Strange Practice

Strange Practice introduces Dr. Greta Helsing, a London physician who treats supernatural beings like vampires, ghouls, and mummies. She carries on her family's centuries-old medical practice, keeping the city's paranormal inhabitants healthy while maintaining utmost discretion about their existence. When a group of murderous monks begins targeting both supernatural and human victims across London, Greta becomes entangled in the investigation. She works alongside her vampire friend Lord Ruthven and other supernatural allies to stop the killings and protect her patients. The story combines elements of urban fantasy, medical drama, and murder mystery while exploring London's hidden supernatural community. The novel focuses on Greta's daily work as a doctor and her efforts to navigate relationships between the human and supernatural worlds. This reimagining of classic horror elements examines themes of prejudice, duty, and the sometimes blurry line between monster and human. The medical framework provides a fresh perspective on supernatural beings by considering their health and well-being rather than treating them as threats.

Readers appreciate the fresh take on urban fantasy through the lens of a doctor who treats supernatural creatures. The blend of medical procedures with supernatural elements creates a unique niche that sets it apart from standard urban fantasy tropes. Liked: - Strong character development, especially Dr. Greta's practical personality - Well-researched medical details - Humor balanced with serious moments - Respectful treatment of classic monster mythology - LGBT+ representation without making it a focus Disliked: - Slow pacing in the first third - Some find the medical terminology excessive - Romance subplot feels underdeveloped - Several readers note the villain's motivations lack depth Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (9,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (580+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (300+ ratings) Multiple reviewers compare it to "Doctor Who meets Penny Dreadful," though some mention this created expectations for more action than the book delivers.

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🩺 Author Vivian Shaw was inspired to write the book after pondering what would happen if Dr. Frankenstein's monster became a modern-day physician. 🧛‍♂️ The novel blends Victorian Gothic literature characters with contemporary London, featuring well-known monsters like vampires alongside lesser-known creatures from folklore. 🏥 The protagonist, Dr. Greta Helsing, continues her family's medical practice but drops the 'van' from Van Helsing to avoid drawing attention to her ancestry. 📚 Despite being a horror-fantasy novel, the book includes detailed medical terminology and procedures, drawing from Shaw's extensive research into both modern and historical medicine. 🗝️ Many locations in the book are based on real places in London, including abandoned Underground stations and historic church crypts.