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The Album of Dr. Moreau
Daryl Gregory's The Album of Dr. Moreau combines the science fiction premise of the famous novel by H. G. Wells with the panache of a classic murder mystery and the spectacle of a beloved boy band.
It’s 2001, and the WyldBoyZ are the world’s hottest boy band, and definitely the world’s only genetically engineered human-animal hybrid vocal group. When their producer, Dr. M, is found murdered in his hotel room, the “boyz” become the prime suspects. Was it Bobby the ocelot (“the cute one”), Matt the megabat (“the funny one”), Tim the Pangolin (“the shy one”), Devin the bonobo (“the romantic one”), or Tusk the elephant (“the smart one”)?
Las Vegas Detective Luce Delgado has only twenty-four hours to solve a case that goes all the way back to the secret science barge where the WyldBoyZ’ journey first began—a place they used to call home.
It’s 2001, and the WyldBoyZ are the world’s hottest boy band, and definitely the world’s only genetically engineered human-animal hybrid vocal group. When their producer, Dr. M, is found murdered in his hotel room, the “boyz” become the prime suspects. Was it Bobby the ocelot (“the cute one”), Matt the megabat (“the funny one”), Tim the Pangolin (“the shy one”), Devin the bonobo (“the romantic one”), or Tusk the elephant (“the smart one”)?
Las Vegas Detective Luce Delgado has only twenty-four hours to solve a case that goes all the way back to the secret science barge where the WyldBoyZ’ journey first began—a place they used to call home.
168 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2021
About the author
Daryl Gregory
167 books1,314 followersAward-winning author of Revelator, The Album of Dr. Moreau, Spoonbenders, We Are All Completely Fine, and others. Some of his short fiction has been collected in Unpossible and Other Stories.
He's won the World Fantasy Award, as well as the Shirley Jackson, Crawford, Asimov Readers, and Geffen awards, and his work has been short-listed for many other awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Sturgeon awards . His books have been translated in over a dozen languages, and have been named to best-of-the-year lists from NPR Books, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Library Journal.
He is also the writer of Flatline an interactive fiction game from 3 Minute Games, and comics such as Planet of the Apes.
He's a frequent teacher of writing and is a regular instructor at the Viable Paradise Writing Workshop.
He's won the World Fantasy Award, as well as the Shirley Jackson, Crawford, Asimov Readers, and Geffen awards, and his work has been short-listed for many other awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Sturgeon awards . His books have been translated in over a dozen languages, and have been named to best-of-the-year lists from NPR Books, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Library Journal.
He is also the writer of Flatline an interactive fiction game from 3 Minute Games, and comics such as Planet of the Apes.
He's a frequent teacher of writing and is a regular instructor at the Viable Paradise Writing Workshop.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
February 14, 2021
Daryl Gregory always gets a second look from me. I thought Afterparty interesting and clever, Harrison Squared interesting and clever, We Are All Completely Fine interesting and disturbing, Pandemonium interesting and challenging... You get the idea. When I think of Gregory's writing, I think of clever, a story with emotional complexity, and a skewed way of looking at the world. The Album of Dr. Moreau achieves 2/3s of this, being a normal (for Gregory) mash-up relying on The Island of Dr. Moreau, boy-bands and murder mystery.
Weighing in a novella length, it feels light on the emotional complexity I'm used to getting from his stories, as well as the knife-edged horror. If there's horror here, it's strictly of the boy-band variety, a type many will argue is inherently horrific for different reasons. Interestingly, although I originally hesitated to start reading at bedtime, (knowing how Gregory writes, I didn't want it in my dreams), this one ended up being so easily digestible, I had no trouble reading before bed.
"But we don't talk about [redacted], because... well, we're a fucking boy band. We're not The Cure."
The feel of the book skews new or young adult, and with members of a boy-band center stage in plot and narration, it's no surprise. The structural conceit is a 14-track album, with bonus track and Intro (which really should have been 'Cover Notes'), which goes quickly. While it opens with a mysterious letter and CD addressed to a 'Melanie,' it really begins with the housekeeper discovering a very altered Bobby the party-cat('the cute one') and a dead body in the room. Detective Lucia Delgado is at home trying to sleep through the racket of her daughter's music when she's called to the hotel by her partner for the investigation. Once they learn they have only a couple of days before the FBI (or FWS) steps in, the pressure to solve is on.
"'Fifteen hours?' Banks asked. 'That's not fair. In any decent movie, the hard-ass captain gives the detectives twenty-four hours to solve the case. Eddie Murphy got forty-eight.'
'Eddie's the criminal in that movie,' Luce said.
'Are you saying you'd rather be Nick Nolte? Nobody wants to be Nick Nolte, except for Gary Busey.'"
The beginning was a bit of a slower crawl for me, alternating between the viewpoints of various band members and the detective. Although we're progressing the investigation through different people, their background knowledge is concealed, which makes for a complicated task of characterizing them. As such, they do rather take on boy-band personas, only being about as deep as their physical characteristics go.
The writing is still prime Daryl Gregory, although perhaps a lighter, more pop version:
"He'd evidently just stepped out of the shower, and he smelled amazing--a mix of citrus, cedar, and ex-boyfriend who just worked out."
"They were both as fit and aggro-cheery as spin class instructors."
Once I hit Track 8--excuse me, half way--I felt a lot more involved with both pace and writing style. I guess the exposition interviews just didn't work as well as they could to keep me caring. It didn't help that I was largely unfamiliar with the original work of H.G. Wells, and that I was waiting for the weirdness. The last quarter of the book is where I felt it really shone. This might be another case of Gregory appealing to a more niche group, only this case, I'm not in it--although I'm clearly in the age group the jokes are aimed at. Still, he writes it, I'll read it. If it sounds intriguing, I'd say give it a shot.
Three and a half tracks, rounding up.
Weighing in a novella length, it feels light on the emotional complexity I'm used to getting from his stories, as well as the knife-edged horror. If there's horror here, it's strictly of the boy-band variety, a type many will argue is inherently horrific for different reasons. Interestingly, although I originally hesitated to start reading at bedtime, (knowing how Gregory writes, I didn't want it in my dreams), this one ended up being so easily digestible, I had no trouble reading before bed.
"But we don't talk about [redacted], because... well, we're a fucking boy band. We're not The Cure."
The feel of the book skews new or young adult, and with members of a boy-band center stage in plot and narration, it's no surprise. The structural conceit is a 14-track album, with bonus track and Intro (which really should have been 'Cover Notes'), which goes quickly. While it opens with a mysterious letter and CD addressed to a 'Melanie,' it really begins with the housekeeper discovering a very altered Bobby the party-cat('the cute one') and a dead body in the room. Detective Lucia Delgado is at home trying to sleep through the racket of her daughter's music when she's called to the hotel by her partner for the investigation. Once they learn they have only a couple of days before the FBI (or FWS) steps in, the pressure to solve is on.
"'Fifteen hours?' Banks asked. 'That's not fair. In any decent movie, the hard-ass captain gives the detectives twenty-four hours to solve the case. Eddie Murphy got forty-eight.'
'Eddie's the criminal in that movie,' Luce said.
'Are you saying you'd rather be Nick Nolte? Nobody wants to be Nick Nolte, except for Gary Busey.'"
The beginning was a bit of a slower crawl for me, alternating between the viewpoints of various band members and the detective. Although we're progressing the investigation through different people, their background knowledge is concealed, which makes for a complicated task of characterizing them. As such, they do rather take on boy-band personas, only being about as deep as their physical characteristics go.
The writing is still prime Daryl Gregory, although perhaps a lighter, more pop version:
"He'd evidently just stepped out of the shower, and he smelled amazing--a mix of citrus, cedar, and ex-boyfriend who just worked out."
"They were both as fit and aggro-cheery as spin class instructors."
Once I hit Track 8--excuse me, half way--I felt a lot more involved with both pace and writing style. I guess the exposition interviews just didn't work as well as they could to keep me caring. It didn't help that I was largely unfamiliar with the original work of H.G. Wells, and that I was waiting for the weirdness. The last quarter of the book is where I felt it really shone. This might be another case of Gregory appealing to a more niche group, only this case, I'm not in it--although I'm clearly in the age group the jokes are aimed at. Still, he writes it, I'll read it. If it sounds intriguing, I'd say give it a shot.
Three and a half tracks, rounding up.
August 9, 2021
4.5 stars. This is such a fun, fascinating mashup of a murder mystery, humorous boy-band dynamics and The Island of Dr. Moreau. The boy band here is a group of five half-human, half-animal young men, all with very different personalities and quirks. The murder victim is their overbearing band manager, who's found clawed to death after a party in a hotel where lots of people were high and/or drunk. He was a truly awful person that lots of people wouldn't mind seeing dead. Everyone's a suspect!
Daryl Gregory is brilliant when he's on. Half a star off because the science fiction parts are so totally unbelievable; you just kind of have to roll with it. But it's otherwise a very smart, funny book with some great personalities and a solid murder plot to back it up.
Full review to come! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy of the ebook.
Content advisory: Sex, drugs, some gore, and F-bombs litter the pages like confetti. I still got a kick out of it.
Daryl Gregory is brilliant when he's on. Half a star off because the science fiction parts are so totally unbelievable; you just kind of have to roll with it. But it's otherwise a very smart, funny book with some great personalities and a solid murder plot to back it up.
Full review to come! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy of the ebook.
Content advisory: Sex, drugs, some gore, and F-bombs litter the pages like confetti. I still got a kick out of it.
March 15, 2021
As seen on www.mysteryandsuspense.com
Expected publication date: May 18, 2021
Daryl Gregory is the award-winning author of Spoonbenders and We Are All Completely Fine. He takes his next foray into quirky fiction with his new novella, The Album of Dr. Moreau.
The genetically-modified human-animal hybrid pop band “The WyldBoyZ” are the hottest and newest thing going. Rescued from a secret government-science research barge, The BoyZ are taken under the wing (no pun intended) of a producer identified as “Dr. M”. At a hotel party after a show, Dr. M is found murdered in his bed, and all of the band members are suspects. Detective Luce Delgado is thrown into the mix as lead investigator, and she has less than 24 hours to find the culprit.
Gregory very obviously takes a lot of his cues from The Island of Dr. Moreau (of the late, great, H.G Wells’ fame) but he does it in his own way, adding quirky puns to the modern twist of a boy bands’ rise to fame. The novella is divided into segments, of course, but they are labeled as “tracks” as opposed to “chapters” (for example, “Track 1”), encouraging the musical theme. The novel is narrated by Luce Delgado, but each band member also gets the chance to tell his story, helping the reader learn more about the formation of the band, and its mysterious history.
There is some deeper societal reflections to be found within Gregory’s pages as well. As the band members tell their individual tales, they speak of their desire to be “seen as humans” but instead they were “indentured” and “labeled as immigrants” when they first arrived on the shores of the United States. Each animal-human hybrid struggles to identify as one or the other, either human or animal, and yet finds common ground with both.
The premise is creative and modern, and Gregory writes in a style all his own, full of puns and quirky repertoire. The novella left me wanting more, wanting to know more about the mysterious barge fire and rescue that left only the band members alive. I wanted to know more about their rise to fame and the dirty, decrepit goings-on of the victim, Dr. M. Of course, fans of Wells’ work can make their own speculations and assumptions as to the before and after stories, but the specific tales of these charming characters were what really touched a chord with me (again, no pun intended).
When the ending comes, it provides the perfect twist that is both unexpected and yet completely satisfying. The Album of Dr. Moreau will leave you wanting more.
Expected publication date: May 18, 2021
Daryl Gregory is the award-winning author of Spoonbenders and We Are All Completely Fine. He takes his next foray into quirky fiction with his new novella, The Album of Dr. Moreau.
The genetically-modified human-animal hybrid pop band “The WyldBoyZ” are the hottest and newest thing going. Rescued from a secret government-science research barge, The BoyZ are taken under the wing (no pun intended) of a producer identified as “Dr. M”. At a hotel party after a show, Dr. M is found murdered in his bed, and all of the band members are suspects. Detective Luce Delgado is thrown into the mix as lead investigator, and she has less than 24 hours to find the culprit.
Gregory very obviously takes a lot of his cues from The Island of Dr. Moreau (of the late, great, H.G Wells’ fame) but he does it in his own way, adding quirky puns to the modern twist of a boy bands’ rise to fame. The novella is divided into segments, of course, but they are labeled as “tracks” as opposed to “chapters” (for example, “Track 1”), encouraging the musical theme. The novel is narrated by Luce Delgado, but each band member also gets the chance to tell his story, helping the reader learn more about the formation of the band, and its mysterious history.
There is some deeper societal reflections to be found within Gregory’s pages as well. As the band members tell their individual tales, they speak of their desire to be “seen as humans” but instead they were “indentured” and “labeled as immigrants” when they first arrived on the shores of the United States. Each animal-human hybrid struggles to identify as one or the other, either human or animal, and yet finds common ground with both.
The premise is creative and modern, and Gregory writes in a style all his own, full of puns and quirky repertoire. The novella left me wanting more, wanting to know more about the mysterious barge fire and rescue that left only the band members alive. I wanted to know more about their rise to fame and the dirty, decrepit goings-on of the victim, Dr. M. Of course, fans of Wells’ work can make their own speculations and assumptions as to the before and after stories, but the specific tales of these charming characters were what really touched a chord with me (again, no pun intended).
When the ending comes, it provides the perfect twist that is both unexpected and yet completely satisfying. The Album of Dr. Moreau will leave you wanting more.
May 24, 2021
The Album of Dr. Moreau took a little while to really ramp up, though the ending was good enough that I really was torn between 3 and 4 stars.
Daryl Gregory has some of the most original ideas, and I've been a long time reader of his. But I kind of wish this had either had more room to develop some of the backstory, or that the early section had been trimmed slightly. It just never quite sat comfortably; it wasn't quite fun and over the top enough for the humour it was reaching for, but in reaching for it it also pulled itself out of more serious procedural tone. It touches on the "what have we humans wrought" side of the original Dr Moreau, and on questions of personhood when you're a little genetically spliced (just a little), but just slightly too briefly.
After about halfway, though, when the series of interviews wraps up, this hits it's stride, and pulls off a genuinely pleasing ending. Much better balanced between tones, and hitting the good notes of it's various influences, this is a book that is ultimately worth it.
Daryl Gregory has some of the most original ideas, and I've been a long time reader of his. But I kind of wish this had either had more room to develop some of the backstory, or that the early section had been trimmed slightly. It just never quite sat comfortably; it wasn't quite fun and over the top enough for the humour it was reaching for, but in reaching for it it also pulled itself out of more serious procedural tone. It touches on the "what have we humans wrought" side of the original Dr Moreau, and on questions of personhood when you're a little genetically spliced (just a little), but just slightly too briefly.
After about halfway, though, when the series of interviews wraps up, this hits it's stride, and pulls off a genuinely pleasing ending. Much better balanced between tones, and hitting the good notes of it's various influences, this is a book that is ultimately worth it.
December 11, 2020
Truly bizarre and tons of fun, this is a locked-room murder mystery featuring a boy band that's a bit unusual, to say the least.
Whether you're familiar with H.G. Wells' sci-fi classic The Island of Doctor Moreau and recognize the references or not, the genetically engineered members of The WyldBoyZ make for an outrageous assortment of human/animal hybrid "beast men", with all the usual hilarious melodrama you'd expect from a boy band, plus some deeper, darker secrets buried in their mysterious past.
Overall, an incredibly odd, amusing, and even sweet at times, twist on a conventional genre. Mix in some Daryl Gregory and you get a blast of fun, weird magic that was truly an enjoyable read.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Whether you're familiar with H.G. Wells' sci-fi classic The Island of Doctor Moreau and recognize the references or not, the genetically engineered members of The WyldBoyZ make for an outrageous assortment of human/animal hybrid "beast men", with all the usual hilarious melodrama you'd expect from a boy band, plus some deeper, darker secrets buried in their mysterious past.
Overall, an incredibly odd, amusing, and even sweet at times, twist on a conventional genre. Mix in some Daryl Gregory and you get a blast of fun, weird magic that was truly an enjoyable read.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2022
Halloween Bingo 2022
Well, that was a fun little romp! Take H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau and convert its denizens into a boy band like the Backstreet Boys. Add a generous portion of animal puns and several pinches of detective fiction references. Shake until well combined, then serve.
The result is entertaining. The WildBoyz are all suspects when their promoter Dr. M is murdered after what they hope is their final concert. But do they have the skills required to pull off a successful crime? Bobby, the cute ocelot-man, is found in bed with the corpse, covered in blood. But he seems too simple to be guilty.
Detective Luce Delgado has to work quickly, before the FBI take over the case. Complicating matters for her, her daughter is a megafan of the WildBoyz. Melanie can sing every song. Luce needs to weed out the band members if she can and track down all the fans (zoomies) who attended the after-party.
Don't expect a serious murder mystery, just a fun, fluffy jaunt. I read this for the Mad Scientists and Evil Geniuses square of my Bingo card.
Well, that was a fun little romp! Take H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau and convert its denizens into a boy band like the Backstreet Boys. Add a generous portion of animal puns and several pinches of detective fiction references. Shake until well combined, then serve.
The result is entertaining. The WildBoyz are all suspects when their promoter Dr. M is murdered after what they hope is their final concert. But do they have the skills required to pull off a successful crime? Bobby, the cute ocelot-man, is found in bed with the corpse, covered in blood. But he seems too simple to be guilty.
Detective Luce Delgado has to work quickly, before the FBI take over the case. Complicating matters for her, her daughter is a megafan of the WildBoyz. Melanie can sing every song. Luce needs to weed out the band members if she can and track down all the fans (zoomies) who attended the after-party.
Don't expect a serious murder mystery, just a fun, fluffy jaunt. I read this for the Mad Scientists and Evil Geniuses square of my Bingo card.
April 19, 2021
In 2001, the world is obsessed with boy bands like *N Sync and Backstreet Boys. But those singing and dancing heart throbs have nothing on the human-animal hybrid vocal group the WyldBoyZ. Bobby (the cute one / ocelot), Matt (the funny one / giant bat), Tim (the shy one / pangolin), Devin (the romantic one / bonobo), and Tusk (the smart one / elephant) are wrapping up their world tour when their producer, Dr. M, is found murdered in his hotel room with deep slashes across his body.
Vegas detective Luce Delgado has to interview the BoyZ and solve this case in twenty-four hours without breaking her daughter’s (#1 fan of the WyldBoyZ) heart.
This novella is a quirky mash-up of a locked room murder mystery with the premise of the classic H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau spiced up with the boy band craze of the early 2000s.
The Album of Dr. Moreau is unique, amusing, and full of pun-filled cleverness with strong world building. You can breeze through this mystery in an afternoon and I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy classic retellings, sci-fi, and boy band nostalgia.
Thanks to Tordotcom and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Album of Dr. Moreau is scheduled for release on May 18, 2021.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
Vegas detective Luce Delgado has to interview the BoyZ and solve this case in twenty-four hours without breaking her daughter’s (#1 fan of the WyldBoyZ) heart.
This novella is a quirky mash-up of a locked room murder mystery with the premise of the classic H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau spiced up with the boy band craze of the early 2000s.
The Album of Dr. Moreau is unique, amusing, and full of pun-filled cleverness with strong world building. You can breeze through this mystery in an afternoon and I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy classic retellings, sci-fi, and boy band nostalgia.
Thanks to Tordotcom and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Album of Dr. Moreau is scheduled for release on May 18, 2021.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
May 28, 2021
“I don’t want to be the one to tell her,” Matt said to Tusk. “Maybe we could send a card. ‘Condolences on the Murder of Your Scumbag Husband.’”
One of my favorite reads of 2021 so far. One part The Island of Doctor Moreau (my favorite Wells), and one part And Then There Were None (my favorite Christie) with a healthy dash of meta-humor (dare I say, my favorite humor?) and a whole heap of puns (okay, definitely my favorite humor). This is such a fun read from beginning to end and it's a damn good mystery too, no matter what TS Eliot and his five elements of a good detective story would think!
One of my favorite reads of 2021 so far. One part The Island of Doctor Moreau (my favorite Wells), and one part And Then There Were None (my favorite Christie) with a healthy dash of meta-humor (dare I say, my favorite humor?) and a whole heap of puns (okay, definitely my favorite humor). This is such a fun read from beginning to end and it's a damn good mystery too, no matter what TS Eliot and his five elements of a good detective story would think!
January 1, 2021
The Album of Dr. Moreau is a locked room style mystery where a tough-but-actually-a-sweetheart detective has 24 hours to figure out who killed a guy after a party, that alone sounds interesting to me but then you throw in the twist and I couldn't read fast enough!
The dead guy is a band manager and the band he manages; The WyldBoyz are a popular boy band (think Backstreet Boys) made up of genetically altered human-animal hybrids. There's Devin, "the romantic one" who's mixed with bonobo, Matt, "the funny one" who's a giant bat, Bobby, "the cute one" who's part cat and has claws, Tusk, the hybrid elephant and "smart one" and my favorite; Tim, "the shy one" who's mostly pangolin. Tim's stress management consists of burrowing into a pillow fort and "contemplating future dooms," which is super relatable because that's also how I handle stress.
Each chapter is a new song title, which was fun and I liked getting to know each "boy" and why they each had their own reasons for wanting their manager dead. There were so many puns, which was a true delight to read. Honestly, my only complaint was that I wanted the book to keep going long after things were resolved.
If you like puns, mystery, and can appreciate the title and the inspiration behind it, you'll love this!
The dead guy is a band manager and the band he manages; The WyldBoyz are a popular boy band (think Backstreet Boys) made up of genetically altered human-animal hybrids. There's Devin, "the romantic one" who's mixed with bonobo, Matt, "the funny one" who's a giant bat, Bobby, "the cute one" who's part cat and has claws, Tusk, the hybrid elephant and "smart one" and my favorite; Tim, "the shy one" who's mostly pangolin. Tim's stress management consists of burrowing into a pillow fort and "contemplating future dooms," which is super relatable because that's also how I handle stress.
Each chapter is a new song title, which was fun and I liked getting to know each "boy" and why they each had their own reasons for wanting their manager dead. There were so many puns, which was a true delight to read. Honestly, my only complaint was that I wanted the book to keep going long after things were resolved.
If you like puns, mystery, and can appreciate the title and the inspiration behind it, you'll love this!
May 18, 2021
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I have really enjoyed Daryl Gregory's work in the past and tordotcom novellas are great so I was excited to get a copy of this. I did not know the premise before reading this, but having been a fan of a boy band back in me young (stupider) days, I found this to be a hoot.
This story follows the aftermath of an end-of-tour party of WyldBoyZ whose teenage band members are animal-human hybrids. Their manager is murdered and Detectives Luce has to solve the case. But the fan base is rabid, the party was out of control, and the suspect list super long. It doesn't help when the fans, I mean suspects, are dressed in full animal costumes!
Aye, the premise be silly but don't let that fool ye. This is so wonderfully put together. There are puns, lovely chapter titles, and the quirkiness that I love about the author's writing. There is also subtle jabs at the ideas of personhood, fame, and greed. The murder mystery's resolution was entertaining but the boy band shined. I highly recommend this one. I will continue to read Gregory's backlist and whatever he puts out next. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you tordotcom!
I have really enjoyed Daryl Gregory's work in the past and tordotcom novellas are great so I was excited to get a copy of this. I did not know the premise before reading this, but having been a fan of a boy band back in me young (stupider) days, I found this to be a hoot.
This story follows the aftermath of an end-of-tour party of WyldBoyZ whose teenage band members are animal-human hybrids. Their manager is murdered and Detectives Luce has to solve the case. But the fan base is rabid, the party was out of control, and the suspect list super long. It doesn't help when the fans, I mean suspects, are dressed in full animal costumes!
Aye, the premise be silly but don't let that fool ye. This is so wonderfully put together. There are puns, lovely chapter titles, and the quirkiness that I love about the author's writing. There is also subtle jabs at the ideas of personhood, fame, and greed. The murder mystery's resolution was entertaining but the boy band shined. I highly recommend this one. I will continue to read Gregory's backlist and whatever he puts out next. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you tordotcom!
July 10, 2021
4.5 stars.
A tragic, horrifying and sad mystery story about a boy band of human-animal hybrids, WlydBoyz, and their murdered band manager.
Former magician’s assistant and now police detective Luce Delgado, known as the “celebrity whisperer” by her colleagues for her skill in dealing with high-strung famous types, is assigned the case, which quickly becomes something even darker than a case about a murdered man.
We meet the members of WlydBoyz, each carrying a load of trauma from their birth and time aboard a barge of experiments and horrors, to their fame crafting immensely catchy pop hits.
I love Daryl Gregory’s work, and this novella does not disappoint. It’s makes great use of the original classic, The Island of Doctor Moreau, while also making some quite funny observations about the popularity and composition of boy bands' personas.
I also really liked the novella's chapter headings, each a WyldBoyz’ song title in an album, while also a sly reference to plot details. I loved also how Gregory made in-story references to the Golden Age mystery writers, as this story is a nice riff on the locked-room mystery with a small pool of suspects, numerous clues and reveals. This was an emotional, enjoyable, and thought-provoking story.
A tragic, horrifying and sad mystery story about a boy band of human-animal hybrids, WlydBoyz, and their murdered band manager.
Former magician’s assistant and now police detective Luce Delgado, known as the “celebrity whisperer” by her colleagues for her skill in dealing with high-strung famous types, is assigned the case, which quickly becomes something even darker than a case about a murdered man.
We meet the members of WlydBoyz, each carrying a load of trauma from their birth and time aboard a barge of experiments and horrors, to their fame crafting immensely catchy pop hits.
I love Daryl Gregory’s work, and this novella does not disappoint. It’s makes great use of the original classic, The Island of Doctor Moreau, while also making some quite funny observations about the popularity and composition of boy bands' personas.
I also really liked the novella's chapter headings, each a WyldBoyz’ song title in an album, while also a sly reference to plot details. I loved also how Gregory made in-story references to the Golden Age mystery writers, as this story is a nice riff on the locked-room mystery with a small pool of suspects, numerous clues and reveals. This was an emotional, enjoyable, and thought-provoking story.
September 5, 2021
Within a few pages of picking this one up I remembered why I love Daryl Gregory so much. I really enjoy the way he puts words together to create interesting images, turns of phrase, and humor. And weirdness. Always weirdness. This little novella, about a boy band of animal human hybrids, is no exception. It's also a detective story, beat by beat, and it tells you so at the start. Gregory has set out to challenge the rules of detective fiction that TS Eliot posited in days of yore, and I don't want to spoil anything but I was amused by the results.
This book feels simultaneously formulaic and also exceedingly strange, and those two tensions work together to create something new. Mystery fans will likely see the signposts easily, but I wasn't looking for them so I enjoyed the reveals. The characters, sketched in as they are due to length, had distinct voices and made me smile. The pacing was perfect and the novella length flattered rather than hamstrung the story. This is a well constructed little bundle of words wherein Gregory is playing with tropes, and classics, and making them new again.
All in all this one was satisfying as a sci-fi fan and I would imagine would be even more so were I also a fan of detective fiction. Or boy bands for that matter. Regardless of your interests this one is self contained enough to amuse. Come for the bizarre conceit and stay for the throughly enjoyable writing.
This book feels simultaneously formulaic and also exceedingly strange, and those two tensions work together to create something new. Mystery fans will likely see the signposts easily, but I wasn't looking for them so I enjoyed the reveals. The characters, sketched in as they are due to length, had distinct voices and made me smile. The pacing was perfect and the novella length flattered rather than hamstrung the story. This is a well constructed little bundle of words wherein Gregory is playing with tropes, and classics, and making them new again.
All in all this one was satisfying as a sci-fi fan and I would imagine would be even more so were I also a fan of detective fiction. Or boy bands for that matter. Regardless of your interests this one is self contained enough to amuse. Come for the bizarre conceit and stay for the throughly enjoyable writing.
April 11, 2021
Well, this is a whole lot of fun! I basically picked it up just because it’s Daryl Gregory and didn’t really pay attention to what it was about. This novella satisfies in nearly every possible way. It’s kooky, but perfectly takes the feel from its inspirations — it has the feel of classic science fiction but also of the classic mystery. It feels modern and plays with pop music tropes well. But most of it all, it is such a pleasure to read!
Now, I got some coworkers to read his “We Are All Completely Fine” earlier this year and one pointed out that there are some male-gazey bits to that one. And I could definitely see it on that re-read. I did not see any of that here, so I think maybe she’d be more pleased with this one.
I did say satisfies in “nearly” every way. There was one line — of course publishers ask you not to quote from review copies, so I won’t and I’ll be interested to see if it is in the final copy. I need to sit on it a bit and ponder why I think it was there. Currently I’m thinking it’s a joke in poor taste that maybe was written after some big events of the past year, but not the most recent ones. Which means I’d still have thought it was in poor taste if I’d read this last April, but it wouldn’t have stung quite so much.
Now, I got some coworkers to read his “We Are All Completely Fine” earlier this year and one pointed out that there are some male-gazey bits to that one. And I could definitely see it on that re-read. I did not see any of that here, so I think maybe she’d be more pleased with this one.
I did say satisfies in “nearly” every way. There was one line — of course publishers ask you not to quote from review copies, so I won’t and I’ll be interested to see if it is in the final copy. I need to sit on it a bit and ponder why I think it was there. Currently I’m thinking it’s a joke in poor taste that maybe was written after some big events of the past year, but not the most recent ones. Which means I’d still have thought it was in poor taste if I’d read this last April, but it wouldn’t have stung quite so much.
May 29, 2021
4.5 rounded up.
Fun, short mystery novel featuring a boy band made up of Dr Moreau type animal people. Discovering how that came to be is part of the fun.
This felt lighter, and more humorous than the other stuff I've read by Gregory, but I enjoyed it a lot. I had preordered it based entirely on Gregory + Dr Moreau and was surprised to see a fairly standard mystery plot when I started it. If knew that at some point I'd forgotten it, along with the title being Album instead of Island which gave me a sort of eh? moment when it appeared on the kindle.
Fun, short mystery novel featuring a boy band made up of Dr Moreau type animal people. Discovering how that came to be is part of the fun.
This felt lighter, and more humorous than the other stuff I've read by Gregory, but I enjoyed it a lot. I had preordered it based entirely on Gregory + Dr Moreau and was surprised to see a fairly standard mystery plot when I started it. If knew that at some point I'd forgotten it, along with the title being Album instead of Island which gave me a sort of eh? moment when it appeared on the kindle.
December 13, 2020
I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!!!!
This was just the greatest. A locked-room mystery featuring a boy band comprised of human-animal hybrids called The WildBoyZ.? Yes, please! And there are SO MANY PUNS! Was this written just for me?!
The author does some really excellent work setting the structure of this story up; it allowed him to switch perspectives really fluidly, back and forth between the members of the band and the detective investigating the murder, Luce Delgado, who is a total badass.
The murder is tricky and kept me guessing. The banter between Delgado and her punny partner is great. Everyone is generally good, and the writing about the music - I’m not exaggerating when I say that I cried. When I got to the end, I went back to the beginning to read the intro all over again and it is just *chef’s kiss.*
This is a special novella from Tordotcom. I feel extremely lucky to have gotten to read an advanced copy. It’s already one that I’m yelling at everyone to preorder immediately.
This was just the greatest. A locked-room mystery featuring a boy band comprised of human-animal hybrids called The WildBoyZ.? Yes, please! And there are SO MANY PUNS! Was this written just for me?!
The author does some really excellent work setting the structure of this story up; it allowed him to switch perspectives really fluidly, back and forth between the members of the band and the detective investigating the murder, Luce Delgado, who is a total badass.
The murder is tricky and kept me guessing. The banter between Delgado and her punny partner is great. Everyone is generally good, and the writing about the music - I’m not exaggerating when I say that I cried. When I got to the end, I went back to the beginning to read the intro all over again and it is just *chef’s kiss.*
This is a special novella from Tordotcom. I feel extremely lucky to have gotten to read an advanced copy. It’s already one that I’m yelling at everyone to preorder immediately.
July 13, 2021
Daryl Gregory is a "go-to" author for me. Although I haven't read everything he has written, I have loved everything I've read so far. This one is no exception. It was fun, witty and had an excellent cast of characters. From the animal/human boy band to the ex-magician's apprentice now detective, it was a crazy and fun ride. Very original and well put together. Can't wait for more from this wonderful author!
May 24, 2021
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/05/24/...
Mr. Gregory, please do not ever apologize for writing ridiculous mashups! In fact, I sincerely hope you will decide to write more of them. I have been a fan of the author for a long time, and knowing that The Album of Dr. Moreau is the latest from the same creative mind who brought us such unforgettable quirky reads like Spoonbenders, Harrison Squared, and We Are All Completely Fine, I just knew this one was going to offer some unexpected twists!
In this story, readers have the pleasure of meeting the WyldBoyZ, a hit pop music boyhand made up of genetically engineered human-animal hybrid singers Bobby the ocelot (“the cute one”), Matt the bat (“the funny one”), Tim the pangolin (“the shy one”), Devin the bonobo (“the romantic one”), and Tusk the elephant (“the smart one”). They have just wrapped up the last night of their musical tour which happens to be in Las Vegas, and true to form, the “boyz” have decided to celebrate by throwing a party that’s out of this world.
The next morning, however, housekeeping knocks on the door to Bobby’s room and enters to find the ocelot groggy and confused, his fur drenched in blood. Next to him in the bed are the remains of the band’s manager Dr. M torn to shreds. Before long, the police are on scene, led by LVPD Detective Luce Delgado who wishes she hadn’t been assigned to the case. Her own nine-year-old daughter is a huge fan of the WyldBoyZ, and Luce knows that once all this gets out, little Melanie would be heartbroken. It’s bad enough that any of the members could be a suspect in the killing, but all of them also have a motive—after all, it’s no secret how Dr. M treated them, and the rumor was that they were about to break up. No matter how things play out, it’s looking like the end for the WyldBoyZ.
Still, there is a murder to be solved and Luce is too good a detective to let anything get in the way of her job. Together with her partner Mickey Banks, they start putting together a list of persons of interest to interview, which is not limited to the band members. There’s a rather huge list of party attendees to comb through, which includes the WyldBoyZ’s extensive crew of roadies as well as a number of megafans who were lucky enough to be invited, and of course, there’s also Dr. M’s wife herself, the inscrutable Mrs. Marilyn Bendix. Any of them could have done it, and Luce must race the clock to get to the bottom of the mystery before the case is taken out of her hands.
Does this plot sound completely weird and absurd? Yes, but hear me out—The Album of Dr. Moreau is a legit locked room murder mystery featuring a classic detective storyline structure complete with red herrings, complex clues, and of course plenty of suspenseful surprises. Luce Delgado is an empathetic but also intelligent and tough-as-nails kickass female sleuth I was happy to see on the case, as her fierce tenacity is matched only by her sense of decency and compassion.
And boy, was this book funny! As a preteen in the 90s, I was sort of at the heart of the boyband craze, and while my musical interests ran more towards alternative rock and grunge, back then my CD tower also contained its fair share of albums from the likes of The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Westlife, Take That, and—oh heck, you get the picture. Looking back, it was definitely a pop culture phenomenon, one which Gregory does not hesitate to exploit or poke fun at mercilessly for this novella, and for that I am grateful because it resulted in lots of laughs. For you see, while the WyldBoyZ may be a completely unique and original creation, they are similar to their inspirations in that the band’s music is only a small part of their success, with the arguably more important part being made up of the group’s carefully managed image. With his sharp sense of humor but also what’s clearly a deep affection, the author pays homage to these defining stereotypes and idiosyncratic characteristics of 90s boybands using witty references, clever puns, and other little bonuses and easter eggs related to that style of music and their fanbase at the time. Just take a look at the chapter headings to see what I mean.
Finally, this being a book by Daryl Gregory, you can of course expect his signature flair for the uncanny. While the story is a mystery at its heart, there are also several plots exploring its more supernatural aspects, not to mention a few nods to the original H.G. Wells classic The Island of Dr. Moreau whose “Beast Folk” provided much of the basis for the members of WyldBoyZ. Add in some weightier social topics and emotional content, and you have yourself a compelling and thought-provoking read.
In sum, I’m usually very picky with novellas, but The Album of Dr. Moreau impressed me in that it was the perfect length to deliver this story’s main ideas and themes. Check it out, and just be sure to have a couple hours uninterrupted reading time before you do, because I promise you’ll not want to stop once you start.
Mr. Gregory, please do not ever apologize for writing ridiculous mashups! In fact, I sincerely hope you will decide to write more of them. I have been a fan of the author for a long time, and knowing that The Album of Dr. Moreau is the latest from the same creative mind who brought us such unforgettable quirky reads like Spoonbenders, Harrison Squared, and We Are All Completely Fine, I just knew this one was going to offer some unexpected twists!
In this story, readers have the pleasure of meeting the WyldBoyZ, a hit pop music boyhand made up of genetically engineered human-animal hybrid singers Bobby the ocelot (“the cute one”), Matt the bat (“the funny one”), Tim the pangolin (“the shy one”), Devin the bonobo (“the romantic one”), and Tusk the elephant (“the smart one”). They have just wrapped up the last night of their musical tour which happens to be in Las Vegas, and true to form, the “boyz” have decided to celebrate by throwing a party that’s out of this world.
The next morning, however, housekeeping knocks on the door to Bobby’s room and enters to find the ocelot groggy and confused, his fur drenched in blood. Next to him in the bed are the remains of the band’s manager Dr. M torn to shreds. Before long, the police are on scene, led by LVPD Detective Luce Delgado who wishes she hadn’t been assigned to the case. Her own nine-year-old daughter is a huge fan of the WyldBoyZ, and Luce knows that once all this gets out, little Melanie would be heartbroken. It’s bad enough that any of the members could be a suspect in the killing, but all of them also have a motive—after all, it’s no secret how Dr. M treated them, and the rumor was that they were about to break up. No matter how things play out, it’s looking like the end for the WyldBoyZ.
Still, there is a murder to be solved and Luce is too good a detective to let anything get in the way of her job. Together with her partner Mickey Banks, they start putting together a list of persons of interest to interview, which is not limited to the band members. There’s a rather huge list of party attendees to comb through, which includes the WyldBoyZ’s extensive crew of roadies as well as a number of megafans who were lucky enough to be invited, and of course, there’s also Dr. M’s wife herself, the inscrutable Mrs. Marilyn Bendix. Any of them could have done it, and Luce must race the clock to get to the bottom of the mystery before the case is taken out of her hands.
Does this plot sound completely weird and absurd? Yes, but hear me out—The Album of Dr. Moreau is a legit locked room murder mystery featuring a classic detective storyline structure complete with red herrings, complex clues, and of course plenty of suspenseful surprises. Luce Delgado is an empathetic but also intelligent and tough-as-nails kickass female sleuth I was happy to see on the case, as her fierce tenacity is matched only by her sense of decency and compassion.
And boy, was this book funny! As a preteen in the 90s, I was sort of at the heart of the boyband craze, and while my musical interests ran more towards alternative rock and grunge, back then my CD tower also contained its fair share of albums from the likes of The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Westlife, Take That, and—oh heck, you get the picture. Looking back, it was definitely a pop culture phenomenon, one which Gregory does not hesitate to exploit or poke fun at mercilessly for this novella, and for that I am grateful because it resulted in lots of laughs. For you see, while the WyldBoyZ may be a completely unique and original creation, they are similar to their inspirations in that the band’s music is only a small part of their success, with the arguably more important part being made up of the group’s carefully managed image. With his sharp sense of humor but also what’s clearly a deep affection, the author pays homage to these defining stereotypes and idiosyncratic characteristics of 90s boybands using witty references, clever puns, and other little bonuses and easter eggs related to that style of music and their fanbase at the time. Just take a look at the chapter headings to see what I mean.
Finally, this being a book by Daryl Gregory, you can of course expect his signature flair for the uncanny. While the story is a mystery at its heart, there are also several plots exploring its more supernatural aspects, not to mention a few nods to the original H.G. Wells classic The Island of Dr. Moreau whose “Beast Folk” provided much of the basis for the members of WyldBoyZ. Add in some weightier social topics and emotional content, and you have yourself a compelling and thought-provoking read.
In sum, I’m usually very picky with novellas, but The Album of Dr. Moreau impressed me in that it was the perfect length to deliver this story’s main ideas and themes. Check it out, and just be sure to have a couple hours uninterrupted reading time before you do, because I promise you’ll not want to stop once you start.
January 27, 2022
Maximum Bobby!
May 15, 2021
This book is so weird… and I loved it.
In The Album of Dr. Moreau, we meet the WyldBoyZ — the world’s most adored boy band, who sing in perfect harmony, have killer dance moves, and have the physical appearance of very interesting animal/human mixes. These five pop stars are genetically engineered animal-human hybrids, and they’ve taken the world by storm.
As the book opens, their ethically-challenged, manipulative manager Dr. M. has been found brutally murdered in his Las Vegas suite after the Boyz’s final tour performance and blow-out afterparty. Who wanted Dr. M. dead, and who had opportunity? As Detective Luce Delgado quickly establishes, all of the Boyz had motive, and any one of them could have had access.
Meanwhile, the case is complicated by the WyldBoyZ’s wild celebrity, as well as by their rabid fan base, referred to as zoomies (which true fans consider offensive — they prefer zoomandos, thank you very much). Zoomies dress in elaborate animal costumes, so as Luce and her colleagues review the video footage from the party, it’s pretty much impossible to tell who’s who beneath the unicorn, gopher, chipmunk, and other furry costumes.
As Luce investigates, we get to know each of the Boyz, and learn more and more about their backstory, where they came from, and what they’ve had to endure. I absolutely loved her interviews with the band members, seeing their personalities, their habits, and their quirks… and how not weird she tries to make it as she’s sitting and having a conversation with a human-pangolin hybrid, as one example.
This book is short, but so jam-packed with goodness that there’s no wasted space. I was entertained and hooked from page one, and adored every moment. The wacky idea of a human-animal-hybrid boy band is so out there, and it’s perfect.
I happen to have read The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells last year, and that made reading The Album of Dr. Moreau extra amusing as a point of comparison — but don’t worry if you haven’t read the Wells classic. It’s not necessary for enjoying this book, since they don’t really have anything to do with one another except as a passing reference… but if you’re curious, it’s worth checking out.
The Album of Dr. Moreau is so much crazy fun. My only complaint: I really, REALLY, want to see a video of the WyldBoyZ in action. Please, someone, make it happen!!
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
In The Album of Dr. Moreau, we meet the WyldBoyZ — the world’s most adored boy band, who sing in perfect harmony, have killer dance moves, and have the physical appearance of very interesting animal/human mixes. These five pop stars are genetically engineered animal-human hybrids, and they’ve taken the world by storm.
As the book opens, their ethically-challenged, manipulative manager Dr. M. has been found brutally murdered in his Las Vegas suite after the Boyz’s final tour performance and blow-out afterparty. Who wanted Dr. M. dead, and who had opportunity? As Detective Luce Delgado quickly establishes, all of the Boyz had motive, and any one of them could have had access.
Meanwhile, the case is complicated by the WyldBoyZ’s wild celebrity, as well as by their rabid fan base, referred to as zoomies (which true fans consider offensive — they prefer zoomandos, thank you very much). Zoomies dress in elaborate animal costumes, so as Luce and her colleagues review the video footage from the party, it’s pretty much impossible to tell who’s who beneath the unicorn, gopher, chipmunk, and other furry costumes.
As Luce investigates, we get to know each of the Boyz, and learn more and more about their backstory, where they came from, and what they’ve had to endure. I absolutely loved her interviews with the band members, seeing their personalities, their habits, and their quirks… and how not weird she tries to make it as she’s sitting and having a conversation with a human-pangolin hybrid, as one example.
This book is short, but so jam-packed with goodness that there’s no wasted space. I was entertained and hooked from page one, and adored every moment. The wacky idea of a human-animal-hybrid boy band is so out there, and it’s perfect.
I happen to have read The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells last year, and that made reading The Album of Dr. Moreau extra amusing as a point of comparison — but don’t worry if you haven’t read the Wells classic. It’s not necessary for enjoying this book, since they don’t really have anything to do with one another except as a passing reference… but if you’re curious, it’s worth checking out.
The Album of Dr. Moreau is so much crazy fun. My only complaint: I really, REALLY, want to see a video of the WyldBoyZ in action. Please, someone, make it happen!!
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
July 17, 2022
You might think the premise of this book -- five engineered human-animal hybrids form a boy band and are accused of murder just before they plan to break up -- is strange, but this is par for the course for Daryl Gregory. Check out Raising Stony Mayhall (a family discovers a zombie baby they take home and raise to young adulthood) or The Devil's Alphabet (survivors of a plague in a small town become mutated in unique and unusual ways) to see what passes for normal in Daryl Gregory's world. Because those are just the places Gregory starts; the stories themselves are beautiful dissections of humanity, through the eyes of those who have become inhuman.
It's brilliant stuff. Just start with Pandemonium (random acts of possession take over the country in the 1950s) and move forward from there.
It's brilliant stuff. Just start with Pandemonium (random acts of possession take over the country in the 1950s) and move forward from there.
May 5, 2023
Just brilliant. Murder mystery animal boy band! Felt like my kind of satire.
October 16, 2021
His best imo since the wonderfully original Pandemonium - creative, clever and funny (at times punishingly so).
January 16, 2022
It's been a while since I've read a book in one sitting. Is this premise completely batshit insane and very silly? Yes. But it's also the wholesome content I didn't know I needed right now, and it was fun and funny.
For the record, I am now and have always been a mark for the "funny one." Omg I love you, Matt!!!!!
For the record, I am now and have always been a mark for the "funny one." Omg I love you, Matt!!!!!
May 19, 2021
5/18/2021 Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.
5/19/2021 This novella combines three of my favorite things: murder mysteries, sci-fi (and I don't care if calling it that is "vulgar", Matt) and boy bands! Add a police detective with a fascinating history, literary snarkiness and huge doses of humor, and you've got a book that hits all of my reading sweet spots.
Las Vegas Police Detective Luce Delgado is called to the scene of the Matador hotel, where music producer Dr Maury Bendix has been found clawed to death in his bed, next to the bloodied and extremely drugged up form of one of his protegees, Bobby O, "the cute one" of the world's hottest boy band WyldBoyZ. As Bobby O is part ocelot, he's immediately considered prime suspect, tho it soon becomes clear that all five members of the WyldBoyZ -- genetically modified human-animal hybrids who fled a burning barge conducting secret scientific experiments in the middle of the ocean before achieving global superstardom -- had plenty of reason to want Dr M dead. Could the murderer have actually been Devin, "the romantic one", who was perhaps too close to Dr M's wife? Or Matt M, "the funny one", who was looking to leave the band to pursue academia? Surely it couldn't have been Tusk, "the smart one", or Tim, "the shy one"? Could the murderer really be, as Luce's pun-loving partner Detective Banks posits, "a rabid fan"?
Complicating matters is the fact that Luce's 9 year-old daughter, Melanie, is a megafan herself. But Melanie's expertise may be the key to cracking the case, and to saving the lives of even more people in the WyldBoyZ' charmed, endangered circle.
The Album Of Dr Moreau packs a lot of terrific cultural commentary into less then 200 pages, celebrating and critiquing its subjects in witty ways that lean into both thoughtfulness and humor. Matt really is the funny one -- I loled at at least two of his wisecracks, needing to put the book down as I just lost it laughing. The novella's length, however, is also its main drawback. This is such a smart story that deserves to be drawn out into a full-length novel, with a little more reflection and slightly less pressured pacing. I felt like the murder mystery went by too quickly, juddering forward in transitions that could have used a little more story padding to smooth it all out. The sci-fi aspects could also have been given a bit more meat: I'd still like to know the whole deal with Jorge, for example. Like, I get who he is but I'd like to know a bit more of how he became who he did. That said, I really appreciated all the writing on music and pop culture, which was treated here with both the reverence and ribaldry it deserved. I'll definitely be looking out for more of Daryl Gregory's work from here on in.
The Album Of Dr. Moreau by Daryl Gregory was published May 18 2021 by Tordotcom and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
5/19/2021 This novella combines three of my favorite things: murder mysteries, sci-fi (and I don't care if calling it that is "vulgar", Matt) and boy bands! Add a police detective with a fascinating history, literary snarkiness and huge doses of humor, and you've got a book that hits all of my reading sweet spots.
Las Vegas Police Detective Luce Delgado is called to the scene of the Matador hotel, where music producer Dr Maury Bendix has been found clawed to death in his bed, next to the bloodied and extremely drugged up form of one of his protegees, Bobby O, "the cute one" of the world's hottest boy band WyldBoyZ. As Bobby O is part ocelot, he's immediately considered prime suspect, tho it soon becomes clear that all five members of the WyldBoyZ -- genetically modified human-animal hybrids who fled a burning barge conducting secret scientific experiments in the middle of the ocean before achieving global superstardom -- had plenty of reason to want Dr M dead. Could the murderer have actually been Devin, "the romantic one", who was perhaps too close to Dr M's wife? Or Matt M, "the funny one", who was looking to leave the band to pursue academia? Surely it couldn't have been Tusk, "the smart one", or Tim, "the shy one"? Could the murderer really be, as Luce's pun-loving partner Detective Banks posits, "a rabid fan"?
Complicating matters is the fact that Luce's 9 year-old daughter, Melanie, is a megafan herself. But Melanie's expertise may be the key to cracking the case, and to saving the lives of even more people in the WyldBoyZ' charmed, endangered circle.
The Album Of Dr Moreau packs a lot of terrific cultural commentary into less then 200 pages, celebrating and critiquing its subjects in witty ways that lean into both thoughtfulness and humor. Matt really is the funny one -- I loled at at least two of his wisecracks, needing to put the book down as I just lost it laughing. The novella's length, however, is also its main drawback. This is such a smart story that deserves to be drawn out into a full-length novel, with a little more reflection and slightly less pressured pacing. I felt like the murder mystery went by too quickly, juddering forward in transitions that could have used a little more story padding to smooth it all out. The sci-fi aspects could also have been given a bit more meat: I'd still like to know the whole deal with Jorge, for example. Like, I get who he is but I'd like to know a bit more of how he became who he did. That said, I really appreciated all the writing on music and pop culture, which was treated here with both the reverence and ribaldry it deserved. I'll definitely be looking out for more of Daryl Gregory's work from here on in.
The Album Of Dr. Moreau by Daryl Gregory was published May 18 2021 by Tordotcom and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!
September 21, 2021
The Island of Dr. Moreau was H.G. Wells’ third novel and was first published in 1896. It recounts the experiences of a shipwreck victim who finds himself on an island populated by animals that have been modified by the titular Dr. Moreau, using scientific means, to become human/animal hybrids who resemble humans with residual animal traits and nearly have human intelligence and sentience. The novel was quite a sensation at the time of its publication, and controversial in its exploration of the themes of the theory of evolution, the use of animals in scientific experimentation, and the concept of personhood and how, or what, can actually be considered a person. With his new novella, author Daryl Gregory stirs the pot of many of those same issues, but includes a wicked sense of humor, relentless puns and, of all things, boy bands in The Album of Dr. Moreau.
The year is 2001 and the location is Las Vegas. The WyldBoyZ have just played the final show of their latest tour. The WyldBoyZ are not only the world’s hottest boy-band, they are also the only genetically modified boy band. There is Bobby the ocelot (“the cute one”), Matt the bat (“the funny one”), Tim the pangolin (“the shy one”), Devin the bonobo (“the romantic one”), and Tusk the elephant (“the smart one”). During the inevitable party at the end of the tour, Maurice Bendix, their producer/manager who is known as Dr. M, is killed, and it is up to Detective Luce Delgado to discover “whodunnit” and why.
In his latest novella, author Daryl Gregory explores the world of boy bands, crazed fans, locked-room mysteries, police procedurals, and personhood. The beginning of the novella lists T.S. Elliot’s “Five Rules of Detective Fiction” and then follows as Gregory gleefully breaks every single one while still providing a fascinating and enjoyable mystery. The text is littered with sharp observations, witty allusions, and puns--lots and lots of groan worthy puns. But Gregory also raises some of the original questions that Wells explored in 1896. If it turns out that one of the WyldBoyZ is the murderer, under whose jurisdiction is the crime? While the Las Vegas police department begins the investigation, it isn’t the FBI that is called, but the FWS (Fish & Wildlife Service) because the “boys” are not officially people.
The Album of Dr. Moreau is an intriguing story and a fun read that touches on serious questions. It is speculative science fiction/mystery at its absolute best!
Read an interview with with the author, Daryl Gregory here.
Reviewed by Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library
The year is 2001 and the location is Las Vegas. The WyldBoyZ have just played the final show of their latest tour. The WyldBoyZ are not only the world’s hottest boy-band, they are also the only genetically modified boy band. There is Bobby the ocelot (“the cute one”), Matt the bat (“the funny one”), Tim the pangolin (“the shy one”), Devin the bonobo (“the romantic one”), and Tusk the elephant (“the smart one”). During the inevitable party at the end of the tour, Maurice Bendix, their producer/manager who is known as Dr. M, is killed, and it is up to Detective Luce Delgado to discover “whodunnit” and why.
In his latest novella, author Daryl Gregory explores the world of boy bands, crazed fans, locked-room mysteries, police procedurals, and personhood. The beginning of the novella lists T.S. Elliot’s “Five Rules of Detective Fiction” and then follows as Gregory gleefully breaks every single one while still providing a fascinating and enjoyable mystery. The text is littered with sharp observations, witty allusions, and puns--lots and lots of groan worthy puns. But Gregory also raises some of the original questions that Wells explored in 1896. If it turns out that one of the WyldBoyZ is the murderer, under whose jurisdiction is the crime? While the Las Vegas police department begins the investigation, it isn’t the FBI that is called, but the FWS (Fish & Wildlife Service) because the “boys” are not officially people.
The Album of Dr. Moreau is an intriguing story and a fun read that touches on serious questions. It is speculative science fiction/mystery at its absolute best!
Read an interview with with the author, Daryl Gregory here.
Reviewed by Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library
May 31, 2022
Dr. M, the manager of the WyldBoyZ, a boy band of genetically engineered animal/human hybrids, is found gruesomely murdered after the wild end of tour party. Detective Lucia Delgado and her pun-addicted partner Banks are assigned to investigate by the Las Vegas PD. Of course this is set in Vegas! They have about a day to solve the murder and make an arrest before the FBI descends to take over the case.
This is a rollercoaster ride of a novella, a mash-up of classic detective fiction and sci fi. It is filled with humor and puns, lots of clues and red herrings. There are sharply drawn individual characters you can't help but love even when flaunting a stereotype (i.e. Tusk, the elephant hybrid, has a photographic memory and his dance move is the Stomp). It also has one fabulous kickass female detective.
Yet along the way, the author lectures us about treating those who are different with kindness and humanity while at the same time casting shade on genetic engineering and experimentation.
This is a rollercoaster ride of a novella, a mash-up of classic detective fiction and sci fi. It is filled with humor and puns, lots of clues and red herrings. There are sharply drawn individual characters you can't help but love even when flaunting a stereotype (i.e. Tusk, the elephant hybrid, has a photographic memory and his dance move is the Stomp). It also has one fabulous kickass female detective.
Yet along the way, the author lectures us about treating those who are different with kindness and humanity while at the same time casting shade on genetic engineering and experimentation.
September 17, 2021
I don't read a lot of print books, but when I do, it's because a concept is so outlandish that I ask the library to buy a copy so I can carry it around and whenever anyone asks me what I'm reading I can say "It's a murder mystery about a human-animal hybrid boy band in 2001, with lots of puns" and then it takes me 3 months to finish it because I don't read a lot of print books. I appreciated the list of detective fiction rules at the beginning, since I also don't read many mysteries, so it was good to know which rules were broken when. As someone who was 13 in 2001, I can say with certainty that the while the underlying concept of the WyldBoyZ as sci fi is obviously dubious, their marketability and resulting spot as the hottest boy band in the early 2000s requires precisely zero suspension of disbelief.
May 10, 2021
The nitty-gritty: An inventive retelling with a pop music beat, The Album of Dr. Moreau is a funny, heartwarming surprise.
I once made the mistake of telling an Englishman my story, and he turned it into a novel.
What do you get when you mash together The Island of Doctor Moreau, a famous boy band made up of animal/human hybrid musicians, an out of control afterparty in a Las Vegas hotel and a murder mystery? You get one of the funniest, wackiest and most clever stories of the year, told as only Daryl Gregory can tell it.
The story opens with the discovery of a dead body. Bobby O, one of the five members of the mega popular boy band WyldBoyZ, wakes up in a hotel room bed in a pool of blood—right next to the band’s manager, Dr. M, who appears to be very dead. Bobby partied pretty hard the night before and doesn’t remember much, but could he possibly have killed Dr. M? He has a motive—the band was about to break up because of Dr. M and the way he treated the unusual band members, and Bobby is now the prime suspect.
Enter Detective Luce Delgado and her partner Mickey Banks, called to the scene of a homicide at the Matador Grand. According to her boss, Luce has a way with celebrities and getting them to talk, which is why she’s been assigned to this high profile case. WyldBoyZ is one of the hottest bands around, and now it looks like their manager, Maurice Bendix, was killed by one of the band members.
But these aren’t your ordinary famous, super cute boys. The members of WyldBoyZ are animal/human hybrids and include Bobby O, the cute one (an ocelot); Devin, the romantic one (a bonobo); Matt, the funny one (a bat); Tusk, the smart one (an elephant); and Tim, the shy one (a pangolin). As Luce and Banks start to interrogate the boys, they discover the seedy underbelly of one of the most famous bands in the world and must untangle a bunch of lies to get to the truth of what happened. What was Dr. M up to? Where is his wife’s stolen laptop, and what is on the missing CD? And most curious of all, what happened on the barge that brought the five boys together? Luce only has twenty-four hours to figure out the mystery before the Feds take over the case, and she’s determined to bring the killer to justice.
The Album of Dr. Moreau has two mysteries going on: the murder of Dr. M, and the backstory of the band members and how they came to be animal/human hybrids. Gregory weaves these two mysteries together, slowly revealing the answers until the reader finally knows the whole story. And while the murder seems to be the main focus at first, I found myself much more interested in the WyldBoyZ origin story and what happened on the barge, which relates back to the H.G. Wells classic.
And speaking of the WyldBoyZ, I loved the idea of this macabre group of characters forming a band and becoming ridiculously famous. Each one has a distinct personality—a distinctly human personality—which is important considering that they’ve been spliced together with animal DNA and aren’t even considered to be human. Gregory explains the science behind how they are able to talk and sing, but it really didn’t matter much to me, I just went with the concept and enjoyed the hell out of it! Each band member has a different strength, for example, Tusk is the musical genius of the group and does all the band's song arrangements. In his afterward, the author mentions that he took inspiration from his daughter’s childhood obsession with The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, and I swear I could hear the pop music of my youth playing in the background while I was reading.
I absolutely loved how funny this story is, and a lot of the humor comes from Detective Banks, believe it or not. Banks loves puns and bad jokes, much to Luce’s dismay, and he uses every opportunity possible to slip one into the conversation (there’s one comment about “the elephant in the room” that had me rolling on the floor). I also loved Gregory’s punchy dialog, especially between the band members. They’ve been through a lot together and developed that special kind of banter that seems light and funny to outsiders but actually conceals years of built up emotions.
And although the story has a light, humorous tone overall, there’s actually quite a bit of emotional depth that I wasn’t expecting. Gregory addresses issues like immigration, human rights and the plight of refugees, all things the WyldBoyZ have had to deal with. I really loved the storyline of Kat, the band’s roadie, who is hiding a couple of big gut punching secrets that aren��t revealed until the end. Luce’s nine year old daughter Melanie also has a role in the story. As Bobby O’s biggest fan, a girl who knows every WyldBoyZ song by heart, I loved the way she became involved in her mother’s case, and the moment she actually met her idols took me back to my own pre-teen days of worshiping one boy band in particular.
For such a short story, Gregory masterfully juggles a lot of characters and side plots and makes the whole thing seem effortless. We get a cool twist at the end that harkens back to The Island of Doctor Moreau, and he wraps up on a feel-good emotional note that made me turn back to the beginning to reread that first section. Just the right length, The Album of Dr. Moreau is a ton of laugh-out-loud fun with hard-to-forget characters and a couple of intriguing mysteries that will make readers quickly flip through the pages to see how things turn out.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
I once made the mistake of telling an Englishman my story, and he turned it into a novel.
What do you get when you mash together The Island of Doctor Moreau, a famous boy band made up of animal/human hybrid musicians, an out of control afterparty in a Las Vegas hotel and a murder mystery? You get one of the funniest, wackiest and most clever stories of the year, told as only Daryl Gregory can tell it.
The story opens with the discovery of a dead body. Bobby O, one of the five members of the mega popular boy band WyldBoyZ, wakes up in a hotel room bed in a pool of blood—right next to the band’s manager, Dr. M, who appears to be very dead. Bobby partied pretty hard the night before and doesn’t remember much, but could he possibly have killed Dr. M? He has a motive—the band was about to break up because of Dr. M and the way he treated the unusual band members, and Bobby is now the prime suspect.
Enter Detective Luce Delgado and her partner Mickey Banks, called to the scene of a homicide at the Matador Grand. According to her boss, Luce has a way with celebrities and getting them to talk, which is why she’s been assigned to this high profile case. WyldBoyZ is one of the hottest bands around, and now it looks like their manager, Maurice Bendix, was killed by one of the band members.
But these aren’t your ordinary famous, super cute boys. The members of WyldBoyZ are animal/human hybrids and include Bobby O, the cute one (an ocelot); Devin, the romantic one (a bonobo); Matt, the funny one (a bat); Tusk, the smart one (an elephant); and Tim, the shy one (a pangolin). As Luce and Banks start to interrogate the boys, they discover the seedy underbelly of one of the most famous bands in the world and must untangle a bunch of lies to get to the truth of what happened. What was Dr. M up to? Where is his wife’s stolen laptop, and what is on the missing CD? And most curious of all, what happened on the barge that brought the five boys together? Luce only has twenty-four hours to figure out the mystery before the Feds take over the case, and she’s determined to bring the killer to justice.
The Album of Dr. Moreau has two mysteries going on: the murder of Dr. M, and the backstory of the band members and how they came to be animal/human hybrids. Gregory weaves these two mysteries together, slowly revealing the answers until the reader finally knows the whole story. And while the murder seems to be the main focus at first, I found myself much more interested in the WyldBoyZ origin story and what happened on the barge, which relates back to the H.G. Wells classic.
And speaking of the WyldBoyZ, I loved the idea of this macabre group of characters forming a band and becoming ridiculously famous. Each one has a distinct personality—a distinctly human personality—which is important considering that they’ve been spliced together with animal DNA and aren’t even considered to be human. Gregory explains the science behind how they are able to talk and sing, but it really didn’t matter much to me, I just went with the concept and enjoyed the hell out of it! Each band member has a different strength, for example, Tusk is the musical genius of the group and does all the band's song arrangements. In his afterward, the author mentions that he took inspiration from his daughter’s childhood obsession with The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, and I swear I could hear the pop music of my youth playing in the background while I was reading.
I absolutely loved how funny this story is, and a lot of the humor comes from Detective Banks, believe it or not. Banks loves puns and bad jokes, much to Luce’s dismay, and he uses every opportunity possible to slip one into the conversation (there’s one comment about “the elephant in the room” that had me rolling on the floor). I also loved Gregory’s punchy dialog, especially between the band members. They’ve been through a lot together and developed that special kind of banter that seems light and funny to outsiders but actually conceals years of built up emotions.
And although the story has a light, humorous tone overall, there’s actually quite a bit of emotional depth that I wasn’t expecting. Gregory addresses issues like immigration, human rights and the plight of refugees, all things the WyldBoyZ have had to deal with. I really loved the storyline of Kat, the band’s roadie, who is hiding a couple of big gut punching secrets that aren��t revealed until the end. Luce’s nine year old daughter Melanie also has a role in the story. As Bobby O’s biggest fan, a girl who knows every WyldBoyZ song by heart, I loved the way she became involved in her mother’s case, and the moment she actually met her idols took me back to my own pre-teen days of worshiping one boy band in particular.
For such a short story, Gregory masterfully juggles a lot of characters and side plots and makes the whole thing seem effortless. We get a cool twist at the end that harkens back to The Island of Doctor Moreau, and he wraps up on a feel-good emotional note that made me turn back to the beginning to reread that first section. Just the right length, The Album of Dr. Moreau is a ton of laugh-out-loud fun with hard-to-forget characters and a couple of intriguing mysteries that will make readers quickly flip through the pages to see how things turn out.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
August 10, 2022
Another one of the Edgar award nominees ( for paperback) and definitely well worth a read. This book is exactly why I read from lists at times. Forces me out of my comfort zone, occasionally resulting in a pleasant surprise. It is very unlikely that I’d have picked up a book about a boy band formed by human animal hybrids that are at the center of a murder mystery, but I’m glad I did. The animal traits that show up in each character are both likely and , at the same time, amusingly exaggerated. The detectives are likable and basically believable. An unusual and fun little mystery tale
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