Strange New World is the fourth full novel in the Dr Greta Hesling series by Vivian Shaw. If you haven’t read this series yet, what have you been doing? This is an urban fantasy series following Dr Hesling, a Doctor that specialises in treating the undead, mythical creatures and even the odd angel and demon. This series explores the secret world hiding under the surface of our everyday reality. Dr Helsing encounters friendly (and not so friendly) vamps, mummies in need of rebandaging, insane secret societies and she has even helped to stop the apocalypse. In this book, she goes on a research trip to America with a demon and an angel- an absolutely hilarious premise.

Plenty of the fan favourite characters pop up in this book to help Greta with her latest crisis. I have to admit, I missed reading about Varney, Ruthven and Fastitocalon when I finished the previous book in the series. I will always be entertained by these characters!

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful book just like Vivian Shaw’s other novels. It is simultaneously funny/absurd and action-packed. The stakes keep rising throughout the book as you begin to see how all of the plot points come together. I couldn’t put the book down because there were so many questions to be answered: Who shot Harlach at the start of the book? What was he shot with? Can angels and demons co-exist without going into anaphylactic shock?

I love this series with all of my heart, and I can’t believe more people don’t know about it. If you like stories about the supernatural, references to classic gothic characters, medical mysteries and a loveable cast of characters, you need to read this!