Beastly Bones

Starred review from July 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-R.F. Jackaby and his trusty assistant, Abigail Rook, investigate fascinatng and mysterous forms of paranormal phenomena in the latest series offering. In this sequel to Jackaby (Algonquin, 2014), Ritter seamlessly presents enough backstory for newcomers to thoroughly enjoy this hybrid of historical fiction and fantasy. Jackaby and Rook are called to probe into a series of strange murders-could it be vampires or jiangshi (zombies in Chinese folklore)? After following a lead to the picturesque Gad's Valley, they literally unearth one of the most exciting and dangerous animals of all time. The protagonist's flighty perspicacity pairs well with Rook's down-to-earth demeanor, and together the pair work to overcome a threat to the entire world. On a scale of "one to pomegranate," this volume is undoubtedly a pomegranate; it offers humor, adventure, mystery, gore, and romance all rolled into one well-written package. The best news? There is more to come, as Ritter sets up Jackaby and Rook's next case regarding the ephemeral Jenny, murdered many years ago. VERDICT Recommended for fans of Jonathan Stroud's "Lockwood & Company" series (Disney-Hyperion).-Amanda C. Buschmann, Atascocita Middle School, Humble, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2015
Normal teen and abnormal detective unearth more paranormal mysteries in this fast-paced sequel to Jackaby (2014). Having (narrowly) survived her first investigation with the energetic and eccentric detective R.F. Jackaby, Abigail Rook eagerly assists with his newest case: Mrs. Beaumont's chameleomorphs, carnivorous shape-shifters masquerading as scaly kittens, presumed extinct but unexpectedly alive in 19th-century New England. Jackaby plunges into one investigation and then another when the police discover Beaumont dead, but Abigail turns her attention to a third mystery-fossils unearthed in Gad's Valley. A budding sleuth herself, Abigail still craves her paleontologist father's approval, and when a body is found near the excavation area and the police send for Jackaby, she gets to combine her passions...and work alongside her crush, exiled police officer/shape-shifter Charlie Cane. Accompanied by Charlie and Jackaby's mountain-man friend, Hank Hudson, the detectives descend on the dig site, where they encounter such secondary but well-sketched characters as a fame-seeking farmer, arguing academics, and a wisecracking female reporter. As bones go missing-and then small livestock-methodical investigation and scientific experimentation yield to madcap chases, slapstick humor, and romance. Ritter's blends-fantasy and mystery, action and tension, oddball detective and able sidekick-employ but exceed their stock elements. With one case closed but two unsolved, the well-matched, well-written duo will undoubtedly return to fight a more fearsome foe. A witty and weird adventure equal parts Sherlock and Three Stooges. (Fantasy. 12-18)

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January 1, 2016
Spring 1892 in New England finds British transplant Abigail Rook (Ycf2]JackabyYcf1]) still acting as assistant to paranormal detective R. F. Jackaby. They investigate a murder, the body bearing a single puncture wound. Could the killer be a vampire? Too obvious a hypothesis, thinks Jackaby. Jackaby's droll humor shines once again, and the storytelling is just as solid and absorbing, with a bit of romance.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2015
Spring 1892 in New England's bustling (fictional) town of New Fiddleham finds British transplant Abigail Rook still acting as assistant to paranormal detective R. F. Jackaby (Jackaby, rev. 11/14). It's a job that requires a somewhat flexible relationship with reality. Case in point: a client's cat has turned into a mackerel, and she's now mama to a litter of kitten-fish hybrids. The investigation soon takes a darker turn when the pet owner is found murdered, her body bearing a single puncture wound. Could the killer be a vampire? Much too obvious a hypothesis, thinks Jackaby; he's not ruling out the Russian strigoi or Chinese jiang-shi. This is a country of immigrants, after all. Jackaby's sense of humor, ever droll and capricious, shines once again in this sequel. The storytelling is just as solid and absorbing, too, even with quite the crowdshape-shifters, rival paleontologists, an avid hunter, a livestock-pillaging predator, an intrepid journalistand there's a bit of romance as well. It all keeps Jackaby and Abigail busy. Very busy. And deliberately so, it seemsmaking for a tantalizing setup for book three. tanya d. auger

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)