What Strange Creatures: A Novel

Scandal, love, family, and murder combine in this gripping literary mystery by critically acclaimed author Emily Arsenault, in which a young academic’s life is turned upside down when her brother is arrested for murder and she must prove his innocence.

The Battle siblings are used to disappointment. Seven years, one marriage and divorce, three cats, and a dog later, Theresa still hasn’t finished her dissertation. Instead of a degree, she’s got a houseful of adoring pets and a dead-end copywriting job for a local candle company.

Jeff, her so-called genius older brother, doesn’t have it together, either. Creative, and loyal, he’s also aimless in work and love. But his new girlfriend, Kim, a pretty waitress in her twenties, appears smitten.

When Theresa agrees to dog-sit Kim’s puggle for a weekend, she has no idea that it is the beginning of a terrifying nightmare that will shatter her quiet world. Soon, Kim’s body will be found in the woods, and Jeff will become the prime suspect.

Though the evidence is overwhelming, Theresa knows that her brother is not a cold-blooded murderer. But to clear him she must find out more about Kim. Investigating the dead woman’s past, Theresa uncovers a treacherous secret involving politics, murder, and scandal—and becomes entangled in a potentially dangerous romance. But the deeper she falls into this troubling case, the more it becomes clear that, in trying to save her brother’s life, she may be sacrificing her own.

Scandal, love, family, and murder combine in this gripping mystery by critically acclaimed author Emily Arsenault, in which a young woman's life is turned upside down when her brother is arrested for murder and she must prove his innocence

The Battle siblings are used to disappointment. Seven years after starting her PhD program—one marriage, one divorce, three cats and a dog later—Theresa Battle still hasn't finished her dissertation. Instead of a degree, she's got a houseful of adoring pets and a dead-end copywriting job for a local candle company.

Jeff, her so-called genius older brother, doesn't have it together, either. Creative and loyal, he's also aimless, in both work and love. But his new girlfriend, Kim, a pretty waitress in her twenties, appears smitten. When Theresa agrees to dog-sit Kim's puggle for a weekend, she has no idea it will be the beginning of a terrifying nightmare that will shatter her quiet academic world.

Soon Kim's body is found in the woods, and Jeff becomes the prime suspect.

Though the evidence is overwhelming, Theresa knows that her brother is not a murderer. As she investigates Kim's past, she uncovers a treacherous secret involving politics, murder, and scandal—and becomes entangled in a potentially dangerous romance. But the deeper she falls into this troubling case, the more it becomes clear that, in trying to save her brother's life, she may be sacrificing her own.

“Emily Arsenault’s absorbing second book, In Search of the Rose Notes, is at least as much a novel as a detective story.... Ms. Arsenault here reveals strange truths beneath everyday surfaces and shows that truth sometimes isn’t all that strange.” - Wall Street Journal on In Search of the Rose Notes

“A beautifully written engaging mystery.” - Dorothy Allison on The Broken Teaglass

“Charming. . . . Clever word play, a behind-the-scenes look at the dictionary-publishing industry, and well-drawn characters make for a delightful, quietly humorous, and offbeat mystery.” - Library Journal on THE BROKEN TEAGLASS

“WHAT STRANGE CREATURES is a smart, literary mystery that explores the depths of family bonds and loyalty.” - Jennifer McMahon, New York Times bestselling author

“This is literary mystery at its best. Arsenault writes a smart tale about a character who finds it hard to save herself, but will do anything to save her brother.” - Jacqueline Sheehan, New York Times bestselling author

“Emily Arsenault’s mysteries are so much fun you hardly notice they’re essentially academic novels. ” - New York Times Book Review

“This book is filled with humor, which is somewhat unusual in a mystery/thriller, but a great thing to behold. The dialogue is very smartly written, and the plot is one you will stick to until the very end.” - Suspense Magazine