Synopsis:
In The Fox and the Devil, Anneke has a complicated relationship with her father, Abraham Van Helsing—doctor, scientist, and madman devoted to the study of vampires—until the night she comes home to find him murdered, with a surreally beautiful woman looming over his body. A woman who leaves no trace behind, other than the dreams and nightmares that now plague Anneke every night.
Spurred by her desire for vengeance and armed with the latest forensic and investigatory techniques, Anneke puts together a team of detectives to catch this mysterious serial killer. Because her father isn’t the only inexplicable dead body. There’s a trail of victims across Europe, and Anneke is certain they’re all connected.
But during the years spent relentlessly hunting the killer, Anneke keeps crucial evidence to herself: infuriatingly coy letters, addressed only to her, occasionally soaked in blood, and always signed Diavola.
The closer Anneke gets to her devil, though, the less sense the world makes. Maybe her father wasn’t a madman after all. Diavola might be something much worse than a serial killer . . . and much harder to destroy. Yet as Anneke unearths more of Diavola’s tragic past, she suspects there’s still a heart somewhere in that undead body.
A heart that beats for Anneke alone.
My Edition:
Net Galley ARC
My Thoughts:
I love reading contemporary re-imaginings, re-tellings, and expansions of old stories. And that is what The Fox and the Devil is. The entire basis of the story hinges around the death of Abraham Van Helsing (who you probably remember as a part of the Dracula-busting gang), and the impact it had upon his daughter Anneke.
I think the strongest part of this story is the element of mystery. It almost gets a little bit procedural, and the death scenes are positively grisly. Also, the eventual team-up is a lot of fun. It all feels a little big League of Extraordinary Gentlemen meets Criminal Minds. It’s really a fun ride. There’s also a good amount of cinema history, spooky monsters, and a rollicking trip to the World’s Fair in Paris circa 1900.
I also like the focus on obsession and guilt. I’m a sucker for that kind of thing. I love to really circle around bad feelings, you know? The obsession/guilt tug-of-war that Anneke has to deal with is incredible to behold. Same goes for basically every other character you meet. Everyone has a secret, a terrible trauma, or some other wild and crazy thing going on.
It almost seemed like The Fox and the Devil might be a set-up for a series of novels that see this same team tackle further murder mysteries. If so, I’ll likely check back in on them again in the near future.
Rating:
I think this is a great option for a fan of mysteries, supernatural tales, and/or queer historical fiction.
The Fox and the Devil
By: Kiersten White
Del Rey
Published: March 10, 2026
ISBN: 9780593724439
Hardcover, E-book, Audio
368 Pages
