William Ritter

“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion--and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.” A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2014 Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job,Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny. Doctor Who meets Sherlock in a debut novel, the first in a series, brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre. “The rich world of this debut demands sequels.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Jackaby

“I’ve found very little about private detective R. F. Jackaby to be standard in the time I’ve known him. Working as his assistant tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality . . .” In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called upon to investigate the supernatural. First, members of a particularly vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens. A day later, their owner is found murdered, with a single mysterious puncture wound to her neck. Then, in nearby Gad’s Valley, dinosaur bones from a recent dig go missing, and an unidentifiable beast attacks animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Policeman Charlie Cane, exiled from New Fiddleham to the valley, calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer. Beastly Bones, the second installment in the series, delivers the same quirky humor and unforgettable characters as Jackaby, the book the Chicago Tribune called “Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” A 2016 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Title

A Jackaby Novel

Beastly Bones

“Tread lightly, Miss Rook,” warned Mr. Jackaby. “It would not do to push Miss Cavanaugh too far or too fast.” 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, 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 the events of ten years prior, Abigail and Jackaby realize that Jenny’s case isn’t so cold after all. Fantasy and folklore mix with mad science as Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her across the cold cobblestones of nineteenth-century New England, down to the mythical underworld, and deep into her colleagues’ grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced. Ghostly Echoes, the third installment in the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series, features its much-loved quirky, courageous characters and sly humor in the scariest and most exciting volume yet.

Ghostly Echoes

The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push the earth and the otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve daily mysteries in New Fiddleham, New England—like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why the undead are appearing around town. At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, Jenny Cavanaugh, begins to give way. But before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether. The epic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series features wry humor and a cast of unforgettable characters facing off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever.

The Dire King

“Funny, exciting, and ultimately epic. Wow. I can’t wait for the next one.” —Adam Gidwitz, author of the New York Times bestseller A Tale Dark and Grimm “Set in a magical world filled with incredible creatures from folklore, this fast-paced fantasy will keep readers turning the pages . . . A captivating series opener.” —Booklist, starred review Magic is fading from the Wild Wood. To renew it, goblins must perform an ancient ritual involving the rarest of their kind—a newborn changeling. But when the night arrives to trade a human baby for a goblin one, something goes terribly wrong. After laying the changeling in a human infant’s crib, the goblin Kull is briefly distracted. By the time he turns back, the changeling has already perfectly mimicked the human child. Too perfectly: Kull cannot tell them apart, so he leaves both babies behind. Tinn and Cole are raised as human twins, neither knowing what secrets may be buried deep inside one of them. When they are thirteen years old, a mysterious message arrives, calling the brothers to be heroes and protectors of magic. The boys must leave their sleepy town and risk their lives in the Wild Wood, journeying through the Deep Dark to reach the goblin horde and uncover who they truly are. In this first book in a new fantasy-adventure series, the New York Times bestselling author of Jackaby takes readers on a journey of monsters, magic, and discovery.

The Oddmire, Book 1: Changeling

Perfect for fans of Jackaby who are desperately awaiting the release of its sequel, Beastly Bones, this novella-length story follows the rollicking events of Abigail Rook’s birthday celebration. Abigail hopes that her birthday will slip by unnoticed and uncelebrated, but her employer, detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby, has other plans. Using magical party crackers that teleport the pair to unknown destinations in time and space and a cryptic map that may lead to a forgotten treasure, Jackaby intends to give Abigail what he considers to be the best gift of all--adventure. Abigail and Jackaby must tame an enormous (and carnivorous) rabbit, defend a castle, and master a dirigible if they want to find the treasure and get back to New Fiddleham alive.

A Jackaby Story

The Map

Bloody Fool for Love from New York Times best-selling author William Ritter marks the beginning of an all-new series that explores prequel stories about fan-favorite Buffy characters.

A verified villain. A slayer killer. A god among vampires. And most of all? A hopeless romantic...

Spike just wants to enjoy the spoils of his new badass reputation. He’s now a legendary slayer killer, and he’s returning to London―the greatest city in the world. Unfortunately, his new abode is far from ideal (a dank basement), and the rest of his strange little “family” is reeling from the fact that their patriarch, Angellus, abandoned them. Spike’s love, Drusilla, seems especially heartbroken and spends her time lost in her tarot cards and planning their next gruesome family dinner when they all can be reunited.

Desperate to break Dru out of her melancholy, Spike vows to steal a powerful relic that will help her focus on their dark future together. It’s the perfect plan―that is until a monster named Gunnar, leader of the demon underworld of London, steals the relic first. Forced to form his own ragtag group of underworld denizens, Spike plans an epic heist against a ruthless gang of undead criminals. As he navigates paranormal plots, royal black ops, and breaks for teatime (they may be abominations, but they’re British abominations, thank you very much), Spike soon realizes that his homecoming is about to get bloody.

This rompy, action-packed novel inspired by one of Buffy’s most infamous bad boys is part Bonnie and Clyde, part Sherlock and Watson, with just a bit more bloodsucking.

A Spike Prequel #2

Bloody Fool for Love

Human-raised brothers Tinn and Cole join forces with Fable, daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, to stop the fighting between the people of Endsborough and the creatures of the Wild Wood before violence turns into all-out war. Human and goblin brothers Cole and Tinn are finding their way back to normal after their journey to the heart of the Oddmire. Normal, unfortunately, wants nothing to do with them. Fable, the daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, has her first true friends in the brothers. The Queen allows Fable to visit Tinn and Cole as long as she promises to stay quiet and out of sight—concealing herself and her magic from the townspeople of Endsborough. But when the trio discovers that humans are destroying the Wild Wood and the lives of its creatures for their own dark purposes, Fable cannot stay quiet. As the unspoken truce between the people of Endsborough and the inhabitants of the Wild Wood crumbles, violence escalates, threatening war and bringing Fable’s mother closer to the fulfillment of a deadly prophecy that could leave Fable a most Unready Queen. In this second book in the Oddmire series, the New York Times bestselling author of Jackaby takes readers on an adventure full of monsters, mayhem, and magic.

The Oddmire, Book 2: The Unready Queen

An action-packed return to the world of the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series—brimming with supernatural mayhem. Abigail Rook never intended to become the Seer, but now the magical ability to look past the material plane and reveal the truth of all things is hers alone. With this overwhelming new gift, she is uniquely situated to answer the most burning questions facing New Fiddleham and its citizens—both human and supernatural. The only problem? She has no idea what she’s doing. And New Fiddleham isn’t waiting for Abigail to be ready. Local witches and other magical beings are going missing. Abigail isn’t sure how to even begin looking for them, let alone uncover what’s behind the disappearances. Meanwhile, tensions between human and supernatural residents of New Fiddleham are curdling into a hatred that could tear the city apart. To make matters worse, Abigail’s parents appear, ready to take her back to England and marry her off. Abigail has no choice but to follow her Sight, her instincts, and any clues she can find to track a culprit who is somehow always three steps ahead of her... William Ritter returns to the world of the New York Times bestselling Jackaby series in this laugh-out-loud action-adventure perfect for new readers and fans of the original series.

Rook

A serial killer is on the loose in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892. Abigail Rook, a newly hired assistant, helps R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained. The police are convinced it's an ordinary villain, but Jackaby--who has the ability to see supernatural beings--knows that the foul deeds are the work of a supernatural creature.

Bloody Fool for Love from New York Times best-selling author William Ritter marks the beginning of an all-new series that explores prequel stories about fan-favorite Buffy characters. A verified villain. A slayer killer. A god among vampires. And most of all? A hopeless romantic... Spike just wants to enjoy the spoils of his new badass reputation. He’s now a legendary slayer killer, and he’s returning to London—the greatest city in the world. Unfortunately, his new abode is far from ideal (a dank basement), and the rest of his strange little “family” is reeling from the fact that their patriarch, Angellus, abandoned them. Spike’s love, Drusilla, seems especially heartbroken and spends her time lost in her tarot cards and planning their next gruesome family dinner when they all can be reunited. Desperate to break Dru out of her melancholy, Spike vows to steal a powerful relic that will help her focus on their dark future together. It’s the perfect plan—that is until a monster named Gunnar, leader of the demon underworld of London, steals the relic first. Forced to form his own ragtag group of underworld denizens, Spike plans an epic heist against a ruthless gang of undead criminals. As he navigates paranormal plots, royal black ops, and breaks for teatime (they may be abominations, but they’re British abominations, thank you very much), Spike soon realizes that his homecoming is about to get bloody. This rompy, action-packed novel inspired by one of Buffy’s most infamous bad boys is part Bonnie and Clyde, part Sherlock and Watson, with just a bit more bloodsucking.

A Spike Prequel

Deepest, Darkest

Oddmire, Book 3

The third adventure in the beloved fantasy series full of folklore and mayhem, from the creator of Jackaby. Brothers Cole and Tinn—one human, one a goblin changeling—are determined to solve a mystery almost as old as they are: What happened to their long-missing father? Joseph Burton vanished without a trace, leaving the baby boys’ mother to raise them alone. Some say he abandoned his family, others that he met foul play looking for a way to get rid of the changeling imposter. Cole is determined to finally push through the rumors and learn his father's fate. With the help of their friends—Evie, expert on the creatures of the Wild Wood, and Fable, the indomitable half human, half fairy—Tinn and Cole set out on a dangerous quest to the deepest, most deadly limits of the Wild Wood. Meanwhile a shudder runs through the forest. Increasingly powerful earthquakes shake the land, sinkholes form, and the spriggans, trolls, and other creatures along their path speak of an ancient evil on the rise . . .

The Oddmire, Book 3: Deepest, Darkest

POSSESSION. Jenny wanted to attempt possession, and in my foolish eagerness I agreed. The office faded into a blinding haze of whiteness, and together Jenny and I tumbled into a world of mist and cold and pain . . . . . . and out the other side. Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the services of her detective-agency tenants to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, 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 the events of ten years prior, Abigail and Jackaby realize that Jenny’s case isn’t so cold after all. Soon Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her down to the mythical underworld and deep into her colleagues’ grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced.

Changeling

Analyse: Josef Mehoffer, Rimskij Korsakov, Gustave Mahler, Böcklin, Hermann Urban, Nicolas Gysis, Nikoulae Grigoresco, Blasco Ibañez, Karel Kovarovic, Johann Strauss, Albert Welti, Edvard Munch, Edgar Tinel, etc.

Etudes d'art étranger

JACKABY - Die verschwundenen Knochen

1892, New Fiddleham, Nouvelle-Angleterre. Jackaby et son assistante Abigail Rook enquêtent sur des phénomènes surnaturels. Ils sont appelés par Mrs Beaumont, une femme dont le chat s'est transformé en poisson ! Grâce à ses facultés de médium, Jackaby sent immédiatement que le poisson est en réalité une créature qui change de forme pour dévorer ses proies. Les détectives proposent d'étudier ce poisson-chat et ses jeunes chatons avant de les ramener à Mrs Beaumont. Mais le lendemain, Mrs Beaumont est retrouvée morte à son domicile... Les marques sur le cou de la victime font écho à un autre cas. En effet, dans le village voisin de Gad's Valley, le corps d'une femme a été découvert avec ces mêmes traces. Abigail et Jackaby rejoignent Gad's Valley pour élucider ce nouveau mystère...

William Ritter

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