Just trying to clear my Netgalley shelf of older content that I read but forgot to or didn't rate/review. Personally really enjoyed this one, but can't find a way to fit it into curriculum (a shame!).

Things in Jars ended up being a mash-up of nearly all the elements I love in gothic novels (of which I've read many). I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I was going to.

Bridie Devine (such a fantastic name) is a private detective who specializes in finding lost children. Lost children who are...unique. Her last case didn't go very well and she's still feeling the emotional fallout when, surprisingly, someone else wants to hire her.

The secret daughter of a society gentleman who is said to have supernatural looks and abilities has been kidnapped and her recently-hired nanny has gone missing alongside her. Bridie is brought in to find her and, luckily for her, she can count on having some help. Her seven-foot-tall maid Cora is fiercely protective of her (overly so, you could argue), and, at the beginning of the book, we see Bridie begin to be haunted by the friendly (and frankly, handsome) ghost of a former boxer who claims to know Bridie from back in the day, though she has no memory of him. Frequent flashbacks let us know that Bridie herself has a backstory - and one important to this case, no less.

There is a lot going on in this book, but it's also rather leisurely, especially for a mystery. But honestly, that's kind of the charm of it. We get to spend plenty of time in the Victorian era, accompanying Bridie as she investigates and brings herself into the path of a world full of hurt. I really enjoyed getting lost in this world.

I want to reread this at some point because there was SO MUCH going on and I'm not convinced I picked up on everything, but also because I'm going to miss this world so much now that it's over and I'd love to go back and experience it all over again. I will definitely pick up more by this author - she's earned herself another fan right here!

Dark. Bazar. Funny. Imaginative. Playful. Unique. Jess Kidd is officially one of my favorite writers now after reading this.

**This was a DNF for me @ 17%**

I tried many, many times to read this book. I felt the writing to be a struggle to get into.

Then in January, my book club chose Kidd's Mr. Flood's Last Resort and I was able to get through that one. It was not my favorite but it was good.

So I tried this one again. Then again. And again... but I honestly just could not get into this one at all.

I thought the premise sounded really good- a female detective in Victorian London who's got a few strange friends helping her on a missing person case. There was a supernatural element which I was fine with, however, I didn't find that the characters and storyline flowed well together. I enjoyed Bridie the detective and London but there was something missing with the pacing or flow of the story. I wanted something more complex and compelling

Set in Victorian Era, we meet an unusual detective Birdie, who is trailed by a Ghost and a House Keeper. The ghost Ruby, is an ex-boxer, with moving tattoos on the body, with a top hat and baggy underdrawers. House Keeper Cora, who was rescued by Birdie from a freak show is devoted to Birdie.
Sir Edmund Berwick hires Birdie to find his kidnapped 6 year old daughter, Christobel. But on her path to find the missing child, Birdie finds herself in a web of magical folklore, crime, violence and things in jars.

Kidd has written a wonderful book mixed with Irish folklore and strange dark Victorian world.
Immaculate writing and rich, layered, perfectly developed characterization. It is wonderfully weird!
Loved every single line of it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of a Honest Review.

I never gravitate toward historical-type books, but the magical feel and writing style completely made up for it. Atmospheric and beautifully written, I really enjoyed this!

This was such a great book! It was a gothic story with mystery, romance, and a protagonist that I really could cheer for. I haven’t read much set in this time period so I also really enjoyed the setting and sense of place the novel had.

I love a good gothic mystery, but I just couldn't get interested in the story. It was too much work to stay engaged and I wasn't invested enough in the characters to want to see where the story would go. I know plenty of people who loved the story but it wasn't a good fit for me.

The beginning was very intriguing, I couldn't put it down. As the book went on I began to lose interest, but powered through it. It was difficult to read based on the writing style, but overall a decent read.

Tried multiple times to get through this, I just could not stay engaged. Partly feel that the disconnect is due to me, so I’m still giving it 3* and it’s I why I returned to it several times, just couldn’t finish.

This was absolutely phenomenal! It took me a minute - at least a chapter or two, to get my footing with the rhythm of the authors writing. It's lyrical and fun. Our main character is Bridie and she's a fiery, wonderful person. And she's off to find a girl.

I loved learning the world and the odd things that fill it. I loved the idea of this winter mermaid and her rising waters and crunching shells. I loved the moving tattoos and this world full of myths and ba guys and all the ways that Bridie must wade through it to find this little girl. Such a fun story that kept me laughing but absolutely held to the page. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Who doesn't want to read a book with mermaids and ghosts and 7-foot-tall women and pipe-smoking lady detectives in Victorian London?

Jess Kidd absolutely nailed two very important things for Things in Jars: the atmosphere and the characters. The gritty, messy, sprawling metropolis practically slides right off the page. The characters come with their own quirks that, for many of them, make them inherently likeable (mostly Ruby, especially Ruby). Bridie is a complex character that exudes a badassery I strive to achieve in my life.

I also truly appreciated the approach to understanding mermaids through the lens of science true to the period. It brought the mythological creature from the strictly mythological to a kind of pseudoscientific realness that lent it credence. As the reader, learning how Christabel grows right along with some of the characters adds yet another level of intrigue.

Unfortunately, where the plot is concerned, something didn't quite click into place for me, leaving excellent characters and superb world-building meandering in an uncompelling plot. I know that this book has been lauded by many a fantasy reader, so I am inclined to assume that this is in large part due to my differential areas of interest rather than a failing on the book's part.

I absolutely loved this charming, bizarre tale. I fell absolutely in love with the characters, and the poetic prose. I was unsure what to expect going into it, but it almost reminded me of a grown-up Flavia de Luce, whom I adore. Thank you so much for giving me the chance to read it!

I really loved this story. Historical crime with with a but of supernatural and magical realism. The characters were vivid and Dickensian, the Victorian era was perfectly captured with its blend of science and medicine, folklore and superstition. I've read Himself by Jess Kidd which I liked but loved this even more.

4 stars Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the chance to read this and write a review. Published in February 2020.


In London in 1863 psychic Bridie is the 'reader of corpses', with the occupation of detective - which blasts open a world of devilment. Bridie and her ghost of a side kick, Ruby, are hot on a case. They are hunting a missing child that is rapidly turning into an aquatic creature of the deep.

With a chapter of Bridie's upbringing, dropping in here and there, she is faced with the most evil of those she grew up with - those with the most evil of intentions. With ever so many characters in this novel, there are only a handful really pertinent to the story.

This is one of those books that land in your hands just when you need it. It takes you away on a journey that you never would have thought of. Lots of magical realism, lots of un-imagined story line, and characters so unbelievable they are very, very interesting.

This is my first read of this author, but if her other books are even half as good, I will be satisfied.

This book was not what I expected. I really enjoyed this book a lot. Bridie Divine is such a strong fun character. She holds the book with her no nonsense approach to the otherworldly events that transpire. This book gives you a peek into the world of the supernatural in the 19th century.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I wish I could say that I loved the book, but it just wasn't a good fit for me. The writing style failed to hold my interest and I found myself needing to go back and re-read pages because my attention wandered. I didn't really engage with the characters, and while I normally like stories set in Victorian London, the supernatural element didn't suit my taste.

I have never heard of this author, and after reading this book I wonder why I haven't! This book has an interesting title and that is not the only thing that is interesting thing about it. It starts out in the 1800s in London and then switched back and forth in time. It is done so well that it is not a bother to read. Thank you Jess for such a great book!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.