“Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” –Chicago Tribune
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 … 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 the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities–with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane–seem adamant to deny.
“The rich world of this debut demands sequels.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“We honestly couldn’t put it down.” –Nerdist.com
“Toss together an alternate 19th-century New England city, a strong tradition of Sherlockian pastiche, and one seriously ugly hat, and this lighthearted and assured debut emerges, all action and quirk.” —Publishers Weekly
* A Top Ten Fall ‘14 Kids’ Indie Next Pick
* A 2014 Kirkus Reviews Best Book for Young Adults
* A 2015 YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults Title
* A 2015 Pacific Northwest Book Award Winner
* A 2015-2016 Georgia Peach Award Nominee
* A Junior Library Guild Selection
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I loved the paranormal Holmes/Watson vibe to this story as Jackaby and Abigail both have very different perspectives they bring to an investigation. With a supporting cast of interesting characters this is an enjoyable romp and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
Jackaby by William Ritter is a book filled with great characters, an alternative world in the late 1890’s, it has wit, a Sherlock Holmes of the supernatural, and great mythical creatures! This starts out right away by grabbing you, holding you down, and giving you surprises and more surprises! I enjoyed reading this book that has Jackaby who has a gift of seeing what others cant.
Loved this series. Nicola Barber does a fantastic job with the narration of the whole series.
Cool story, loved the details! Highly addictive, easy to read with a great story and memorable characters!
Young Adult, but appeals to pretty much anyone who enjoys a bit of whimsy, romance, and mysterious creatures in their pleasure reading. The whole series is wonderful!
It is 1892 and Abigail Rook is newly arrived in America. She is looking for adventure, but is desperately in need of money to keep her adventure going, so she will have to find a job. She sees an advert for an investigative assistant, and deciding she is clever enough, and it might be its own kind of adventure she answers it. The advert was put up by a young, and very peculiar investigator named Jackaby. After disturbing the frog, even though a sign was clearly posted not too, Jackaby takes Abigail along on his newest case. When she proves useful, and open to things that others think are fantasy, Jackaby decides to keep her on.
This is sort of Sherlock Holmes meets Grimm. The author’s wit is what makes this such a fun read. Abigail is full of snark, and has an interesting way of just going with the flow. Jackaby is an eccentric character, but endearing. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
This is geared toward a teen audience which I am not. Super easy read and quite creative characters.
So when I first picked this book I thought it didn’t belong in horror. When I think horror I think Friday the 13th or Scream, but this book has a small horror aspect to it. It has supernatural things in it, but that doesn’t really scare me. I have watched enough Supernatural to know that I should always expect the unexpected with everything. This was a great read. It is definitely a mystery but I could see how it is horror at the same time. If you are someone who isn’t afraid of the things that go bump in the night, but love a good ghost story, you might love this story.
I’ve heard this called a cross between Sherlock and Dr. Who, and that’s a pretty accurate description. It’s a fun and fast-paced whodunnit.
My favorite genre is historical fantasy mystery (say that 3 times fast…) which is very hard to find so when I saw how popular this book was among my Goodreads friends I had to try it myself. I was afraid it would be full of poorly executed Sherlockian tropes and have a predictable plot but it surprised me. It is everything I hoped for in a historical fantasy mystery and more.
Jackaby is the American version of Sherlock Holmes. The similarities are uncanny but one huge difference is that Jackaby is a seer and uses his ability as a paranormal detective. I think Sherlock would be outraged by the idea that there are cases that can not be explained through hard science and deduction. But Jackaby sees what even the great Sherlock Holmes can’t and passionately works to solve every case that crosses his path.
I love that the supernatural beings/creatures are not even close to the typical tropes you find in most paranormal/fantasy books. You can’t help but love the ghost living at the Jackaby residence who acts as though she isn’t dead and Jackaby’s previous assistant that was accidentally turned into a duck.
The description of Jackaby’s townhouse/office is fascinating. A frog living in a terrarium in the foyer that explodes a noxious gas if you make eye contact. The kitchen that isn’t a kitchen is a science laboratory. The mysterious library packed with antique books and the magical pond on the 3rd floor that is always cheerful make me want to jump in the pages and explore.
I rarely give books 5 stars. It has to be something that was just so consuming and entertaining that I was hurt when it ended. This is one of those books, I just can’t say enough good about it. Jackaby is clean enough for young-adults, my teenage nerdy self would’ve been in heaven reading this year’s ago. I’ll be readinf the second book soon! Happy reading!
Someone once said that this book is like Sherlock Holmes meets Doctor Who, and I think that’s fairly apt, but Jackaby (and the series) is also very much it’s own thing. Ritter’s grasp of mythology and folklore shines in this book, as does his pragmatic female lead (my not-so-secret-favorite thing.) The series is complete now, so if you missed this one when it came out, now is a great time to grab all of them at once!
Jackaby is a unique take on Sherlock Holmes with an eccentric detective and supernatural elements. From Abigail’s perspective, we are able to see watch Jackaby do his work and unravel key factors to the investigation. In a sense, Abigail is much like Watson. I love the way the characters interact and how well they are developed. And the worldbuilding is amazing. If you’re looking for a crime book with supernatural elements, Jackaby is for you! Oh! And it’s a series, so there is more where this came from! I can’t wait to get my hands on them!
This was a really quick read for me and I enjoyed it a lot. The story is entertaining and the characters have witty banter throughout. Would highly recommend for those who love Sherlock Holmes and are looking for a supernatural twist.
A perfect mix of mystery, fantasy, and humor!!
It is 1892 in New Fiddleham, New England and Abigail Rook, fresh off the boat,is looking for a job. In this job search she meets R.F. Jackaby, an investigator of with the ability to see the supernatural.
Abigail, who notices details in the ordinary is accepted as an assistant for Jackaby and embarks on a case to look for a serial killer. The police believe it is an ordinary man, however Jackaby knows it is something more.
This book is a play on Sherlock Holmes. So when I first began reading it I was very excited but then that excitement dulled down.
The reason the excitement dulled down was because it was too much like Sherlock Holmes. Yes, the supernatural spin to it does change things but Jackaby is Sherlock. This bothered me. It showed a lack of originality. Did I like Jackaby? Yes. But he wasn’t his own person.
I thought Abigail was played down way too much. She wasn’t as quick on her feet as I expected her to be; considering the fact her father was an adventurer and although she wasn’t apart of that she yearned for that type of life.
However, despite this, I really enjoyed the story and how it developed. The author was very good at keeping the story going. It did slow a considerable amount; as if the author wasn’t sure how to continue it but it was a good read. No points though for trying to show a romantic side though.
Overall, I would recommend it.
3 Pickles
3.5/5 Stars
Recommended for anyone that enjoys reading Sherlock Holmes! This is a book that has a similar feel, but makes the character its own entity instead of a clone. Also if you love the paranormal/supernatural then this book is for you as well. Beautifully done. The characters of Jackaby and Abigail are also well-developed, and I absolutely looove Abigail. Watching her grow, and experiencing that with her, is a blast. This is a great, fun read. Sadly it took me awhile due to my health, but not cause of any issues with the book! I can’t wait to read the next one.
— In-depth Review: Note that I attempted to avoid spoilers as much as possible; there may be some though no major ones. Also can be found on the To Tilt With Windmills Blog with images. —
What amazing read. Very new for me and I love it. I took my time reading this book to really give it justice. This book has a lot of mixed reviews. And I want to give a chance. Glad I did. Can’t wait for the novella. The characters are amazing funny and it was almost like seeing a movie in my head. The writing style I thought is good kept me reading and turning pages.
About book: Set in the 1800’s where a young girl name Abigail Rook is supposed be going school. Instead she wants a adventure. Abigail takes a ship to a small town looking for work. When she saw a posting for assistant job.
And she meets strange young detective who sees and hears things that others/ normal people can’t not. They embark on a crazy case that ends up in twists and turns. Amazing story and wow. What a page turner.