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Ghostly Echoes

(Jackaby #3)

William Ritter (Goodreads Author),

Уильям Риттер

4.10 · Rating details · 5,306 ratings · 860 reviews

Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the investigative services of her fellow residents to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, Detective R. F. Jackaby, dive into the cold case, starting with a search for Jenny’s fiancé, who went missing the night she died. But when a new, gruesome murder closely mirrors t ...more

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Hardcover, 341 pages

Published August 23rd 2016 by Algonquin Young Readers

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Average rating 4.10 ·

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· 5,306 ratings · 860 reviews

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Apr 21, 2016 Lauren Stoolfire rated it it was amazing

Shelves: first-reads, paranormal, lore-and-legends, fantasy, historical-fiction, mystery, young-adult, humor, lgbtq, urban-fantasy

I lucked out and won a copy of Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3) through the Goodreads Giveaway Program! Thanks very much!

Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghost who calls 926 Auger Lane home alongside Detective R.F. Jackaby and his assistant Abigail Rook, has finally made the decision to enlist her lodgers to investigate a ten year old case - her own murder. To begin, they'll have to start by searching for Howard Carson, Jenny's fiancé, who disappeared on the same night that she was murdered. However, Jackaby and Miss Rook I lucked out and won a copy of Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3) through the Goodreads Giveaway Program! Thanks very much!

Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghost who calls 926 Auger Lane home alongside Detective R.F. Jackaby and his assistant Abigail Rook, has finally made the decision to enlist her lodgers to investigate a ten year old case - her own murder. To begin, they'll have to start by searching for Howard Carson, Jenny's fiancé, who disappeared on the same night that she was murdered. However, Jackaby and Miss Rook realize that Jenny's case isn't so cold after all, when they get called in to investigate a new murder that closely mirrors the circumstances of Jenny's own death, and it looks like the killer may be much more dangerous than they would have expected.

William Ritter's Jackaby series has quickly become a favorite series and this third installment is absolutely wonderful. In fact, this darkest novel of the three is actually my favorite of the three, and I'm dying for the next book! In this one, we get to revisit some favorite characters, learn more about the main trio's past and watch them continue to grow, a fascinating mystery that reveals much while bringing up more pressing questions, and plenty of supernatural action with just the right dose of humor. There are so many things to like about this novel because it truly has a little something for everyone. It's historical fiction, a mystery, and a fantasy, plus it features an intriguing new LGBTQ character. There are plenty of supernatural creatures, some of which you might be more familiar with than others. I'm also pleased to see that it also delves into both Irish and Greek mythology in some stunning ways.

As brilliant as the author is a crafting the world of New Fiddleham and its surroundings, he is best at creating and developing his cast of characters. Jackaby, Abigail, and Jenny are some of the most memorable and entertaining characters I've had the chance to get to know in awhile and they each have their own moments to shine in this newest installment - and each have come a long way over the course of the series. That being said each has endlessly quotable dialog - banter equally balancing sass, snark, and humor. Unfortunately, I won't be quoting any here since there may very well be changes between now and its final release on August 23rd.

Overall, Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3) by William Ritter is easily one of my favorite reads of 2016. If you haven't started this awesome series yet, I can't recommend it enough, especially if you are a fan of Sherlock, Doctor Who, Supernatural, and Grimm. I absolutely can't wait until the release of the fourth novel in Ritter's Jackaby series!

This review is also on my blog. ...more

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Jan 13, 2016 Giovanna rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

3.75

While this series will never leave a mark on my life as a reader it's quite enjoyable and entertaining. It's snarky, it has a good female lead and a socially inept lovely detective. Oh, and paranormal stuff. This kind of format works for me, it keeps me on my toes and it's never boring.

I guess it's one of those things that, if they're well developed, they never get old. Ghostly Echoes I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

3.75

While this series will never leave a mark on my life as a reader it's quite enjoyable and entertaining. It's snarky, it has a good female lead and a socially inept lovely detective. Oh, and paranormal stuff. This kind of format works for me, it keeps me on my toes and it's never boring.

I guess it's one of those things that, if they're well developed, they never get old. Ghostly Echoes has flaws, but it's still quite refreshing even if it isn't the most unique book out there. Actually, even if Jackaby is my favourite installment of the series this one is pretty close. The mystery was intriguing and it finally gave us more information about the general picture, the plotline that was introduced earlier in the series.

I also liked how Jenny had a bigger role in this book. I really liked her growth and her friendship with Abigail. It was also satisfying to learn about her past and to finally understand how her past is linked to the main plotline.

I wished we got more of Jackaby in Ghostly Echoes. It might be because there's never enough of him for me, but while I was happy to see the author address his past I wished he had been more present. He was there for most of the novel, sure, but sometimes he felt a bit less important and that made me a bit sad. I love my heroes with no people skills and their cluelessness on point and while I love Abigail's voice, I still wish to have more of Jackaby.

That said Ghostly Echoes is a solid sequel. It's clearly a bit of a filler book but not in a negative way. It's still entertaining, snarky and a good paranormal mystery, but it's definitely a set up for book four. Which makes me quite excited for said book. Too bad there's a long wait ahead of me.

Favourite quote:

“Miss Lee was really a boy, wasn’t she? Underneath?” He slowed and then came to a stop and looked me square in the eyes. “That’s up to her to decide, I suppose, but it’s not what I saw. Underneath, she was herself—as are we all. Lydia Lee is as much a lady as you or Jenny or anyone. I imagine the midwife or attending doctor probably had another opinion on the matter, but it only goes to show what doctors really know.” “Shouldn’t a doctor be able to tell at least that much?” Jackaby’s expression clouded darkly. “I have great respect for the medical profession, Miss Rook,” he said soberly, “but it is not for doctors to tell us who we are.” ...more

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May 23, 2016 Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2016

I think that the Jackaby series is one of the best YA series ever! And, I'm not a big fan of YA. It's just not a genre I read much from. But Jackaby is a brilliant series and the latest book, Ghostly Echoes is just like the previous two books absolutely great. I like that this book finally deals with the Jenny Cavanaugh mystery, something I have been waiting for since the first book. I like how in each book you learn more about the characters and the strange creatures in it that most people don' ...more

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Jan 28, 2016 Drew rated it it was ok

Shelves: thriller, young-adult, paranormal, historical-fiction

I don't know what happened to this series. I absolutely loved the first book, Jackaby, which was a mystery mixed with historical fiction and paranormal. It was delightfully unlike anything I'd read before and I added it to my favorites shelf. But sadly, with each new installment, this series has slowly lost its appeal.

1) The humor is all gone. I thought Jackaby was absolutely hilarious. The main characters were an odd pair of detectives, one a strong young woman, Abigail, the other an eccentric seer, Jackab/>1) ...more

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Jan 27, 2016 mith rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror-mystery-thrillers, kindle-or-ebook, historical, fantasy, arcs, 2016-publication, maaaagic, reviewed, supernatural-creatures

"My brick. My house. My whole wide world." She slid through the demolished wall. "My turn."

I'm under the impression that this is not the last book in the series. And, for that, I am severely happy.
As the third instalment in the Jackaby series, I have to say this book came a long way. While still maintaining that light mystery story, it also seemed significantly darker. I expected everything to be tied up and finish with a flare--because, when it comes to Jackaby and Abigail, a flare is all they're ac ...more

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Apr 27, 2016 Stacee rated it really liked it

Shelves: edelweiss, read-in-2016, netgalley

I have loved the uniqueness of this series and these characters from the beginning and I was thrilled to get another installment with them.

It was exciting to get Jenny's story and see her history. Of course there are more things revealed and more bad guys and more more more. The ending is satisfying to a point, but if this is the last book, I will be irritated because there is a great set up for a book 4.

Overall, a quick and fun read. I think I could read these characters ...more

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Jun 19, 2016 Mir rated it really liked it

Shelves: victorian, fantasy, mystery

Darker than the first two books, and also more tightly plotted. I had rather suspected that Ritter largely made these up as he went along, but the sudden coherence of characters and plot points from previous stories indicates that he in fact had a larger arc in mind all along.

Time to find out a lot about the ghost and a little about the secretive detective.

***

Personal milestone: this was the two-thousandth book added to my fantasy shelf. Of course, that isn't counting al ...more

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Feb 25, 2016 Sara (Freadom Library) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016, 2016-releases, paranormal, historical-fiction, lgbtq, netgalley

I GOT AN E-ARC *sobbing tears of joy*

I JUST LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH!

This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/

Critically
Plot – 4.5 out of 5 stars
This series just keeps getting better and better. The plot of this book is action packed and fast paced. There’s still so much mystery to be uncovered and the whole book has this giant feeling of suspense and heaviness which wasn’t present in the previous books. Yet it still keeps its entertainment factor and I loved the theme/> I GOT AN E-ARC *sobbing tears of joy*

I JUST LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH!

This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/

Critically
Plot – 4.5 out of 5 stars
This series just keeps getting better and better. The plot of this book is action packed and fast paced. There’s still so much mystery to be uncovered and the whole book has this giant feeling of suspense and heaviness which wasn’t present in the previous books. Yet it still keeps its entertainment factor and I loved the theme of friendship and the small aspects of diversity that are mixed in. This one built up a lot for what may happen in the next book, which we don’t know anything about yet but I need it!

Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
This is the section where I’ve complained about the most for this series. It was a bit of a struggle to get into in the first two books but now that I’m onto the third, it’s so easily to just jump right into its rhythm. It’s definitely improved from the precious book. Just like the plot, the writing style is a lot darker though it still has its funny moments and maintains it’s historical accuracy. It’s meaningful and detailed and descriptive and I’ve enjoyed it.

Characters – 5 out of 5 stars
I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS! In this one we get more of an inside look into a character that’s been around since the start of it all. We’ve known Jenny since the beginning of this series but this is the book where we really get to know her personality and we see her grow, as much as a ghost can though. She’s determined and smart. She had a very tragic passing and she’s hopeful that she’ll be able to find out the truth behind what happened in the last days of her life. But her development throughout the book is amazing and she’s so powerful and fierce! I just love her. Abigail is still one of my favorite characters in this series, she’s still the narrator but it feels like she kind of takes a back seat in this book. However, I love how open and caring and protective she is. She’s so intelligent and cunning and observant, she’s a great heroine. And of course, last but not least, there’s the ever lovely and eccentric Jackaby. It was really interesting to see more of his past and how he came into his gift. It hurt my heart a little but it was good to see a more vulnerable and deep side of him. He’s still his quirky self but he’s just as determined as his female companions to help Jenny out. I also wanted to quickly mention the presence of a minor transgender side character because I loved her! She was only in a few pages but her presence was thick and her words were heavy and I hope to see more of her.

Emotionally
(view spoiler)[With every book in this series, I just continue to fall in love with the characters more and more. It’s one of my favorite series!

The plot is intricate. We pick up right where we left off in the last book. The resident ghost of the series, Jenny is determined to find out more about her death and Jackaby and Abby are just as determined to help her. With their search, they find things that are a lot more sinister and a lot bigger and more complex than they ever imagined they could be. When I started this series, I thought the books were going to be all about different specific mysteries and the first two were a bit like that, but going into this one, all these specific details and different aspects from the previous books to this one came together to create a continuous plot line that blew me away because I didn’t see it coming at all. There were so many small connections between events, characters and plots points that converged to create this new threat and new purpose that will continue to drive the rest of the series. The plot is just as action packed and exciting as the first two books but the atmosphere and the tone were a lot darker. We find out a lot of truths about the past, some painful and heartbreaking. We also travel to different distinct places and things get super sketchy and intense. The paranormal elements were kicked up a notch and there were still so many different twists and turns. I loved the new additions of diversity into the plot.

Each book has a focus on a specific character however subtle it may be. The first was all about Jackaby and learning more about his personality. The second was more about Abigail and how she adjusted to her new life. And this third book is all about Jenny and finding out what happened those last few days toward the end of her mortal life. She’s finding her inner strength and her power and her confidence. It’s so inspirational and powerful. It made me like her so much more than I already did. I’m glad she finally got the answers she needed but she’s still around so there has to be more to do.

Jackaby was so sweet in this book. He’s such a good friend to Jenny and he’s still his very special, wacky self. But we got to see more of his past and how he became the person he is. It was great to see more depth and vulnerability with his character specially since he’s always so serious. Abby is my fave. I just love her, not only because of her personality and her awesome narration but because I feel like she’s the heroine in this series. She’s so determined and more powerful than she believes. She’s so caring and accepting and I really hope she gets some romance in her life soon because she deserves it. We get to see some of the older side characters come back in this book and that was really fun but we also meet some new people that spiced up the story line. I was really happy to see some diversity in the form of a transgender character, who for now doesn’t really have a central part in the series but who I hope will show up more often in the next books and however many follow after it.

Overall, I’m a huge freaking fan of this series. This book is entertaining, action packed and fast paced. The plot is a combination of snippets of the last few books that connect to create this build up for the rest of the story in the series. It gets dark and intense and a bit heartbreaking but it just made me fall in love with the characters even more. I’m so in love with them and how much they constantly grow and how many different sides to them there are. They’re a huge band of misfits and it’s super fun to see them interact. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the series has in store! (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Jun 07, 2019 Veronique rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites-5and4-5, 2019

4.5*

The great thing about series when done well is that there is a certain familiarity that eases you into the story and this third instalment was the best so far. Jackaby and Abigail finally start working on Jenny’s case, in what turns out to be a thrilling plot. Additionally, seemingly random elements that appeared in the previous two books, start merging together into the picture of a huge threat! Can’t wait for the final episode!

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Sep 20, 2016 Paige Bookdragon rated it really liked it

Shelves: unfinished-series, adventure, mystery, young-adult, ghosts, werewolves, vampire, friendship, fantasy, got-a-copy

Actual rating: 3.7 stars

I have to admit I kinda forgot what happened in this book. It's not because it's not memorable but because I have read at least 7 books more after this and you have to understand, my memory in the first place is not that good.

Ghostly Echoes is the 3rd book in the Jackaby series and no, you can't read ...more

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Jul 06, 2017 Aneta Bak rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own

“It is the ugliest aspect of human nature that we fear what is most different from ourselves with such violent contempt.”

This series just keeps getting better and better. Ghostly Echoes has been my favourite book in this series so far.

Ten years ago, Abigail was murdered. Now there are similar murders occurring, and Jackaby and Abigail might finally have a shot at figuring out who truly murdered Jenny and what happened to her fiancé.

I really liked Abigail in the first book, she real “It is the ugliest aspect of human nature that we fear what is most different from ourselves with such violent contempt.”

This series just keeps getting better and better. Ghostly Echoes has been my favourite book in this series so far.

Ten years ago, Abigail was murdered. Now there are similar murders occurring, and Jackaby and Abigail might finally have a shot at figuring out who truly murdered Jenny and what happened to her fiancé.

I really liked Abigail in the first book, she really grew on me in the second book and now she has become one of my favourite characters. Her character development has been absolutely fantastic. She has gone from a scared girl who stays back, to a strong woman that dives right into the action. The part in the book where Abigail volunteers to do something very dangerous, I had to put the book down for a second because I was so proud of this girl. She's not afraid to do what has to be done, she's comfortable with who she is and she's so outgoing. I honestly love her.

Jackaby is still the crazy goofball that surprises you one minute, and makes you laugh the next. His character doesn't go through much character development, but that is perfectly fine because he doesn't need to change. He's the character that makes you laugh during a serious moment and confuses you at one point but shows you the light the next scene. He is absolutely fantastic.

The plot-line of this story is so much more interesting than the other two books. I think it might be because its not as out there as the first two books were, and its much closer to the characters we've gotten to know. This book felt a little more serious compared to the silliness in the first two books, but it was so very well written that I absolutely loved the change.

I can't wait to read the next book. We get a little hint about it at the end of this book and I'm dying to read it already.

Overall, I highly recommend this series to all fantasy and YA lovers. I guarantee you will fall in love with at least one of the characters in this book.

Happy Reading,
Aneta ...more

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Jan 05, 2017 Katie Grace rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, 3-stars

Loooooved the first book of this trilogy, but unfortunately didn't love the others as much. :/

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Dec 27, 2016 Moonlight Reader rated it really liked it

There is apparently one more of these Jackaby books to come, however Ghostly Echoes finally gets down to business with Jenny Cavanaugh’s story, and, as I expected all along, it is a remarkable tale.

There’s definitely something rotten in the state of New Fiddleham.

This series in general has really given me a Newt Scamander vibe – in fact, if they were looking to cast Jackaby, Eddie Redmayne wouldn’t be a bad choice for the role. It’s probably hardest to review this installment i ...more

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May 19, 2017 Greyson Richter | Use Your Words rated it it was amazing

Shelves: genre-fantasy-magical-realism, genre-historical, rep-1-lgbtqiap, read-2017, genre-mystery-crime, rep-2-poc

Jackaby: ★★★★
The Map: ★★★★
Beastly Bones: ★★★★★
Ghostly Echoes: ★★★★★
The Dire King: ★★★★
—

You keep sacrificing young maide/>

...more

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Oct 04, 2017 Phee rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2017

Very good just like the previous two.
I’m not going to go into the plot as that will take me into spoiler territory, which is somewhere I don’t like to go in my reviews.

It was really nice to see the characters grow. I feel like Abigail gets stronger with every book and I love seeing her triumph. We get a few questions answered in this one, we finally find out the truth behind what happened to Jenny. A couple of Jackaby’s many secrets were revealed as well, though I do think there are plenty of ...more

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Aug 05, 2018 Rachael (RedRchlReads) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018-reads, 2018-favorites

5 Stars!

Another fantastic book in the Jackaby series, in Ghostly Echoes we finally get to learn more about Jenny and her case. Again, the characters are all fantastic, including all the new ones that we get to meet and those returning from the previous books. And I really enjoyed following the larger story that finally begins to piece together in this book.

Though there are a few slower moments throughout this installment, it does pick up again and provides much needed information and setup for the ...more

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Jan 25, 2017 Brittany (The Book Addict's Guide/Novelly Yours) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, paranormal, historical-aspect, series-binge

I didn't love the writing as much as I did the second book. I thought from Jackaby to Beastly Bones had really grown in writing style but there were a lot of overused words in Ghostly Echoes that was bothersome and a few places where the action slipped a bit and I had to look back to catch up and make sure I hadn't missed anything.

The story did progress rather well though!! I love where this overall series arc is going and I always appreciate being able to look back and see what had been planne ...more

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Aug 29, 2017 Tara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: series-owned, read-owned

Well, Ritter has finally done it; he finally got me to rate a Jackaby novel 5 stars. ;)

I really love this series, and I'm sad that I only have one book left. I'm not going to buy the next one until it comes out in paperback, though, so I won't have to say goodbye to Jackaby and Co. for at least a year..

Anyway, this story was just as gripping and entertaining as the other two, and I really enjoyed getting to learn more about Jenny. The characters have definitely grown into ...more

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Feb 11, 2018 Kayla rated it really liked it

This was such a great installment in the series, the supernatural elements in this story are some of the best that I've read about in YA books.

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Jun 15, 2017 Misty rated it really liked it

3.5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐...what a delightful story!! It was nice to finally find out how Jenny died. And we also got a bit of information about Jackaby!!! Looking forward to the next book!!! ...more

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Dec 06, 2016 Deborah O'Carroll rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, 2016-reads, mystery, steampunk, myth-legend-fairytales, fantasy, historical-fiction, library, 3-stars-average, epic-character-i-love

EDIT: I've decided since I didn't really care for this or the one before, and since it's going in a darker direction than I'd like, that I'm not going to read the final book. I just don't want to go through that. I'll enjoy the fact that I loved the first book and the novella, but I'm done with Jackaby from here, and that's okay.

(Review originally posted on The Page Dreamer: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...)

I've been looking forward to reading this for quite awhile, and now I have conflicted feelings on this book, and I can't entirely decide what I think about it or what I should rate it. I just feel vaguely "meh." I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but afterward... I dunno. I LOVED the first book (and the novella); the second one annoyed me; this one just fell a little flat somehow?

A couple things annoyed me/I didn't like, or seemed totally randomly thrown in there "just because", which was weird, and a couple things came out of the blue or weren't explained; plus it was darker/creepier than the first two, at least to me. I mean, it's about a ghost and underworld stuff, and there's a ghost in the title so obviously. XD And I didn't mind a lot of that as much as I thought I would, but still not as fun as the first one.

Buuut it did have some cool Faerie stuff in this one, so I liked that.

But it also kind of cliffhangered! At least, the book was suddenly over but the story wasn't. So I feel strangely like I didn't finish reading the book? Even though I know I did. It's... kind of a weird feeling... >.> I do look forward to reading the final book whenever it comes out to see how it all ends up, but there's some spark that the first one had that's just died for me in the last couple. Might just be me, though.

I do still like Jackaby (most of the time), and Charlie's loyal and adorable and awesome, just... not around very much (his parts were cool though). And I liked the Faerie stuff! Even though some of that was weird too, as were all the dead-people type things. And Jackaby doesn't seem to be his usual fabulous self all the time. I mean, he is, and I still like him, but he's not as THERE with his lines as he used to be; at least I don't think so.

Anyway, it's a pretty good book, just... I'm not enjoying them as much as they go on, I guess. (It's also very possible I just wasn't in the mood when I read it, since I was sick. *shrug*) I guess I enjoyed it okay, I just feel "meh" and mostly kinda left hanging since it didn't wrap things up and is just leading up to the next book... But Jackaby is still fun to read most of the time, so there's that. :) And we get some slight hints about Jackaby backstory in this, so that's neat... Hopefully there will be more in book 4. >:D

So, overall... read the first book, Jackaby, and the novella The Map. I'm still on the fence about the rest, so that will probably remain true until I can see how it wraps up in the final book. *nod* There's just something about reading an "unfinished" book that leaves me unable to review it very well... Beware of cliffhangers, people! ...more

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Jul 04, 2016 Stefani Sloma rated it really liked it

Ghostly Echoes was one of the top books I was hoping to get at BEA. I LOVED Jackaby and Beastly Bones, and I could not wait to dive back into New Fiddleham with these characters. I was not disappointed.

I absolutely adore these characters and this world so so much. Everything about these books is just…charming. But I think the best part of Ghostly Echoes is that it’s a bit darker than the other two books in the series so far.

The third book in the Jackaby series focuses a lot on Jenny ...more

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Sep 13, 2017 Colleen Houck added it

Shelves: friends, suspense, genius, chbc-author, paranormal, death, colleen-houck-book-club-pick, crime, fantasy, espionage-intrigue

I loved heading into another mystery with Jackaby and his assistant. This time they are headed to the underworld with the help of Charon. We finally get to see what happened to our resident ghost. I totally hear David Tennant in my head as I read these. If you're a Doctor Who fan, you need to pick up these books!

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May 13, 2016 Sebastian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-reviewed

When I read the first chapters of William Ritter’s young adult fantasy novel „Jackaby“ almost two years ago I soon realized that this was about to become a new favorite series of mine. I’ve always been a sucker for historical crime fiction especially when it’s set in the late 19th century and if you also give me a weird detective that feels like a quirky character played by Johnny Depp and taken from a witty Tim Burton movie (seriously, can someone please persuade those two into adapting the boo When I read the first chapters of William Ritter’s young adult fantasy novel „Jackaby“ almost two years ago I soon realized that this was about to become a new favorite series of mine. I’ve always been a sucker for historical crime fiction especially when it’s set in the late 19th century and if you also give me a weird detective that feels like a quirky character played by Johnny Depp and taken from a witty Tim Burton movie (seriously, can someone please persuade those two into adapting the book series for the big screen?) then you can be almost 100% sure that I would love it – and Mr. R.F. Jackaby, the detective with a special focus on investigating unexplained phenomena, is only one part of a cast of amazing characters that turn these books into a hell of a lot of fun. Just as much as Sherlock Holmes wouldn’t be the same without his congenial and loyal colleague Dr. John Watson, Jackaby needs a partner that he can rely on – and who is able to bring him to reason when he’s at risk of getting lost in the chaos that is both in his head and in his office: Abigail Rook, an adventurous young woman who left her family in Great Britain behind and came to New England to follow in her father’s footsteps and become an explorer – and eventually ended up with the quirky detective.

Who killed Jackaby’s ghostly landlady?

While I already had plenty of fun reading „Jackaby“ and the sequel „Beastly Bones“ and loved both the setting and the great characters I still had the feeling that something was missing, something that would take the series to the next level and make it more than „just“ a highly entertaining crime series for young readers – and apparently William Ritter has been able to read my mind because „Ghostly Echoes“, the third installment in the Jackaby series, is exactly the book I’ve been wishing for. If we go back to the second book in this series we remember that the main case got solved but that it still left us hanging in the air with quite a few unanswered questions, questions that mostly involved Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly landlady of 926 Augur Lane where Jackaby runs his unusual detective business. As we all know, Jenny’s life has found a very unpleasant ending years ago but the case of her murder has never been solved (yet) and is still a very sensitive topic that upsets the ghost every time it’s brought up – but Abigail is now determined to finally solve this cold case and give Jenny closure so that she might be able to move on and no longer has to live as a prisoner in her own home that is bound to that place by the terrors of her past.

Dark times are coming…

„Ghostly Echoes“ therefore almost exactly picks up where „Beastly Bones“ ended and it soon becomes clear that this third book will be by far the darkest one in this series. We see Jenny Cavanaugh suffering from serious mental attacks and we experience New Fiddleham not just as a vivid town with fantastical creatures (the way Jackaby likes to see it as he explains to Abigail in one of my favorite scenes in this book while strolling through the streets) but also as a place where dark and violent things lurk in the shadows and where evil forces pull the strings behind the scenes. I really loved this new atmosphere because it felt as if the series has been growing up since the first book and is no longer just the amusing young adult story but a serious piece of crime fiction. Yes, there’s still the hilarious bantering going on between Jackaby and Abigail but many of the entertaining dialogues had to make way for conversations with more depth and sincerity since the stakes are much higher in this new case and our beloved characters are in some serious danger.

A big step forward in character development

But it’s not just the darker atmosphere and the hazardous investigation that make the Jackaby series take the next step, it’s also the character development that gives „Ghostly Echoes“ more complexity than the first two books. R.F. Jackaby still remains a mysterious person (which is good, because otherwise the character might lose a lot of its fascination), but William Ritter gives us more insights into the detective’s past and into what made him become the person that he is now and this is where you will realize that Jackaby is way more than just a weird man with odd clothes and strange beliefs. „Ghostly Echoes“ also lets Jenny Cavanaugh evolve from being a filler character and some nice decoration for Jackaby’s house in Augur Lane and gives her not only more attention but also an interesting background story that comes with more depth for her character. And despite a bigger focus on Jackaby and Jenny there’s still enough room for Abigail to play an important role in this story as well and to show that she’s more than just a simple assistant that does the filing for her employer. Ritter does a great job at giving every character the attention that it deserves and „Ghostly Echoes“ even provides a little unexpected reunion that will have fans of this series beam with joy.

The best book in the Jackaby series so far

For all those reasons mentioned above „Ghostly Echoes“ easily became my favorite book in this series. Don’t get me wrong, I already loved „Jackaby“ and „Beastly Bones“ but this third book gave me this special something that I’ve still been waiting for and took the series to the next level by becoming darker and more mature and giving the characters and the whole universe that William Ritter has created more depth. There’s still room for improvement by maybe giving the story some more twists and even more suspense and working on the relationship between Jackaby and Abigail (and I don’t even mean in a romantic way) but seeing the latest development of this series felt very satisfying for me because Ritter definitely keeps steering it in the right direction. If you’re already a fan of the quirky detective and his witty partner then there’s no way you’re not going to like this book and if you’re not than „Ghostly Echoes“ is another proof that you’re missing out on a really great fantasy mystery book series. ...more

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Sep 23, 2017 Erin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: curses, young-adult, i-see-dead-people, paranormal, creepy, gothic, favorite-characters, 5-stars, made-the-best-list, fantasy

I absolutely love the Jackaby series!! This is probably my favorite one in the series thus far!

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Jan 21, 2016 Nina Sgro rated it it was amazing

Look at all the lower body we see! WHO IS ON THIS COVER?!!! AHHHHHH.

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Feb 02, 2018 ☆ Franzi ☆ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was so good

After all those questions I had after book 2 I got some answers...and some more questions.

I laughed, I even more cried because damn, there are some heartbreaking moments just when you don't expect them.

I loved that we finally got to know more about Jenny and also about Jackaby and I hope we'll get to know him some more in book 4.

Also I want a Douglas ♥

Some spoiler under the cut

(view spoiler) ...more

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Apr 08, 2017 Rivka rated it really liked it

4.5 I can't wait to see when this story will take me

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Jul 03, 2018 Patty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, own

4.5 stars!!

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Oct 27, 2017 mytaakeonit rated it really liked it

This third book in the Jackaby series brought back my initial love for the characters and story line. The second book dragged a bit, but reading it was totally worth it for Ghostly Echoes. I’m very excited to read the Dire King!

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Vampires, Weres a...: Ghostly Echoes (#3) & The Dire King (#4)	72	18	Oct 10, 2018 10:56AM
Colleen Houck Boo...: Chat With William Ritter	38	79	Sep 30, 2017 07:13PM
YA Buddy Readers'...: Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3) by William Ritter - Starting October 1st 2016	13	17	Oct 07, 2016 12:55AM
Around the Year i...: Ghostly Echoes, by William Ritter	1	13	Oct 04, 2016 08:01AM
Crazy for Young A...: Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3) by William Ritter → Start Date: September 16th, 2016	13	12	Oct 03, 2016 07:02PM

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About William Ritter

William Ritter

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WILLIAM RITTER is an Oregon educator and author of the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark.