Algonquin Young Readers
Featuring: R. F. Jackaby; Abigail Rook
304 pages ISBN: 1616203536 EAN: 9781616203535 Kindle: B00JEORUSI Hardcover / e-Book Add to Wish List
It's 1892 and Abigail Rook wants more than the
conventional
role for a woman. She had wanted to follow in her father's
footsteps in paleontology but he refused to allow her on a
dig in the field. Instead, Abigail absconded with her
tuition money and set off on an adventure... only to
eventually find herself practically penniless in New
Fiddleham, New England. Seeking employment, Abigail
encounters R.F. Jackaby, an odd detective who investigates
inexplicable phenomena. Abigail is desperate for
employment
and soon finds herself assisting in a serial killer case
that has the local law enforcement stumped.
William Ritter's deft prose paints a vivid portrait of the
characters and their world in JACKABY. With a simple turn
of
the phrase, Ritter turns the seemingly mundane into the
magical. We meet a whole host of supernatural characters
in
the process of uncovering a mystery, as we have ghosts,
trolls, and other creatures aplenty. And oh, the frog...
who
can't help but love the scene with the frog, as well as
the
latter mention of the frog?
I love how the supernatural mixes with the mundane in
JACKABY. Abigail has an eye for observing the small, but
ordinary details whereas R.F. Jackaby is focused on the
mythological creatures he sees inhabiting our world. The
twists and turns keep the reader guessing as to which
seemingly innocent face hides that of a serial killer.
JACKABY is an intriguing supernatural mystery, full of
quirky but memorable characters. I can't help but hope
that
JACKABY is the first book in a series as I dearly want to
visit with R.F. Jackaby and Abigail again! JACKABY is
highly
recommended!
“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion—and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.” 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.