I loved Shrines of Gaiety and jumped at the opportunity to take an early look at another Jackson Brodie story. It’s like stepping into a real life game of Cluedo with a smattering of Whitehall farce. Brodie is a the centre of it all, observing what’s going on and acting as a lynchpin for a disparate range of characters away together on a murder mystery weekend in a country house. It’s a clever construction; a story within a story and it allows Kate Atkinson to showcase her talent for developing characters. They’re a mixed bunch, each with a backstory and they’re propelled along by murderous events. The setting is the vehicle for a complex plot which rattles along, sliding occasionally into the almost absurd, but entertaining nevertheless. As expected, this is Atkinson at her best again; you know the story is going to take you to unexpected places and the dialogue is acutely observed. A great take on the locked room mystery at the snowbound manor house.

Although at times I found it hard to keep track of all of the characters I think that this was probably my own fault for being late to the world of Jackson Brodie! Really enjoyed this!

The appearance of a new Jackson Brodie novel is always an event to celebrate and Death at the Sign of the Rook truly lives up to expectations, culminating in a classic country house murder with all the expected ingredients - a retired Major, a vicar, a dowager and, of course, in Brodie himself, the renowned amateur sleuth.

At the same time, it's none of those things. While the murder itself evolves as a kind of play within a play (literally - Burton Makepeace House, cut off by the blizzard, is hosting a murder mystery weekend and we're treated to scenes in which the band of itinerant performers, the literal murderer(s), and all the guests who have assembled for the event, get hilariously confused) it is also commenting on, and being shaped by, events of the early 21st century.

An aristocratic family on its uppers.

A soldier injured in Afghanistan and facing a bleak future.

A vicar who thinks he's gone down the wrong path.

A middle aged couple anxious to wring every last penny form their mum's estate.

And Brodie himself, surveying it all with a jaundiced eye.

As the husband of a priest, I was particularly taken with the Vicar, Simon, a man whose backstory included the same theological college my son is currently studying at. I was struck by his dilemma, his sense of futility, of a moment of revelation that maybe wasn't - but also by his history which blends an awkward suburban past, a career in the TV industry and that moment of revelation in a York church. I recently read Atkinson's Normal Rules Don't Apply, a book of loosely linked short stories, and recognised Simon as totally belonging in the collection of rackety, slightly loner-y figures encountered there. (I would point out, though, that true vicarly mastery isn't the ability to surreptitiously glance at a watch, as Atkinson suggests. That is too obvious. The thing is to place oneself in a room so that one can easily spot the clock face, a much less obvious action. At least, so my wife tells me, and I never doubt the word of the clergy).

The book struck other chords with me too. Like Ben, the ex-Major, I have a great-uncle who died at Monte Cassino. That probably goes to show more the scale of that battle than anything about Atkinson aiming her writing at me, but I found it a telling detail. I loved Ben, the kind of diffident character who suffers fools gracefully and downplays his problems. He's currently living with his sister and her wife, the former a vet who takes in waifs and strays and has "an abundance of Labradors" (how can you have too many?) Ben might be one of the strays himself, perhaps, but when he steps onto the stage as The major in the denouement he's far from a waif, and equally far from the doddering Major of the Golden Age detective mystery that Atkinson's subverting.

This kind of telling characterisation - knowing, subversive, but still affectionate - is a highlight of Atkinson's books. With Brodie at the centre of the story, it might be tempting to focus on him and have everyone else a supporting character but Atkinson gives plenty of time and space to the others, drawing out their stories and creating fully rounded figures who then behave in fanstastically complex ways. Any could easily carry a book of their own, and I rather hope some will. Which isn't to say that Bodie himself is neglected, quite the opposite. Entering the story via those avaricious siblings who report that their mum's priceless Renaissance painting ("Woman With Weasel") has gone missing, Brodie soon spots that a similar theft has taken place at Burton Makepeace, allowing him to involve a reluctant DC Reggie Chase (hooray!) and to explore the history of an aristocratic family fallen on hard times.

There is simply so much going on in this book, often not directly concerning crimes - while there is a blend of murder and art theft here, in many respects they're almost incidental - but rather, people. And yes, people do sometimes commit crimes, but there are much more interesting things to say about people, and in particular about this bunch of peculiar people who assemble one snowy night to enact a murder...

I'd strongly recommend Death at the Sign of the Rook. I knew I would!

Kate Atkinson has done it again. Such a brilliant story, excellent characters and masterful writing.

Having read a few of Kate Atkinson's books, I was looking forward to reading her latest 'Death at the Sign of the Rook'. However, I'm not sure what to make of it.

It felt more lightweight than some of her others and almost farcical, beginning with stolen art, moving into a murder mystery night and ending with an escaped killer on the loose, there was a lot going on. Maybe that was what the author was aiming for, pushing into the absurd, which makes it more lighthearted. I'm not sure, but either way, it wasn't a favourite.

I have loved many of Kate Atkinson’s books, like Transcription, Shrines of Gaiety and indeed the second Jackson Brodie book. But this one just didn’t do it for me; perhaps it was a step too far into the murder mystery genre for me, but it was just a bit too silly and farcical for me. It did have Atkinson’s usual interesting characters (I wanted to hear much more from the agnostic vicar!) but if you are not an Agatha Christie fan, it may not be for you.

It's been a while since there was a new book in Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series and I was both excited and apprehensive about what it would be like and whether I would remember enough about the previous books to still enjoy the new one. Added to that, I haven't been a huge fan of Atkinson's most recent offerings - clearly I'm in the minority but I didn't love 'Life after life' so I didn't read 'A god in ruins' and I didn't love 'Transcription' and I haven't tried 'Shrines of gaiety'. All this to say, I was concerned that the latest Jackson Brodie book might be disappointing, but, I needn't have worried as it's great!

We find Jackson Brodie, now in his early 60s, complete with the chorus of women in his life (past and present) whose thoughts and opinions live rent free in his mind as he goes about his daily life in his newly acquired, top of the range land rover. Called to work by two siblings anxious to locate a painting missing from the wall of their recently deceased mother's bedroom, Jackson soon finds himself embroiled in the intrigues of the art world and discovers that there may be a link between this missing painting and that of another stolen from Burton Makepeace, a nearby stately home. What follows is a caper that takes in declining wealth, a murder mystery evening, a retired soldier, a vicar who has lost his faith, a dead nanny and the return of Reggie Chase, as her case and Jackson's overlap with dramatic and surprising consequences!

I don't remember the previous books in this series having the feel of a screwball comedy, but this one certainly does and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The farcical plot and unlikely coincidences are dealt with expertly in Kate Atkinson's hands, and she weaves together the different plotlines and characters seamlessly, resulting in a fast-paced, enjoyable frolic with enough of a mystery to keep you guessing until the end. Highly recommended.

I love Kate Atkinson and I love her Jackson Brodie series so this book is perfect for me. Really enjoyed the plot set around art thievery and loved the country house setting, snowed in occupants which felt like a very affectionate homage to the queen of crime, Agatha Christie.. Clever plot and great characters, definitely my kind of book.

I found it quite hard to decide what this book was about. It was a confusing between real murder and murder created for the detection games set up,in the Manor House. There are also a number of people pretending to be dead as well as genuine murders needing solver. I never really worked it all out.

As the latest of the Jackson Brodie stories, it proves a deft hand from Atkinson as she fleshes out her cast of characters and focuses initially on a puzzling art heist, finally circling in to a murder mystery evening. The pacing is a little sluggish, particularly when it forgets that it's a mystery and instead becomes a character piece, but the ending is suitably satisfying and proves Atkinson is still a master in her field.

I loved this book, so much so that I immediately re-read parts of it and then went on to re-read Big Sky.

Jackson Brodie is now in his 60s and still working as a private investigator. He is hired by a brother and sister to find a painting which belonged to their mother and which they suspect was stolen by her carer. Meanwhile Jackson's old friend Reggie is looking into a very similar case. They (rather reluctantly) begin to collaborate, cue many plot twists and a wonderful climax in a country house cut off by heavy snow.

The plot is lighter than other Brodie books, but has the same wry, sometimes laugh out loud, wit. Agatha Christie meets PG Wodehouse meets Jane Austen. The internal voices of the characters give a hilarious commentary on modern foibles, and I'm pleased to say that Jackon's inner voice still includes the 'chorus of women' led by his ex Julia, which doesn't let him get away with the slightest prejudicial thought.

I am very very grateful to the publishers and Netgalley for a review copy.

Yet again Kate Atkinson delights with her latest Jackson Brodie. Her writing is a joy to read and her characters bounce off the page and straight into your imagination. She has extended the cosy crime genre with wit and intrigue. This is a ‘must read’ for any crime lover.

I was so pleased to be able to read this book, as I am a huge fan of Kate Atkinson, and especially Jackson Brodie. Death at the Sign of the Rook certainly didn't disappoint; I loved it! Existing fans will be delighted that the usual great characters, witty dialogue, and clever story are all very much present, and the ending is satisfying and uplifting. New readers will quickly join the legion of fans.
My only concern is over how long I will have to wait for the next book from one of my favourite authors.

My first Jackson Brodie novel and I absolutely loved it. This can 100% be read as a standalone but I will definitely be going back to the start and making my way through the series now!

It’s all set around Jackson Brodie being brought in to look into the disappearance of a painting from the home of an elderly lady who passes away. It then goes on to become a detailed character driven story with a great plot at its core.

I really enjoyed reading about each character and found the writing a joy to read. It’s clever, witty and funny and I loved how things kept coming together at different points, and then how everything is wrapped up at the end.

A fantastic novel and definitely one to read in 2024!

I’m a fan on Kate Atkinson, and have enjoyed previous books. This one looked like it was going to be good but it just didn’t seem to gel for me. It felt like the author was trying to write a farce which didn’t quite work. I liked a few of the characters, Reggie, Ben and of course Jackson, most felt like caricatures, and towards the end I found I couldn’t quite remember who was who. I enjoyed the ending of the murder investigation, very satisfying but not the ending of the book itself. Just not the book for me this time, but worth a go.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The newest Jackson Brodie is a post modern mystery, in which the central murder is investigated in a layered format. Atkinson's gifts for generosity towards her characters and deft writing are on display, even though the Brodie detective series must surely be the least of her authorial projects. The existence of a certain one legged Major is intriguing, and lovely to spend time with Reggie again in a mystery that boasts art thefts, a snowed-in manor, a picturesque village and a ghastly theatre group. Entertaining.

A new Kate Atkinson novel is always something to look forward to, but especially a new instalment of the Jackson Brodie series. I've enjoyed each one, and this was no exception.
The wry tone and the sardonic humour were a delight.. For anyone who enjoys the crime writing of Belinda Bauer, this is written in the same vein and is equally as entertaining.
The novel consists of two stories, which converge in a country house in a snow storm. The common theme is the theft of two pieces of art, one of which Jackson is hired to track down by twins Hazel and Ian. The thief appears to be the carer of their recently deceased mother, who proves to be a master of disguise and particularly elusive.
His investigations lead him, with the help of Reggie Chase, to Burton Makepiece, the crumbling pile inhabited by Lady Milton and her somewhat unappealing offspring, and where the last valuable painting by Turner was stolen some years before. Part of the house has been converted to an hotel where a murder mystery event has been arranged. It is into this, and the snow storm, that Jackson arrives with Reggie, and a wildly entertaining farce ensues. Shambolic actors, the undaunted Lady Milton, a convicted murderer on the loose, a temporarily non verbal vicar, a drunk and one legged Major all combine to make this a very enjoyable, unputdownable read.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy.

The return of Jackson Brodie is always cause for celebration and this is no exception. It’s a crime story, a real whodunnit but with witty dialogue, literary references, eccentric characters (with many from previous Brodie novels) and loads of plot twists and turns. It’s a little bit Agatha Christieesque though nobody is really a baddie and some are much more good than anyone has a right to be.

Simply glorious -humorous, kind and loving.

But now I’ve read everything she’s written, how long until the next?

A typically brilliantly plotted and written Kate Atkinson novel with the added bonus of featuring intrepid investigator Jackson Brodie who returned for a long awaited and equally long overdue sixth time.

You inhale a book like this populated with well depicted and drawn characters - both new and old and let it all wash over you.

Pure joy and entertainment allows to a series of interlocking crimes reminiscent of Agatha Christie at her best.

Sometimes you lose track of who is who but everything comes together in a satisfactory denouement.

Wonderful entertainment and heartily recommended.

Kate Atkinson is such a wonderful author that she could write anything and make it great, but I'm so glad that she goes back to Jackson Brodie every so often. It's crime and literary writing at its very best.