A review by kailey_luminouslibro
Jackaby by William Ritter

5.0

Abigail Rook comes to a new city looking for adventure and finds a job as an assistant to free-lance detective Jackaby. Jackaby has a rare gift as a seer. He can see magical residue and detect magical creatures that are otherwise invisible. He tries to assist the police in a murder investigation, but the police chief doesn't believe in supernatural nonsense. Miss Rook tags along in the investigation, and she is intrigued by a young policeman named Charlie. The case becomes more and more dangerous until it is evident that they are tracking a serial killer with magical abilities of some kind.

I loved this book so much! I really liked the world-building and the way that the supernatural creatures and people are trying to mingle with ordinary humans. At first no one in their right mind believes in magical beings or creatures, but through the investigation, even the police chief starts to realize that magical things are happening right under their noses.

I especially loved Jackaby and Miss Rook and their detective partnership. They are both full of witty remarks and flippant little quips. Jackaby kind of reminded me of Doctor Who in the way that he carelessly meets danger with no plan and silly grin. Utterly delightful!

I loved Miss Rook's character! She is very introspective, analyzing the clues and analyzing her relationships with people. We get to see her emotional turmoil as she tries to adjust to her life in the big city. She goes on quite an inner journey to find the confidence to trust herself and be able to assist in the investigation. She is so spunky!

The writing style is excellent. The plot is mysterious and fun! The mystery really kept me guessing, and I loved all the strange clues. Because there are magical elements in play, it's difficult to tell what is just a normal clue or what is some weird supernatural power at work. There are a lot of moving parts in the plot, and characters with different abilities and secret knowledge. It becomes like this weird game of chess with red herrings all over the place, until you realize that the red herrings are actually the center of the mystery. Such great plot twists!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.