Beautifully written and gripping, 25 Sep 2004

The novel centres around four 'Case Histories', the threads of which are brought together by Jackson, a detective living in present day Cambridge.

Each of the Case Histories occur at a different point in history; a 3 year old girl goes missing from a back garden in 1970 and is never found, a beloved 18 year old daughter is murdered in 1994, a harassed wife kills her husband in 1979 and the final case concerns some revelatory truths about Jackson's family.

Jackson meanders passively through the novel with relatives involved in each of the cases coming to him for help. He seems somewhat bewildered throughout the novel and he is the only character I didn't really feel that I got to know.

Kate Atkinson's prose is lovely and she has the knack of creating suspense, she moves us around in time almost creating cliffhangers so we are dying to know what happens next. Her characters are all mostly sympathetic and the tragedy in their lives makes you, on occasion, ache for them. You do get the impression that the purpose and drive they employ in trying to gain closure from these events in their histories is often an excuse to not get to grips with the other problems in their lives, be it weight problems, overcoming inhibitions in an uptight personality, or finding love. The threads of the cases are tied up somwhat neatly at the end, leaving a satisfying conclusion.

All in all, it's a great read and I recommend it to everyone!

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Razor-sharp observation and black humour, 5 Aug 2005

Although the book conforms loosely to a crime novel setup, the emphasis is, as always, on the unique quirks and foibles of the characters and the innate humanity of people. One gets the feeling that Kate Atkinson's plots, deliciously tangled and convoluted as they are, are vehicles for exploring character, response to events and development.

This particular novel is set up to read like a police file, with several unsolved cases linked by the main protagonist, Jackson Brodie. In all her novels, I have found that the main characters are a little bit transparent and lacking a particularly strong personality of their own, and Jackson Brodie is no exception. However, in my opinion this does not detract from the quality of the novel, as the multitude of minor characters serve to liven the story and "bounce off" the main character.

The style is definitely an acquired taste, but for those who like their books stuffed full of lively prose, small yet razor-sharp observations, a wry turn of phrase and a unique downbeat, deadpan and very black humour, I cannot recommend it enough.

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