Sixteen-year-old Eleanor lives in Philadelphia and is not your typical Victorian shrinking violet. She has a lot to deal with, in fact. Her mother wants to marry her off and any rich man will do. Her brother has gone missing and Eleanor can't stop worrying about him. And there is this craziness in the paper about the dead rising in Philadelphia. When a zombie hands Eleanor a letter from her brother, she is horrified to realize that he has been kidnapped by a necromancer. Eleanor, who will stop at nothing to save her brother, sets off to seek the help of the Spirit-Hunters, a group whose job it is to protect the living from the supernatural. But things get even more complicated when she meets a frustrating but curiously handsome inventor named Daniel, and her involvement with the Spirit-Hunters puts her reputation, and her life, at stake.

Something Strange & Deadly is a fantastically fun paranormal story that takes place in nineteenth century Philadelphia, specifically during the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876 (the first World's Fair). It is an engaging and fast-paced read filled with plenty of action. Especially likable is the character of Eleanor, who goes against the notion of how women were to "behave" during this time period. Eleanor is determined, tenacious, and brave and will be relatable to modern-day readers. In fact, while trying to find her brother, she joins the Spirit-Hunters and helps them fight zombies. Something Strange & Deadly could technically fall within many genres: historical fiction, mystery, horror, paranormal, romance, and steampunk. This book will appeal to fans of these genres, especially teen girls. It's pretty wholesome for a teen read - Eleanor shares a kiss with Daniel, and ;anguage is infrequent and mild (d-mn, sh-t). Being a book with zombies, there are some scary parts. Zombies roam the city, and the spirit-hunters battle with them. There are references in the newspaper about corpses being found without heads. Fans of this book will be happy to know that this is the first book in a trilogy.
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