Book Review: Beastly Bones

Author: William Ritter
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Series: Jackaby # 2

The highly anticipated follow-up to the “rich world” of the “lighthearted and assured debut,” featuring an “irresistible character” whose first thrilling and original adventure “demands sequels.”

“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.

“Follow my lead, Miss Rook,” Jackaby said, rapping on the ornately trimmed door to 1206 Campbell Street. Were my employer a standard private investigator, those might have been simple instructions, but in the time I’ve been his assistant, I’ve found very little about Jackaby to be standard. Following his lead tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality.

Some girls work in shops or sell flowers. Some girls find husbands and play house. I assist a mad detective in investigating unexplained phenomena – like fish that ought to be cats but seem to have forgotten how. My name is Abigail Rook, and this is what I do.

“I guess I forgot about being frightened because it felt good to finally be in the adventure.”

"Failure is not the opposite of success- it is a part of it."

I could not wait to get my hands on this novel, and it was just what I needed to get in the mood for the upcoming Halloween season. Jackaby was a wonderful debut novel, but I think Beastly Bones took the prize. I was again captivated by Jackaby and Abigail; they make a great pair and readers never know what types of creatures or paranormal phenomena they will encounter on an adventure with these two. We get to see all of the same faces that we met in book one, and this time they are back with much more action and adventure. Not to mention, we open the very first chapter with some shape-shifting kittens. Yes, I did just say that. Like I said, there is a never a dull moment where Jackaby and Abigail are concerned. This feels just like a good ole’ Sherlock Holmes novel and completely captivated me from the very first page.

The story in this second installment to the series was even better than the first! There are so many things to love about this book: quirky characters, lots and lots of paranormal happenings, romance, and some good old-fashioned romance is thrown in the mix as well. We were given a hint of romance in the first book, and this one took us a little deeper down that road. I love when an author can evenly balance all of my favorite genres and wrap them up nicely into one: historical fiction, mystery, and romance. Abigail Rook very well may be one of my favorite female narrators. I love the spunk and spirit that she brings to each and every book! I cannot wait for the next one.

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Algonquin Books for Young Readers in exchange for my honest review***