This is the third book in the Jackaby series and it's by far the darkest. One of the things I adore about these novels is their frequent lightly humorous situations and sharp witty banter. This book definitely has less banter and humor in it than the previous two. It's still a very good read, but it is different. Not only does the tight knit group of investigators have someone on their trail causing all types of mayhem and murder, but they turn even more mystical/mythical than ever and travel to the afterlife in search of answers.
I enjoyed that William wrote what could be considered a throw away chapter (not necessary to the plot in any way) that was a gentle lesson in acceptance of others as they are, featuring a transgendered woman being bullied in an alley. The woman does show up once more later in the book, but to me it was an obvious teaching moment rather than an integral plot device. Nothing wrong with that in a book aimed at young readers!
I did not enjoy that this book ends of a giant cliffhanger with just about everything unresolved. The first two books could be considered standalone, but this one will definitely require a follow up to feel complete. Therefore, in it’s release week I already find myself waiting for the next one!
Click Link to read an excerpt.
_______________________________________________________________
Algonquin Young Readers
August, 2016
Book Description:
Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the investigative services of her fellow residents to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, dive into the cold case, starting with a search for Jenny’s fiancé, who went missing the night she died. But when a new, gruesome murder closely mirrors the events of ten years prior, Abigail and Jackaby realize that Jenny’s case isn’t so cold after all, and her killer may be far more dangerous than they suspected.
Fantasy and folklore mix with mad science as Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her across the cold cobblestones of nineteenth-century New England, down to the mythical underworld, and deep into her colleagues’ grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced.
A Fall 16 Kids’ Indie Next Pick!
