantasy alone. It’s a nice change, and I look forward to seeing where the series goes.
If you’re looking for a fun and atypical Urban Fantasy with a nice classic horror twist, you’re going to want to give this a shot. You’ll be glad you did.
* If you assume that a vampire/vampyre can feed off a human without impinging on their well-being. show less
---
"But,” Cranswell had said, “what about the killing people thing? In all the books and movies?”
“Well, really,” Ruthven had told him, looking rather tired, "don't you think it’d sort of attract public attention, all these random individuals dropping dead of sudden blood loss? Any vampire who kills when he or she feeds is a vampire with some rather significant impulse-control problems, plus I’m not even sure it would be comfortably possible to down that many pints of the stuff in one go. Even if you don’t have access to blood from a bank, it’s much easier and wiser to take a small show more amount from several individuals than drain one person to the point of death, and far less likely to get you noticed by people with the pitchfork-and-torch mentality.”
Cranswell had blinked at him. “That...actually kind of makes sense.”
"Exactly, which is why nobody suspects it."
WHAT'S STRANGE PRACTICE ABOUT?
Greta Helsing is a doctor with a very particular specialty. Yes, she's one of those Helsings--somewhere along the line they dropped the "Van." Like her father before her, Greta treats the supernatural denizens of London from all sorts of ills--colds, chest congestion, infants with ear infections, drinking poisoned blood, keeping mummies' bodies together, stuff like that. Routine--but strange, too.
Then a serial killer starts terrorizing the city, eventually attacking a vampyre--viciously. And it wasn't just one, but it was a group dressed in monks' robes. Greta has to work hard to keep him "undead." The nature of the attack and the injuries make it clear to Greta and a vampire* that her patient sought help from that this was a deliberate strike at a supernatural being. And an organized group with weapons targeting her patients? Greta has to look into that--and maybe see if she can do something about that.
* Yes, there are apparently differences between the sanguivores spelled with an "i" and with a "y." Also, I love the term sanguivore.
TONE Having determined that this is something I want to talk about, I realize that I’m having a hard time explaining it. But here’s what I can come up with.
The voice here isn’t typical of UF—it’s not cozy by any means, but it’s warm. It’s snark-free, but not overly serious. The characters largely treat each other like old friends—functionally family—and that atmosphere permeates the novel.
You could almost make the case for this being cozy—but what the villains of the piece do break every rule of cozy—whether we’re talking cozy fantasy or cozy murder mystery. This coziness doesn’t carry over to the acts of violence perpetrated by the monks, nothing is softened here—but the humanity of the response (whether it be a human, vampire/vampyre, or other doing the responding) comes through.
The subtle use of a Monty Python bit took me by surprise and made me chuckle audibly. Several things in the book struck me similarly (but not that audibly).
READING LIST
Something one of the sanguivores says made me curious, so I went to Duck Duck Go, and yup…they were a literary character. As was nearly every named character in the book*—or, like Greta, a descendant of one.
I rather enjoyed this—and were I someone at all interested in Victorian horror, this book would provide a nice little reading list. Now, I am curious to compare Shaw’s depictions of these characters with the originals—but I’m not that curious (yet?). But I can think of a few friends who would be, I’m hoping they do after I get them to read this one so they can save me the time/effort.
* I really should’ve looked up the others—I guess I’ll have to do that while reading Book 2, Dreadful Company.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT STRANGE PRACTICE?
“You are not human,” she said at last, “but you are people. All of you. The ghouls, the mummies, the sanguivores, the weres, the banshees, the wights, the bogeys, everyone who comes to me for help, everyone who trusts me to provide it. You are all people, and you all deserve medical care, no matter what you do or have done, and you deserve to be able to seek and receive that care without putting yourselves in jeopardy. What I do is necessary, and while it isn’t in the slightest bit easy, it is also the thing I want to do more than anything else in the world.”
I was a little taken aback initially—somewhere between being hand-sold this book (14 months ago) and starting it, I’d gotten the idea that it took place in the late 1800s. When I opened it and was confronted with a very 21st Century setting on the first page, that both threw me (and relieved me, I wasn’t that sure I was up for that setting, really). I was a little disoriented for the first chapter or so, but Shaw got me settled quickly and engaged me in the tale a lot quicker than I anticipated.
That engagement didn’t falter—it only grew. I devoured the book and was very happy about it throughout—okay, I wasn’t at all happy about what happened to a couple of characters, places, etc. at the end. But by that time it was too late, I’d already added Book 2 to my “To Buy” list and was invested in the outcome of Strange Practice, and more invested in a character or two than I'd expect for only having spent less than one novel with them.. The plot is pretty straightforward, but we’re given a couple of good twists to keep the reader on their toes—and one inevitable move proved very not-inevitable.
This is a great world that Shaw has given us, populated with the kind of characters you want to see. The fact that our protagonist—and her allies—are focused on healing, improving, the safety and well-being of everyone they come across* gives this book (and will give future books) a different feel than your typical PI/fighter/instrument of justice Urban Fantasy alone. It’s a nice change, and I look forward to seeing where the series goes.
If you’re looking for a fun and atypical Urban Fantasy with a nice classic horror twist, you’re going to want to give this a shot. You’ll be glad you did.
* If you assume that a vampire/vampyre can feed off a human without impinging on their well-being. show less
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The greatest joys in Strange Practice come from the moments when the entire gang is just sitting together in the kitchen, drinking tea and brandy, talking over each other and trying to figure out the solution to some mystery.
added by g33kgrrl
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Vivian Shaw was born in Kenya, but lived in England until the age of seven. Her family then moved to the United States. She earned a BA in art history and a MFA in creative writing. Her career has included working in academic publishing and development. She writes fan fiction using the name Coldhope. Her novels include Strange Practice, and show more Dreadful Company, which are books in the Dr. Greta Helsing series. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Strange Practice
- Original title
- Strange Practice
- Original publication date
- 2017-07-25
- People/Characters
- Greta Helsing; Edmund Ruthven; Sir Francis Varney; Fastitocalon; August Cranswell; Stephen Halethorpe (show all 7); Samael (the Devil)
- Important places
- London, England, UK
- Dedication
- For Laura Amy Schlitz, who told me not to stop.
- First words
- Under the darkened city of London, old machinery roared on. Fans the size of small rooms spun into the darkness, pushing air through dead tunnels where no trains moved; rats, used to the dull echo of the machines, preened... (show all) their whiskers atop switchboxes in dim chambers all but forgotten by the bustling world above.
The sky was fading to ultramarine in the east over the Victoria Embankment when a battered Mini pulled in to the curb, not far from Blackfriars Bridge. Here and there in the maples lining the riverside walk, the morning's fir... (show all)st sparrows had begun to sing. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)They looked down from the balcony together at Greta and Cranswell, now wearing Fastitocalon's hat; and watched Fastitocalon take the outstretched hands they offered him, and let them lead him home.
- Blurbers
- Bennett, James Gordon; James, Elliott; Schlitz, Laura Amy
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.6
- Canonical LCC
- PS3619.H39467
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 1,165
- Popularity
- 21,409
- Reviews
- 55
- Rating
- (3.77)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 11
- ASINs
- 6