Finding a Book From a Few Years Ago About a Boy Running Away

[Sam]

I am trying to find a book that I read a couple of years ago. I apologize if this is the incorrect location for this post. This idea was recommended to me by a friend.

I only remember specific scenes in the book but some are too vague or muddled for me to adequately search for them.
The scenes/aspects I remember include:

-The setting wasn't in an exact time period but I would probably say Edwardian era?? Edwardian dystopia ??
- In one scene, the protagonist (a young boy) was taken to a "dentist" to have his teeth removed. His parents were very poor and they were going to sell his teeth because he had good teeth. He ran away before they could do anything, though
- Murders occurred. Every dead body had an apple in the pocket and (view spoiler)[ The journalist was the murderer (i think?????) (hide spoiler)]
-I believe the boy was the perspective for some of it, and the journalist was also a pov that was available in the book.
- There were two sections of this city where it took place. They were separated by a polluted and gross river and connected by a bridge. One section was poor and dirty, while the other was clean and well developed.
-The boy stayed with a woman on the "advanced" side of the town. She housed a bunch of other children as well
-There was some kind of creature that spooked people but they kept it in a cage so it became a spectacle rather than a threat. It was an attraction, almost.

This is all I remember ???? If you know what I'm talking about, please help me I'm sorry I don't know/remember a whole lot.
Thank you!!