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The Sum of Its Parts
The monster of Frankenstein reinvents himself as a consulting detective, confronting Dracula, The Invisible Man, the Wolf-man, zombies and more! No case too monstrous.
After surviving his climactic encounter with Victor in the Arctic Ocean, the monster of Frankenstein is rescued by a whaler.
Torn by guilt, he decides to use his intelligence and experience to find redemption. He returns to Switzerland and adopts his creator's last name, reinventing himself as a consulting detective, specializing in monsters. His “No case too monstrous.”
Soon, with his assistant Igor, he matches his wits and strength with Dracula, the Invisible Man, the Wolf-man, and zombies.
After surviving his climactic encounter with Victor in the Arctic Ocean, the monster of Frankenstein is rescued by a whaler.
Torn by guilt, he decides to use his intelligence and experience to find redemption. He returns to Switzerland and adopts his creator's last name, reinventing himself as a consulting detective, specializing in monsters. His “No case too monstrous.”
Soon, with his assistant Igor, he matches his wits and strength with Dracula, the Invisible Man, the Wolf-man, and zombies.
156 pages, Paperback
Published March 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 19, 2025
It begins in medias res, after the ending of the classic novel. Both author and monster are clever, leading to engaging dialogue. After the final encounter in life with Victor, the monster responds to Captain Walton's question of, “What? You killed him?”
“I suppose. He died in childbirth.”
Excellent line, summing up how the monster viewed his creator.
Richard is true to the lore of Frankenstein. Not dismissing anything established but rather expanding on it or explaining it to fit in with this book. The monster's decision to become a private detective is logical, following his conversation with the Russian whaler.
The monster, having decided to call himself "Frankenstein" as an heir of sorts to the name, advertises himself as 'Frankenstein, No Case Too Monstrous.' Richard has decided to go with the classic appearance of the monster from countless movies, rather than that of the book. No doubt because just the name "Frankenstein" conjures up a precise image, and not the literarily correct one.
Richard introduces other classic movie monsters in fairly serious fashion, but always with a sense of fun. The book uses Frankenstein's supposed connections with other famous monsters to great effect. The one thing which confuses me is Frankenstein's occasional references to the other monsters as if knowing them from a movie viewpoint, and movies didn't exist yet in his timeline. A small thing for an otherwise excellent narrative.
To say the dialogue and storylines are good would be to undersell the book. Frankenstein's (and the author's) asides to the reader alone are worth the trip. While the stories are serious, the dialogue and tone are often less so. That's something I appreciate from storylines that could have gone full-on horror easily.
It has an open ending, leaving us the promise of future adventures with the man of many parts.
Joel E. Roosa
Fantasy Editor, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores
“I suppose. He died in childbirth.”
Excellent line, summing up how the monster viewed his creator.
Richard is true to the lore of Frankenstein. Not dismissing anything established but rather expanding on it or explaining it to fit in with this book. The monster's decision to become a private detective is logical, following his conversation with the Russian whaler.
The monster, having decided to call himself "Frankenstein" as an heir of sorts to the name, advertises himself as 'Frankenstein, No Case Too Monstrous.' Richard has decided to go with the classic appearance of the monster from countless movies, rather than that of the book. No doubt because just the name "Frankenstein" conjures up a precise image, and not the literarily correct one.
Richard introduces other classic movie monsters in fairly serious fashion, but always with a sense of fun. The book uses Frankenstein's supposed connections with other famous monsters to great effect. The one thing which confuses me is Frankenstein's occasional references to the other monsters as if knowing them from a movie viewpoint, and movies didn't exist yet in his timeline. A small thing for an otherwise excellent narrative.
To say the dialogue and storylines are good would be to undersell the book. Frankenstein's (and the author's) asides to the reader alone are worth the trip. While the stories are serious, the dialogue and tone are often less so. That's something I appreciate from storylines that could have gone full-on horror easily.
It has an open ending, leaving us the promise of future adventures with the man of many parts.
Joel E. Roosa
Fantasy Editor, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores
March 23, 2025
This book is tremendous fun and recommended for anyone who has always wondered what would have happened if Frankenstein’s monster had survived his final sea journey and adopted the role of private investigator in Geneva. Richard Zwicker has written a delightful series of adventures that, through all their improbability, remain somehow faithful to the original. The style is Raymond Chandler noir, the settings are shrouded in either mist, grime or darkness. Our hero meets recurring favourites from the world of monster fiction; Dracula, A Werewolf, The Invisible Man and others; either settling their grievances or bringing them some sort of closure. There is a golden thread of wisdom running through the knockabout humour and the fast-paced action. This writer knows his Shelley, but also his Melville, his Dashiell Hammett and his Mickey Spillane. Each story is self-contained, but they gain a cumulative strength. I laughed frequently and found myself being constantly delighted that what at first seemed largely entertainment was actually a good deal deeper. Zwicker is a natural storyteller and a comic writer of considerable talent.
April 26, 2025
I've read a few of the Detective Frankenstein stories in the past so I really enjoyed reading them all in one place, with the added bonus of having them pulled together into an episodic narrative. It opens as a direct sequel to Shelley's Framkenstein in which the creature finds himself rescued - if that's the word - by Coleridge's ancient mariner.
The subsequent stories follow the creature's new afterlife as a consulting detective, which see him become embroiled in the machinations of 19th century gothic icons like Dracula, the Wolfman and the invisible man. The stories are much gentler and than the source material, which draws equally from the stories and poems that launched the characters and the Hammer films that gave them a new lease of life in the 20th century.
Frankenstein's creature is as iconic now as he ever was, and these stories bring him into the second quarter of the 21st century.
The subsequent stories follow the creature's new afterlife as a consulting detective, which see him become embroiled in the machinations of 19th century gothic icons like Dracula, the Wolfman and the invisible man. The stories are much gentler and than the source material, which draws equally from the stories and poems that launched the characters and the Hammer films that gave them a new lease of life in the 20th century.
Frankenstein's creature is as iconic now as he ever was, and these stories bring him into the second quarter of the 21st century.
March 28, 2025
“The Sum of its Parts” opens with the story “Monsters All” which takes readers on a voyage filled with adventure. That’s fitting because the entire collection is an adventure where we tag along with Frankenstein’s monster who, to use modern parlance, has “reinvented” himself. He has taken the name of his creator and works as a keen-eyed detective in 1820’s Geneva.
The author’s use of metaphor and attention to detail in each story paints word pictures that made me feel like I was standing next to the monster gumshoe as he went about his sleuthing.
In addition, the characters’ use of occasional humor and contemporary wisecracks allow us to see Frankenstein and his loyal assistant Igor in a fresh new way.
I heartily recommend “The Sum of its Parts.” It’s full of great writing, great storytelling, and it’s fun to read.
The author’s use of metaphor and attention to detail in each story paints word pictures that made me feel like I was standing next to the monster gumshoe as he went about his sleuthing.
In addition, the characters’ use of occasional humor and contemporary wisecracks allow us to see Frankenstein and his loyal assistant Igor in a fresh new way.
I heartily recommend “The Sum of its Parts.” It’s full of great writing, great storytelling, and it’s fun to read.
May 30, 2025
My introduction to all things horror was through the glorious black-and-white Universal monster movies when I was a kid. The Sum of Its Parts takes me back to that time. What a fun book! This will have a prominent spot on my bookshelf where I will return time and time again. Told through eight separate short stories, author Richard Zwicker tells us of the adventures of Frankenstein's monster, who has returned from the arctic and taken his creator's name, settling in Geneva and opening a detective agency. With the assistance of Igor, the 7' tall, flatheaded gumshoe delves into cases involving zombies, Dracula, werewolves, the Invisible Man, voodoo and mummies. The charming interplay between Frankenstein and Igor is charming. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews