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Suzannah Rowntree
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The Werewolf of Whitechapel (Miss Sharp's Monsters Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Suzannah Rowntree (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 611 ratings
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Murder, monsters…and a disreputable Victorian lady’s maid.

A killer stalks the grimy streets of Whitechapel—but Scotland Yard seems determined to turn a blind eye. With one look at her best friend's corpse, Liz Sharp already knows the truth: the killer is a werewolf.

No one important will hold a werewolf accountable—after all, the monsters rule Europe. Certainly, no one will believe a werewolf victim like Liz: the very scars that make her determined to investigate Sal’s death also condemn her as the sort of female who’d sell her blood for easy money.

As it happens, Liz’s best hope for justice might well lie with her emotionally repressed employer, Princess May. Though the princess has connections with werewolf royalty, there’s no one else Liz can turn to. Certainly, she can’t risk trusting the irritatingly personable Inspector Short, who dogs her steps from the slums of Whitechapel to the palaces of St James.

But as corpses mount up, Liz discovers that no one is precisely who she thought: not Sal, not herself, and certainly not the werewolf.

Luckily, she has a few tricks hidden in the pockets of her trusty bloomers…

The first novel of Miss Sharp’s Monsters is a witty historical fantasy adventure, perfect for fans of The Parasol Protectorate or Pride and Prejudice and Zombies! Pick up The Werewolf of Whitechapel and join Miss Sharp on the uncanny streets of Victorian London…

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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Miss Sharp's Monsters
  2. Print length
    298 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    March 25, 2021
  6. File size
    3275 KB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Miss Sharp's Monsters:

"Full of FEELINGS and EXPLOSIONS...a bit of grit and a lot of heart, the best kind of gaslamp." - W.R. Gingell, author of the City Between series

"Pacy, witty, and touching, Miss Sharp has it all." - Eli Hinze, historical fantasy author

"A riotous romp of an adventure" - Goodreads reviewer

"A mad mix of history, humor, adrenaline, mayhem, and monsters...I'm all eyes and ears for the sequel!" - Goodreads reviewer

"Everything I didn't know I desperately needed and wanted...magnificent." - Goodreads reviewer

​"If you've ever wished Jane Eyre was mixed with Urban Fantasy, this is the book for you." - Goodreads reviewer

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08X3ZLV9L
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bocfodder Press (March 25, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 25, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3275 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 298 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B0962N9PMJ
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 611 ratings

About the author

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Suzannah Rowntree

Suzannah Rowntree

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Hi! I’m Suzannah Rowntree - author of historical fantasy fiction. I live in a big house in rural Australia with my awesome parents and siblings, drinking fancy tea and writing historical fantasy fiction that blends real-world history with legend, adventure, and a dash of romance.

​If you like the historical fantasy of Gail Carriger, S. A. Chakraborty or Naomi Novik, you'll probably like my stories too!

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
611 global ratings
Witty, gritty romp through a supernatural Victorian London
5 Stars
Witty, gritty romp through a supernatural Victorian London
What a fantastic ride! Gaslamps, corsets, murder and monsters are totally my jam, and The Werewolf of Whitechapel delivers them in spades. Liz Sharp is a brilliant new heroine: tough, capable, witty and independent-minded with a deliciously intriguing backstory. (Looking forward to uncovering more of that during the next books.)I loved the premise of a Europe dominated by monstrous royal families, and Rowntree does a great job of blending that supernatural universe into the twisted streets of the familiar London you already know and love from your favorite mystery shows.Pick this series up - you'll have a ball.Full disclosure: I know the author and was privileged to read an advance copy of this book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Sarah P
5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent Quick-Paced Fantasy Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2021
Verified Purchase
Well, that was everything I didn't know I desperately needed and wanted.

I don't even know where to begin with this review. But I supposed I'll begin with what the book is: a magnificent, quick-paced mystery taking place in a fantastical alternate Victorian Era England, in which the monsters of mythology hold the thrones of every European nation save England. It's led and narrated by the series-titling Miss Sharp — lady's maid/bodyguard, werewolf victim, whip-smart sleuth (by circumstance, though not trade), and stubbornly protective friend. I liked Miss Sharp the minute I met her; she's clever and witty and brave and devoted, but she's also very real — she makes mistakes, she holds grudges, she's dedicated to the truth to a sometimes disadvantageous degree. The rest of the characters were excellent as well, but Sharp is my favorite.

With Miss Sharp at the helm, the narrative style almost reminds me of W.R. Gingell's Masque — which, it should be noted, is another of my favorite fantasy-mysteries ever. (I think Miss Sharp and Isabelle would get on famously, side note.) It's styled after a Victorian-era memoir, but with a modern quick pace, and it's full of little asides and comments to the reader in a conversational tone that's just delightful.

And in terms of the story itself, this book is magnificent. No details are wasted, and all the clues are laid just right so that I didn't see the reveal coming — but once all was made plain, I could easily say, "Oh! Of course! It all makes sense now!" (which is what one ought to be able to say at the end of such a mystery).

I'll also note that, as always, Rowntree's use of historical elements is stellar. Even with the fantastical changes, everything felt very real and grounded. You can always tell, reading this author's books, that Rowntree does her research.

Anyway. This book is magnificent, and the next one can't get here soon enough!
24 people found this helpful
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4.0 out of 5 stars Bring forth once more the Duchess Of Teck!
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2021
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“Our girls are steady young women, perhaps not as respectable as they should be; but they are trained to be loyal and discreet, and they have been carefully instructed to fence, shoot, wrestle, and do excellent plain or fancy needlework.”

Thus recommended in her first job interview, Liz Sharp enters the employment of royalty. She's been assigned as a lady's maid-cum-bodyguard to the love interest of England's future king.

But it's not all muslin and coiffures and curtsies.

With a werewolf on the rampage in London's underbelly, she's got a lot on her plate: piece together the messy string of clues left in the wake of her friend's murder, locate the werewolf and unmask him, all the while keeping in favour with her ma'am, guarding her from the unexpected sallies of romantic intrigues, and navigating the snobbery of the peerage.

Rowntree can be relied upon to provoke outright laughs or underhand smiles on every second page.

And in the meantime, she unfolds a a high-paced plot with smooth twists and spicy clues. The dialogue is wholesome fun to read. There's a delightful variety of characters, including fictional spin-offs of historic figures (because she's Suzannah Rowntree, history cognoscente, and because why not?).

A change in scenery at just the right point successfully switches things up a notch. A no-way-yes-way revelation and crisis-point. Then a satisfying conclusion...followed by an open-ended call to adventure, propelling us into the sequel (give itzzzzz to me, pwecious!!!).

I'll only add that it was dark in a way I hadn’t expected — one or two scenes which were brief but rather graphic (to me, though; other readers might not find it so).

And the only negative for me: maybe a sliiiight undertone of sexism? Liz talks amongst her friends as if men were at fault for everything wrong with their lives. But I imagine this could be a deliberate device on Rowntree’s part to open character development for the sequel, as Liz might start learning that women aren't always the underdogs and men the bullies.

All that said, Elizabeth Sharp is a character with gumption; she’s argumentative, dogged, witty, naive and a stickler for the truth.

She’s not your typical goodie-two-shoes female lead, nor is she the invincible Superwoman with every skill required to one-up the villain(s), nor does everything just go right with her because the author says so. I admire Rowntree’s confidence in her lead character to be put out on her own, make mistakes or not have answers or pre-arranged outs, and to learn through the things that are thrown in her path.

Most of all, I like Rowntree’s themes and worldview. Truth is truth, but how it’s wielded isn’t always straightforward; people aren’t black and white; justice can’t be clear-cut every time.

Liz Sharp is an outsider who doesn’t aspire for acceptance; a protector whose protection is not always wanted in the way she intends. Finding her way in the world means that caution must precede passion. To pursue her ambition, she has to start with patience, hard work and practicality – instead of feeling all down and out because of the drudgery of a day job! (Something I can *ahem* certainly learn from.)

Very much looking forward to the sequel, and dare I say it..... WE MUST SEE MORE OF THE shamelessly corpulent, outrageous and hilarious DUCHESS OF TECK!
6 people found this helpful
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AmazonCustomer1
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical Urban Fantasy
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2023
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I'm picky about historical fantasy/mystery/detective stories. You have to get the tone just right but also bring something fresh.

This book does that in spades. I absolutely loved the voice, the mystery was solid, the suspense and danger were on point, and I loved the world building. Great job! Can't wait to start the next book.
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Lagabbyy2021
3.0 out of 5 stars struggle but there is a good story there
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2023
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The suspension of disbelief is not on the fantastical world but on the main character behavior. The princess connecting with the main character is not likely to have happened in those times. The MC telling the princess whatever was in her head was another hard to swallow. I think it will have worked better as a time travel, it would have explained her attitude towards everyone. A girl from this time asking and giving her opinion to the nobility will pass better than this story. I lost count how many times I thought-‘ she shouldn’t have said that’!’ She should have been more disciplined! Don’t get me started with her skills, I thought she could handle herself! But nop… is only going to be this book for me.
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Top reviews from other countries

Ed Crocker
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most memorable fantasy protagonists you'll ever see
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2023
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This review originally appeared on FanFiAddict.com

The Werewolf of Whitechapel, Book 1 of the Miss Sharp’s Monsters series by Suzannah Rowntree, is a gaslamp fantasy set in 1890s Victorian Britain with strong tones of mystery and horror, and it has three things in its favour.

The first is that it has a banger of an idea – what if all the royals who ruled Europe were literally monsters? The second is that, in the protagonist of Miss Sharp, we have an astonishingly good character, a blend of a female Van Helsing with a revolver-packing Jane Eyre. And the third is that it’s just incredibly well-written, with dialogue so satisfying you’d order it twice in the world’s most expensive restaurant.

Plot-wise, when we meet the aforementioned Miss Sharp, she is in a London-based school for women who have been attacked by the various royalty – vampires, werewolves and sirens – who have a habit of feeding on the poor. Although these women don’t become monsters themselves, they do get a little of their strength, and so they are trained to be maids-cum-bodyguards to (ironically) royalty themselves. What are they guarding them against? Not the monsters because, you know, they are the monsters (although British royalty are the only country’s monarchy who aren’t) but rather the working class anarchists who have correctly spotted how messed up this world is.

Miss Sharp herself, who has prominent scars on her face from a werewolf attack which, like her mysterious past, she has no memory of, is soon assigned to a princess betrothed to the son of the Prince of Wales – i.e. in line to be the future king of England. This becomes a lot more complicated when someone Sharp cares deeply for is killed – seemingly by werewolf – and she is compelled to solve the mystery, uncovering a conspiracy that might well see her on the sharp end of werewolf claws again.

Now I am a man who loves werewolves and vampires, a little too much some might say, and so it says a lot for the writing here that my main takeaway from this book was not the monster worldbuilding element (though that is great too) but this most impressive of characters. This is written in the first person, Sharp relating a tale from her past – and what a pleasure it is to be in her company. She is fearless, though not completely unstoppable so we still fear for her; she is witty; she does not suffer fools; she gets into trouble reprimanding those of a higher class then her; she is eloquent; and she is a complete badass, single-handedly taking on raging, drooling werewolves

It is her dialogue exchanges that really won me over and are at times applause-worthy. For example, when she meets an Inspector from Scotland Yard who is investigating the same crime (who readers will not be surprised to hear she soon takes a liking to), we get a wonderful barrage of barbs that makes it clear she can hold her own against the might of Scotland Yard:

Wickedly, I repeated his own words from earlier that afternoon. “Sorry Inspector, but I’m not at liberty to say any more.”

He laughed softly and replaced his bowler hat on his head. “Obstruction of justice is a crime, Miss Sharp.”

“Then perhaps I ought to make a citizen’s arrest, Mr Short. I am getting on nicely with the case, but there’s a vexatious policeman who keeps hiding important pieces of evidence and frightening my witnesses.”

It would be enough to simply be in her company, but Rowntree has created a fascinating world here. The real historical events of Europe – the late nineteenth-century power struggle between England Germany and Russia, which will soon of course explode into the First World War, is put against the idea of the Germans being werewolves, the Russians being vampires, and the Scandinavians being sirens, who intriguingly steal your actual life years through a kiss, making you literally old before your time.

There’s also the scenes where Sharp has to navigate her life as maid/bodyguard to a princess. Amid all the monster stuff, these scenes add a new layer to the book, as Sharp navigates their growing friendship but also the reality that she can never trust the princess – she is still a servant, after all. This is a complicated, beautifully written dynamic that doesn’t skimp on the flaws of the aristocracy – May is frustratingly resistant to seeing the truth until it’s too late, and never forgets that Sharp is just a servant – but ultimately Rowntree creates a complex, satisfying portrayal of a good women enslaved to a ridiculous and heartless system of aristocracy, arranged marriages and royalty. It’s a side-plot of a book that doesn’t need to be there but its presence signals the confidence of the writer.

But if all this is making you think, yes but what about the MONSTER FIGHTS, then don’t worry, I have you covered, because just when you think the whole book might be satisfying conversations and princesses in dining rooms, we get a series of absolutely fantastic werewolf chases that show that Rowntree is as adept at action as she is as dialogue and character. Take this for example:

A sound struck upon my ear and I threw myself aside, flattening myself against the uneven brick of the wall. The creature hurtled past me, landing on the stairs. Perhaps it was madness, but I threw myself after it, landing on its shoulders and locking myself around its waist. I pressed the muzzle of the revolver around the base of the creature’s neck, but before I could pull the trigger it whipped around, lashing out with its claws to destroy the upstart clinging to its back.

If your blood isn’t up at that, then you need to go howl at the moon some more.

All the elements I’ve described above come together in the final third to produce a thrilling denouement at Balmoral – the Scottish castle used as a home by the British monarchs – that is part Hounds of the Baskervilles horror, part Sherlock mystery, part Van Helsing badassery, and part character study in royalty and how you manage them. It’s a fantastic way to wrap up the book.

Overall, I was not prepared for how good this book was. Which is more fool me – Rowntree was a finalist for the sixth edition of premier indie fantasy competition SPFBO, and this book itself is currently in the running for the ninth version of the competition. On this basis, it has to be a strong contender. With the world of Miss Sharp’s, we have a fantasy universe to get lost in, and in Miss Sharp herself we frankly have one of the most memorable fantasy protagonists I have ever seen. I intend to feast myself on the rest of this series like a crazed wolf who’s missed his breakfast.
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Geetha Krishnan
5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read
Reviewed in India on June 5, 2023
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing is smooth, and the plot intriguing. The characters are realistic, and the world building is on point. I so enjoyed this that I bought the next two books of the series and read them as well. I would recommend this to anyone who likes paranormal, mystery, historical or urban fantasy. All the various elements are blended well, and Liz remains a memorable character.
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Naomi
5.0 out of 5 stars Rollicking fantasy...historical twist
Reviewed in Australia on April 3, 2021
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This book was so much fun!

Gaslight, mystery, budding romance - set in Victorian England with nods to real people and a fantastic spin. Royalty are...peculiar. This author weaves a delightful path between facts and fantasy. History buffs will have a chuckle (you may even be scandalised - one metamorphosis in particular is stupendous). Humour throughout is tempered by a confronting view of London's darker realities. Blood pressure jumps at more than one point.

Bring on the next instalment in Miss Sharp's adventures!
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Unsettled
4.0 out of 5 stars Victoriana with Monsters
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2023
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Its reasonable for the genre, beginiing of a series so you do not find out everything about the MC immeadiaterly.
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Tony Calder
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun series opener
Reviewed in Australia on October 16, 2021
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I quite enjoyed this YA series starter, set in a version of late 19th Century Europe where the royal families of Europe are made up of non-human monsters - the Prussians/Germans are werewolves, the Russians are vampires, the Greeks are sirens, etc.

Our protagonist has no memory of her earlier life after having been the victim of a werewolf attack some years previous, which provides the author plenty of opportunity to fill in a lot of back story for readers who may not be familiar with the history of the period. Despite protestations to the contrary in her afterword, Suzannah Rowntree has done a pretty good job of keeping the historical tie-in fairly accurate.

Looking forward to the following books in the series.
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