Jackaby by William Ritter Published by Algonquin Books on Sept. 16, 2014
Pages: 310
Goodreads
Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.
Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.
My Thoughts:
Doctor Who meets Sherlock? Yes, I will read that! And this is one of those rare cases where the comparison didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book. I was totally caught up in Jackaby.
I started this one on audiobook. I loved the narration and the pacing. It really drew me in to the events of the story. However, I am so not patient so I had to grab my copy of the book and finish reading it 🙂 Still, I highly recommend the audiobook.
I loved Abigail Rook. Seeing Jackaby (the character) and the events of the story through her eyes was a delight. Her determination and quick wit make her a character I would love to be friends with. And Jackaby! Gotta love a quirky detective… especially one knowledgable about the paranormal. That was such a bonus in this story!
The time period, the characters, the paranormal aspect… it all blended perfectly to make Jackaby a story I couldn’t put down.
Alexa S.
Now that I’m fully caught up on Doctor Who, anything that gets a comparison to it IMMEDIATELY gets my attention. I definitely want to check out Jackaby at some point, because it sounds so fun!