Paragraph Review: Beastly Bones (William Ritter)

Title: Beastly Bones
Series: Jackaby, Book 2
Author: William Ritter
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Genre: New Adult Historical Supernatural Mystery
Told: First Person (Abigail), Past Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (monster violence, some gore and gruesome scenes, disturbing occurrences, death)
Format Read: Paperback (purchased)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

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, members of a particularly vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens. A day later, their owner is found murdered, with a single mysterious puncture wound to her neck. Then, in nearby Gad's Valley, dinosaur bones from a recent dig go missing, and an unidentifiable beast attacks animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Policeman Charlie Cane, exiled from New Fiddleham to the valley, calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer. 

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Series: This is the second book in the Jackaby series. You can read my review of the first book, Jackaby, here.

Sherlock Holmes meets Black Butler in another intriguing Jackaby mystery of supernatural persuasions. Despite the gruesome events of the story, the simple but clever writing style made it a fun and effortless read, and with its engaging characters and engrossing story I breezed through it in three days. Under Jackaby's eccentric influence, the first book's rather plain Abigail grows in confidence and personality, and I delighted in her progress both professionally and romantically. I especially liked seeing sweet Charlie again, and hope he will continue to play a large part in the rest of the books. The plot was a little more complicated than the first, and I'm happy to say I only guessed bits of the mystery and did not predict the culprit (a rarity for me). While the story began strong it did get a little slow in the middle as we roamed the countryside looking for clues, but the action picked up at the end for a satisfying conclusion.

Conclusion: While not quite as good as the first book due to a little drag in the middle, the easy voice and short chapters made for a breeze of a read, the characters were delightful, and I really enjoyed the monster elements. I will definitely be picking up the third book, Ghostly Echoes, soon.

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles