Her Dark Curiosity

By Megan Shepherd

Inspired by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this tantalizing sequel to Megan Shepherd's gothic suspense novel, The Madman's Daughter, explores the hidden natures of those we love and how far we'll go to save them from themselves.

To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Back in London after her trip to Dr. Moreau's horrific island, Juliet is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget her father's legacy. But soon it's clear that someone – or something – hasn't forgotten her, as people close to Juliet start falling victim to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes. Has one of her father's creations also escaped the island?

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer – Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Jan 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9780007500239

Megan Shepherd

Megan Shepherd was "born" into the book world, growing up in her parents' independent bookstore in Western North Carolina. She is the author of THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER trilogy. When Megan is not writing, she can usually be found horseback riding, day dreaming at coffee shops, or hiking in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains.

Reviews for Her Dark Curiosity

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Unique YA paranormal book with interesting characters, action, and mystery. I didn’t love everything about this book, but overall it was an enjoyable read.Opening Sentence: The air in my crumbling chamber smelled of roses and formaldehyde.The Review:Juliet has left behind the island and all the horrors it held, but it seems that not all her nightmares are over just yet. When she was born she would have died if her father had not medically experimented to save her life, but ever since she was a baby she has had to take special medication to insure she stays healthy. Now that she has grown into womanhood the serum her father created for her is no longer working, and she needs to find a cure or there’s no telling what the consequences will be. With her father gone it is up to her to go through his research and run experiments to find a solution. But Juliet fears that the road to recovery may come at a price that she isn’t willing to pay. Science drove her father to madness and there is a dark side to Juliet that she is constantly trying to hide. Will madness find her in the end like her father or will she be able to overcome the temptation.Meanwhile on the streets of London there have been mysterious murders accruing and it turns out that Juliet is acquainted with all of the victims. They are calling the killer the Wolf of Whitechapel because all his victims have been brutally marked by 3 claw like slashes. This signature mark is all to familiar and Juliet is afraid that she’s not the only one of her fathers experiments to leave the island. She is determined to stop the killer and hopefully she can not only cure herself, but him as well.Before I go into what I thought of the characters, I want to say that I have not read the first book in this series. I heard that this would be fine as a standalone so I thought that I would give it a try. Honestly it was fine as a standalone, I never felt lost or confused by the story because Shepard does a great job of giving you just enough of the back story to always know what is going on. But I think that if I already had a connection with the characters, I might have liked them a little bit better. Personally, I would suggest you start with the first book, I think that it would have made this a better read.Juliet was a very interesting character. She has two very drastically different sides to her personality. On one side she was sweet, smart, caring, and thoughtful, then she had a much darker side. One where she was smart, driven, and had hints of madness. She really struggles with combining the two parts of herself and it was fascinating to watch her try to balance everything. For the most part, I really liked Juliet but there was one thing about her that drove me crazy and that was how she reacted to the boys in her life. There is a love triangle in this story, and personally I don’t mind triangles if they are done the right way, unfortunately this one was not done well. I felt that it really took from the story and made me dislike Juliet. She is so flimsy and insensitive. She was very rash and indecisive, but only when it came to her love life. So for me the triangle really hindered my regard for Juliet and that made me sad.Montgomery was the boy that Juliet has been in love with since she was a little girl. He was a servant and assistant for her father. While she was on the island their relationship really developed, but when she left the island he choose not to go with her. She hasn’t had any contact with him since that dreadful day that he broke her heart. Montgomery is a character I think I would have fell in love with in the first book, because that’s where most of his and Juliet’s relationship develops. For me there was really nothing amazing about him and to be honest I felt like he was a jerk. He shows up after not talking to Juliet for a year and expects her to have just waited around for him. But I wonder if I already had a connection with him if I would have felt this way as much. Overall, I wouldn’t say I am a huge Montgomery fan.Edward makes the third part of the triangle, and he was by far my favorite character in the story. I thought the whole Jekyll/Hyde persona he had going was very interesting and sexy. He has been in love with Juliet for years, but obviously there are reasons why they can’t be together (I’m not going to say what it is to avoid spoilers). I felt that he and Juliet had so many things in common and in a lot of ways they really complemented each other. He was the only character that I really understood and could sympathize with.Overall, I would say that this was a good read for me. The story was full of action, mystery, and romance. The plot was full of surprises and it kept me intrigued through the whole book. I love how it used the original Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but it added its own unique take to the story. While I didn’t love all the characters, I did find them interesting and I hope that in the next book I will be able to connect with them better. There is a pretty abrupt ending, so I am eager to read the next book to see where Shepard takes the rest of the story. I would recommend this to anyone that was a fan of the first book or anyone that is looking for a unique YA paranormal read.Notable Scene:Almost as though…I hesitated, telling myself I might possibly be going mad.…almost as though someone was watching out for me.I shivered uncontrollably, as the bones in my hands and arms shifted and popped, threatening another fit.The nature of the victim’s wounds was familiar too.A premonition that had been growing now gripped me hard, as my mind flashed back to all the bodies on the island. Alice, Father’s sweet maid, dripping blood from dead feet. A beast-woman separated from her jaw. Those wounds, as well, had been lovingly made by a monster.By Edward.Edward is dead, I told myself. The dead don’t come back.FTC Advisory: Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Her Dark Curiosity. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I got a copy of this book through NetGalley to review, so thank you to Balzer and Bray and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I enjoyed this book just as much as the last book in this series. It’s a very well done story that draws inspiration from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. There will be a third book in this series which is Untitled but is due to release in 2015. Juliet Moreau had been back in London for a few months, she is living with the old Professor who was an old friend of her father. However, secretly Juliet is working on a cure for herself...her condition is getting worse and worse and if she can’t prefect the serum she needs to survive who knows what will happen. All this sneaking around gets tougher for Juliet when a killer known as the Wolf of Whitechapel starts murdering people on the streets. Things gets incredibly complicated when Juliet finds out that it’s only people who have wronged her that are being killed and the bodies of the victim are killed in a way that is familiar to her.While the last book was a retelling of the Island of Dr. Moreau this book is more of a retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. If you remember Edward from the last book then you will have a good idea of who the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde character is in this book. This book is dark and atmospheric just like the first book in the series. Juliet is an interesting heroine that I enjoy reading about. Unlike the first book, the majority of this book takes place in London.I really enjoyed Juliet’s character throughout the story. She tries to be a good girl and a grateful girl, but she also has a dark and wild side that she struggles with. Trying to make her life as the wealthy Professor’s Ward and her life as a person who dabbles in genetic experimentation blend is obviously tough. At times she is sweet and thoughtful and loving; at other times she is reckless and ruthless. We see more of her darkness in this book and it is intriguing to watch as she struggles to balance the two.Edward is in the story as well. He is by far the most intriguing character in this book. Because of spoilers I can’t say a lot about him. However, he has obviously loved Juliet for months. He clearly respects Juliet for her knowledge and tenacity as much as for her beauty. There relationship is of course incredibly complicated.The other side of the love triangle is Montgomery. I honestly didn’t like him as much in this book as in the previous book. He really belittles Juliet and assumes that she wants the life of a pampered housewife. He seems to only respect the good and sweet side of Juliet and not embrace her wildness. He’s just very presumptuous and very dismissive of her opinions throughout.Woven into Juliet’s scientific search for a cure for her ailment and her trying to hunt down the Wolf of Whitechapel is another storyline as well. Juliet and her friends have discovered that some of her father’s work may still exist. There is a clandestine group of men trying to use Dr. Moreau’s work for incredibly nefarious purposes.The plot was well put together, I enjoyed how all of the storylines came together in the end. There is a lot left unresolved in this book, which will apparently addressed in the third book. At the end of this book they set up what the next retelling will be...it seems like it will be some sort of retelling of Frankenstein.Overall I enjoyed reading this book and loved the dark Victorian tone to it. I enjoyed the characters and their struggles with darkness and lightness. I am not a huge fan of the love triangle going on, but I have enjoyed Juliet’s genetic tampering and the side storylines involving her father’s work. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series to see how everything is resolved. I would recommend this series to fans of historical young adult paranormal books with a dark and gothic theme to it.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Okay, ya’ll. You know how much I like the first book and was dying to era this one. Well, I read it. It’s good.Plot: This plot picks up where the last book left off and the reader is back in London where Juliet is trying to go on with her life. But we all know that dark things don’t always stay in the past. There are a slew of murders going on and people who Juliet thought she left behind come back. One thing about this plot is that the reader gets to know other minor characters really well. I liked getting to know them and the roles they play in Juliet’s life. Of course the re-introduction to other characters from the first book makes it much better.Love: This is the part the bothered me the most. This chick CAN NOT MAKE UP HER MIND! I mean once minute she is all gun-ho for one guy then the next it’s a mistake, blah, blah, blah. And don’t even get me started on the secrets she is keeping as well.Ending: The ending leaves the door open for the last book, following many questions that I like to see answered. Also, secrets lots of them that are bound to come out.Overall, this is a great sequel. There is plenty of drama and great plot twists that keep the reader in their seat. Believe me, you won’t be bored. Just beware of the love interest, that area might sting a bit. A sleek read that is sure to capture the reader, Her Dark Curiosity is a savage twist of love and science.

[themadhatters_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In this sequel to "The Madman's Daughter," Juliet finds herself back in London and in the care of Professor von Stein, an old family friend. Though she now lives the life of a lady, Juliet is still drawn to the dark science of her father and to the rash of murders in London, which are eerily similar to those on the island she left behind. When her past comes back to meet her, Juliet must embrace her dark side--the touch of madness in her--in order to protect the ones she loves. "Her Dark Curiosity" is based on "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", drawing on all of its Gothic tropes while still making the story fresh and exciting. Romance and suspense wind together beautifully in this novel--I want the next book to be published already!

[loftyislanders · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh My! I didn't see some of these twists and turns coming. There were more twists than a spiral noodle in this one. Edward, Montgomery and Juliet are still a mess and then there is poor Lucy who has more than one twist in this followup to the Mad Man's Daughter. I absolutely love these twice told tales. This omage to Jekyll and Hyde is spot on. You feel his lack of control and desire to make it stop the total inability to do anything about it but the never give up do or die to try to fix it the gentleness in Edward the menace in Jackel .... and ELIZABETH! Wow! What a twist in her story line! YEAH bring on the next book Ms Shepherd, I can't wait!

[maboone-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was excited to read this sequel after loving MADMAN’S DAUGHTER, and I wasn’t disappointed. The author delivers a well-crafted, beautifully written story with complex, deeply flawed (and often monstrous) characters, who nevertheless are believable and sympathetic. I love the fact that Juliet doesn’t always have the expected reactions, that she is allowed to be an individual and that the author takes the courageous route of letting her be less-likeable sometimes in the interest of being rounded and deep and layered. The mystery and the romance(s) — yes plural — and the way that we are pulled into one surprise after another kept me turning pages and loving every minute of the read.

[empressreece · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it."

Her Dark Curiosity is book two in The Madman's Daughter series about Dr. Moreau's daughter, Juliet. Where the first book was based loosely on H.G. Wells book, The Island of Dr. Moreau, this one is inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. I enjoyed this retelling just as much, if not more, then the first. Shepherd does a great job of creating her own unique twists on the old stories and then she very creatively ties them all together. She weaved Frankenstein's heirs into the end of this one so I have a feeling he will be the star of the next book. I can't wait to see how it plays out. I think anyone who enjoys retellings would like this series because they are nicely done.

[stephlaymon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first in series, The Madman's Daughter, a retelling of The Island of Dr. Moreau, blew me away, giving Megan Shepherd's Her Dark Curiosity, a lot to live up to, but live up to it she did.
I loved Juliet even more than before. She is still an independently strong character who is flawed, conflicted, and who makes horribly rash decisions. As far as her love interest goes, mums the word. It is not meant for the reader to know about the details of that until the moment's right. We see more of Lucy, which was a good thing. Lucy is that little dose of flight that adds some fun. New on the scene is Elizabeth, the much needed mature clear thinker and I am hoping to see more of her in A Cold Legacy.
The mystery portion was good, and it was impossible to know who to trust. Each and every man, child, and beast was suspect until the truth was uncovered near the end leaving the remainder of the book to deal with what was to be done about it.
Her Dark Curiosity is a retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with great embellishment. With a book that deals with scientifically created half men/ half beasts there are a lot of far fetched things to swallow, but I don't care. I loved every irrational bit of it. One of the best things about both of the books that I have read in this series is that the ending delivers a complete and wonderful conclusion and then goes a couple of steps further to set the stage for the next in the series. With the promise of what's to come in A Cold Legacy, a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, there is no way that I would be able to sit out. Very clever, Megan Shepherd.

[allison_s-802575 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Didn't even have time to add this on Goodreads since I SPED THROUGH IT JUST LIKE THE FIRST ONE.

WHAT THE HELL>?????? WHY IS THIS SERIES SO GREAT?

feelings------>trash can

[cassie.peters1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. It was creepy good.

[gennac-606910 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Sometimes you have to embrace the darkness to stop it."

I had a difficult time getting invested in this story, but the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde vibes and Gothic elements were irresistible. I love Shepherd's fearlessness in creating characters that are unabashedly a little bit mad, a lot dark.

Shepherd's second novel in The Madman's Daughter series has Juliet back in London and struggling to adjust to a new life again in society's good graces as a wealthy elderly professor's ward. But a violent killer haunts the city and Juliet fears the past is hunting her as all of the victims possess a link to her own life. Thinking she could finally put her father's cruel and demented experiments behind her, Juliet struggles to come to terms with the fact that her father's dreaded research may be the only hope she has of curing her own debilitating illness. The stakes grow increasingly higher as Juliet hurtles herself, once again, into the center of a dangerously unfolding drama. New characters, grisly murders, a deadly but bewitching alter ego, a gentleman society with not so gentlemanly plans...

The first half of Her Dark Curiosity was very slow to develop, lending to the primary reasoning for my less than four star rating. The usual suspects are back and, with it, the dreaded love triangle I thought we'd put to rest in the previous novel. But we also get new layers of depth for Lucy, a surprisingly strong character, and the appearance of the altogether fascinating Elizabeth, who it seems will likely play an even more significant role in the final installment. A complex story and gripping Gothic chiller with the perfect Victorian London setting.