Things in Jars

Things in Jars

by Jess Kidd,

narrated by Jacqueline Milne

Filled with a wonderful assortment of whacky characters, this quirky Victorian detective novel with a dash of the supernatural ticks all the boxes. It is superbly well-written with a healthy portion of the prose bordering on the poetic; the story is delightfully eccentric but wholly and instantly engaging; the main protagonist the detective Bridie Devine a driven, no-nonsense lady perfectly happy to be involved with the odd dead character popping in and out of her life; while Cora, Bridie’s seven-foot housemaid rescued from a fair, is magnificent.

While probably a good book to sit down and read given that some of the prose would merit revisiting several times, the audiobook benefits from excellent narration that brings the large list of characters to life.

What’s it about? It’s 1863 and Christabel Berwick, a child who is not supposed to exist, has been kidnapped. We are soon involved in that peculiarly Victorian world of unscrupulous anatomists, surgeons, showmen and the gullible public. But like so many good tales, it is what happens on the way that is as captivating as the overall plot. At times very funny, it will also grip you – you will not want to press the pause button. Highly recommended.

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