Series: Jackaby, Book 4
Author: William Ritter
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Release Date: August 22, 2017
Genre: New Adult Historical Supernatural Mystery
Told: First Person (Abigail), Past Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (lots of bloody violence, monsters warring, death)
Format Read: Paperback (purchased)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound
Summary:
The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push the earth and the otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve daily mysteries in New Fiddleham, New England—like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why the undead are appearing around town.
At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, Jenny Cavanaugh, begins to give way. But before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether.
The epic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series features wry humor and a cast of unforgettable characters facing off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever.
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Series: This is the fourth and final book in the Jackaby series. Click on the titles to read my reviews of Book 1: Jackaby, Book 2: Beastly Bones, and Book 3: Ghostly Echoes. The books do follow each other and should be read in order.
Although I enjoyed the first three in the Jackaby series, this final book was a struggle. The simple writing style I'd previously praised here read stiff, distancing me to feel little despite world destruction and heavy deaths. The initially intriguing series arc here convoluted into a climatic jumble of magic and tech that left me indifferent to the entire Dire King plot. And while the ever quirky and clever characters were here a redeeming quality, even they were sadly diluted by too much war and too little classic mystery-solving.
The first half of the book was rather dull as the team talked to people, gathered information, and decided if they were going to take a more active part in a war they couldn't avoid. There were a bunch of magical creatures and a reanimated corpse, but they did very little to animate the pages. When yet another history lesson began halfway through, I had to set Dire King aside and read a few other books before returning to forcibly push through the rest. The last third finally saw some real action, but the stiff voice made for a disappointingly dry read despite epic battles and heart-wrenching demises. Like the other books the mystery villain was predictable upon acquaintance which took the rest of the wind out of the climax, but after the dust settled the quiet if colorful end - with its uplifting Supplemental - made for at least a hopeful finale that finally saw me a little teary and smiling.
Conclusion: Am I glad I read it? Yes. Although I really had to push myself to finish I'm ultimately glad I did, even if only to say I read the entire series. Would I recommend it? If you've read the rest of the books, of course - how could you not see how it all ends?
Scribble Rating:
3 of 5 Scribbles
Series Conclusion: Am I glad I read the entire series? Definitely. While the mystery villains were predictable and the plot convoluted over the four books into a mind-numbing mess of tangled threads, I really grew to adore the main cast and can't deny the strong imagination behind the story. I definitely recommend the Jackaby series for older teens and up (especially boys) who enjoy their mysteries fantastical and bloody.
Series Scribble Rating:
3.5 of 5 Scribbles
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