Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson
The recent death of an elderly lady, accompanied by the disappearance of her carer and a valuable painting, causes her children to acquire the services of Jackson Brodie, former policeman,now private investigator, to track them down. Could this be linked to the robbery of another old master from Burton Makepeace, a crumbling stately manor, inhabited by the dysfunctional Milton family?

Crime fiction, elevated to the literary level by the gloriously detailed backstories of the characters, the faded sumptuousness of the old house and the descriptions of the wonderfully unpredictable Yorkshire weather, where the story unfolds. The dialogue is witty, with dark offbeat humour. Brodie’s reflections from middle age and repartee with police colleagues running a parallel investigation, brings a smile to the reader.And I must get to Betty’s Tearoom soon!
#DeathattheSignoftheRook #Docs.reading.room

A brilliant, pacey, twisty and incredibly written whodunnit from one of the country’s finest writers, this is in every way the heir to Christie and I loved it. Less cosy crime, more super intelligent crime.

With thanks to Penguin Random House via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of book 6 in the Jackson Brodie series. I couldn't wait to drive in.

I have to admit that Kate is one of my all time favourite authors since reading Behind the Scenes at the Museum nearly 20 years ago - have read EVERYTHING since then. And, this is very much in the style of that first read of mine. Absolutely loved the quirky eccentricity of the characters & enjoyed that Brodie teams up with DC Reggie Chase whom we met in previous books; they are a great double-act !

Death at the Sign of the Rook is a romp from start to finish; full of fabulous observations, witty repertoires, flippant humour & smart, almost farcicial writing. I felt like I was in an Upstairs, Downstairs meets Geeves & Wooster mix, but could also see elements of Agatha Christie, but much better.

I felt that Brodie was very much in the periphery and the other characters led the book quite nicely.

Jackson Brodie #6

A coincidence is just an explanation waiting to happen.
You are cordially invited to enjoy a lavish murder mystery weekend at Rook Hall, the east wing of Burton Makepeace, one of England’s finest stately homes, though it has to be said, it’s a tad down at heel. Only £1250 per person, including a sumptuous breakfast. The guests duly arrive, including Jackson and Reggie (DC Reggie Chase) . Wait, what? Our hero, at a murder mystery weekend with a vicar, an army major, a Countess, and the Dowager Lady Milton, and assembled crew which would have the Queen of Crime nodding with approval. Why are Jackson and Reggie there? Well, in a nutshell, theft of paintings. The first, a rather good Turner belonging to the cash-strapped owners of Burton Makepeace, the Dowager being the aforementioned Lady Milton. The suspect is the missing housekeeper, Sophie, of whom Lady Milton is rather fond, more so than her offsprings in all probability. The latest is one from the home of a recently deceased widow, a Renaissance painting entitled “The Woman with the Weasel” and the suspected weasel thief is Melanie, the old ladies carer. Jackson is on that case and Reggie is one of the detectives on the Turner investigation. Forces joined as it were, it’s not unusual. Oh and by the way, a convicted murderer is on the run, thought to be on Burton Makepeace’s surrounding moors. This could get messy so Jackson needs to stay sharp. It’s also worth mentioning that it’s snowing and there will soon be a white out.

Woo hoo, a new Kate Atkinson and a Jackson Brodie at that! It’s everything that I hope it will be, clever, lively, funny, colourful fast paced, and totally engaging. I love it! Full of wit, verve, and joi de vie - ok, maybe that’s pushing it considering the nature of some of the characters, not Jackson or Reggie obviously!

All the characters are exceptionally well portrayed with a few apt, well chosen phrases they spring to life in glorious technicolour. There’s accompanying terrific dialogue, that bats back-and-forth, some great in head thoughts from Jackson, with plenty of irony thrown in for good measure. Absolutely oodles of plot features from art theft, to insurance fraud, to characters questioning their place and purpose. Chuck in the dynamics of the owners of a crumbling stately home, a travelling band of murder mystery actors, the prisoner on the run and a few characters who succumb to the call of the Grim Reaper. The end result of what could be chaos (well, there is but in the best possible comedic way) is some fantastical and vivid scenes that put you in mind of murder farce if there is such a thing or a snowy Bedlam. It’s highly entertaining in its outlandishness. Towards the end, there’s quite a dastardly rampage as all the plot elements come together in a Hollywood worthy climax, with plenty of nods to the Queen of Crime. Maybe in this case I should say the ”doyen” of cosy crime “ Nancy Styles” who pops up appropriately on numerous occasions.

It’s fantastic. What a hilarious romp through the Yorkshire countryside, which entertains from beginning to end.

PS Has Cupid drawn his bow for Reggie?? I do hope so.

Five stars all the way.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to. Random House UK, Transworld for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I am new to Kate Atkinson's novels and was interested in the blurb for this new book, it came across as a fun read. On commencement of the book, it was like reading farcical play.

A Murder Mystery Weekend in a stately home.
A missing portrait.
A carer.
A Dead Body.

Atkinson's style of writing was distracting me from the plot with no chapters, just headings. Also Jackson Brodie's past/present thoughts interspersed with other dialogue, it both confused/distracted me. It was funny in parts but I struggled with the book. Some characters were believable, others the opposite.

This book was not for me and give a 2 star rating.
I would recommend to other readers.

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED READING COPY OF THIS BOOK IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST OPINION

Usually I feel a bit of disappointment when I see a new Kate Atkinson novel is one in her series featuring private detective Jackson Brodie. Despite being a fan of her work generally, I've never liked this series as much. But finally, here is a book that is as good as her standalone novels and suddenly the whole concept and style seemed to work. Maybe it's because there wasn't any subplot with Jackson trying to get into a romantic relationship with any of the characters. or maybe because it was less depressing in tone than the others. Whatever the reason, all the components that make a good story clicked together and 'Death at the Sign of the Rook' is by far the best of the 'Brodie' series so far.

Jackson has been hired to find a painting stolen from the bedroom of an old lady on the morning of her death, presumably by her carer who has since vanished. He soon finds similarities to the theft of a Turner from a stately home by the housekeeper. Could the thief be the same person? His investigations lead him to Rook House, along with a cast of eccentrics right out of Christie, on the very evening the hotel is hosting a murder mystery event. Oh, and they are snowed in. Kate Atkinson's take on the traditional country house whodunnit is as brilliantly quirky as anything she has written.

The thing I liked most about this story was the humour, which Atkinson always does well, but is really at the forefront here. The country house setting and link with 'cosy crime' mysteries make it less grim and depressing than some of the Brodie stories, helped by the fact the main crime being investigated is a crime rather than a murder. Atkinson's quirkiness often didn't sit well with the really gritty stuff Brodie has encountered in the past, or his own gloomy history - and this novel features noticeably less wallowing in the depressing details of that. I really enjoyed reading it, and looked forwards to carrying on with the book all day when I was at work.

This is a must read for anyone who likes Atkinson's works, including those who prefer the standalone novels to the 'Brodie' ones. It would also be enjoyed by fans of so called 'cosy crime' fiction - it isn't essential to have read the previous books I don't think (which are less cosy and I wouldn't necessarily recommend to the same group of readers).

Jackson is back. Seemed rather more light hearted than previous episodes but very enjoyable. Quite a lot of characters to keep track of, not to mention aliases, but a good holiday read, which is when I read it. Clever plot and funny too. Recommended. Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for a review copy.

I love Kate Atkinson's writing and have been looking forward to a new Jackson Brodie. I was not disappointed. This is a fabulous book, very well plotted and funny. I hardly ever laugh out loud at books but kept giggling in so many places. Jackson is working on a case of a missing oil painting which is or might be an Old Master. There's something fishy going on with his clients that he can't help investigating also. He embroils Reggie Chase into the investigation, she's not happy about him but can't stop herself. There are more missing paintings and a mysterious servant/housekeeper/carer involved in all the cases. There's a snowstorm brewing and the vicar has lost his voice. Everyone ends up at the stately home and it feels like the setting for an Agatha Christie. Which of course it isn't. This book is so great. I loved it. The Major is also brilliant.

An eagerly anticipated return of Jackson Brodie, I couldn't wait to get started. It did not disappoint. The writing is superb and Jackson so well observed he jumped off the page. The descriptive quality that Kate Atkinson has is amazing. A welcome return too of Reggie Chase. I was mesmerised from start to finish. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Death at the Sign of The Rook is another instalment in the Jackson Brodie series.
In book 6 he is employed to track down a rare painting. Add in the trusty sidekick, a runaway crook, and a bunch of quirky characters and you end up reading an enjoyable and engaging read with a dash of mystery!
It’s everything you’d expected in a Kate Atkinson book. I am now eagerly anticipating and hoping for book 7 😊

If you follow my reviews or any of my social media, you will know, I adore Kate Atkinson's books, have done since I read the first Jackson Brody book and I was so excited to read this book!
Did it live up to my expectations? It did and then some. We are back in the company of one of my favorite reluctant detectives, Jackson hasn't really changed, you might think that age has exposed his soft under belly, but that's always been there, he's just tried (usually*unsuccessfully) to hide it at times.
This was a joy of a book, with characters from earlier books popping up, Reggie Chase - village orphan, among others, it was like meeting old friends. It says much about the author that well over a decade after first meeting characters they are as fresh in my mind now as when I read about them first time round.
The book itself is wonderful, like Kate's other books, coincidence plays a big part, there are the many references that make the book feel a lot more literary than others out there. The whole story is a jaunt into Christie territory, with a big house, a huge cast, a snow storm and a surprising denouement.
Thank you to the author and the publishers for my advance copy - I'll be spreading the word far and wide on this one!

I had enjoyed Jackson Brodie books in the past but have not read the most recent ones. This, however, did not detract from my enjoyment of this novel.

The cast of a murder mystery plus paying guests, the Milton family, servants and various unexpected guests are stranded at Burton Makepeace when the snow unexpectedly arrives. Add in a murder and the escape of a convicted prisoner.

Jackson Brodie and DC Reggie Chase are investigating the loss of two paintings - one from Burton Makepeace - and suspect there is a connection.

The novel is fast paced, comedic, full of outstanding characters and home truths.

A delight to read - I will be looking out for more of this series in future.

If you like following the exploits of Jackson Brodie, Reggie Chase and Louise Monroe then you’re going to love this new book from Kate Atkinson. If you like crime fiction and a good laugh at the expense of people who take themselves much too seriously then you’ll love it even more!

Only Kate Atkinson could link Jackson Brodie, private investigator, investigating the appearance of a small portrait supposedly lifted by the housekeeper, with a crumbling aristocratic pile and an associated crumbling family, a series of major art thefts, a murder weekend, an escaped murderer on the rampage and, of course, several deaths.

There’s also the question of whether it is a weasel or a stoat in the lost artwork, whether the awful Ian and Hazel Padgett set it all up for the insurance money and whether Jackson Brodie really needs a Land Rover Defender at his age? The answers are yes, no, and yes – but only to keep the plot rolling.

It’s a very funny novel, a kind of hommage to Agatha Christie or perhaps Nancy Drew, and the ending is just on the edge of farce, all beautifully controlled by the author.

It’s a five-star read for anyone!

A welcome return from Jackson Brodie. This has a vast cast of characters, a number of locations, an enigmatic criminal with a caring side, a decrepit stately home and some missing paintings. At one point there was so much going on that I was concerned that Kate Atkinson would not be able to pull it all together, but of course she does, in a show stopping finale reminiscent of Cluedo after a heavy drinking session. A marvellous romp of a read!

Another entertaining Jackson Brodie from Kate Atkinson. A classic Agatha Christie type setting of a large stately home and a cast of eccentric characters. This is a fun, quick read, a drawing room farce with elements of slap-stick. What really makes the book so enjoyable is the clever character observations, the astute social comments and the nods and winks to other crime writers.

I was delighted about the return of the fabulous Jackson Brodie,and glad to see he hasn’t mellowed with age.This book is such good fun,with all the hallmarks of the series -black humour,tight plot,great social observation and wonderful characters,maybe not as dark as the previous book in the series.
It was good to see the return of a couple of characters from previous books,and I hope it won’t be too long till the next book.Highly recommended.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

A new Jackson Brodie novel from Atkinson is always a cause for celebration, and Death at the Sign of the Rook was a superlative example of the best things about this series: biting social satire and astute character studies, underpinned by a thick vein of humour interspersed with terrible violence.

Atkinson is clearly having fun here, riffing off Golden Age mysteries set in 'the big house' and more current cosy crime such as Richard Osman and the Rev Richard Coles. Speaking of Osman, one of my first thoughts on reading his record-breaking series was how much it reminded me of the Jackson Brodie series, so if you're a fan of the former I would highly recommend you try Kate Atkinson's books. Could you start with Death at the Sign of the Rook? I actually think you could: while there is backstory galore in Brodie's world, it's explained sufficiently here to mean a new reader will understand the lie of the land, without boring those readers who are already familiar with the characters.

Jackson Brodie returns! To lovers of crime novels that are beautifully written, full of tangents, interesting and quirky characters with shades of Christie, this is fabulous now.

This time around Brodie is tasked to track down a missing painting. This might be the most Christie yet too - a country house, vicar, dowager, butler, wealthy Americans. This is witty, charming and engaging stuff.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

I love some of Kate Atkinson's work - Behind the Scenes., Life After Life, A God in Ruins, but I have never got on with the Jackson Brodie novels, and I did not like Shrines of Gaiety at all. So, this one started off well but ended up as a drawing room farce. The way she writes is characteristic, with paragraphs going off on tangents, many bracketed asides, and switches to different scenes without warning. A lot of it is genuinely funny and the characters are interesting, particularly Brodie, Reggie and Simon the mute vicar, but others are just caricatures. So not her best for me although I know many will disagree.

Quite the shock to me how old Brodie has become, and so too how old I've become, as I've been reading his stories since the beginning.
Are they all this amusing? Almost farcical? I don't recall that.
This one though, it's such good fun.
I particularly liked Lady Milton.
A big cast of characters , and a few crimes to solve, it was a fun read, and a nice catch up with a familiar series.
Always leaves you hoping there's more.