REVIEW. THE CURIOUS AFFAIR OF THE WITCH OF WAYSIDE CROSS

 “Witch!” cries the young man after stumbling unexpectedly into the London address of the consulting-detective partnership of Mr. Jasper Jesperson and Miss Lane. He makes the startling accusation while pointing toward Miss Lane . . . then he drops dead. Thus begins the strangest case yet to land—quite literally—on the doorstep of Jesperson and Lane.

According to the coroner, Charles Manning died of a heart attack—despite being in perfect health. Could he have been struck down by a witch’s spell? The late Mr. Manning’s address book leads Jesperson and Lane to the shrieking pits of Aylmerton, an ancient archaeological site reputed to be haunted by a vengeful ghost. There they sift through the local characters, each more suspicious than the last: Manning’s associate, Felix Ott, an English folklore enthusiast; Reverend Ringer, a fierce opponent of superstition; and the Bulstrode sisters, a trio of beauties with a reputation for witchcraft.

But when an innocent child goes missing, suddenly Jesperson and Lane aren’t merely trying to solve one murder—they’re racing to prevent another. been struck down by a witch’s spell? The late Mr. Manning’s address book leads Jesperson and Lane to the shrieking pits of Aylmerton, an ancient archaeological site reputed to be haunted by a vengeful ghost. There they sift through the local characters, each more suspicious than the last: Manning’s associate, Felix Ott, an English folklore enthusiast; Reverend Ringer, a fierce opponent of superstition; and the Bulstrode sisters, a trio of beauties with a reputation for witchcraft. But when an innocent child goes missing, suddenly Jesperson and Lane aren’t merely trying to solve one murder—they’re racing to prevent another.  (synopsis from Amazon)

My thoughts on THE CURIOUS AFFAIR OF THE WITCH OF WAYSIDE CROSS...3 stars 

Two mysteries in one.
What does a missing child in the countryside have to do with the death of a man in London, if anything?
Are the culprit(s) otherworldly or all too human?  
An interesting jaunt through Victorian England, urban and rural, and the striking attitudes and distinctions between the "classes".
I enjoyed the dynamics between Jesperson and Ms. Lane and will have to look up the first book to see how their relationship was established. Ms. Lane struck me as a tad prickly, but not annoyingly so. 
My curiosity about this paranormal sleuthing duo is certainly piqued enough to give the first in the series a read. 
Both mysteries have satisfying conclusions that fit perfectly with no overreaching or omission resolutions. 
Solid and enjoyable, and at this point, well balanced worldly/otherworldly series that should be easy to follow.