Jackaby by William Ritter

Pages: 299

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Supernatural Mystery

Notes for Parents: Some violence and graphic details

The Back Cover

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, in 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—with the exeption of the hansome detective Charlie Cane—are convinced their culprit is an ordinary villain. Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of an inhuman creature, the likes of which the authorities are adamant to deny.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the author’s debut novel and the first in a series.

What’s good?

A paranormal mystery set in 19^th century New England, this novel is filled with interesting characters and witty dialogue. Jackaby is an odd, intelligent, observant, but obnoxious, rude, and socially inept paranormal investigator. The story, however, is told from the point of view of Abigail Rook, an adventure-seeking but still rather proper woman newly arrived from England who finds a job with Jackaby. The premise is strong, the writing is smooth, and the macabre elements are well-balanced with the paranormal phenomena and the eccentric characters. Abigail makes a good narrator and complements Jackaby wonderfully.

Best Part: “I excused myself to go see a duck about a dress.” (pg. 150)

What isn’t good?

The story moved slowly, likely because of unnecessary descriptions and long-winded explanations, mostly perpetrated by Jackaby. I liked Abigail, but I wouldn’t characterize her as a strong female lead…yet. She does seem to be gaining confidence by the end of book one, but she felt underused considering she’s a lead character. Jackaby was harder to take, being more pretentious and obnoxious than charming.

Worst part: The pace – it was off.

Recommendation þþþoo

The book is self-described as a “Doctor Who meets Sherlock Holmes” but I found this to be a weak comparison and it only serves to describe the genre. The story lacked the science and psychology of Sherlock Holmes and the world-building of Doctor Who. However, there’s hope that many of the weaknesses can be strengthened in subsequent volumes. The writing is well done, the characters have great growth potential, and the story is entertaining.

Ritter, William. Jackaby. New York: Scholastic, 2015.