The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White
Publication Date: March 10, 2026
Summary from NetGalley:
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.
ARC Provided by Del Ray via Netgalley for an honest review.
Confession:
I really enjoyed this historical gothic mystery with a touch of horror and romance. The writing was atmospheric, the characters were all likable, there is a found family feel to the story, and the historical setting with supernatural elements was very well done. Although there are vampires in this story, I would hesitate to say that it is a vampire story, although it is very Dracula adjacent. This is a standalone, but I certainly hope that we get to see these characters again in another story.
Anneke is a fabulous character. She is a bit prickly and hard to like, she has overtones of Sherlock Holmes, but she is brilliant. I did get a bit frustrated with her desire for revenge, as her father was an ass and didn’t deserve her love, but I more or less understood her motives. I enjoyed watching her character grow throughout the story and was glad to see her relationship with her brilliant mother become closer. Her relationships with all of her friends changed over the course of the book as well. I also enjoyed watching her grow in her profession and getting the respect from the mostly male dominant police force that she deserved.
Anneke surrounds herself with a group of friends who are just as brilliant as she is. I loved them all. David is also a detective, and an ex lover, and he contributes much to the group’s knowledge of the killer. Maher is a photographer, but also quite smart. He is kind and quite sweet, but also added a steady presence to the story. Inge is very smart and organised. She is the glue that keeps the group together. But she is also keeping a secret. This group is able to spot things in the various murders they encounter that no one else is able to and they solve many of them all while hunting the serial killer.
Diavola is a very interesting character. She is not a vampire in the traditional sense, but she is an immortal. Her relationship with Anneke develops throughout the story in a believable way. I loved the letters she sent Anneke which are woven into the story is a wonderful way. These letters give us an idea about what she is thinking. I’m not sure that I would call this a romance novel, but there are elements of it.
What I really liked about this story was the way present and future scenes were woven together. Some chapters, that were spread throughout the book, were set in 1900, while all of the others were set chronologically from 1895 up to when they meet up to the future chapters. The historical facts and some historical people, were brilliantly added in such a way that it felt natural. Part of the story takes place at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair and those scenes were so well written that it felt like we were there. Much of the science of the time period both in technology and forensics is also used to great effect in the story. All of this while maintaining a gothic feel to the story.
The story itself was very well written and hooked me from the start. I enjoyed traveling around Europe with the group chasing the serial killer. The story was engaging, and although some of the murders were rather gruesome, I still found myself turning those pages. The narrative did get a little bogged down at the beginning of the second half, but quickly picked back up towards the end. The ending itself was good, though perhaps a bit rushed.
It is my understanding that this book is set in the same world as the author’s Lucy Undying story, which I have not read. But I think I am safe in saying that if you enjoyed Lucy will like this one too. You also do not have to have read it to enjoy this story. If you enjoy gothic mysteries with a well researched historical setting then this is a book I think you will enjoy.
Confessions of a Serial Reader 