Mermaids

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd is a fantasy story taking place in the mid 1800s in England.

Bridie is a female detective of sorts, with exceptional understanding of the medical world. She was an orphan who changed hands a couple times before ending up as ward to a doctor. She is unable to work in her field because of her gender during this time period.

She is asked to help search for a missing girl named Christabel. She went missing along with her nanny. Christabel is a merrow, or mermaid, who is most likely being sold for a high price as an oddity.

Bridie’s search mixes her up with unsavory people from her past, most notably the doctor’s son. She is accompanied by a boxer ghost who also seems to have a link to her past. Eventually, Bridie confronts her past while attempting to rescue the mermaid girl.