When Mina’s plan to steal a body goes terribly wrong, her entire life changes. The body in question was a famous actress, and Mina’s idea was to steal her from the Temstown Cemetery, to impress her employer.

She works for a doctor who is always looking out for corpses to dissect for his lectures. But by the time she sneaks in under darkness and spends too much time avoiding the night guards, the body has already left the grave – on its own!

20 years before, there was a terrible outbreak of vampires in Temstown, and it looks like it might be happening again. They were vanquished by the Guildmaster Mr Helsing, and there has been an uneasy peace since. Now that peace is shattered as it seems a vampire has risen from the grave once more.

Mina’s friend Varney is caught up in the vampire’s escape that fateful night at the graveyard, and she blames herself. After all, she convinced him to help her try and steal a body. Mina soon learns that one of the town’s richest residents is in fact a close relative, and she and her sister have a cousin named Bella. There is more to learn about their family roots which brings the girls surprising powers.

Can they work together to try and save Varney, along with their city? They must prove that they can heal the bitten and there will be no need for culling with wooden stakes!

A step away from the historical event novels we love from Emma Carroll, Dracula & Daughters is just as entertaining. An eerie graveyard setting begins the tale, and three courageous, strong-willed and capable cousins discover the shocking but exciting truth about their family.

Family secrets revealed also bring forth the dastardly dealings of their city authorities. The stakes rise, and the tension bites.

Dracula & Daughters is a tale to get your teeth into. As a Dracula fan, I love the twist Emma Carroll has brought to the classic, whilst also keeping to what we know about the fanged fiends.

Just as in her other novels there is action, adventure, family bonds strengthened, and a satisfying and nail biting conclusion.

This is the first book in the Dracula & Daughter series.

Author – Emma Carroll

Age – 9+

Publisher – Allen & Unwin NZ

Find other Emma Carroll Book Reviews here

If you liked Dracula & Daughters, you might like The Swifts here

or

The Beast and the Bethany here

(2025, Allen & Unwin NZ, Family, Series, Action, Adventure, Betrayal, Crime, Historical, Greed, Horror, Mystery, Vampires, Vampire Hunters, Lies, Secrets, Body Snatchers, Graverobbers, Sisters, Cousins, Undertakers)