Strange Practice, Vivian Shaw
Strange Practice, Vivian Shaw
4 Rating(s)
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Strange Practice

Author: Vivian Shaw

Narrator: Suzannah Hampton

Unabridged: 9 hr 24 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Orbit

Published: 07/25/2017

Synopsis

The first book in a delightfully witty fantasy series in which 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 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.

Praise for the Dr. Greta Helsing Novels:

"An exceptional and delightful debut, in the tradition of Good Omens and A Night in the Lonesome October."―Elizabeth Bear, Hugo-award winning author

"Shaw balances an agile mystery with a pitch-perfect, droll narrative and cast of lovable misfit characters. These are not your mother's Dracula or demons."―Shelf Awareness

Dr. Greta Helsing Novels
Strange Practice 
Dreadful Company
Grave Importance

About Vivian Shaw

Vivian Shaw was born in Kenya and spent her early childhood at home in England before relocating to the US at the age of seven. She has a BA in art history and an MFA in creative writing, and has worked in academic publishing and development while researching everything from the history of spaceflight to supernatural physiology. In her spare time, she writes fan fiction under the name of Coldhope.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Gavin on January 04, 2018

This London based UF turned out to be a bit of a disappointment which is a real pity as the premise was good. Greta Helsing might only be human but she runs an exclusive medical practice for London's supernatural creatures. She treats everything from vampires and ghouls to demons! Things get complica......more

Goodreads review by Jillian on July 26, 2019

I really liked this book it is a new take on monster stories it’s not just vampires but vampyers and gouls and mummies, demons , and angels. Greta Helsing is a doctor for the paranormal beings . She helps solve some murders and save London in the process. It was a very enjoyable book .......more

Goodreads review by Michelle F on April 17, 2022

I tend to associate “beach read” with suspense/thriller novels, and I feel as though I need an equivalent term for the Urban Fantasy genre. I'm taking suggestions! For me they are those books that are exciting and gripping but ultimately ubiquitous. Not bad at all, just utterly forgettable. With all......more

Goodreads review by Bradley on March 21, 2018

This new Urban Fantasy was a rather slow starter for me. I was like... Oh, okay, a doctor for the monsters. What could go wrong? A little humor, a little less-well-known vamp, some old friendships with unknown monstrous types, and a serial murderer/s on the loose taking out all the good monsters who......more

Quotes

"In Vivian Shaw's Strange Practice, a charmingly unusual doctor and her charges keep the city of London from grave danger. In the process, they peel back the covers of familiar (and according to them, somewhat "libelous") stories to find that reality - especially with the undead - is more poignant and complex than it seems at first glance. An excellent adventure."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000}span.s1 {font-kerning: none}Fran Wilde, award-winning author of Updraft, Cloudbound, and Horizon

"Strange Practice is written with elegance, wit, and compassion. The prose is gorgeous, the wit is mordant, and the ideas are provocative. Also, there are ghouls."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000}span.s1 {font-kerning: none}Laura Amy Schlitz, Newbery Medal winner

"A satisfying and surprising read, with rich imagery, nuance, and real compassion for its characters--give Strange Practice a shot!"—Elliott James, author of Charming

"An exceptional and delightful debut, in the tradition of Good Omens and A Night in the Lonesome October."—Elizabeth Bear, Hugo-award winning author

"A darkly delicious adventure featuring a quirky new heroine. Strange Practice breathes new life into the undead."—James Bennett, author of Chasing Embers

"Shaw's lively debut introduces a great cast of characters who should sustain this new series for many volumes to come.... Shaw brings her Victorian monsters into the modern age."—Library Journal

"Shaw balances an agile mystery with a pitch-perfect, droll narrative and cast of lovable misfit characters. These are not your mother's Dracula or demons ... Strange Practice is a super(natural) read."—Shelf Awareness

"An appropriately dark breath of fresh air."—Booklist

"Readers will look forward to more of Greta's adventures. An imaginative, delightfully droll debut."—Kirkus

"A book to settle into. A warm quilt of a thing that's made for curling up with ... I miss this newest Helming already."—NPR

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