I loved the first book in this series, and after this sneak peek I think it's time for a re-read of the whole thing. This series has one of the best fresh takes on Sherlock Holmes without being too on the nose. I love learning more about Abigail and her past. The premise of this story is so neat too. A ghost wanting help solving her own murder? Yes, please!

DNF'd this book and at this time I do not plan to ever continue or finish the book as I requested and began the book in four years ago.

I also got the full novel (this is the sneak peak) and I DNF'd the full book as well.

Amazing sneak peek, which managed to make me crave more!

These were the just the first 5 chapters, but it was definitely a strong opening with excellent writing, leaving you in need for more.

Definitely going to buy the book and the rest of the series.

reviewed full book here:
https://www.netgalley.com/book/87768/review/181102

full text:
This series gets better with each installment. Here, the characters and the city of New Fiddleham continue to come into their own, getting even further away from their initial literary and pop-cultural influences. Jackaby is humanized, and POV character Abigail Rook gets to be less of a sidekick, taking center stage and more actively influencing the plot. I enjoyed all of the supporting characters (new and old), and hope to see more of Charlie and Lydia, in particular, next time around.

This series has always utilized multiple mythologies and genres at once, as well as humor, and this installment is no exception. I might not have bought the whole Underworld thing if I hadn't read the short story The Map (ostensibly set prior to Ghostly Echoes), with its wonderfully absurd supernatural journey. But I did, so that's a moot point.

This is 100% my favorite book in the series. I blew through it and had so much fun reading it. This series is so humorous and witty - it's impossible not to have a good time.

Such a tease! Definitely need to get the entire book, as I've adored this world since the first installment. It's a fun ride with delightful characters.

I did not enjoy this installment as much as the other two. The story was flat and the characters were out of sync.

This short excerpt is a great introduction to the latest instalment in the Jackaby series. I have wholeheartedly loved the previous two instalments, so I cannot wait to get my hands on the finished copy. The excerpt allows us to delve deeper into the world and feels darker in tone and much more atmospheric. The stakes feel high as the overarching plot is brought more into focus with the exploration of Jenny's murder. The excerpt contained all the charm and wit from the previous two instalments and I am incredibly excited to continue reading it!

If the first two Jackaby books felt like 'case of the week' mini arcs, it is in this third book that the sinister main arc reveals itself. Returning to the atmosphere of the first book, little things now become tantalizing clues to a large conspiracy - one that our crew of detective, assistant, and ghost will have to solve. But first, Abigail will need to uncover the shrouded truth of Jenny Cavanaugh's death.

Story: Abigail is working with Jenny - trying to get her to remember the circumstances of her murder and get her to affect the living world with more efficiency. But there's a reason Abigail has forgotten and Jackaby warns that Abigail may cause more harm than good. But in investigating Jenny's murder, Abigail will come to recognize that the cases she has worked on with Jackaby in the past are all mysteriously connected - and Jackaby is the epicenter of something very evil in New Fiddleham.

The story continues to have a strong Dickensian feel though this is set in New England. The writing is just as crisp as in previous books, with sharp bon mots and witty misunderstandings. So many are about context, so sharing them here would be pointless, by they are so nicely written as to be a real treat and put a smile on my face often as I progressed through the novel.

We're given quite a bit of Jackaby's history - though there is still quite enough mystery to be found in future books in the series. But it was nice to know a bit more about the character since we've been given so little in the previous two book. As well, Jenny's history and how it all interconnects to the series-arc was definitely worth the wait.

If I have one quibble - and this is minor considering this is definitely a 5 star book for me - it's that we're going into familiar faerie lore here - unseelie/seelie etc as the main problematic bad guys. I would have liked for something a bit more obscure and inventive (as Maggie Stiefvater did with Scorpio Races). I'm kind of over the whole fae thing in urban fantasy; like werewolves, zombies, and vampires, it's overdone.

But that said, this is so beautifully written - easy to follow, crisp, no fluff, and definitely free of purple prose. It's a satisfying book on all levels, with characters we love to follow despite (or perhaps because of) their eccentricities and quirks. Highly recommended and even better than the second novel. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

This is the sort of book that is just compulsively readable - the characters are fun and progress each book in a variety of ways, and the story line just gets better as it begins to head towards the eventual end. This series is one that I reach for when I just want brain candy - something enjoyable that keeps me turning the pages.

Note: The following review is of the entire novel Ghostly Echoes, and not the sneak peak.

In the third installment of the series, we finally find ourselves facing the bewildering and ominous menace that has been lurking from the first pages of Jackaby, and Beastly Bones. Also, pieces and clues are found about the mysterious murder of Jenny Cavanaugh, the local ghoul in 926 Augur Lane, in time for the 10th anniversary. However, a recent murder presents itself with an odd resemblance to that of Miss Cavanaugh, and it is up to the eccentric R.F. Jackaby and resourceful Abigail Rook to find the answers to their growing questions. That is, before they get killed by the unknown forces they have been facing long before they even imagined.

Every time I grab a book of this series by William Ritter, I like to think I am ready for whatever may come. But I'm always blown away by the creativity and twists Ritter throws to the readers. Each book surpasses its predecessor with its rich and unique characters, settings, puzzling plots and crimes sprinkled with the paranormal and fantastical. I didn't like at first how Jackaby (1st book) was described like Sherlock Holmes meets Doctor Who, but there is no better description than that, adding to the equation Supernatural.

There is a brilliant cast of characters constant in the books. From the enigmatic Jackaby, intelligent and cunning Abigail Rook, the lovely and fierce Jenny Cavanaugh, the adorable Charlie Cane/Barker, to Douglas the once human but now comical duck. Each character stands on its own with their ever-developing arcs, it's impossible to not hold them close to your heart. In Ghostly Echoes, there are also other secondary characters that shine, some recurring ones like Hatun, Commissioner Marlowe, to other lovely surprises and new characters as well. I may be biased (or not), but I have always liked Ritter's characters, from the most important ones to the more fleeting ones because they feel genuine.

However, I had a little problem in a part of the novel, something that has never happened. This next paragraph is a minor spoiler (not related to the plot in this book). **MINOR SPOILER** Jackaby and Abigail are on their way home when they encounter a young woman being assaulted by some men. The words are never spoken, but an interpretation of the text suggests this person is a transgender woman. The scene was interesting, because we get a glimpse at Jackaby's personality in a deeper way, as well as a message and quote I liked: "It is the ugliest aspect of human nature that we fear what is most different from ourselves with such violent contempt," (p. 70, hardcover). However, the whole exchange and the character, Lydia Lee, felt odd. It didn't seem to fit in with the story's plot or the current situation at hand. If I skipped 9 pages to the next chapter, I wouldn't have missed anything. The character appears once more, but other than the two small exchanges, Lydia doesn't play an important role. I kept thinking "Will this be the villain? What will she do? Why is this happening?" in the way detective novels work, and nothing happened. It could be a manner of preference, but it just did not add up. It was still interesting. I hope that at least that loose end here is worked with in The Dire King. **END OF MINOR SPOILER**

As detective fiction novels go, the Jackaby series is my most favorite in contemporary fiction. You see the classical elements and nods to some of those famous detectives and their creators (Philip Marlowe by Raymond Chandler, Sam Spade by Dashiell Hammet, C. Auguste Dupin by Edgar Allan Poe, and so on). In addition to the rules of the genre being followed, Ritter breaks them and makes this his completely, which is what makes this series so enjoyable and easy to read.

If you have never read a detective novel, or don't like the classic ones, this is the way to go. Danger waiting to pounce in every corner, witty humor, and romance thrown in-between, Jackaby and co. have something in-store for every taste. If you have not read this book or its previous ones, do it. You won't regret it.

Rating: 5 stars

A sneak peak. I'm now keen to read more. Exciting series.

A great entry to the Jackaby series. My students enjoy these books and I do too. I have already recommended it to several of my seventh graders.