… I will certainly try
and read more novels featuring Jackson Brodie and Kate Atkinson will always be
one of my favourite writers. Her wicked sense of humour alone is worth it.
(Review by Fiona de Goede)
I have read several Kate Atkinson novels over the years and for the most part, I have enjoyed her writing.
This is my first Jackson Brodie novel, apparently there are five more in the series. He is an ex-detective, very astute and able to unravel clues with aplomb.
When we meet up with him in this novel, he is going through
a bad case of midlife crisis and therefore, when the opportunity comes along
for him to get involved with retrieving a stolen painting, he jumps at the
chance. He heads off to a quiet Yorkshire village to investigate the case of a
missing portrait and stumbles across various characters that are seemingly
innocent - but, of course, Brodie knows better.
During the course of his investigation, he discovers other thefts in the area, all with very similar modus operandi, and this sets off the alarm bells as he realises there is more to this case than meets the eye. In each instance, either the housekeeper or caregiver seems to be involved. However, her identity changes with each theft and Jackson cannot trace her or the art. She always seems to be just out of his reach, one step ahead of him.
Burton Makepeace, the home of Lady Milton and her family, a once magnificent home but now on its last legs, is the setting of the latest theft, an extremely valuable Turner. To enable the family to maintain the upkeep of the crumbling mansion, the one section of the house has been converted into a hotel, hosting Murder Mystery weekends.
This is, of course, the cue for many weird and wonderful characters to make their entrance – Lady Milton herself, her sons and granddaughters, the village vicar, a one-legged ex-army officer and various other folk to mention but a few.
Here in fact, I thought the plot got a bit muddied and became rather farcical and quite top-heavy with too many characters and too much going on. At the beginning of the novel, the leisurely pace at which the story unfolded was charming and was saved from boredom by the brilliant humour that was evident. Towards the latter part of the novel, I found myself losing interest and not really engaging with the characters at all. It is a pity.
Overall, though, I will certainly try and read more novels featuring Jackson Brodie and Kate Atkinson will always be one of my favourite writers. Her wicked sense of humour alone is worth it. - Fiona de Goede
Death At The Sign Of The Rook is published by Penguin Random House South Africa - ISBN 978-0-8575-2658-8