Things in Jars

A Novel

By: Jess Kidd

Narrated by: Jacqueline Milne

Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

In this "miraculous and thrilling" (Diane Setterfield, number one New York Times best-selling author) mystery for fans of The Essex Serpent and The Book of Speculation, Victorian London comes to life as an intrepid female sleuth wades through a murky world of collectors and criminals to recover a remarkable child.

Bridie Devine - flame-haired, pipe-smoking detective extraordinaire - is confronted with the most baffling puzzle yet: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick, secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, and a peculiar child whose reputed supernatural powers have captured the unwanted attention of collectors in this age of discovery.

Winding her way through the sooty streets of Victorian London, Bridie won’t rest until she finds the young girl, even if it means unearthing secrets about her past that she’d rather keep buried. Luckily, her search is aided by an enchanting cast of characters, including a seven-foot-tall housemaid; a melancholic, tattoo-covered ghost; and an avuncular apothecary. But secrets abound in this foggy underworld where nothing is quite what it seems.

Blending darkness and light, Things in Jars is a stunning, "richly woven tapestry of fantasy, folklore, and history" (Booklist starred review) that explores what it means to be human in inhumane times.

©2020 Jess Kidd (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio

Fun story.

I very much enjoyed this story. The story is sweet and interesting. If you enjoy Jess Kidd you will like this book.

Full of wonderment and fantasy

A very interesting mystery set in Victorian times. Not really a mystery more of a chase.
I enjoyed the looks into the heroine’s past more than her current pursuit.

Perfect!

Written in a Victorian style, it's alive with complex characters and dozens of amazing story lines. A must listen for Tim Burton fans.

Excellent story, distracting narration

Jess Kidd is a consummate storyteller and a fine writer, and her books are even more enjoyable when paired with the right narrator (as with “Himself”, which I highly recommend as an audiobook — just stellar). There are plenty of Irish actors who have mastered English accents, so I’m not sure why they chose one who hasn’t, especially for a story set in England. The narrator can just about manage a lispy Essex, but her RP sounds more like an American who’s had a stroke, and the multiple mispronunciations of words are an added distraction. So I might recommend reading this one instead—it’s a cracking tale.

Good book

Cute book, time lines jump around alot, you have to pay attention to the years and who the story is about. I wouldn't read it again but I am glad I did.

Fantastic Read

Couldn't stop listening. Fantastic Story. The Macabre, the interaction of characters, best story i havenlistened to in a long time. You could actually picture the characters and it read like a movie.

Light entertainment

I enjoyed this as light entertainment featuring a fair bit of the paranormal, dastardly villains, and an assortment of other interesting characters. However, I don't like it when an author ends a mystery by having one character explain it to the main investigator. I also think a bit more denouement was in order; I found the ending a bit too quick and easy. The reader was excellent.

Fabulous gothic mystery/fantasy mix

This is the third terrific book by Jess Kidd I've read in the past few months, and this was my favorite. It's a mixture of fantasy and gothic mystery set in Victorian England, with a strong and unusual heroine with equally unusual companions.

I practically swallowed this book whole on one of the longest reading days—coincidentally on the longest solar day—of the year. Excellent characters, incredible descriptions, and a great plot.

Jacqueline Milne narrated the audiobook perfectly, with wonderful accents and clear delineation between speakers. Highly recommended.

Loved it

Loved the story. The characters were richly constructed, and you felt like you knew them. I kept wishing this was one of a series and want more adventures.

Funny, Thrilling, and Sweet

This was a surprising book, and I enjoyed the unlikely events, unfurling like leaves on some tropical plant. It was fast-paced and funny enough to make it a light read, even though some of the subjects were heavy. The characters were so likeable that I'd hoped for a whole series!