William Ritter

"Il est souvent difficile pour les autres de saisir la nature de ce don que je suis le seul à avoir. Il me permet de déceler la vérité là où les autres ne voient qu'illusion... Car le monde est une scène et il semblerait que je sois le seul spectateur capable de voir derrière le rideau". Abigail Rook, 17 ans, débarque en Amérique. La tête pleine de rêves d'ailleurs, elle espère vivre l'aventure avec un grand A. Elle fait la connaissance d'un étrange personnage, Jackaby, qui lui offre un emploi. Détective doué de facultés de médium, il est capable de voir les phénomènes surnaturels. Pour sa première mission, Abigail accompagne son nouveau patron sur les lieux d'un crime particulièrement sanglant. Jackaby soupçonne l'assassin de ne pas être humain, ce que la police refuse de croire. Mais les meurtres s'enchaînent et confirment les soupçons du détective...

Jackaby

“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 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

Danie Swick

“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion--and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.” A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2014 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 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 it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny. Doctor Who meets Sherlock in a debut novel, the first in a series, brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre. “The rich world of this debut demands sequels.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Annika Arguemore

A strange yet wonderful twist on Sherlock Holmes.

Cindy McKee

Fun read! The Sherlock crossed with Buffy is a good description. Although, I'd throw in a little Fantastic Beasts, too! Promising start to the series.

Sade A

"I should have caught on much sooner- stupid of me"

This sentence basically summarises this novel. 
First off, this novel felt like a sort of sherlock holmes, Lockewood (From Jonathan's Stroud's Lockewood and Co. series) amalgamation. I have no doubt that subsequent series in this book will examine some sort of "dark" secret in Jackaby's past.

That been said Jackaby and Abigail Rook were perfectly likable characters and were this book challenging enough i have no doubt that we would have seen utter brilliance from them both. 

However, while we get a charming duo (Thank God Jackaby wasn't an ass, perfectly clueless at times but not rude), this book was a mess in terms of solving the case. Heck i already figured out who the killer was by chapter 13 and it was decidedly weird or sloppy writing really, that the author gave up the identity of the killer so quickly (no he didn't spell it out but the clues were so thinly veiled, even the worst detective could have figured out who the killer was)
Now that i think about it i'm not even sure Jackaby really did anything in this book....he asks questions, gets locked in jail, asks questions, says something quirky.. like really, when you think about there was literally zero investigating going on at least that you could see.
This book wasn't terrible but quite uninspiring as a whole.

hopefully it gets better. cos this didn't cut it.

Briar Rose

*Review also posted at Briar Rose Reads

William Ritter's JACKABY is advertised as "Sherlock" meets "Doctor Who," and it doesn't disappoint on that count. For me, that was mostly a good thing.

Occasionally it was a little too on-the-nose--I could hear Sherlock's or the Doctor's voice in the brilliant, eccentric Jackaby's--but mostly I thought the author succeeded in creating a distinct character and world despite the influence of those two powerhouse British properties.

Intelligent, headstrong Abigail, daughter of a famous paleontologist and a proper Englishwoman, determines to forge her own path in the world and quickly finds herself assistant to Jackaby, a man of science who believes only in what he can see. He just so happens to be able to see the mystical world beyond our own. The two dive into pursuit of a Ripper-like serial killer who may or may not be supernatural, their mission both helped and hindered by a series of mystical encounters.

In addition to the main cast, I enjoyed the setting, and the minor characters--the brave but sad ghost, Jenny, who serves as Jackaby's housekeeper; the handsome policeman with a secret, upon whom Abigail develops a crush; and the near-madwoman whose Sight is as likely to show her a jumble of horrifying nonsense as anything helpful, but to whom all dangers are equally real.

Though JACKABY was not necessarily the most original book I have ever read, all the components were solid, and the plot threads wove together to a satisfying--and surprisingly action-packed--conclusion. I will definitely be picking up the sequel when it comes out later this fall.

Janice Hopper

One of the pitfalls of having read sf/fantasy etc for over 55 years is that you get tired of seeing the same thing over and over. Well, if you're me, you do, anyway.

I was a little forewarned that this book had a Dr. Who/Sherlock vibe by the other reviewers. I wasn't really too crazy about that idea, because seriously? WRITE SOMETHING NEW. But after rattling through the first few chapters, I thought a bit better of the book. It's still kinda twee, but not horribly so.

I think the credit can all go to the heroine, Abigail Rook. I found I was pretty uninterested in Jackaby himself. I think I can put some of the blame for that to the fact that I listened to about 80% of this book in audio, and eye-read the end. The narrator of the audiobook made Abigail quite appealing. Her interpretation of Jackaby, however, was less so. I also thought that Abigail had the most interesting things to do. Jackaby was a bit of a cipher to me. Maybe he's more developed in previous books. In this one, he comes across as a preoccupied, self-absorbed sort-of-a-jerk kind of character who's not interested in sharing what he knows. And if you can't keep up with him, kinda sucks to be you.

Oh well. It was better than I thought it was going to be. And it has a werewolf. And I do like the name Jackaby. And Abigail Rook.

Julia Lotz

Inhalt: New Fiddleham 1892: Neu in der Stadt und auf der Suche nach einem Job trifft die junge Abigail Rook auf R. F. Jackaby, einen Detektiv für Ungeklärtes mit einem scharfen Auge für das Ungewöhnliche, einschließlich der Fähigkeit, übernatürliche Wesen zu sehen. Abigails Talent, gewöhnliche, aber dafür wichtige Details aufzuspüren, macht sie zur perfekten Assistentin für Jackaby. Bereits an ihrem ersten Arbeitstag steckt Abigail mitten in einem schweren Fall: ein Serienkiller ist unterwegs. Die Polizei glaubt, es mit einem gewöhnlichen Verbrecher zu tun zu haben, aber Jackaby ist überzeugt, dass es sich um kein menschliches Wesen handelt. (Quelle: Verlag)
Meine Meinung: Jacjaby klang direkt im ersten Augenblick so sehr nach einem Sherlock Holmes-Retelling, dass es sofort auf meiner Wunschliste gelandet ist. Fragt man mich nach meiner liebsten Sherlock Holmes Adaption, so ist es nicht die Serie Sherlock, die sicher die meisten nennen würden sondern Elementary. Ich liebe die Serie wegen Watson, die eine Frau ist und Sherlock sogar im Verlauf der Serie teilweise übertrifft in Genialität und Scharfsinn und auch wegen Moriarty. Auch diese Figur wurde in Elementary sehr interessant umgesetzt. Das alles erschien mir auch in Jackaby der Fall zu sein. Abigail Rook kommt nach Amerika und lässt sich in New Fiddleham nieder, wo sie kurz darauf eine Assistentenstelle bei Jackaby bekommt, der genauso brillant zu sein scheint, wie Holmes selbst. Mit einer Ausnahme: Jackaby kann Übernatürliches wahrnehmen und so sind auch die Fälle, die die beiden lösen werden alles andere als normal, was zwar anfangs etwas befremdlich erschien, nach einiger Zeit aber als genial herausstach. Abigail ist wie die Elementary-Watson auch eine Frau und schon bald merkt man, dass sie alles andere will, als in Jackabys Schatten zu stehen. Nach und nach stellte sich für mich allerdings heraus, dass Jackaby mehr ist, als nur ein Sherlock-Retelling mit fantastischen Elementen. Am Ende bin ich sogar zu dem Entschluss gekommen, dass ich Jackaby tatsächlich mehr losgelöst von ihm betrachten möchte, denn für mich entwickelte sich die Geschichte als weitaus eigenständiger, als es ein Retelling sein sollte.
„Ich entschuldigte mich kurz, um eine Ente nach einem Kleid zu fragen.“ – S.166
Jackaby ist ein komischer Charakter. Aber im positiven Sinne. Er bringt durch seine Art eine Menge Komik in den Roman und hat mich häufig schmunzeln lassen. Abi ist mir sehr ans Herz gewachsen, denn sie bildet den perfekten Gegenpol zu ihm und entwickelte sich so für mich zu einer perfekten Assistentin. Aus ihrer Sicht erleben wir die gesamte Geschichte, was ich als sehr angenehm empfand, denn so bekommen wir mit ihr zusammen immer mehr von der phantastischen Welt mit, die Jackaby sehen kann und zeitgleich mit ihr ins rätseln. Auch der Schreibstil des Buches hat etwas von Jackabys Art und war dadurch sehr unterhaltend. Diese komische Welt, mit der Abi in ihrer Zeit mit Jackaby so häufig konfrontiert wird, entlockt ihr viele Kommentare, die alle zitierwürdig sind und sicher nicht nur Buchkenner schmunzeln lassen würden.
Die Geschichte selbst behandelt einen Fall der beiden, den es zu lösen gilt und der schlussendlich auch gelöst wird. Er konfrontiert den Leser mit der Bandbreite magischer Wesen, mit denen Jackaby vertraut ist. Dabei erklärt er Abi alles, was sie und die Leser darüber wissen müssen und besonders gut gefallen hat mir, dass die Wesen historisch sehr gut fundiert sind. Das Werk hebt sich so von anderer Phantastik ab und erschien mir so ein wenig wertvoller. Neben dem einzelnen Fall bekommt der Leser auch einen ersten Eindruck von der Gesamtgeschichte, die sich vermutlich noch durch die weitere Reihe zieht und winzige Fragen offen lässt. Letztendlich hat der erste Band jedoch einen Abschluss gefunden, der den Leser sehr zufrieden stellt. Ich hätte mir allerdings für das gesamte Buch gewünscht, ein wenig tiefer in die phantastische Welt von Jackaby einzutauchen. Dafür hätte das Buch auch gerne mehr Seiten haben dürfen, denn mir erschien manches doch sehr oberflächlich. Ich hoffe allerdings, dass dies in den nächsten Bänden dann passiert.
Fazit: Jackaby war der vielversprechende Anfang einer Reihe, die ich erst als Sherlock-Retelling eingestuft hätte, sich später jedoch zu etwas Eigenständigem entwickelt hat. Der Charme aus Sir Arthur Conan Doyles Geschichten hat William Ritter jedoch gekonnt in Jackabys Welt geholt und ihn noch mit ein bisschen Phantastik versehen. Ich freue mich auf ein Wiedersehen mit Abi, Jackaby und den anderen und hoffe, dass sich die Geschichte steigert und weiterentwickelt.
Vielen Dank an den cbt Verlag für das zauberhafte *Rezensionsexemplar.

Rebecca Self 

Very okay. I couldn’t really get into it and I found myself not even really remembering what had happened in the chapter I had just read. :( 

I thought the supernatural concept was interesting but so just didn’t like it like I thought I might.

Nicole Dykeman

This was fun and enjoyable, but nothing more than that. If you want a lighthearted supernatural mystery, then this is for you. I’ve just personally found that all YA mystery books feel exactly the same to me. Every few months I’ll pick up a new one and give it another chance, but I’m never wowed by them and I always predict the endings.

Mary Horton

Where do I begin with this book? It was so odd/eccentric/creepy/awesome. LITERALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT. Just...suffice to say, it was really really good.

My absolute favorite part of this book was Jackaby. He's just quirky and peculiar, and I love him. <3 I'm a real sucker for mad characters, and he certainly fit the part. And his house!!! I feel a need to visit 926 Augur Lane and just sit by the pond on the third floor and maybe chat with the resident ghost. 

Surprisingly enough, I really liked Abigail, too. She was a little *cough* clueless sometimes (seriously, I knew who the culprit was halfway through the book and she hadn't the foggiest idea who it was), but maybe that just made her more endearing? I dunno. I feel like I would have been as clueless as her if I were put in her shoes. (Regular shoes, mind you. ;D) 

Then there was the plot. Darn it all, I LOVED the plot! Although I figured out the culprit early on (which may not be a good thing? oh well), I still felt so engaged in the book and could not put it down. The author wrapped it up PERFECTLY at the end.

AND IT WAS SO HILARIOUS. I adored all of Jackaby's interactions with people who thought he was crazy (aka basically everyone). Oh, and his and Abigail's conversations? Priceless.

Now. The only reason I'm not giving this book five stars is because of the language. *bangs head on the table* UGH. There was far too much language for my tastes. Although it's not "a lot" in comparison to most books, it was enough to make me uncomfortable. I generally don't read books with language at all because I'm sensitive toward that sort of thing. Sooooo when I started seeing language pop up every once in a while (mostly when the police were talking), I couldn't help but cringe. It just annoys me to no end that such a good book would have to go and have language in it. *sighs*

All in all, this book was fantastic! <333 I wouldn't openly recommend it to everyone, what with the mild language and a few detailed descriptions of the murder scenes, but I still enjoyed it immensely. JUST PLEASE TAKE ME TO VISIT JACKABY AND HIS MARVELOUSLY ODD HOUSE, OKAY?

Laura Webster

This was thrilling adventure! I enjoyed it immensely, and cannot wait to continue on! The characters were interesting and fun, and I am interested to learn more about them! 

Kim Tyo-Dickerson

An engaging, compulsively readable mix of mystery, magic, ghosts, monsters and bloody murders, led by a fascinatingly eccentric investigator and his quick-witted, adventurous assistant. Luckily this if the first in a series which is up to #4. 

Perfect read alike for Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood and Company series.

Christian Huss

Summary of the story:

"Illusions, so many masks and facades. All the world's a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain."-Jackaby

The year is 1892, and Abigail Rook has just made it to America without any idea of what the future may hold. She has left her family, is currently homeless, possesses a small suitcase of items, and is in search of a grand adventure. By chance she stumbles across a peculiar add for a vacant assistant position for an investigator by the name of R. F. Jackaby. However, Jackaby turns out to be an anomalous fellow with an astounding gift: the ability to see that which is hidden from the normal human eye. Jackaby sees the world in a different light and labels himself a seer. Many do not believe in the "nonsense" he spouts of fantastical creatures and the paranormal. Abigail, however, is a bit more open-minded than your average Joe, and she has a knack for noticing the plainest of details. Jackaby's supernatural gift and Abigail's sharp eye for important details makes them the perfect team.

New England is soon shook by a horrific string of serial murders and Jackaby is on the case. The police department wants nothing to do with Jackaby's wild claims of an extraordinary and nonhuman killer, and Abigail proves to be an invaluable associate as they delve deeper into the gory details and the horrific truth. Jackaby must learn that working alone isn't always the best way to go about his line of work and that the police department may be hiding the deadly killer. 

My thoughts:

Jackaby was an outstanding novel, and it possessed a compelling story! I absolutely love Ritter's writing style and the chemistry that he created between Jackaby and Abigail. I have to say that both characters are quite refreshing, and I loved both of them equally. Jackaby has such an odd personality and way of speaking that I adore while Abigail is a strong-willed individual that can hold her own ground in a world where men believe that women should never be in such a dangerous line of work. They have a wonderful relationship, making their banter so fun to read! I actually laughed at quite a few things that Jackaby said and did (I just love how Ritter describes his mannerisms and how dead serious Jackaby can be while explaining past events involving supernatural creatures to people that don't believe a word he's saying --- I especially enjoyed the extra letter that Jackaby wrote to the police department about his tuning fork!).

I also liked the fact that Ritter did not include generic and extremely overdone supernatural creatures, such as werewolves and vampires. He included qhosts, trolls, goblins, banshees, and shapeshifters that you don't usually get to see in the limelight. I also have to say that Jackaby kind of reminds me of a young version of Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes and that just made me love the character even more! Plus, Ritter created some awesome settings, including Jackaby's house which holds quite a few fantastical secrets and surprises. And Charlie Cane was definitely a nice addition to a wide range of interesting characters. I loved his qualities and the fact that he was loyal to a fault! Everyone absolutely has to read this book!

You can see reviews like this one and more at http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com

Safiya 

A supernatural timeless victorian bbc sherlock tournure !
I enjoyed some vits of it, was bored at times, but I do recommend it as a livre de chevet for kids...

Maria

внезапно хорошая заявка на детективную серию. пока сыровато, ну это, я надеюсь, потому что первая книга. такой шерлок с долей сверхъестественного, антивикторианская (как я люблю) героиня, утка (as in утка) и привидение. потом еще поищу и почитаю её.

Jennifer Merchant

Candyce Kirk

Viry

"One who can see the ordinary is extraordinary indeed, Abigail Rook"
  

I really really enjoyed this book! It has the perfect Sherlock and Watson relationship mixed with paranormal mysteries and funny moments all throughout the novel. THIS BOOK WAS HILARIOUS! I definitely will be picking up the next installment soon, I already miss these characters.

Judy McClure

wish it was longer. Funny, imaginative and well written.

laura

Jackaby: Spolier review I really liked this book as well. This book was a very strong for me. I loved both the lead characters of abby and jackaby. I liked how their relationships were developed throughout this novel. and also how side characters were also introduced and also how the mystery was developed. I did not see the mystery coming and that is sometimes hard to do for me. 
I really liked how the world was developed but as always with world that are fantasy i always want more and that means I am excited to read more in this series. 
 
I thought that this book is able to really become it own thing and not relay on anything but it def inspired by sherlock and dr. who but this story to me is both unique and different even though it losing combination of two popular ideas. 
 
I liked how abby really feel into this world unexpectedly but she was able to fit and find a home with these characters. I liked how complex the mystery was and also all the loose ends that we were left with. The book has hard and complex as it was was still very funny and that is something that both sherlock and dr. who do for me. 
 
I really loved how one chapter was removed and i can't get what could have been in that chapter  out of my mind and also how the end abby started writing down case flies like watsen would have done!Very good book with strong world building!
Check out my review video here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiH1w...

One of my new fav. loved the character and the world and the premise! Nice start of series!

Kimberly

I loved this! It has a smart, witty and intrepid "new girl" and a genius, socially awkward, and extraordinary seer boy with a dash of mystery and a sprinkle of the supernatural. It was a quick read for me and was a mixture of familiar yet intriguingly new. The comforting elements of mystery and the Sherlock Holmes vibes made it relatable and tangible. The supernatural elements made it new. I enjoyed the banter and the character development. The characters were lovable and I cannot wait to continue on with the series. It has just the right amount of spooky and political intrigue. I also appreciated the social commentary as well. William Ritter, you have captured my heart. Thank you.

Anastaciya

Ah, that was a very nice book :) hope to read the next one soon.

Alejandra Bran

A while back I found this book in Audible. I read the synopsis and was not instantly sold by it, so I checked the reviews and most of them agreed the book fell short. I think I shouldn’t have listened then.

I will not lie and say the book was a master piece because is not, but I do believe now that people were a bit harsh with a first book in a series and it seems a debut novel (I might be wrong on that last part). 

The book has a nice story if you liked “Stalking Jack the Ripper” you will like this one. I was surprised that the book was focused mainly on the case/mystery that they were trying to solve, and not in romantic relations.

I liked Jackaby. He is described as a handsome fellow, but his eccentricities take that away at first glance. He is a detective of the supernatural which makes him a little unaware of proper social conduct. I honestly find that charming.

 Miss Rooch (is that her lastname? I could be wrong again) on the other hand is Jackaby’s oposite and similar at the same time. I feel as if both of them complement each other.

I feel as if the book could have just been a stand alone, because the end feels a lot like a conclusion. No imminent deaths or immediate doom, but I’m still excited that there is more books. I really want to see if any romantic tension develops between them lol

Hope Brockway

I have to admit, I had to try this book about two (or five) times to be able to actually get through it. It wasn't from a lack of desire, but a lack of, well, sanity. 

This book was a "bit too weird for me". I always got up to the banshee part and turned away. For a girl who wasn't yet into Doctor Who, anything folk-lore-y or alien-y was a turn off. 

I absolutely adore the cover. It's the first thing that drew me to the book, and the thing that made me try it again and again. I refused to believe that a book with a cover so beautiful could be bad. (Judging a book by its cover much??) So I tried it again. And this time I loved it. It was different and interesting and weird. The very things that had pushed me away my previous 100 times. (I jest . . . kinda.) 

It was bloody in parts and obviously strange, but I loved it. It definitely had that Sherlock quality that I'm always looking for since there's literally 12 episodes of the show. *scowls* And it was a great book to read while procrastinating on Anatomy homework. (Mom, *ehe* I'm joking.) 

All in all, if you like mysteries, out of the ordinary stories, and action, then you'll love Jackaby. It just may take you a bunch of times trying it to realize it.

Jackaby

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