Strange Practice (A Dr. Greta Helsing Novel)

Thirty-four year old Dr. Greta Helsing has her hands full. It's not easy dealing with the "differently alive"--vampires, ghouls, banshees, mummies, and the like--who need discreet medical attention from a sympathetic practitioner. Various creatures regularly visit Greta's Harley Street clinic in London to seek cures for whatever ails them. Dr. Helsing does not get rich from pursuing this unusual vocation, but she does have the satisfaction of knowing that her patients appreciate the empathetic and competent care she provides.

In "Strange Practice," by Vivian Shaw, Greta and her cronies are pitted against a fanatical cult of murderous monks who want to rid London of its "unclean" inhabitants. The murky plot does not hold up under intense scrutiny, but Shaw entertains us with her vivid descriptive writing and delightfully eccentric and colorful cast of characters. They include our heroine, a kindhearted and hardworking physician whose already exhausting life is about to take an unpleasant detour; Edmund Ruthven, a debonair and wealthy vampire who is as generous and intelligent as he is charismatic; Fastitocalon (Fass for short), a demon who promised Greta's father that he'd look after her; and Sir Francis Varney, a vampyre (with a "y"), who is in critical condition after a crazed attacker stabs him with a cross-shaped dagger.

Shaw's novel may be enjoyed on a number of levels. It is an imaginative and original depiction of an alternate universe that is invisible to most humans. Moreover, the author makes Greta's monster pals benign and sympathetic, and imbues them with unique and useful powers. "Strange Practice" has suspense, graphic scenes of torture and violence, and an apocalyptic confrontation, with the promise of more to come when the series continues. This is a satirical, witty, and atmospheric fantasy that will amuse readers who enjoy far-out fiction with a liberal dose of offbeat humor.

**Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy**

While I enjoyed STRANGE PRACTICE overall, I couldn’t help feel a little duped. The series carries Greta’s name but she’s one of six POV characters. It was a disappointing realization because Greta was my hook into STRANGE PRACTICE. A descendant of Van Helsing runs a medical practice for the supernatural? Yes please. As a character, Greta Helsing is a great change of pace from the sulky, angry heroine that dominates most urban fantasy books. Greta enjoys her job and genuinely cares for her patients. However, she also the only main female character in the book. And, as a fraction of the POV characters, her importance becomes overshadowed by her supernatural patients.

It was clear that the author had a lot more fun writing the vampire’s POV. Although their character development was still slim, it was easier to connect to Ruthven and Varney. They had quirks and were directly affected by the plot. By the end of the book, I knew only as much about Greta as I learned in her introductory chapter. She’s sweet and she cares, but she’s also incredibly reactive. I don’t want to her challenge people to duels, but her medical practice and skills should have directly influenced the research. Perhaps this is because of her dedication and niceness, since she spends a lot of the novel nursing other characters, but nice doesn’t have to mean passive.

Exposition drove most of the novel. It was kinda great that the characters solve mysteries through research but most of the novel felt like a bottle episode. For various reasons, the main characters spend their time hiding in Ruthven’s mansion. While I loved both Varney and Ruthven, I wasn’t sure why they were separate POV characters. Ruthven is charming and can mingle in human society, Varney is dark and twisty… but that’s about it. With so much lived backstory to these characters there’s an endless possibility for future plots.

I would have liked to seen more the London’s haunts that supernatural’s frequent. Greta has such a wide variety of clients (ghouls, mummies, sirens, witches, vampires), it would have been an easy way to introduce us to the their world. The STRANGE PRACTICE series will continue with other books; there’s a charming romantic set-up between Greta and Varney and the characters have developed a strong bond. It’s so rare to have an optimistic main character and a happy group of friends that I’ll be watching for the sequel. Hopefully in the next novel Greta Helsing will earn that series title and be a more focussed, driving force.

Strange Practice is about Greta Helsing, descendent of the Van Helsings and doctor to the undead, and three of her friends trying to find the person (or persons) terrorizing London. Overall, I really liked this book. It has unique characters and I've discovered recently that I really enjoy a book with a medical or scientific theme that is written so that the non-scientifically inclined can understand and enjoy it. However, I did have several issues with the book.

Until the fourth chapter I thought the book took place in the late 1800's; It does not - it is present day. There were a few insights to that along the way but really I feel that it should have been made more clear. The audiobook narrator, Susanna Hampton, has a wonderful voice and reads well, however it would have been nice to have a pause between changing points of view because there are several to keep track of. I think this contributed to my main issue: I had a difficult time keeping the three main male characters straight. Two vamps and a demon make Ruthven, Varney, and Fass. I ended up keeping notes on a post-it to reference each POV change. I would have also liked a bit more background on the supes, especially the difference in a vampire and a vampyre and why they can be in the sun.

There were also some minor story/character issues, but overall I am intrigued enough by Dr. Helsing to look forward to reading the second book in the series.

Courtesy Netgalley

I enjoyed Strange Practice immensely. I hope it is the beginning of a series. Greta Helsing (the family dropped the Van between the World Wars) is a physician, just like her late father. Just like her father and grandfather, Greta is the rare doctor in modern London who makes house calls in addition to running a clinic on Harley Street, the address synonymous for the best in health care in London. Greta’s practice treats the most underserved and needy of all London inhabitants, the unalive.

In Greta’s clinic she deals with Mummies who have chronic pain from bone deterioration, ghouls with depression, and anything else that finds it’s way to her. She is trusted and well liked by all the supernaturals. She is also overworked and clinging to her budget by her fingernails. But like her father and grandfather, this is the life she feels she is called to. She likes and respects her patients.

When Greta gets a call in the middle of the night to go to Lord Ruthven’s house. Greta has known Ruthven all her life and has known he is a vampire. When she arrives she find Varney, who is a vampyre, wounded by a poison weapon. She is fascinated as she has never had the opportunity to observe this cousin species of the more common vampire. Greta and Ruthven discover that Varney has been hit with a very strange metal stake, poisoned specifically to kill the unalive.

The story quickly takes off from there involving demons, ghouls, and humans. Ms. Shaw created a tantalizing world that I would love to see explored more. All the different varieties of unalive were fascinating. Werewolves were mentioned but not featured in this book. The writing was excellent, wonderful descriptions of the locations, monsters and humans. The story was great. It kept me turning pages long after I should have gone to sleep. Treat yourself to vampires grocery shopping and making lattes and a woman doctor who heals as well as kicks ass to protect her patients.

Van Helsing is a household name as his battles with the undead and strange are well-known. Makes sense his descendants would carry on the tradition of being involved with the supernatural albeit in a different way. Dr. Greta Helsing operates a clinic in an entertaining urban fantasy using London as the backdrop in this first of a new series that has her involved with a serial killer.

Vivian Shaw created an interesting world with a unique premise that will have you anxiously waiting for the sequels. Expect the unexpected as it is definitely different than your protypical urban fantasy which makes the storyline and surprises all that much sweeter as you travel through a side of London unfamiliar to most.

Shaw picked a wonderful teaser to end her novel on to hook you into continuing with her series but even before you arrive at that the dry British humor, extensive examination of good versus evil and an eclectic cast will have you wanting more from this supernaturally chilling page-turner. As good as her plot is, the real meat is in her character work and this is where Shaw’s talent shines through the best as she assembled an array of humans of monsters for your fantasy pleasure.

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Susanna Hampton is a new narrator for me. After finishing the first chapter, she feels to fit Greta's personality with perfection. The voice goes with the character. Great pick. She has the accent to go with the setting of London along with the sentences feeling to flow fluidly with tone and emotion in each word. Lovely. There's not a huge difference in tone for different characters, but that's not needed when she voices them with their own life and personality which makes each character distinct and their own.

There is one thing I struggle with in audio books. It's when the story shifts POVs within a chapter. I'm sure in print there's an indicator or a break in the paragraphs to show this. In audio, there's not really a good way to do this. This book has this in the chapters. I usually caught on quickly as the name is mentioned in the first few sentences. Once I knew to expect it, I knew what to look for.

I liked Greta from the moment I meet her. And I very much love the business she's in. She's a doctor, for the supernatural. Ruthven was an interesting character to meet as well. But Sir Francis Varney, now he seemed to be someone Greta could be attracted to from her first meeting. And that first meeting was a bit tough for Francis (first chapter, and he's hurt).

The story feels as though it's a relaxing mystery with Greta, but there is something more to the story that draws my mind in. We get sections of... something else. Small glimpses that there is something else at work here. It gives the story another dimension and feel, darker and deeper.

We follow the story as many supernatural people, including Greta, are attacked and come to stay at Ruthven's home. They all try to figure out what is happening with the murders and those in the monk attire but it seems to hit a point where there may be nothing left to do. They've researched and found out some information, but what are they going to do about it? It feels like a stall in the story.

I found I grew fond of the characters that surround Greta. They are all different but this brings different aspects to the story, along with elements of knowledge to work on a case. I look forward to seeing these characters in future books and how they interact.

What a cute, charming, original book. The monsters are the good guys and... well, I don't think I completely understood who the bad guy was, but I didn't really care since I was enjoying the story so much. Greta Helsing, from the family made famous by Dracula, is the doctor of the undead. If you're a vampire with a bad case of garlic poisoning, a mummy with back issues or a ghoul with an ear infection, Greta will make you better. When a string of supernatural murders start getting too close to Greta and her friends, she will have to lead a mismatched monster team to stop the bad guys before it's too late. There is an unexpected romantic angle that made me smile, and really well written characters based on classic books and movies. The dialogue and dynamics among the characters bring an unexpected dose of humor. I look forward to seeing where this team of misfits takes us next.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Orbit Books!

DR. Greta Heling has a family history to tend to, but her aid to monsters and some famous vampires along with the how and why they end up under her care is surprisingly easy to read and a joyous beginning for a new literary guilty pleasure.

A smattering of mild profanity puts it just outside of as YA title, but don't let that stop you from haring it with your favorite young reader; when you;ve had garlic-covered knives dug into you and you need to scream, it's expected. Fear not, Greta understands. From depression to nonliving health issues, there's a story behind each of them. Enjoyed this very much and looking forward to book 2!

Greta Helsing runs a rather unconventional medical practice, treating the supernatural denizens of London and its surrounding areas. Her practice is modest and underfunded, but she works hard to make sure every needy patient gets what they need no matter what kind of being they are or how much money they have. She's called in on an emergency call when a vampire is stabbed with an odd knife with a weird substance that caused the wound to fester. She and her friends, who include vampires Ruthven and Varney, sort of former demon Fastitocalon, and human August Cranswell, figure out this attack is tied to a rash of increasing murders by the Rosary Ripper. Together, they will work to protect the supernatural and human community and stop the killer.

Strange Practice is a delightful and unexpected book. This world is basically our own world with a hidden world underneath of it populated by supernatural being including vampires, mummies, ghouls, demons, and even forgotton, eternal creatures. It's not all rainbows and sunshine as many of these people eat humans, but their goal is to stay out of the public eye for safety. They, like everyone else, have medical problems from time to time and Greta Helsing (the Van was dropped long ago) continues the tradition her late father set in providing care to any and all. Although physical diminutive, she goes into dangerous situations and treats each of her patients with the utmost care and respect. What they eat or how they act is irrelevant. If they need help, Greta treats them even though her practice is underfunded and doesn't make much income. The way she treated the family of ghouls chased out of their home was particularly impressive. Her dreams for her practice are so unattainable due to money and aren't motivated by her own income, but what she can provide for her patients like a sun room and a 3D printer for mummies. When she is targeted by the Rosary Ripper, she could have easily stopped treating supernatiral beings and holed up for her own safety. Greta fought back for herself and her patients against the odds.

The supernatural characters are just as compelling as the humans. Lord Ruthven is one of Greta's one of the first vampires in literature, seen in Dr. John William Polidori's 1819 short story The Vampire. While he was fearsome in the past, Ruthven now battles boredom by restoring classic cars, renovating his home, and cooking. He's polite, cultured, very rich, and proves to be indispensible to Greta and her group. His home is used as their base because he's a powerful being with superhuman strength, hypnotic powers, and great intelligence. I love how he's just a normal person until he's angered or protecting his friends. Varney is also an early vampire in literature in 1847's The Feast of Blood. Unlike Ruthven, he feels a deep guilt about his existence and his food source with a constant stream of angsty thoughts. He wants to belong and has a bit of a crush on Greta which make him a bit more human. I enjoyed the differences between the two vampires and how they became friends through the experience. My favorite supernatual character is Fastitocalon, who appears as an unassuming, chronically coughing, grey complected fiftysomething year old accountant. Underneath all of that, he has the power to read and cloud minds at will. He was friends with Greta's father and one of her family's oldest friends. His combination of being completelu unremarkable and very powerful with a heart of gold is why he's the best.

Strange Practice is a promising start to a new horror and fantasy series that I hope has many more books to come. The characters are well drawn and memorable on both sides. The source of the Rosary Ripper proves to be surprising and a formidable threat to the world. The use of supernatural creatures as an allegory for real life groups looked down upon for inherent aspects is spot on. I look forward to seeing more Greta, more supernatural patients and friends, and a new threat to London. The only part I didn't really enjoy was Cranswell and the last minute romance at the end of the novel. Everything else made this book a fun read perfect for summer. Even the cover design and interior drawings (which I hope are in the finished copy) lent to the whimsical air of the book. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for the second installment Bad Company.

As the first in this new urban fantasy genre featuring Dr. Greta Helsing, this was quite unlike any I had read before. Yes, the Helsing is from the Van Helsing, but instead of hunting down vampires and sending them to the great beyond, Greta is a physician to the undead. Vampires, Vampyres ( yes there is a difference), ghouls, banshees, demons, mummies,werewolves, you name it and she probably treats it.

The core group of undead in the book are a colorful and mostly likeable group. When one of their own is attacked and is unable to heal himself, Greta is called in. He has been stabbed with an odd cross-shaped blade containing some type of poison.

There are a few things going on here at the same time. A killer is loose in London, leaving bodies with cheap rosaries in their mouths. What do these murders have to do with the rogue group of monks murdering undead and human? And what kind of power do these so-called monks have with their weird glowing eyes and murderous ways?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all of the characters. Greta was a bit of a hard one to read in the beginning but by the middle I was enjoying each and every one of them. I mean who knew there were little ghoulettes? Baby ghouls! And making functioning limbs for mummies. There was a lot of fun reading going on with this one and having read the tease for the next one, I will be reading it too!

Well done Ms. Shaw!

Vivian Shaw makes interestingly into fascinatingly weird...!!! In Strange Practice (Dr. Greta Helsing, #1) her storytelling and creative wording develop into rich scenes the reader is able to visualize. It's original. A dark, chilling, UNPREDICTABLE read. Lots of action-packed thrills and destruction. With some silliness and a few tears added in. The characters are ones the reader can bond and build an ongoing relationships with. Join for more adventures. Again and again. Gretalina (Greta) Helsing, a young doctor, has continued her father's clinic. Her personal life consists of making house calls. She is a Supernatural physician, her patient base does not technically exist. Edmund Ruthven, an extremely bored vampire whose mansion has many empty guest rooms. Both his existence and home are about to become full. With an expanding cast of supernaturals and humans they are up against homicidal monks in brown hooded robes and...blue glowing eyes ?? VS has created a world where... London's rivers...flowing on and on...endless darkness...It's November rain...type... goes down collars, under hoods, up sleeves... And chilling moments/creatures have both book character and reader discover that the little hairs on the back of the arm are standing straight. I received an ARC of Strange Practice from Orbit publishing, through NetGalley, for an honest review. My further description of Strange Practice cheats future reader from time which could be spent actually reading this great book !! Please hurry with the sequel, Bad Company !!!

This book flips the hero/villain dynamic, turning monsters into sympathetic characters--but still very much monsters. As Dr. Greta Helsing provides medical care for ghouls, vampires, mummies, and banshees, she also fights a new evil determined to purify the world of those who are "unclean," both monster and human. I enjoyed meeting the characters, and the references to non-Dracula vampire stories, and I like the world Shaw has built for her characters. I left the book satisfied with the ending, and I had fun reading it, so I can't ask for much more.

Dr. Greta Helsing has inherited the family practice, which specializes in care of the creatures most folks do not even realize exist. In this particular novel, her position as a physician leads to being involved with the process of trying to stop a cult that is murdering both monsters and regular citizens of London.

The premise of this book intrigued me from the beginning. I loved the concept of a doctor whose primary practice was caring for folks of "unnatural biology". Unfortunately, I never got deeply interested in the actual plot of the book and spent a lot of my time thinking of ways in which I'd have changed the story to make it more interesting or more inventive. The characters, including Dr. Helsing, had a great deal of potential but never made it -quite- there to capturing my full attention. The writing was of good quality, but sometimes drifted into more rambling exposition than I prefer in urban fantasy. There were long portions of the book that did not seem to really drive the plot or character development, just expansive descriptions or backstory that didn't really keep me interested. I found myself occasionally skipping passages looking for the next plot point.

Overall, it was not my favorite book in this genre, but was certainly readable. I'd even pick up another book by the author and give it a try without hesitation. Honestly, I'd probably even read more books in this particular series to see if I could develop a deeper attachment to the characters with more exposure. Thus, the 4 star review...it wasn't a total winner, but it has potential that I am hoping will be developed in later work.

This was one of those books I generally enjoyed, then say back and thought about and decided I had a problem with it. I'll start with what I enjoyed. I thought the vampire mythos was interesting, as was the idea of a supernatural doctor (that's a doctor to the supernatural, she's not herself supernatural). There was quite a lot of humor and the writing is pretty good. All in all, enjoyable.

But...BUT it's just so classically and problematically male. It's a Greta Helsing novel, granted, but why is she essentially the only female? The gang was comprised of Greta, two vampires, a demon and a research fellow. There just isn't any reason at least one of those couldn't be a woman. But no, Greta is surrounded by, taken care of by and takes advice from only men. At least one of which (the one she's attracted to) thinks it's not really appropriate for a woman to be a doctor. She's constantly wishing for her father and his advice, her mother wholly absent. (I can't remember if it even said how she, presumably, died.) Even the villain's henchmen are all male. Why do authors (especially female authors) keep leaving women out of their worlds? Here, I noticed it and as the book went on it just got more and more noticeable and more and more irritating. Because the series may be named after Greta, but it's a book about the men around Greta. Bah! Forget that.

Note: I borrowed it from the library.

I surprised myself by really liking this book. I like Victorian era stories and I like some monster stories and I like mysteries. But usually not all together. I accidentally ordered this and thought "Great. I have to review this but I don't want to read it."

But from page one, it pulled me in. The vivid descriptions are the book's high point. The setting, characters and plot came alive under Vivian Shaw's pen. The plot is different to be sure but she seamlessly incorporates supernatural into the everyday life of a Victorian Londoner. And while the plot was unusual, it was the reason I took one star off. It lags a bit toward the middle and it was a chore to finish one chapter in particular. But I hope that this is to be a series and I thank Ms. Shaw for opening a new genre for me read.

Dr. Greta Helsing has inherited the family practice, which specializes in care of the creatures most folks do not even realize exist. In this particular novel, her position as a physician leads to being involved with the process of trying to stop a cult that is murdering both monsters and regular citizens of London.

The premise of this book intrigued me from the beginning. I loved the concept of a doctor whose primary practice was caring for folks of "unnatural biology". Unfortunately, I never got deeply interested in the actual plot of the book and spent a lot of my time thinking of ways in which I'd have changed the story to make it more interesting or more inventive. The characters, including Dr. Helsing, had a great deal of potential but never made it -quite- there to capturing my full attention. The writing was of good quality, but sometimes drifted into more rambling exposition than I prefer in urban fantasy. There were long portions of the book that did not seem to really drive the plot or character development, just expansive descriptions or backstory that didn't really keep me interested. I found myself occasionally skipping passages looking for the next plot point.

Overall, it was not my favorite book in this genre, but was certainly readable. I'd even pick up another book by the author and give it a try without hesitation. Honestly, I'd probably even read more books in this particular series to see if I could develop a deeper attachment to the characters with more exposure. Thus, the 4 star review...it wasn't a total winner, but it has potential that I am hoping will be developed in later work.

This was one of those books I generally enjoyed, then say back and thought about and decided I had a problem with it. I'll start with what I enjoyed. I thought the vampire mythos was interesting, as was the idea of a supernatural doctor (that's a doctor to the supernatural, she's not herself supernatural). There was quite a lot of humor and the writing is pretty good. All in all, enjoyable.

But...BUT it's just so classically and problematically male. It's a Greta Helsing novel, granted, but why is she essentially the only female? The gang was comprised of Greta, two vampires, a demon and a research fellow. There just isn't any reason at least one of those couldn't be a woman. But no, Greta is surrounded by, taken care of by and takes advice from only men. At least one of which (the one she's attracted to) thinks it's not really appropriate for a woman to be a doctor. She's constantly wishing for her father and his advice, her mother wholly absent. (I can't remember if it even said how she, presumably, died.) Even the villain's henchmen are all male. Why do authors (especially female authors) keep leaving women out of their worlds? Here, I noticed it and as the book went on it just got more and more noticeable and more and more irritating. Because the series may be named after Greta, but it's a book about the men around Greta. Bah! Forget that.

Note: I borrowed it from the library.

I surprised myself by really liking this book. I like Victorian era stories and I like some monster stories and I like mysteries. But usually not all together. I accidentally ordered this and thought "Great. I have to review this but I don't want to read it."

But from page one, it pulled me in. The vivid descriptions are the book's high point. The setting, characters and plot came alive under Vivian Shaw's pen. The plot is different to be sure but she seamlessly incorporates supernatural into the everyday life of a Victorian Londoner. And while the plot was unusual, it was the reason I took one star off. It lags a bit toward the middle and it was a chore to finish one chapter in particular. But I hope that this is to be a series and I thank Ms. Shaw for opening a new genre for me read.

Really enjoyed the author's writing, the main characters and the setting. I'd read her work again without hesitation. I could not stand the villainy plot and found it very dull and uninteresting. Too much cabal and religiosity for me. Every time they were a factor I wanted to get back to Greta et al and see how they were doing.

I'm giving this book 4 stars because there is so much to enjoy here apart from the main plot line. Greta is a wonderful character. I'll keep the author on my radar.

I throughly loved the first book in this series and have already marked my calendar for the next release! It was fast paced and a fun read. It has been a long time since I picked up a book that I enjoyed this much! There was a lot of humor and I love the world that Vivian Shaw has created. There are a lot of different creatures and I can't wait to see if there are more in the next two books. You can feel the dampness of a winter London and appreciate the care that Dr Greta has for her patients. All in all a book I did not put down until I finished.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

Greta Helsing is a human doctor who has followed in her family footsteps and become a physician specializing in ailments of the undead.
I found this to be an unusual and humorous novel. I have read many horror/urban fantasy and books and I found this one to be different from others I have read. I think it is one of those novels you will either like or dislike but if you enjoy unusual subject matter and a bit of humor thrown in then I think you will enjoy this one.

I really enjoyed this story. It was quirky, funny, and unique--and NOT your "typical" vampire novel (thank god!). Seeing the monsters and ghouls through the eyes of the doctor who cares for them was nice; it made me feel sorry for and appreciate them. (I was even feeling maternal for the little ghoulette with an ear infection.) Plus, I liked that the author gives a good amount of page time to the other characters. It was a fun adventure and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Fascinating use of public domain characters to add some depth to a solid plot. Very much a good page-turner, even though there were few surprises to anyone who's long read in horror fiction. Just hoped for more detail and depth to Greta's practice and the hows/whys that she and her father began such a career/calling.

Hilarious take on the trials and tribulations of the "monster community". Not the best choice for the squemish, as its graphic.You'll find yourself rooting for the vampires which is a little odd, but the author has cleverly made you care about the demons, ghouls, and mummies, as well as the vampires. I also enjoyed the medical aspect as well as Dr. Helsing treats the monsters for or all sorts of crazy illnesses including lonliness and depression. Not my typical book but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Steady pace and all sorts of interesting characters. A very unusual premise kept the book fascinating.
Well written with good plot twists. Even has a sneak peek at the next book in the series (in the copy that
I was given).

I would rate this as a do not miss if you enjoy Fantasy and Science Fiction. One of the more enjoyable
books that I have read recently.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, had a well thought out plot, and the characters and their interactions were believable. The plot grabbed me from the start; a physician to the differently living offers sooooo many possibilities, and Ms. Shaw did not disappoint. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment!

I loved how Greta's medical practices felt so realistic even when she was thinking about things like carving prosthetic bones for mummies. Because of that grounding, all of the fantastical elements felt more real, and consequently I was powerfully engaged the whole way through. That's on top of a fast-moving, emotionally grabby plot and characters I cared about. Read this! You won't regret it.

This book is absolutely delightful. Totally in love with it! If you love the witty banter of some of the more chic paranormal romances, without a lot of the drama, you'll love this. Bit of mystery, air of horror (but not true horror) and the overall ideal that Monsters are Friends, not well, food I guess. Bad reference. Anyway, sweet book and I have the second one pre-ordered. Give it a read!

Often while reading Strange Practice, I felt I was on a Sunday stroll with the characters. Shaw has a good idea of what her world is about (I think, anyway), but needs more practice conveying her vision to readers. Her writing trends more toward exposition when it should lean toward plot at times. Then, at other times, there is a need for more world building or character development. Several times I was disoriented as to who the characters really are and the world they really inhabit. That said, this is a functional urban fantasy with hints of the gruesome and macabre. The characters are intriguing if not always distinguishable from each other - some have nearly impossible pronounce names, too. I would like to have more specifics since Strange Practice comes off more as the author feeling out the story herself at points. There's potential down the line if the author is willing to put in the work.

I found it to be an absolute riot! Oddly enough, fans of Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons: A Novel (Robert Langdon) might want to give this book a try. There are some similar elements--secret societies, world domination, self punishment, etc--running through this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Dr. Helsing inherited her father's unique medical practice-----doctor to the ghouls, vampires, vampyres, zombies, mummies of London. It is a a brilliant idea and the author does a great job of playing around with the concept. The plot of the story involves a mysterious religious cult that is killing monsters and Londoners.

There is a courtly aristocratic vampire, a vampyre, a few ghouls and another being you will find out more about during the course of the novel. The monsters all have human frailties that build your empathy, but they also have enough monster quirks to keep things interesting.

The book is well written and the author is adept at describing the scenes and she creates realistic dialogue. Dickens it aint'; but it is a great weekend read! I read the book in three or four sittings. It is not too long, but it does suck you in------which is what a weekend read is supposed to do!

If you are looking for a mystery/adventure story set in London that involves monsters----well here you go! If you want a fun read that you will enjoy---well here you go. If you've been reading Jung's collected works for the last few weeks, like I had been, then this is definitely an ice cream treat of a book. There is also a bonus section from the next book to whet your appetite.

All in all, you should read this book. Well worth it!

Exciting, interesting, and sometimes sweet. I like this type of paranormal novel - intrigue, adversity - but some can be grindingly painful. This one had a nice balance. Can't wait to read the sequel!

Not a typical vampire fiction. Greta Helsing's medical approach to monster kind, the slick, clever demons and vampires and realistic London atmosphere make this a modern, thinking person's monster tale. These monsters are adults without the angst so common in other Vampire tales. The science approach to souls, spirit energy and the levels of hell and heaven are thought out well and make this more of a CSI novel than a horror tale. Very enjoyable!

The idea of this book is unique, however, the plot was not. It goes as follows; Mary Sue befriends misunderstood monsters, falls for one of them, they fight bad guys, defeat bad guys, then proceed to live happily for the time being until book two when they fight a new bad guy. This book started out well and I really liked the fact that it took place in modern times. For some reason the cover made me think this story was taking place in the 1800's. Anyway I gave the book 3 stars because it was still mildly interesting, and as I said I liked the concept, even though the story itself wasn't original.

Completely charming. The clever details of medical care for supernatural creatures (bone-replacements for mummies?! Loved it!) paired with an A+ cast of characters, made this the fantastical murder mystery of my dreams, perfect for SUPERNATURAL fans. Cannot wait to dive back into this world in the next book!

Strange Practice is exactly the book I needed right now. The characters are charming, the plot is tidy and well paced with plenty of chilly terror and adventure but the whole lovely cake is frosted with kindness, compassion and hope. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Dr. Greta Helsing is a lifelong doctor to the non-humans--not a vet, but a doctor to the vampires, converted demons, ghouls, and other creatures that most people would run screaming from.

In this book, she faces humans, which doesn't make a lot of sense, since it is monsters who should be the monsters, not people. But, all is revealed and...Hey, read it yourself.

This is a quick, light, very satisfying read. A perfect book to take on vacation or a trip or curl up with in an easy chair at home.

The story, characters, and writing have potential but as it stands this book just isn't for me. I really wanted to like this book, by the way. The basic story concept is right down my alley, but the tone and plotting just took the characters in a direction that wasn't entertaining to me. While the characters were interesting the storyline was a bit repetitive with events being repeated from one character to another, in detail, instead of with a phrase like, 'he/she explained what had happened'. This is not really a way to progress the story and in fact in the first half of the book there was little progress or momentum.

I would definitely pick up the next book in this series. Like I said there is potential and maybe the story will find it's stride.

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in mid-July.

Dr. Greta von Helsing is a physician to supernatural beings, including her ghoulish and vampyric associates of Varney and Ruthren. But, when Ripper-like murders perpetrated by mysterious robed figures with blue lasers firing out of London's tunnels, will Greta be caught in the crosshairs of an unholy fire? (spoiler: yes, but nearly)

The idea of this book is unique, however, the plot was not. It goes as follows; Mary Sue befriends misunderstood monsters, falls for one of them, they fight bad guys, defeat bad guys, then proceed to live happily for the time being until book two when they fight a new bad guy. This book started out well and I really liked the fact that it took place in modern times. For some reason the cover made me think this story was taking place in the 1800's. Anyway I gave the book 3 stars because it was still mildly interesting, and as I said I liked the concept, even though the story itself wasn't original.

This is a very imaginative and well written book. The only problem I had with it was that the very last part of the book had a disproportionately large use of the "f" word. It was almost like her editor looked at the first part of the book and said, "hey, you don't say f*** at all. Gotta say f*** a lot or you will lose readers among those whose main means of communication is four-letter words. I'm no prude, but I kind of feel like my intelligence is being insulted when an author bombards me with obscenities. I was going to buy the next book in the series. Now I think not.