Monday Reads: WINTER and JACKABY

I spent Friday gushing about WINTER and the entire Lunar Chronicles, so I won't do that again today. They're great books, read them, end of story.

The other book I read over the weekend, was JACKABY by William Ritter. This book is pitched as SHERLOCK meets DOCTOR WHO. Of course, as soon as I heard that, the book went straight on my TBR. Here's the blurb:

Love the cover!

“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.”

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 William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre. 

I felt this was a lot more Sherlock than Doctor Who (where was the Doctor Who, anyway? the supernatural parts? the fact that it was a girl following around a very smart boy?). The story was lots of fun and an easy read. I loved the time period. I loved Abigail and the fact that she not only wanted adventure, but sought it out. But when things got really scary, she acted in a totally believable way. I also loved Jackaby- who was very Sherlockian. The book moved at a fast pace- I think there was only one chapter that felt slow to me, otherwise it was page-turning. The one thing I have to mention is, I usually don't see things coming- I'm not a great guesser or realize twists early on. But with this book, I knew who the murderer was halfway through, which was a bit of a disappointment to me because I want to be surprised. I'd rather that over the satisfaction of knowing and being right. That's my only complaint of the book- otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like historical, mysteries, or Sherlock- definitely pick this one up.