Strange Beasts, by Susan J Morris

The daughter of Dracula conquerors Mina and Jonathan Harker teams up with the daughter of Sherlock Holmes’ enemy Dr Moriarty to solve the case of a mysteriously murderous beast in Paris, hampered by the son of Van Helsing. All three work for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena, although Samantha Harker is a researcher, while Helena Moriarty and Jakob Van Helsing are field agents – she a maverick and he a hero. Appropriating the works of others, especially classics, is often problematic. This book at least makes it more interesting by using Stoker and Conan Doyle’s creations as a jumping off point for the next generation. But, as exemplified by the opening paragraph of this review, there is just too much going on. As well as the central mystery, the story touches on the role of women, othering difference and parent-child relationships. The setting, fin-de-ciecle Paris, has clearly been thoroughly researched and is well evoked. The tale ends with a teaser for the next novel, with the two women off an adventure in Ireland. Whether it is worth joining them there? – dunno, probs not.