Things in Jars

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Pub Date 4 Apr 2019 | Archive Date 4 Apr 2019

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Description

London, 1863. Bridie Devine, the finest female detective of her age, is taking on her toughest case yet. Reeling from her last job and with her reputation in tatters, a remarkable puzzle has come her way. Christabel Berwick has been kidnapped. But Christabel is no ordinary child. She is not supposed to exist.

As Bridie fights to recover the stolen child she enters a world of fanatical anatomists, crooked surgeons and mercenary showmen. Anomalies are in fashion, curiosities are the thing, and fortunes are won and lost in the name of entertainment. The public love a spectacle and Christabel may well prove the most remarkable spectacle London has ever seen.

Things in Jars is an enchanting Victorian detective novel that explores what it is to be human in inhumane times.

London, 1863. Bridie Devine, the finest female detective of her age, is taking on her toughest case yet. Reeling from her last job and with her reputation in tatters, a remarkable puzzle has come her...


Advance Praise

Praise for Jess Kidd:


‘A very talented writer’ Sunday Times


‘An arresting talent’ Daily Mail


‘A writer with a poet’s skill of balancing clarity and innovative flair’ Guardian


‘Wonderfully entertaining’ The Times


‘Kidd’s writing is gorgeous’ Sunday Express


‘Otherworldly and wonderfully original’ Stylist


‘Kidd has imagination to spare’ Observer

Praise for Jess Kidd:


‘A very talented writer’ Sunday Times


‘An arresting talent’ Daily Mail


‘A writer with a poet’s skill of balancing clarity and innovative flair’ Guardian


‘Wonderfully entertaining’ ...


Available Editions

EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781786893765
PRICE £14.99 (GBP)

Average rating from 97 members


Featured Reviews

I am full of emotions after finishing this book, just as I was after The Hoarder.

Jess Kidd is an extraordinarily talented writer. She takes the everyday objects and re-creates and re-defines them in a magical way. I thought I liked Maude(the protagonist in Hoarder), but I LOVED Bridie. The SADNESS in this book. Oh god. I cannot have enough words in this foreign language, to define how the emotions flow through Kidd's writing, how it pours into my heart! A truly unforgettable novel, blending the sorrow of the mermaids (or any sort of creature?) to the cruelties of the same species. How could the specimen of the same type could be so good and evil, cruel and vulnerable in the same time ?

Anyway.. The witty detective Bridie gets a new client and a new case- Lord Berwick's strange daughter Christabel has been kidnapped. There is an air of mystery around the child. She's not let out of the house, neither servants nor village folks have seen her. She's shut behind the doors, but why? And who kidnapped her?

As Bridie investigates, alongside with the ghost of Ruby the boxer with a very expressive mermaid tattoo, we will also explore and learn about her own past. As always, past is full of hidden truths. surprises, and sadness.

This was an amazing read and I am now sure Kidd is one of my favourite British writers.

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So many emotions this is an absolutely literary masterpiece lyrical ,magical ,mystical..From the opening scene a child an extraordinary child Christabel kidnapped a unique female detective Birdie .on the case.A book you never want to end this will win many awards many raves and deserve each one.Five stars not enough the writing is like poetry in a novel form. #netgalley. #canongate

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I loved this book even more than The Hoarder. Jess Kidd's writing impresses me more and more. She's very talented and her story telling is just perfect.
In this book, our detective Bridie starts to investigate a new case she's taken on. Lord Berwick's strange daughter Christabel has been kidnapped. She was not allowed to leave the house. There's something weird is going on. Nobody has seen her out, nobody knows why and who would kidnap her?
You can imagine this is very gripping. I loved Bridie, she's very charming to read about.

I loved this book a lot. My only criticism is I wish there was a bit less sadness and grittiness :)

Anyway, I can't wait for her next one. Totally recommended!

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Thanks to Canongate and Netgalley for the Advance Review Copy.

What to say about this book? How does one describe perfection?

“The child looks up. For the first time she can see the stars!

She smiles at them, and the stars look back at her and shiver.

Then they begin to burn brighter, with renewed fever, in the deep dark ocean of the sky.”

This appears in the first few pages. You know when you read writing like this that you are in for a real treat.

Anyhoo, enough gushing. This book follows the wonderful Bridie Devine, an investigator who is tasked with finding a kidnapped child. She is assisted and hindered in her quest by a enigmatic crew of weird and wonderfully described characters. The protaganists are loveable and engaging and the villains are truly rotten and awful.

The story itself is at turns funny, thrilling, touching and mysterious and kept me absolutely enthralled right to the end. Aspects of traditional folklore are woven in to the narrative as well as vivid descriptions of (a version of) Victorian London.

I honestly can’t think of a single criticism to level at it other than being annoyed that Bridie isn’t real and that I can’t quit my job to go and work with her and drink Madeira and smoke some of Prudhoe’s Bronchial Balsam Blend. It’s just perfect really and I’ll be reading the authors other work as a matter of urgency. Do yourself a huge favour and read this book.

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I loved reading Things in Jars. It had all the elements of a perfect Victorian-era detective novel.

We follow a female detective Bridie as she attempts to rescue the kidnapped child of a Lord Berwick. Throughout the journey, we meet some amazingly written characters such as Bridie's housekeeper/friend Cora, the ghost of a boxer who's in love with Bridie, and a villain that would keep you up at night.

I highly recommend reading Things in Jars not only because of its beautiful characters and story but also because of the brilliant author who wrote it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC.

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I absolutely loved this book from start to end. It's weird and wonderful, horrific and heartwarming.
I cannot recommend this book highly enpugh. It's quite brilliant!

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4.25

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

From the minute we had a ghost with moving tattoos ,I knew I was going to like this book.

It was full of ghastly characters,mythical creatures,some humour,ghosts and central to it all,an Irish orphan,tutored by great doctors and now grown up and investigating crimes.

I sped through this,keen to know who and what Christabel was....and interested in what she could do.
The back story was done pretty Well,always at the right time,so the narrative was clear and you're not left wondering about any major plots.
It comes nicely full circle think,back at the house and with the characters....

I'm hoping it's not the last we've seen of this lot.

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Central to this story of the hunt for a stolen child is the Victorian fascination with curiosities, particularly anatomical oddities, both as entertainment in circus settings and as subjects for scientific research. Six-year-old Christabel, with her unusual physical characteristics and reputed supernatural powers, would be a prized acquisition for such collectors and it falls to the redoubtable Bridie to rescue her before she falls into their hands. Jess Kidd writes consistently interesting characters (Bridie, in particular), all with their own intriguing histories that we come to understand as the action unfolds.

I take real pleasure from Jess Kidd’s writing, her innovative way with words especially. She evokes Victorian London so well - the roiling, murky Thames and the reeking smog of the city adding to the atmosphere of mystery and menace pervading this story.

A couple of lovely examples:

‘… the low, thick fog that has descended upon the city like an unwashed bedsheet. Oh, the unwholesome colour! Like sinus rot, and dense, like only a London Particular can be. You could scoop it into a tankard and it would mug there.’

‘A clawed knuckle of a man, as one preserved by curses and salt-water, much like an ancient mariner himself. He wears a waxed sou’wester pulled down around his ears and rope to keep his trousers pulled high. He has a pursed corrugated mussel of a mouth and glancy black eyes that would not be unfitting on a crab.’

Perfect for these long winter nights, dark in tone but written with the light, assured touch I’ve come to expect from this author, I’d recommend this highly.

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After hearing about this author’s debut in ‘The Hoarder’ I knew I had to read this book and I am so glad I did. Set in London, 1863. Bridie Devine, the finest female detective of her age, is taking on her toughest case yet. Reeling from her last job and with her reputation in tatters, a remarkable puzzle has come her way.

I adore just how much this book is beautifully written. The descriptive fluid like writing just works so well in historical fiction and it certainly works here, Kidd’s writing making you feel every moment of the story with her way with words. These words build up incredible characters such as Bridie and leave you hoping for more of this story before you have even finished.

The story is just as good too with a plot that keeps you riveted and leaves you rooting for Bridie as the plot unfolds with excellent pace and a story that keeps you gripped until the end. The setting and the characters, even the villains are so brilliantly developed, it just keeps giving this book and I love it for it - as soon as this book is released you need to read it.

A fantastic read, it’s probably going to be a highlight of 2019.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley for honest review).

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I’m already a huge Jess Kidd fan so was really excited to be given the chance to read her new one in advance of publication thanks to @netgally. What a feast of a story this was! Dark, dank, murky, muddy, violent and vicious & very funny indeed. I feel that I didn’t just read this story about the delightful Dickensian detective that is Bridie Devine. I experienced it. The smells, the tastes, the sights, the sounds and ALL of the feels. Jess Kidd has special talent for storytelling that is bordering on magical. More please.

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Jess Kidd is one of my favourite literary discoveries of 2018. I devoured her first book, ‘Himself’ followed by ‘The Hoarder’ and fell head-over-heels in love with both her prose and her storytelling.

So imagine my excitement when I was given access to an ARC copy of her latest; ‘Things in Jars.’ If you think this review so far is rather too gushing, you should probably look away now…

Things in Jars is incredible and like nothing else I could compare it to. Macabre? Yes. Dark? Definitely. Hilarious? Absolutely…I laughed so hard all the way through due to the wit of the characters, the punchy dialogue and the very clever wording. This author can set a scene like no other — I experienced Victorian London with every one of my senses and met with the protagonist, Bridie, in person as she felt so real to me. I wish she was real, what an amazing character. Some beautiful moments between her and the unseen…

The plot itself is cleverly woven, with a large cast of characters and some unexpected turns along the way. If you enjoy crying when you should be laughing or laughing when you know you ought to be heaving, then this is the book for you (and it’s not for the faint-hearted!)

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Bridie Devine is more than a plucky, quick-witted Victorian chancer. She is a pioneer; a female detective with her work cut out after her last case ended in failure. When she is given the chance to restore her reputation, she is plunged into a fast moving world of deception, intrigue and other-worldly creatures.

Jess Kidd’s third novel is a wonderful thing, setting out a world of charlatans, crooks and evil, whilst evoking real humanity and goodness. Bridie is an utterly engaging lead, but the characterisation is consistent throughout. No character feels undeveloped or needless; the role of Ruby Doyle (whose presence continues a plot device common to Kidd’s writing) does feel slightly incredulous but by no means mars the story.

‘Things in Jars’ reaches a suitably satisfying denouement- no short changing of the reader here. A skilful blend of detective story, black comedy and gruesomeness, it shows Jess Kidd as an author going from strength to strength.

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This story is set in London, 1863. This version of Victorian London is dark and grimy and dirty, populated by collectors of scientific curiosities. Into this scene arrives Bridie, a fabulous, unconventional and witty heroine who gets caught up in investigating the kidnapping of a very strange child. She is ably assisted by Ruby, a heavily tattooed ex-boxer (who just happens to be dead) and Cora, a seven foot tall housemaid with an excess of facial hair. So far, so strange...

And it is a truly strange book. It brings together aspects of Irish folklore (the merrow) with the Victorian obsession for collecting, the grotesque attractions of the circus, the supernatural and a huge dose of humour. It is very clever and engaging, plus it's beautifully and vividly written; Kidd creates some brilliant characters and some truly grim scenes.

I did enjoy the novel and hope that Kidd produces more novels with Bridie as the protagonist. However, I did find the book a bit slow in places and just a little grim; the stories in Bridie's background, while important to the story, were just a bit depressing.

Overall, I'd love to read more by this writer, but I'd hope for something a bit less dark. I love books that I race through because I can't wait to find out what happened, but I felt this was more of a slow burner.

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Bridie Devine is Victorian England’s finest female detective. That is until her reputation is tarnished after her series of successes comes to an end. Undeterred, Bridie dusts herself down when a new case comes her way. Tasked with finding a kidnapped child, Bridie must battle with obstacles from the present, and also her past, to redeem her reputation.

I was SO looking forward to reading this after Jess Kidd’s previous book 'The Hoarder' was one of my favourite books of last year.

As much as I enjoyed The Hoarder, 'Things in Jars' surpassed it.

The plot is excellent, the pacing superb, and is assisted effectively by the timeline jumping back and forth twenty years. Some reviews have commented that the content may be too dark, but for me it was perfect. The appropriate amount of levity is provided to water down the darkness.

The setting is so vividly brought to life that you can almost taste and touch Victorian London in so much that the author must have gone back in time, wandered around and taken notes.

This book though is all about the characters, and what a wondrously rich cast Jess Kidd has created. She is an absolute master at building and creating a character and this is massively showcased here. The protagonists are interesting, diverse and eccentric and the villains deliciously despicable.

Bridie Devine is the standout, she is clever, feisty and formidable, and could clearly lead a series of further adventures.
Ruby Doyle, a deceased prizefighter is another perfect character. Their relationship is bittersweet and beautiful, a true romance from beyond the grave, that gives the novel another layer that enriches the tale for the better.

Mrs Bibby (stinking leg 'n all!) leads up the exceptional baddies exquisitely supported by the sheer evil of Dr Gideon Eames.

We have giants, ghosts, circus curiosities and, perhaps, creatures of myth and legend. However, despite having so many characters the story is never cluttered. The author’s ability to lend so much depth about a character to one paragraph, ensures they are brought to life and stay with you long after.

This is a dizzying blend of historical fiction, Irish folklore, crime and the supernatural. It combines to work so well.

Things in Jars is a wonderful book. Beautifully written with incredible characters. It’s only January and I already know that this will be one of my favourite books of the year.

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Loved loved LOVED this creepy, gross, enticing book. Bridie is such an immense detective to follow and the atmosphere is stunning. I was engrossed and morbidly desperate to stay in this world. Weird and wonderful.

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T hings in Jars is a fantastic gothic novel, rich with vivid description, especially of Victorian London which is perfectly captured and comes alive in all its foggy glory. You almost feel as though you're there yourself, walking along with Bridie just as Ruby does. The characterisation is excellent with every character being well developed, even the fringe ones; I fell in love with the scrappy and ever resourceful Bridie and would happily read more stories that feature her. Cora, the seven-foot, bearded maid is genius and Ruby makes a very sweet sidekick; the various villains are inspired too. The story itself is a page-turner carried along by the beautifully atmospheric prose that fills every page; a must-read for anyone that loves historical fiction with a touch of the supernatural. I highly recommend!

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Things in Jars Jess Kidd 5 stars
A beautiful, strange and wonderful masterpiece.
The plot

London, 1863. Bridie Devine, the finest female detective of her age, is taking on her toughest case yet. Reeling from her last job and with her reputation in tatters, a remarkable puzzle has come her way. Christabel Berwick has been kidnapped. But Christabel is no ordinary child. She is not supposed to exist.

As Bridie fights to recover the stolen child she enters a world of fanatical anatomists, crooked surgeons and mercenary showmen. Anomalies are in fashion, curiosities are the thing, and fortunes are won and lost in the name of entertainment. The public love a spectacle and Christabel may well prove the most remarkable spectacle London has ever seen.

Things in Jars is an enchanting Victorian detective novel that explores what it is to be human in inhumane times.

My Review
I had not encountered Jess Kidd’s books until I was gifted a copy of Things in Jars by Net Galley and Canongate in return for a fair and honest review.
I was hooked from the first chapter and her writing and imagination is so unique and like nothing I had read before.
Bridie Devine the Victorian female detective who is the central character in the book is wonderful and a real tour de force. Bridie who has had a colourful upbringing herself has to revisit her own complex past in order to recover the lost child who is not even supposed to exist.
Jess has written some really hideous characters in this book and this makes the plot all the more exciting as you never know what is coming next. I normally read quickly but with this book there was so much to absorb I wanted to read it slowly to make sure I did not miss anything.
I loved the relationship between Ruby and Bridie which like most of the book is unexpected and beautiful. If you love the unexpected and unusual you will not be disappointed with this work of art.
I absolutely loved it I didn’t want it to end and I hope Bridie Devine will return.

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Another cracker from Jess Kidd. I thoroughly enjoyed this one too. Great lead character for her time. This book is weird and wonderful, horrific in parts and heartwarming in others. I highly recommend this book. I am already excited to read Jess Kidd's new book!!!

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I'm a huge fan of Jess Kidd's writing anyway, but in Things In Jars I think she's levelled up. This historical murder mystery casts a witty and observant eye on human interactions and the melting pot of London, and I have found a new hero in Bridie Divine and, god help us, a new literary crush in Ruby Doyle. The vivid descriptions, mysterious plot and lightness of touch combining humour, pragmatism, mythology and tension are all perfectly balanced - there is no clear-cut good or bad, everyone drifts around the fringes of morality, and the reader is slowly drawn to the realisation that Christabel is neither good nor evil, she just is.
Bridie Devine, Cora Butter and the whole cast are characters I hope will be appearing again (sequel, PLEASE).

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I haven’t read any Jess Kidd books before and I was blown away by this one, a Victorian murder mystery, Gothic novel with a magical element. Reminded me of Sarah Waters, Laura Carlin and Kate Morton. This was a really easy first choice for me, and stood head and shoulders above the rest of the titles I had. The story is essentially the hunt for a missing child in Victorian London. 6 year old Christabel who reportedly has supernatural powers and unusual physical characteristics. You get a real taste of the whole fascination with “freaks” in this novel as Christabel becomes a desirable commodity. The main character Bridie is just a pleasure to read about! She’s fierce, fiery and non-nonsense, but can also see ghosts and she is on the case to find Christabel. In fact all the characters are unique and well-written. Some beautiful imagery of London here and very poetic prose. Just a joy of a book.

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This was my first Jess Kidd novel but certainly won’t be my last. It surprised me with joy from the very first page. Told in a light, playful, elastic and honestly moving prose, it managed to walk on just the right side of whimsy (most of the time) and delivered character and atmosphere in spades.

Things In Jars is the story of Bridie Devine, part detective, part surgeon, who lives a quietly eccentric life with her housemaid Cora in 1860s London. She’s gets by removing warts and taking out teeth and is occasionally passed a case by a childhood friend at Scotland Yard. Which is how she comes to be standing in front of the century-old corpses of a mother and baby, walled up in Highgate Cemetery Chapel. It seems that they’ve been locked up and abandoned there, which is grisly enough, but on closer inspection Bridie notices the baby died biting and chewing on its mother, with teeth as numerous and as sharp as a pike. Not twenty-four hours later Bridie is approached to investigate the disappearance of a young child, Christabel Berwick, who is rumoured to have a fearsome and deadly bite of her own.

So begins an investigation that takes Bridie into the dark world of anatomists, curiosity collectors, murderers and mermaids. She is joined by the ghost of a boxer, Ruby Doyle, who approached her in Highgate Cemetery claiming to know her, and has decided to tag along. Cora, seven foot tall in her stockings, provides the muscle of the operation.

As I said, it’s whimsical in spades but deft at making the characters who are living through it seem real and rounded. Bridie’s independence, tinged with loneliness and frustration; Cora’s fierce and dogged compassion; Ruby’s big-hearted humour and wasted desires. I was absolutely in love with them all; and with the peripheral characters too. The narrative has a second timeline, from Bridie’s childhood, that adds historical and emotional depth to her experiences.

Overall, a delight from end to end. I’m only erring on four rather than five stars for two reasons. First, the ultimate villain of the piece didn’t properly come to life for me and stays an enigma in a way that doesn’t make sense given how carefully Kidd developed the story. It makes the ending seem rushed and unearned, which I was sorry for. Second, there is an incident of assault at the midway point, which is implicitly sexual and possibly rape, and I didn’t feel the aftermath was handled very well. But still, still, a marvellous read and I’m happy Jess Kidd has two other books I can devour.

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Jess Kidd shifts direction in her 3rd novel setting it in Victorian times with its inherent brutality and inhumanity, teeming with villains, murderers, the arrogance of killing medics, and ruthless amoral gentlemen anatomy collectors, hungry for what should not be alive. There are Things in Jars, with their ability to disturb the natural order of things, life and death, ashes to ashes, time in supension, pickling yesterday, holding eternity in a jar. Into this latest historical novel, Kidd brings her trademark elements, Irish folklore, superstitions, ghosts, the eccentric, her stellar female characters, with her standout lyrical prose that enchants and enthralls. It is 1863 and London is marked by crime, disease, grime, violence, stink and penury. Addicted to smoking experimental concoctions by Prudhoe in her pipe, the red haired Bridie Devine is haunted by her inability to prevent the death of a child in her last case. With her now battered reputation, it is a surprise when Sir Edmund Berwick hires her to find his kidnapped 6 year old daughter, Christobel.

Only Christobel is no ordinary child, with extraordinary abilities, playing with memories, eyes that see too much, and pike's teeth that can wreak serious damage. This time Bridie is determined not to fail a child, aided by her magnificently gigantic maid, Cora, endowed with her thick and glossy facial hair, and the ghost of the love lorn illustrated Ruby, a prizefighter, claiming to know Bridie, although she is doubtful of this fact. In a narrative that goes back and forth in time to reveal Bridie's childhood of coming over from Ireland, collecting corpses with Gan, and her time as laboratory assistant to Dr John Eames at Albery Hall, wearing the clothes of the dead Lydia, links poke their heads from Bridie's past to trouble her in her present investigations. There are colourful characters galore, such as the predatory and sly Mrs Bibby, born for bad business, with the tooth and claws and the backbone for it, and the viciously dangerous and manipulative Gideon. In a story that takes in walled in women and children and 'the Winter Mermaid, there are gruesome murders, double dealing and avarice, and Bridie's life is endangered as a deadly foe comes back from the dead. In the meantime, Londoners cower with fear and horror as lost rivers are resurgent, battered by never ending biblical rains as the city floods.

Once again, Jess Kidd beguiles and charms with her gifts as a storyteller, her shift to the Victorian era is a sublime decision, as the era positively drips with gothic elements that serve a veritable feast for Kidd's imagination. This includes the ravens, experimental potions, the penchant for curiosities, a medical profession that is unhindered by anything remotely ethical, and the corrupt 'scientific' anatomy collectors desperate to acquire living anomalies by any means necessary and preserve them in their jars. However, it is in the mix of the fantastical, Irish folklore such as the merrow, with the everyday, and Kidd's remarkable talents in characterisation that make her novels a joy to read, and ensures that her readership will continue to grow. This is compulsive and magical reading fare, such infernally dark matter, but shot through with light by Bridie, Cora, Ruby and Inspector Valentine Rose. I cannot describe how keen I am to get my hands on the next book Kidd writes. So, what is left to say? Just the small matter of this book coming highly recommended! Many thanks to Canongate for an ARC.

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What a wonderful piece of storytelling is Jess Kidd’s ‘Things in Jars’. I defy any reader not to be swept along by the exertions of the fabulous child resurrectionist turned surgeon’s apprentice turned private detective that is Bridie Devine. Set in 1863, and also looking back to Bridie’s childhood in the early 1860s, this is far more than a traditional detective novel.
Jess Kidd has a brilliantly vivid way with words and an ability to make the most implausible scenarios seem absolutely real. The shyly lovelorn apparition, former boxer Ruby Doyle whose tattoos move in the most mesmerising fashion, is never far from Bridie’s side and as vociferous as she in scorning the ‘dark, overheated rooms and suggestible types’ – the popular seances of Victorian London - even though he is a bone fide ghost!
The detection begins when Bridie is employed to find a missing daughter of the most peculiar appearance. Rumours abound but it is generally agreed that she is fish-like and dangerous and clearly worth a lot of money to collectors of ‘things in jars’ and their nefarious sidekicks. In chasing after Christabel, Bridie has to confront her nemesis Gideon Eames, a man she knows from her childhood to be brutal and cruel. As Bridie follows a number of trails, Jess Kidd takes us from the home counties to London to Ireland, all the while depicting the surroundings in the most convincing of manners. Throughout the story the times are worn lightly, but so well. In London, ‘…the tenements totter and the courts and alleys run vile with vice…the slums are as they have always been: as warm and lively as a blanket of lice.’
Intricately plotted, the cast of many characters are all depicted as memorable individuals and, whether good or bad or something in between, they stay with the reader long after the last page has been read. In many respects ‘Things in Jars’ would make a gripping television drama and yet, in moving from page to screen, might some of the subtlety be lost? In novel form, the water imagery and the tales of the merrow, ‘something like a violent mermaid’ augment rather than distract from the main narrative and the mystery of Ruby’s connection with Bridie is revealed in a moving dreamlike flashback.
The novel ends on a cliff-hanger of sorts which means, I hope, that Jess Kidd is already writing her next Bridie Devine tale. Bridie is charismatic, imperfect, delightful, headstrong, funny and brave; just like the attentive Inspector Rose, I suspect that she will inspire devotion from all her readers!
My thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

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I really enjoyed the majority of this book as it is filled with distinct and memorable characters. I was happy to read a book all the way through with an able, pretty female protagonist that didn't need a love interest. The author also did a very good job placing the supernatural and mythological alongside an historical type setting. My criticism is that the plot, woven for the most part through the book via the stories of Bad Dorcas, end up being rushed during the final act. There is a classic example of villain monologuing to wrap up which was somehow dissatisfying.

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Things in Jars in Kidd's 3rd novel. Set primarily in 1863 Victorian London, we follow Bridie Devine, flame haired detective living with her 7ft tall housekeeper Cora. Bridie is still recovering from her last case so she's surprised when she's approached to find Christabel Berwick. But Christabel is no ordinary child, she has teeth like a pike, a burning bite, attracts snails and newts and can pull the deepest of memories out of your mind. Throughout this mysterious case, Bridie is accompanied by the ghost of of a tattooed pugilist Ruby Doyle. Bridie and Doyle takes us around London trying to find Christabel and to discover who and what Christabel is.

This is my first Kidd book and at first I wasn't sure what to expect. There is such whimsy and fun in the writing at times but not too much that it was overly try hard. Once I got used to the flow and bounce of the prose I really enjoyed it. Kidd conjures up Victoria London so well, the sights, sounds and smells of city leap off the page. I loved Bridie. Smart, feisty, complex and quirky without feeling like a stereotype. We learn of Bridie's past too, how she came to possess the knowledge and skill of surgery that would see her working in the medical profession if she wasn't a woman. While there's plenty of fun in the book, Kidd also does an excellent job with the villains in this, the fear was palpable at times.

As someone who enjoys books set in the Victorian times, especially with a female protagonist, it's up there with my favourites. The supernatural, mythical element added something new and fresh. I'd love to see these characters again for another book! Charming, strange but beautiful.

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Wow. With a unique style and a gothic sensibility this is a great introduction into a wonderful author. Spooky and dark when it needs to be with a lyrical interesting style. I can’t wait to discover more of her work...

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I was lucky enough to review Jess Kidd's previous novel, The Hoarder, when it was published and reading it prompted to me to seek her debut, Himself, which I enjoyed almost as much. But this, her third novel, is simply something else again. Bridie Devine, she of the ugly bonnet and the big heart, is a Victorian detective, unafraid of living and working within the seediest parts of London and equally unafraid of its myriad dodgy citizens, the live ones as well as the dead.

When she's hired to find a stolen child, she realizes that she must succeed not only for the child, but also for herself, as her reputation has suffered somewhat from her previous case involving a child. But this stolen child is no ordinary mortal. And her kidnappers are no ordinary criminals.

Jess Kidd's language is in a class of its own. Any single paragraph of this novel is a thing of intense beauty. There's also laugh-out-loud comedy, the odd ghost or two (though not quite as many as the league of saints employed in The Hoarder!), and it's all stitched together with a perpetually shimmering thread of compassion. Definitely Kidd's finest work yet. An incredible feat of imagination, of perfectly distilled characterization and of enthralling storytelling. Absolutely superb.

My thanks to NetGalley and publishers for supplying me with a digital copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

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I love this book! There, a review in four words. But I am compelled to say so much more. You can’t help gushing when a book comes out that you love can you? I miss Bridie already.

Bridie is of course the star of the show - the one tasked with finding a missing child. But this is Victorian London and Victorian times where women were not viewed as serious investigators, or serious anything. I liked Bridie as soon as I met her -and was fascinated to learn how she had come over from Ireland and was now working in this job. She’s had a hard life and is deeply regretful of an event in her past. Cora the maid is another richly drawn character

The scene setting is amazing and kudos to the author. Does she have a time machine? She’s conjured a world of dens, laboratories, villains on the streets, inhumanity and filth on every corner and the Victorian morbid fascination with death and dying.

But as the title suggests, it’s the things in jars which make up the gory heart of the novel. Anatomy collectors play a role in this story as does the idea of capturing moments and objects in time, in jars, pickled in one state for eternity. There’s the trade in walled in women, the predatory such as Mrs Bibby and wait till you see the Winter Mermaid!

Also tightly packed in these jars is a morbid fascination with gothic folklore, ghosts,Irish legends and a stench of a time long gone. Kidd’s lyrical writing is wonderful and creates atmosphere and depth. It’s cinematic, alluring and fascinating in equal measure. The characters themselves are larger than life and need to come alive on the big screen!

Anatomy collectors, gothic overtones, curiosities and more. It’s gloriously gory and deliciously dark. A feast for your reading senses.

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What a revelation this book has been! I have already purchased several earlier novels in my enthusiasm for Jess Kidd's exquisite writing. This has more than a hint of Dicken's prose though entirely 21st century. The narrative is enthralling, magical and utterly convincing, a plot to have you rapidly turning pages and neglecting the real world. Sensitive and at times brutal this book has much to say about the nature of acceptance and the celebration of difference. I reread it as soon as i had finished it. An absolute must read.

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An utterly brilliant and very unique Victorian detective novel, that i found utterly thrilling. This is the first novel i have read by Jess Kidd and i will be searching out more of her novels.
Things in Jars, has a super lead character in Bridie, who wears an ugly hat and has bright red hair and uses science and logic to solve crimes. She is a woman born before her time in Victorian England and is seen as eccentric, although the police like her to help out because of her good track record, in solving cases.
Bridie has a spirit who follows her about and helps when he can, named Ruby who is someone she knew from her past, although she has no recollection. Cora, Bridie's maid, is a seven foot tall woman who comes in handy when a bodyguard is needed.
This novel involves a missing child, who might or might not be a mermaid, a travelling circus and a very brutal figure from Bridie's childhood.
I was totally immersed in this novel, from beginning to end, and hope to see Bridie, Cora and Ruby appear in a series, with more strange mysteries to solve
Things in Jars by Jess Kidd. #ThingsInJars #NetGalley
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Oh, I like this a lot. A bit gothick, a bit magical, and a fabulous cast, including a ghost, a seven foot maid, an evil villainess, and a thoroughly nasty golden boy. The lead character, Bridie Devine is a wonderful heroine, and I enjoyed spending time with her. The writing is great, too, mellifluous, rolling, really distinct.

There are a number of worlds conjured up here - an orphanage in a windmill, a circus with delusions of grandeur, a vicar who has given up on humans - all of them could be books in their own right. It has the feel of a real world, where you catch glimpses through doorways of places we don't have time to linger in. It's really rich.

So, yes, I loved it.

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Things in Jars is populated by an outstanding cast of characters. Bridget (Bridie) Devine is fantastic. “A small, round upright woman of around thirty” she is a female detective, and I was instantly smitten with her, and I loved her bold and no-nonsense attitude. A small number of chapters are given to Bridie’s backstory, explaining how she left Ireland and eventually came to London. These chapters, though brief, give wonderful insight into her character, and show how she came to acquire her knowledge of science and medicine, as well as her earliest attempts at finding and using evidence to solve a mystery. Her role as a detective, taking on the cases that the police don’t have the time or desire to investigate, seems a natural outcome for this inquisitive child.

The mystery at the heart of the novel is a fascinating one, but one that comes as a surprise to Bridie when she is hired to investigate the disappearance of Christabel Berwick. Bridie is still reeling from what she considers to be a personal failure in her last case, and she is determined to do better here. Even for nobility – Christabel’s father is a baronet – Christabel’s childhood is a strange one, and before her kidnapping she was kept under lock and key, with very few people aware of her existence. Ostensibly, at least. Keeping a secret in a houseful of servants is nigh on impossible, and Bridie very quickly uncovers rumours as to Christabel’s unusual nature and why she was kept isolated from the rest of the house. I like that, throughout the novel, Bridie keeps an open mind. Some of the tales she is told are fantastic – in the fanciful sense of the word – and yet she is always willing to listen, despite her scepticism, seeking out the grain of truth in the tales she is told.

The Victorian era was a strange one, and Kidd has perfectly captured the juxtaposition of science and superstition of the time. The reader hears of Darwin, and witnesses the latest developments in science and medicine, and yet throughout the novel this comes up against the folkloric elements that are a trademark of Kidd’s novels. The inequalities of the time are also apparent, with her strong female cast largely ignoring what is expected of them. Bridie often masquerades as a man in trousers and whiskers to gain entry to places where women aren’t welcome, and it’s clear that women are beginning to demand more than tradition grants them.

Kidd is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors whose work I would pick up with little knowledge of the contents. With Things in Jars, she has shown that she can turn her hand to different types of novel, yet still deliver an enchanting story in her beautiful prose. More, please.

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This is the first book I have read by Jess Kidd and I loved it from start to finish. The story was fast-paced and thrilling. The character of Bridie Devine is wonderful. The writing was refreshingly original in it's use of imagery. I can't wait to read her previous books and I'm so looking forward to her future novels.

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I have read both of Jess Kidd’s previous novels and I was delighted to interview her for NB issue #90 following the publication of her debut. It was this book “Himself” (2016) that I expressed a slight preference for – a novel set in 1970s Ireland which absolutely fizzled throughout although both books have been very strong. “The Hoarder” (2018) had a modern West London setting and like its predecessor combined a good mystery with vibrant language, colourful characterisation and a supernatural element.
All of these factors are present in her third novel, with its setting always of particular interest to me, Victorian England, yet it is not just for this reason that I think that Jess Kidd has written her best novel to date and all that potential she has shown up until now has come into fruition with this hugely entertaining novel.
Like all of Kidd’s main characters to date Bridie Devine can see ghosts but here it’s just one, a half-naked ex-boxer she encounters in a churchyard who remembers her from her past. This supernatural touch is something which obviously means a lot to the author and I felt in “The Hoarder” it did not work as well as it had in “Himself” but the pugilist Ruby is a great character and becomes Bridie’s sidekick on some private detective work.
A child has been kidnapped from a country house in Sussex but it is soon apparent that this is no ordinary child and a gallery of rogues, richly-drawn characterisations worthy of the best of Dickens, seem to be involved in her disappearance. Bridie enlists the help of her seven-foot maid Cora, the spectral Ruby and crossing-sweeper Jem to locate the child.
I do read quite a few of these gutsy Victorian set novels and I’m aware that when they are done well they are likely to feature in my end of year Top 10. The actual case within the novel recalled for me another female amateur detective Heloise Chancey in MJ Tjia’s series of novels but here with greater depth and the sheer vivacity of the language reminded me of Michel Faber’s “The Crimson Petal And The White” and (although set in late eighteenth century London) within its themes of “The Mermaid And Mrs Hancock” by Imogen Hermes Gower- both great favourites of mine, but this novel certainly has a life of its own.
I particularly like it when the history of a historical novel is incorporated seamlessly. Here we have the Victorian love of the unusual and freakish and the developments in medicine which attracted the honourable and the disreputable sitting beautifully in with what becomes a gripping mystery peopled with characters about whom I wanted to know so much more. I hope this novel will be the making of Jess Kidd and will get readers discovering both her other publications. The effervescence of her writing will stay with me for some time.

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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.

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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.

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Bridie Devine has a talent for examining corpses and furthering criminal investigations. She works for Inspector Valentine Rose when he calls on her, but unofficially, as this is London 1863. She has learnt her skills as laboratory assistant in various posts from an early age and now her objective is to fight the battle of good over evil.
Bridie and her right-hand woman, her rescued maid Cora, together-with ex-boxer Ruby Doyle who has recently made an appearance in her life, set about her latest investigation – finding a kidnapped child. The journey to discover who has abducted Christabel and where they have taken her contains many twists and turns, with more questions than answers initially, as Bridie comes face to face with ghosts from her past and Cora becomes captivated by Euryale, Queen of Snakes.
This is a book I could finish and then just re-read again and again. The historical setting feels genuine, the characters complex and varied and the complicated plot threads resolve beautifully and with ease. But it’s Jess Kidd’s delight in and skill with language and storytelling which makes reading her work such a pleasure. There is nothing here too farfetched for me, its just perfect.
With thanks to Netgalley and Canongate Books

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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!

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!!

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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

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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.

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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.

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