"Of the first few hauntings I investigated with Lockwood & Co. I intend to say little, in part to protect the identity of the victims, in part because of the gruesome nature of the incidents, but mainly because, in a variety of ingenious ways, we succeeded in cocking them all up."
This quote has continued to take on ever greater significance ever since it first appeared in print. This is the sentence written by first-person narrator Lucy Carlyle that introduces the world to Lockwood and Co. It is an undeniably effective opener. The reference to gruesome incidents is surefire attention grabber for anyone picking up a horror novel. The somewhat formal language also seems to provide a little insight into Lucy's character. But, of course, it is the part at the end that really tells the reader something important. The phrase "cocking them all up" is the first of what will prove to a sustained utilization of British slang. Since it basically means making a complete mess of things, this confession tells the reader that this is not going to be a story of a smoothly running and efficient operation.
"Ever since Marissa Fittes and Tom Rotwell conducted their celebrated investigations, way back in the first years of the Problem, finding the Source of a haunting has been central to every agent’s job."
This quote is important because it is filled with significant information. The entire premise of the series is based on what is referred to here as "the Problem" That is a reference to the sudden problem the world has in dealing with ghosts. The characterization of this originating "way back" also provides context for just how problematic this situation has been and hints at for how long. This knowledge will actually prove to be of tremendous value because as this book, and the series in general, continues on, the knowledge that the characters have of how ghosts work continues to evolve. At this point, Lucy's narration is asserting that the job of the various agencies tasked with dealing with "the Problem" basically all revolves around the discovery of that Source. Lucy, in particular, will be a character upon which this focus of their duties will continually expand and broaden.
"It’s a commonly known fact that while cats can’t stand ghosts, spiders love them. Or, at least, they love the psychic emanation that some ghosts give off. Strong Sources, remaining active and undisturbed over many years, are often choked by layer upon layer of dusty webs laid there by generations of eager spiders. It’s one of the first things agents look out for. Those trails of webbing can lead you directly to the spot."
Cats act weird sometimes when there doesn't seem to be anything there to cause them to do so. This behavior has, over the centuries, led directly to the explanation that felines can sense when a ghost is present. The whole spider thing which follows in this quote is not nearly as deeply embedded into the real-world mythos constructed around spectral activity. Like any good series about the unknown, these books construct their own mythos as needed. This passage is a good example, but far from the only one. In fact, this information about spiders and ghosts is just one of many new ideas about the world of the dead returning to the world of the living that will be new to readers. Fortunately, the books go on to succeed in doing the hardest part when inventing such new approaches to an old belief. They mythos is sustained for the most part, but altered as the occasion arises. For instance, references to that webbing will continue to be plentiful as the series proceeds.
