I have had Jess Kidd recommended to me previously by fellow fans of magic realism, and this is the first of her books that I have read. I will be reading ALL of them!

Things in Jars is a perfect blend of Victorian mystery, Sherlock Holmes style, but with the indomitable and inimitable Bridie Devine, who may well be my new favourite fictional character of all time. Although Ruby, Cora and Valentine came in close behind – I would be hard-pressed to name a more endearing band of side characters.

In sharp contrast to the humour and spirit of our hero/es, the evil here is chilling and yet surprising. Kidd leaves little doubt of the supernatural element to her story, even as Bridie voices her scepticism on such matters (to a ghost!), but the monsters aren’t always as obvious as you might think.

I love fairytales and mythological creatures but was unfamiliar with the specifics of Kidd’s creation and so took to some research of my own on completing the book. I was in awe on discovering that the available mythology is thin on details and ‘heart’, and that everything that I found so authoritative, compelling, and believable in the narrative comes direct from the author’s imagination.

This is excellent storyweaving and an ideal blend (for me) of mystery, fantasy and humour, with some serious undertones on how we treat people who are ‘different’. I wholeheartedly recommend Things in Jars and look forward to catching up with Jess Kidd’s back catalogue as soon as possible.



Bridie draws nearer. A leviathan closes in on a fishing boat, its great head cresting the waves. In the next painting the brute closes its maw around the boat’s splintering hull. A fisherman clings to a piece of driftwood, his face a mask of terror. One painting in particular catches Bridie’s eye. A travesty of a mermaid looms in a rock pool with a looking-glass, a receding hairline and a pike’s grin. Below the surface of the water a barbed tail curls.
‘We call her Mrs Puck,’ whispers Agnes with a grin.
Bridie laughs.
‘Your master seems to dwell on these horrors of the deep?’
‘He has a whole library of books about the things that swim in the water and the things that crawl out of it, ma’am.’ Agnes wrinkles her nose. ‘There are things in jars.’

– Jess Kidd, Things in Jars

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

The title suggests something macabre and that is certainly what this is as Kidd gives the reader a mystery enveloped in the dark evils of Victorian times.
The central character is perhaps an unlikely candidate for solving the disappearance of a child but Kidd gives her enough strength of character and support from other sources for her to become quite plausible and the reader to become involved in her plight.
For those who like a mystery and the Victorian setting, this would be well worth reading but I feel the fans of modern murders and mysteries may find the setting and language somewhat boring.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canongate Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of a Victorian woman who skirts the edges of respectability as best she can.  As with all of Jess Kidd's protagonist Bridie Divine can see ghosts, although she denies it.  She is an amateur detective who specialises in cases that are strange and unusual and the case of the missing child, Christabel is no exception.  Christabel herself is unusual, but I am not going to spoil it, as for how unusual she makes up up half the book.

Jess Kidd's writing is lyrical but not overly flowery.  She creates characters who are believable despite being uniquely interesting.    This is not a book I ingested slowly,  It is very dark in places and I found I had to put it down every so often to give myself a break from the macabre Victoriana that it does so well.

There are many villains of this book, varying from weak and greedy men and women to a truly evil one, described aptly by Bridie as an antichrist.  They are all very well crafted and believable.

There are many interesting characters in this book, apart from Bridie herself.  Her housemaid, Cara,  a seven-foot-tall woman who Bridie rescued from a circus cage.  She has appointed herself as Bridies protector and servant.  Ruby, a dead, tattooed boxer is the one ghost who makes an appearance but he follows Bridie.  He has moving tattoos and Bridie develops a bit of an infatuation with him.

There are two timelines in this book (with a very quick flashback to a third). One with the adult Bridie and another when she was a child and taken in by as a surgeon's assistant age 10 or so.  Here we are introduced to the only truly evil character in the book.

I found the accounts relating to the Victorian practice of medicine fascinating.  It was truly brutal, especially the surgery as the first timeline was before the days of anaesthetic.   Also with the prohibition on women becoming doctors and a whole slurry of other professions at this time.

I really enjoyed this book, but for me, it wasn't quite as good as her last.  But that is just as it is so dark and gothic, so more of a personal preference.    Most other folks seem to love it though and out of its 68 ratings it is scoring 4.6 stars
If you like a bit of gothic fiction with some interesting characters and a bit of a mystery then this book will tick all those boxes.  A cracking good read.

My thanks to Canongate Books for an eARC via NetGalley of Jess Kidd’s ‘Things in Jars’, in exchange for an honest review. As I read a few days after its publication date, I elected to buy its audiobook edition and listen alongside reading the eARC.

I could not anticipate in advance how brilliant this novel would prove to be. When I requested it I had expected a fairly straightforward Victorian mystery not this amazingly quirky tale featuring a collection of incredible characters including a kickass female detective, her 7-foot(!) housemaid, and the ghost of a tattooed boxer.

London 1863, Bridie (Bridget) Devine is a lady investigator with an innate talent for reading the tale of life and death of corpses. Her old friend, Inspector Rose of Scotland Yard, on occasion will pass a case on to her. These cases have two things in common: the deaths are bizarre or inexplicable and the victims are those considered as society’s flotsam.

Following the disastrous outcome of her most recent case Bridie hopes to salvage her tattered reputation. She is engaged to investigate the abduction of six-year-old Christabel, the daughter of Sir Edmund Berwick. However, she quickly discovers that Christabel is no ordinary child. Yet what is she and why are Bridie’s inquiries being blocked by members of Sir Berwick’s household?

Alongside the events in 1863 there are also sections detailing Bridie’s childhood in the 1840s. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot as I want other readers to have the pleasure of discovering it for themselves.

I was so surprised and delighted by Kidd’s style and her intricate plotting. The narrative included many Gothic elements: ravens, curiosities, sinister experiments, unexplained occurrences, and potions as well as elements of the fantastical, Irish folklore, and the aforementioned ghost.

This novel was just perfection and oh how I wish it was a series rather than a stunning standalone. Alongside its exquisite prose and a dark and gritty depiction of Victorian England there was plenty of wit, some dark comic elements and a depth of emotion that added to my delight and appreciation.

I am planning to read Kidd’s previous novels and will be on the lookout for her future projects (with fingers crossed that one of those might be more adventures for Bridie and friends).

For a novel like this five stars doesn’t seem enough. I would award more if I could. I want to shout its brilliance from the rooftops and would unreservedly recommend.

I was immediately intrigued by a female detective novel set in Victorian London and it did not disappoint.

Bridie is a wonderful central character, but she is surrounded by equally fascinating people (and ghosts). The book is very descriptive so it’s very easy to image what everyone would look like. We also find out a lot about Bridie’s past throughout the story,

The central case of a missing child is interesting as Christobel is not your average child and many people are keen to make sure she stays missing due to unique ‘abilities’.

I highly recommend this book full of great, well-rounded characters.

Things in Jars has everything .... a lady detective, a ghostly pugilist, a kidnapped supernatural child, a seven foot woman and its set in Victorian London. Perfect. If you like an historical, supernatural, ghostly detective story this is the book for you! I loved every syllable.

A beautiful book. Wonderful to read yet odd at the same time, but don’t let that put you off.
Recommended read
Thank you to both NetGalley and Canongate for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

I am sorry I could not get into this story at all. I tried really hard to like it but I think it is just not my type of book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

When I requested this book I expected to read a historical mystery, a good and interesting one.
I didn't know I was starting a phantasmagorical trip in a mix of poetic magic realism, paranormal, historical fiction, and historical mystery.
I loved this book: Bridie is an amazing character but all the characters are well written and interesting: I loved the plot with the two storylines both of them enthralling, and I loved the poetic and wonderful style of writing.
I think this is one of the best book I read this year and was happy to learn that there are other books by this author and this means other fantastic trip.
I'm at loss for words that can explain how much I liked it, this was one of the best book I read this year.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Canongate Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is a wonderful Victorian detective story with a cast of unforgettable characters. The protagonist, Bridie Devine, is a wonderful character; intelligent, kind hearted, resilient and tenacious. She is employed to investigate a missing child, but in this book, full of strange things, nothing is as it seems.
Accompanied by a tattooed ghost, a circus escapee and various other eccentric friends on the fringe of society, she attempts to recover the missing child and solve the mystery of who the ghostly pugilist Ruby really was. It's a book full of evocative descriptions, emotional intensity and mystery and magic.
I laughed, I cried, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention and really couldn't get enough of this eldritch world I inhabited for a short while.
I really, REALLY, loved this book and would urge anyone and everyone to pick up a copy.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

A big book in every sense of the word, sweeping through the Victorian era and highlighting the less discussed areas - science, superstition, showmen and anomalies - with our wonderful, witty, feminist guide Bridie.
Thank you to netgalley and Canongate books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book

Move over Sherlock, Bridie Devine is the new super sleuth in town and I adore her! Jess Kidd has created another dark and wonderful tale set in Victorian times that explores the disturbing disappearance of a young girl, who has been kept hidden away because she's 'different' - she feeds on snails, has an unusual appearance and is also said to possess powers. The family she is stolen from are never too forthcoming with details about her, so it's left to Bridie to uncover the dark story behind young Christabel, and that leads Bridie to look back on her own childhood too.

She isn't alone on her quest as she is joined by the rather wonderful Ruby, a ghost-boxer who appears in Bridie's life at a seemingly random time! Is there more to his story than meets the eye?! He adds many lighter moments throughout with his comments and observations but also shows sensitivities which are very touching.

As she confronts many repulsive characters on the search for Christabel, the look back on her own earlier life is also a fascinating glimpse into why she feels so connected to this poor girl and why she is determined to try and save her.

And while there is much love for Bridie and her quest, the evilness of many characters throughout is another success of this book! The levels of depravity that some of them sink to is eye-wateringly shocking and I just found myself wishing for karma to deal with them as soon as possible - in a very unpleasant way!!

I was utterly riveted by this story! And switching the story from the now timeline to Bridie's past added more as she also had a very unconventional upbringing which explained her outlook on life - and death - now! The more she uncovers about various characters, the more you left to be staggered by the goings on and I found that I had my heart in my mouth with the dramatic ending.

I would love to say more about this book but am sure I would include a spoiler or three, so I'm just going to have to say if you love your stories dark, dramatic, mysterious, macabre, weird, wonderful, tense and thrilling then look no further!!

A thrilling and gothic Victorian mystery.

Bridie Devine is an investigator, friend to the police, and an intriguing character. Her life has been shaped by the unusual anatomical education she has experienced, which places her well for her current investigation into the mysterious child Christabel, a mermaid-like girl with pike-sharp teeth.

With Victorian obsessions into curiosities such as Christabel, their begins a tale of kidnap, murder, and the revealing of past wrongs.

Bridie is assisted by the ‘ghost’ or Ruby, a tattooed and enchanting ex-pugilist, and as far as relationships like this can develop, theirs is enchanting. I liked Bridie Devine, her ways of thinking, her endeavours in a man’s world.

Wholeheartedly recommend the book – mysterious, grotesque and thrilling.

I read this book in January and I knew straightaway that Things in Jars by Jess Kidd would be one of my favourite books of 2019. The book is published on 4th April and you are in for such a treat.
It is set in Victorian London, 1863 to be precise and we follow female detective Bridie Devine as she follows the case of a missing child. Christabel Berwick is not a normal child though and Bridie that she has not necessarily been kidnapped but instead 'collected' as a real, live curiosity. Bridie delves in London's murky backstreets to find this child and soon encounters many of life's less favourable characters, grave robbers, obsessive anatomists and a showman intent on owning the bizarre at any cost.



Bridie Devine is a truly wonderful character, Kidd's descriptions really do bring her to life. She has had it tough but she is determined and resilient and most importantly she cares deeply about others. She goes out of her way to protect several other characters in the book despite that placing her in danger. I loved the relationship with her maid Cora, she is more friend than maid and they are a real double act.
Despite Bridie's strength, Kidd does not hide the vulnerability of women this time. There are many female characters in this book taking risks but their lives are still greatly affected by the decisions and behaviour of men. Bridie, out of all of them, pushes against these boundaries, she is fiercely independent and almost seems wary of becoming attached to a man as maybe she would lose some of her power?
The book is mainly set in London with some scenes set in the countryside too but throughout, Kidd's descriptions are exemplary. She conjures up sights, sounds and even smells and the scenes she created were one of my favourite parts of the book.



The book flits between 1863 and Bridie's childhood in 1843, this tied the book together perfectly as characters from Bridie's past appear with devastating consequences i
n her present.
The gradual romance between Bridie and Ruby Doyle is an absolute joy. Ruby is a ghost that only Bridie can see, he is fiercely protective of her and a constant companion but unable to physically protect her. I felt like their relationship crept up on me as a reader and their feelings for each other make for a rather eccentric love story.
There are some real villains in this story and whilst unlikable they are also fantastic. Jess Kidd has created several characters who go out of their way to cause harm and menace to others and you are left questioning what led them to behave in such a way and have such disregard for others.
Things in Jars contain a magical, supernatural element and I loved it. There was a real curiosity at the time with the fantastical and Things in Jars is brimming with it. It added an extra element to the mystery in the book and it was so well done.

I really struggled to get in to this, I imagine bid you're in to gothic crime and can devote a day to really get in to it then it would be interesting and rich but for me not much was happening too far in and I just couldn't follow the rich imagery paired with the strange goings-on, for me it just lacked pace and something interesting

Thank you to NetGalley, Canongate Books and Jess Kidd for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This mesmerising novel took me completely by surprise. Ms Kidd is a remarkable writer who has woven an emotive and sorrowful tale alongside one full of mystery, charm and suspense.

It begins with a mysterious and chilling prologue that details Christabel Berwick’s abduction. A child who is beautiful yet repulsive. and who evokes strange feelings and fear in those who come into contact with her. All her short life she has been hidden away and constrained, seeing the stars for the first time as she’s taken from her Father’s house that night.

Bridie Devine, a renowned female detective in an era where it was still seen as a job for men. She is asked to take on an urgent case: the kidnapping of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick’s six-year-old daughter Christabel who was taken the night before. The baronet is thought to be childless and his representative reveals that Christabel was secretly kept in a wing in the house because of her “uniqueness”. Her nurse, who is one of only four people that know the child exists, is also missing. Did she have something to do with the kidnapping or is she another innocent victim in danger?

In an era where curiosities and abnormalities are collected there’s a high price to be found for a unique child and Bridie’s investigation draws her deeper into the murky world of curiosities, abnormalities, greed and corruption. But will she be able to find Christabel before she’s lost to the highest bidder?

Bridie Devine was a fantastic character and protagonist. She is a woman who refuses to conform to the rules and restrictions of the Victorian era and has carved out an independent life for herself doing something she seems to have been born to do. I loved her witt and no nonsense attitude, her love for those deemed unlovable and her determination to help those in need. Her conversations with the ghost of a dead boxer, Ruby, who claims to have known her when he was alive, gave the book some of it’s funniest and most emotional moments. This was a book filled with an array of colourful and interesting characters, along with some evil and despicable ones too. Christabel was a complex and cryptic character: an amalgamation of the beauty and sorrow of the mermaid yet also a terrifying and malevolent creature, and a mix of many opposing traits all inside one little girl. She was brilliantly written and genuinely scared me many times.

I’ve read some great book so far this year but this was by far one of the best. I loved that the language was raw and witty yet poetic and beguiling and the way folklore is combined with crime in a way you don’t hesitate to believe. This was my first book by this author but she’s become an instant favourite. I will definitely be reading what she writes next. Things In Jars is a magnificent, captivating and unforgettable novel that touches your soul. I can’t recommend it enough.

It’s been a while since I’ve read several books by an author and truly felt their natural, distinctive tone of voice shine through loud and clear in all of them, even when all the books have a very different feel in regards to plot and characters. This was the case with my latest read from Jess Kidd though. Things in Jars is her third novel and features her distinct style that I’ve come to love. To quote myself in a previous review (is that even a thing? Don’t know, but I’m doing it) for Himself, Jess’ debut novel: ‘the supernatural elements are so lyrically and easily incorporated into the narrative, you suspend your disbelief immediately and go with it.’

So yes, the supernatural elements are Jess’ USP and in this book they come in the form of Ruby Doyle, a charming Irish boxer who just happens to be a ghost. He takes a shine to our lead character, Bridie Devine. Bridie is a private detective in Victorian London (1863), when women didn’t tend to find themselves in such a profession. We meet her as she’s taking on a new case: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick. Christabel’s father hires Bridie to find out who has taken his young daughter. With the help of the wonderfully named Inspector Valentine Rose, Bridie must discover who / what Christabel is and who has taken her. The thing is, Christabel may not be completely human. The collecting of curiosities – human or otherwise – is a prominent pastime among certain sections of Victorian London.

The plot is brilliant, you’re really with Bridie as she delves deeper into murky waters to find out Christabel’s story, but what I truly loved was meeting the enigmatic and lovable Bridie and watching her relationship with Ruby Doyle develop. Yes, the ghost. They have this exchange that gives you a great feel for their connection:

“I do not believe in ghosts, sir.”

Ruby: “Neither do I – why do you not?”

Bridie: “I have a scientific mind. Ghosts are a nonsense.”

Special mention to Bridie’s standout housemaid and friend, Cora Butter, ‘the only, and most terrifying, seven-foot-tall housemaid in London.’ This book is just littered with character gems that add to the overall delight of reading.

I have quite unintentionally (been subconsciously drawn to, perhaps?) read a few novels recently set in Victorian England – The Corset by Laura Purcell and The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal are two fantastic examples that you also must read. This point in history really lends itself to such a dynamic, atmospheric narrative: innovation is ripe, The Great Exhibition brings art and technology to the forefront of the country’s identity and the landscape is primed for rich characters and seedy dealings. Think I may have found my new favourite bookish era. Jess Kidd utilises it perfectly to give such depth to this read.

Things in Jars is another fantastic book, keep ’em coming Jess!

Absolutely appealing, with interesting characters and a fascinating world filled with action, relationships, and curiosities

A dark and intriguing tale set mostly in Victorian London. A lady detective is given the task of finding an unusual child. A story with a little bit of a magical and supernatural twist and a very enjoyable read. My first Jess Kidd novel but it certainly won't be my last.

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd is for me the perfect book. Set in Victorian England the descriptions and language are pitch perfect. The story manages to combine mystery and myth, romance, humour and horror, a ghost, nefarious medics and a sinister bunch of collectors. It traces the story of an orphan child Bridie Devine, the Irish redhead, who develops into a skilled surgeon with a sideline as an investigator. She is employed to find a kidnapped child but, of course, all is not as it seems. Bridie is aided and abetted by her marvellous seven foot maid Cora, Ruby the ghost with his incredible mobile tattoos and her former mentor Dr Prudhoe, a toxicologist, experimental chemist and purveyor of dubious tobacco concoctions. There are a whole host of characters in this book, all of whom are so brilliantly described that you can picture each one. I didn’t want the story to end and can’t wait to read more from the talented Jess Kidd. Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for the ARC.