Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, Winner of the 2020 Prize

REVIEWED BY AMANDA CHATTERTON

How could I not champion Things in Jars by Jess Kid? I have gone on record as saying that this book is my only ever six star read – a bold statement, but entirely true. In Things in Jars, we meet our protagonist, an all-round kick-ass heroine, Bridie Devine. It is London in the late 1800s and Bridie, somewhat of a detective, takes up the case of missing little girl Christabel Berwick, daughter of Sir Edmund Berwick.

Christabel is no ordinary child and seems to have an irresistible value to certain underhand swarthy characters. Bridie must figure out exactly who Christabel is and why she is so sought after by the dark underworld of curiosity hunters, anatomists, resurrectionists and the like. Along with her various allies and contacts, Bridie sets out to crack the case and rescue Christabel – a girl with a price on her head.

The characters are so expertly written that they leap out of the book; they are so vivid and entertaining. Even the smaller characters, such as prison guards, are so full of life. Their humorous exchanges, the perfectly scripted dialogue, I could wax lyrical for days!