Female detective Bridie sets off on a desperate search for a missing child in Victorian London--and must also confront her own dark memories and past.
Jess Kidd offers a creepy, dark mystery tale gloriously steeped in details of Victorian London and seedy, sordid characters, all built on a framework of heroes with heart. Along with the kickass, whip smart, savvy, kind, and irresistible Bridie are her striking and unfailingly loyal sidekick Sadie; Ruby, who is both a tender tie to her hardscrabble past and a devoted and helpful apparition. Various depraved and frighteningly cruel characters help drive the story of Things in Jars and add to the mystery.
Oh, and a mysterious, dangerous, but tragic child-creature-mermaid necessitates detective work and a desperate search through London and the countryside beyond, as well as through Bridie’s own messy memories and past.
Bridie is a strong female protagonist, and Things In Jars offers solid historical fiction details of Victorian London, which I love, within a creepy mystery with dark twists and turns. Yes on all counts!
The audiobook reading by Jacqueline Milne was wonderful.
What did you think?
Another book I really liked recently was A Curious Beginning, and it shares some of these elements of historical fiction, mystery, and badass female protagonist--although that book has more humor and this one is a little darker.