I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Beastly Bones (Jackaby, #2) by William Ritter Published by Algonquin Young Readers on September 22nd 2015
Pages: 304
Format: Physical ARC
Source: Publisher
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“I’ve found very little about private detective R. F. Jackaby to be standard in the time I’ve known him. Working as his assistant tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality.”
In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer R. F. Jackaby are called upon to investigate the supernatural.
First, a vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens, and a day later, their owner is found murdered with a single mysterious puncture wound. Then in nearby Gad’s Valley, now home to the exiled New Fiddleham police detective Charlie Cane, dinosaur bones from a recent dig mysteriously go missing, and an unidentifiable beast starts attacking animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Charlie calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.
In Beastly Bones we return to the city of New England in 1982 with Abigail Rook and R.F. Jackaby where we follow them on yet another adventure of the paranormal nature. When I read book one of this series I had a hunch that the first book would be the foundation of a series that only improve with each installment which, so far, seems to be a fair assumption.
I definitely felt like there was plenty of character development and general story building in this installment. Unfortunately, Beastly Bones was rather slow and took awhile to read, but it is definitely worth the read once you’ve completed it!
What do a shape-shifting litter of kittens, mysterious murder, dinosaur bones and animal mutilation have in common? They’re all cases Jackaby must tackle before mayhem occurs. And Abigail gets a second chance to make a romantic connection with her endearing dog-shifter Charlie.
The relationship between Jackaby and Abilgal is growing into something supportive and deliciously awkward. Jackaby is an unwilling participant to Abigail’s troubles with love and is unprepared for her to share personal details about herself so he reacts in a very “Jackaby” fashion. Secretly, Jackaby is a huge softie! It’s adorable.
Abigail and Jackaby have some humourous conversations regarding Abigail’s indecision whether or not to pursue the handsome cop Charlie and in turn we get some pretty fantastic advice from Jackaby on love. Surprisingly, the friendship between Abigail and Jackaby appears to be developing naturally with a lot of emotional investment being tied up in the interactions between these two in their shared moments. It might have actually made the book worthwhile for me because the actual case took so long to be solved. I absolutely love how the characters are building a repertoire!
Perhaps the story moved too slowly because I read far too carefully, attempting to find clues rather than enjoying the mundane details. I learned from book one that no detail is superfluous and a reader needs to pay attention if they want to solve the case before Jackaby does his big reveal at the end of the book. I probably spent too much time combing over the text and pondering the details rather than enjoying the flow and general language to really enjoy the full effect of this book.
That being said, I really enjoyed Jackaby and can’t wait to read book three. I’m certain the relationships between Jackaby, Abigail and Charlie will continue to develop in lovely but hilarious ways.
It’s not imperative to read book one of this series to enjoy the detective story, but new readers wont understand the dynamics between the two main characters. The history between these two along with their daring adventures will prove to be the ultimate crown on a very unique and fun series.
My only request for book three? More Jackaby! This book is all about Abigail and her relationship decisions..lets have more Jackaby related oddity in book three!
This book is appeal to readers who enjoy alternate historical fiction, paranormal young adult detective story with a sense of humour. A fantastic rendition of Sherlock Holmes with strange and extraordinary mysteries for our heroes to solve. Just like book one, Beastly Bones is witty, intelligent and stands completely on its own as a new experience for young adult fans.
About William Ritter
At the University of Oregon, William made questionable choices, including willfully selecting classes for the interesting stories they promised, rather than for any practical application. When he wasn’t frivolously playing with words, he earned credits in such meaningful courses as Trampoline, Juggling, and 17th Century Italian Longsword. These dubious decisions notwithstanding, he regrets nothing and now holds degrees in English and Education with certificates in Creative Writing and Folklore.
He currently teaches high school Language Arts, including reading and writing, mythology and heroes. He is a proud husband and father. When reading aloud, he always does the voices.
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