2 Bloggers 1 Series - Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2)

 

Stormi and I enjoyed the first Jackaby book last month that we decided to jump right in and read the second in the series.  So, read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Stormi's at Storm Reads to see hers! 

TITLE: Beastly Bones (Jackaby #2)

AUTHOR: William Ritter

PUBLISHER: Algonquin Young Readers

PUBLISHING DATE: September 22, 2015

PAGES: 296   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called upon to investigate the supernatural. First, members of a particularly vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens. A day later, their owner is found murdered, with a single mysterious puncture wound to her neck. Then, in nearby Gad's Valley, dinosaur bones from a recent dig go missing, and an unidentifiable beast attacks animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Policeman Charlie Cane, exiled from New Fiddleham to the valley, calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.

MY THOUGHTS: I will admit I think this might be a hard review to write because so much of it might contain spoilers, but I'll do the best I can.  In book two, Jackaby and Rook travel to Gad's Valley because there has been a peculiar death, and everyone suspects something supernatural might be at play. In the same location, there has also been a recent discovery of what is believed to be dinosaur bones and given Rook's family history, she is anxious to put her paleontology knowledge to some good use. 

Once again, the interaction between Jackaby and Rook, as well as the supernatural elements the author weaves into his tales, stand out in this installment of the series. The mystery is as compelling as always and the book starts out with a bang when it introduces a cat that has turned into a fish which has given birth to a litter of kittens with gills and fins. If that doesn't catch your attention, I don't know what will.  

This book also has some seriously slow-burn romance, and I don't want to give anything away, but let me just say, I'm there for it.  If you like historical mysteries with some supernatural elements and a bit if sarcasm and snark, this series might be one for you.  In addition, I find it somewhat similar in vibes to the Veronica Speedwell books and I know what a big hit those are.

MY RATING: 5 PAWS