Review: Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3) by William Ritter
Ghostly Echoes
by William Ritter
The third book in the Jackaby series
Nearly a decade ago, Jenny Cavanaugh was brutally murdered in her home. Ever since, she has haunted 826 Auger Lane. After all this time, she has finally asked Jackaby and Abigail Rook to help her remember the circumstances of her death so that she can identify her killer. As Abigail begins to experiment with possession so that she can access Jenny's locked-up memories, a series of deaths erupt that curiously mirror the circumstances of their ghostly investigation. Realizing Jackaby and Abigail may be able to protect future victims from the her fate, Jenny urges them to partner with the police to solve the gruesome crimes. Jackaby and Abigail will probe deeper into the supernatural than ever before on a mystery that will take one of them to the depths of the Underworld itself.
This series is always so good! Each story blends mystery, suspense, and humor with fast-paced adventure and a rich Gothic atmosphere. Ghostly Echoes goes a little deeper and a little darker, introducing more creatures from folklore into New Fiddleham. I really came to appreciate Ritter's depth of research as he pulls from all cultures of the world for his otherworldly characters.
His human characters are equally captivating. The mystery of Jenny's death has been building for the past two books, and as Abigail and Jackaby dig deeper into the past, we experience more of the personal history not just of our favorite spook Jenny, but also of Mr. R. F. Jackaby himself. When Abigail stumbles across his record of his own work as a Seer, as well as the seers before him, we finally catch glimpses of his childhood, his origins, and the rich history of his work. It's so...well, for lack of a better word, so cool. So well done. So exactly what you'd expect of Jackaby.
I don't think I've ever commented on the covers of these books, but they're so beautiful. When I saw the blue cover of Jackaby on a shelf, I was immediately drawn to it, and that distinctive silhouetted cover was the hook that finally got me to start reading. (Let's not pretend we don't all occasionally judge a book by its cover.) I was so happy that Beastly Bones and now Ghostly Echoes have continued in the same vein. I've not seen it confirmed officially, but I believe we see the profiles of Jackaby on the first cover, Abigail on the second, and Jenny on the third. It makes me wonder which character will be on the next book. Charlie Cane? Lydia Lee? I can't wait to see, although I don't like thinking about how long that wait will be, since this book just came out on Tuesday and who knows when the next one will hit the shelves.
To read more about Ghostly Echoes, buy it or add it to your wishlist click here.
2015: Rain (Paper Gods #2) by Amanda Sun
2014: Subscription Box: Comic Bento, August 2014
2013: The Lost Sun (United States of Asgard #1) by Tessa Gratton
2012: Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff
2011: A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
2010: Discussion Question: Favorite Opening Line
2009: Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin
2008: RuneWarriors by James Jennewein and Tom S. Parker
*****, 19th century, 2016, america, death, detective, fiction, ghosts, hauntings, historical fiction, mystery, new england, paranormal, r2016, supernatural, united states, victorian, werewolves, young adult