Things in Jars

December 16, 2019
Set in 1863 London, this lurid but languid gothic mystery from Kidd (Mr. Flood’s Last Resort) finds eccentric female detective Bridie Devine investigating the disappearance of six-year-old Christabel Berwick, who appears to have been taken in the night by her nurse. Bridie can’t fathom why the child’s widowed father, notorious maritime oddities collector Sir Edmund Berwick, would refuse to involve the police; then she discovers that Christabel’s very existence is a secret, as are her sharp teeth, piercing voice, and propensity for eating snails. Bridie vows to locate the child and bring her home—provided she can determine whether Christabel is truly Berwick’s daughter, or merely part of his collection. Assisting Bridie is the ghost of boxer Ruby Doyle, who recently began haunting Bridie, but refuses to explain why. Vividly sketched, larger-than-life characters and powerful senses of time and place compensate for the glacial pace and the underdeveloped plot. Penny-dreadful fans will delight in this stylish tale, but readers seeking a satisfying puzzle should look elsewhere. Agent: Amelia Atlas, ICM.

Jacqueline Milne's supple, suggestive voice sets a gothic mood as she delivers this dark exploration of the weird in Victorian London. Bridie Divine works for the police as an unofficial medical examiner. When Christabel Berwick goes missing, her father insists that his daughter, no ordinary child, must be found. Bridie reluctantly accepts the case, even though she is currently being haunted by Ruby Dolan, a genial ghost. Milne treats listeners to chilling descriptions of the muck and slime of the London streets and raises goosebumps as she recounts Christabel's freakish abilities. She also excels at detailing the depth of evil found within the human villains--listeners won't soon forget the nightmarish Mrs. Bibby. This strangely compelling audiobook is a must-listen. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine