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.ĭoctor 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. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary–including the ability to see supernatural beings. Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. 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.” “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion–and there are many illusions. “Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. Because it’s kind of historical, a lot of people had stereotypical views of women but Abigail proved them wrong! It was very dramatic and suspenseful and I couldn’t stop reading but I didn’t want it to end. It’s kind of historical, like an alternate historical fiction because of the elements of the supernatural. It reminded me a lot of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who – which I love – and it was really fun to read. The Teen’s Overall Thoughts on the Series