diff --git a/MonsterCards/Models/Monster.h b/MonsterCards/Models/Monster.h
index b07c7df..eb85bd3 100644
--- a/MonsterCards/Models/Monster.h
+++ b/MonsterCards/Models/Monster.h
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
 +(int)abilityModifierForScore: (int)score;
 +(int)hitDieForSize: (NSString*)size;
 
--(id)initWithJSON:(NSString*)jsonData;
+-(id)initWithJSONString:(NSString*)jsonString;
+-(id)initWithJSONData:(NSData*)jsonData;
 -(NSString*)meta;
 -(int)abilityScoreForAbilityScoreName: (NSString*)abilityScoreName;
 -(int)abilityModifierForAbilityScoreName: (NSString*)abilityScoreName;
diff --git a/MonsterCards/Models/Monster.m b/MonsterCards/Models/Monster.m
index 13ae293..314ee9a 100644
--- a/MonsterCards/Models/Monster.m
+++ b/MonsterCards/Models/Monster.m
@@ -19,16 +19,31 @@
 }
 
 -(id)init {
+    NSLog(@"TOM_init");
     self = [super init];
         
+    self.name = @"";
     // TODO: Actually initialize the class.
 
     return self;
 }
 
--(id)initWithJSON: (NSString*)jsonData {
+-(id)initWithJSONString: (NSString*)jsonString {
+    NSLog(@"TOM_initWithJSONString");
+    NSData* jsonData = [jsonString dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
+    
+    return [self initWithJSONData:jsonData];
+}
+
+-(id)initWithJSONData: (NSData*)jsonData {
+    NSLog(@"TOM_initWithJSONData");
     self = [super init];
     
+    NSDictionary *jsonRoot = [NSJSONSerialization JSONObjectWithData:jsonData options:0 error:nil];
+    
+    NSString *name = [jsonRoot objectForKey:@"name"];
+    NSLog(@"decoded name is |%@|", name);
+    self.name = name;//[jsonRoot objectForKey:@"name"];
     // TODO: Actually initialize the class.
     
     return self;
diff --git a/MonsterCards/Views/SearchViewController.m b/MonsterCards/Views/SearchViewController.m
index 2670fb2..cbce95c 100644
--- a/MonsterCards/Views/SearchViewController.m
+++ b/MonsterCards/Views/SearchViewController.m
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@
     monster = [[Monster alloc] init];
     monster.name = @"Pixie";
     [_monsters addObject:monster];
-    monster = [[Monster alloc] init];
-    monster.name = @"Acolyte";
+    monster = [[Monster alloc] initWithJSONString:@"{\"name\":\"Acolyte\"}"];
     [_monsters addObject:monster];
 
     // Do any additional setup after loading the view.
diff --git a/MonsterCardsTests/Models/MonsterTests.m b/MonsterCardsTests/Models/MonsterTests.m
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da8dcea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MonsterCardsTests/Models/MonsterTests.m
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+//
+//  MonsterTests.m
+//  MonsterCardsTests
+//
+//  Created by Tom Hicks on 9/5/20.
+//  Copyright © 2020 Tom Hicks. All rights reserved.
+//
+
+#import <XCTest/XCTest.h>
+@import OCHamcrest;
+@import OCMockito;
+#import "Monster.h"
+
+@interface MonsterTests : XCTestCase
+
+@end
+
+@implementation MonsterTests {
+    Monster *_monster;
+    NSString *_jsonString;
+    NSData *_jsonData;
+}
+
+- (void)setUp {
+    _monster = [[Monster alloc] init];
+    _jsonString = @"{\"name\":\"Acolyte\"}";
+    _jsonData = [_jsonString dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
+}
+
+- (void)tearDown {
+    // Put teardown code here. This method is called after the invocation of each test method in the class.
+}
+
+- (void)testDefaultInitializer {
+    XCTAssertNotNil(_monster);
+    XCTAssertEqualObjects(@"", _monster.name);
+}
+
+- (void)testInitWithJSONString {
+    _monster = [[Monster alloc] initWithJSONString:_jsonString];
+    
+    XCTAssertNotNil(_monster);
+    XCTAssertEqualObjects(@"Acolyte", _monster.name);
+}
+
+- (void)testInitWithJSONData {
+    _monster = [[Monster alloc] initWithJSONData:_jsonData];
+    
+    XCTAssertNotNil(_monster);
+    XCTAssertEqualObjects(@"Acolyte", _monster.name);
+}
+
+- (void)testNameGetterAndSetter {
+    NSString *name = @"Pixie";
+    _monster.name = name;
+    XCTAssertEqualObjects(name, _monster.name);
+}
+
+@end