A fun book, if a bit muddled and muddling.
Many threads link to create the storyline in this book. A grand house occupied by an even grander family, a murder-mystery weekend, and several crimes and real murders.Jackson Brodie gets involved to try and solve them all.
This was almost a very good book, but it did not quite hang together - there seemed to be too many storylines which made is rather confused. It was still enjoyable, but I think might benefit from more editing.

Private Investigator, Jackson Brodie.has headed north to a sleepy part of Yorkshire. He has been called upon to investigate the loss of a painting from the home of a deceased old lady, whose daughter and son are convinced that it is a valuable painting and part of their inheritance. They allege that it must have been stolen by their mother’s carer who has subsequently disappeared. Jackson is more than suspicious that they are not telling the truth and quietly sets out to try and trace the carer.

His former colleague, DC Reggie Brodie, is also trying to trace a painting missing from the home of Lady Milford and the mystery deepens when it turns out that her carer also disappeared overnight. Whilst on her way to visit Lady Milford Reggie gets caught in a massive thunderstorm and loses her way. She seeks the help of Jackson and they both soon end up in white-out conditions and are lucky when they espy the lights of Lady Milford’s home, Burton Makepeace House - now partly converted into a hotel where a murder mystery evening is about to take place. They have no option but to stay put and apart from the actors, are joined by the booked residents plus an ex army Major and a rather strange clergyman who no longer seems able to speak. Mayhem ensues when an escaped convict also appears! How will it all end - there’s bound to be a body (or two?)

What a disappointment. I've loved all of this author's books, including Jackson Brodie, but not this one. I found it tedious, with a plot that never got going and a long list of characters that left me forgetting who was who. Not up to her usual high standard. What a shame.

It pains me to write this as I’m a huge Jackson Brodie fan but I just did not enjoy this one. The humour and wit are still in there but the story was so long winded and then sort of dribbled out. I did not really like any of the supporting characters (lots of sterotypes) and there were a lot of them. This is a 2.5* read rounded up to three because of my love for Jackson.

Light-hearted detective story, very enjoyable.

Jackson Brodie finds himself investigating an art theft, collaborating at times with Regina Chase. Of course things get a lot more complicated and eventually there’s a murder. There’s a nice light touch to the dialogues and plotting. The characters, although many stereotypical, are well-developed and interesting. I found the whole experience well worthwhile and would recommend it to all and sundry. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Kate Atkinson is a great writer ofhigh quality literary fiction.

Jackson Brodie is a wonderful sleuth.

But...sadly, this book just didn't work for me and I was really disappointed.

I think it was just too much detail and too little plot. I was over half-way through before I'd actually got my head around the unnecessarily complex set of characters, none of whom I really cared about. Too many characters with too little character, if you see what I mean.

And when things finally started to hot up, she throws in some bad weather to force these disparate characters into the same place, and then adds in a man with a shotgun who didn't seem to have actually had much to do with all that went before.

I'm still not sure why 'Nanny' was dead at the bottom of the stairs.
But, I don't care enough to try to re-read and work it out.

So, much to my amazement as I didn't think Atkinson was capable of a bad book, this one might just have proved me wrong.

A big thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy.

When I got the opportunity to read it I was very pleased as I have read all the other books in the series. This book benefits in it's rating from having read those books, in that I like the characters and the way they interact. I did, However find it very slow to get going and might even have been tempted to put it aside. This case felt very tame in comparison to earlier Brodie books. there i plenty of Jackson's trademark wry humour. It feels like Atkinson has padded this out with a Christie-esque murder mystery weekend and not done it alltogether successfully.

Jackson Brodie is back, and once again Detective Constable, Reggie, is drawn into his investigation. This time he is looking into a painting that vanished with a carer after the death of the mother of Ian and Hazel, the rather disturbing twins who hired him to look into it. But is this theft connected to others that have already taken place?

Kate Atkinson has done it again! A masterpiece of writing. The characters are so vital but so flawed or a caricature of themselves or have quirks that make them so interesting to read about. The book is full of drama, but also humorous moments, which add colour and interest to the text. I really enjoyed the book, and it made me want to go back and read all of the other Jackson Brodie books again!

I'm a huge fan of Kate Atkinson and her Jackson Brodie novels were the first of hers that drew me in. This is a brilliant read as always with a slightly bonkers cast of characters that all end up in a crumbling country house at a Murder Mystery Weekend. We also get a reunion of Jackson and Reggie which is a delight. Loved it!

Yay! Brodie's back! And even better, Reggie's back! Even if this were not my favourite investigator you would've had me at 'decaying mansion'. Adored this wry, modern take on a Christie-esque (Christie-an?) set-up.

In this sixth helping of the long-running series about private detective Jackson Brodie,
Jackson delves into the murky world of art theft and ends up at a murder mystery event in a stately home.
Like all of Kate Atkinson’s books, this one has a beautiful flow. However, for me the pacing was a bit off. I found it a bit slow at the start and too much of a romp once all the characters collide with each other.
Not my favourite JB but it’s still good company, like checking in with an old friend, and a quirky take on a cosy crime mystery.

Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for ARC.
This is a delight. Jackson Brodie and his friend DC Reggie Chase get involved in a case that's straight outta the Golden Age. There's art theft, genteel poverty, PTSD and a love story all converging on a country house. If you know this writer you'll be delighted. If you don't, feel free to start here but if you can, begin with Started early, took my dog. A delight.

The Jackson Brodie novels have always riffed off the tropes of golden age detective fiction, but Death at the Sign of the Rook steps it up a notch into full-blown parody. It's wild and witty with lots of laugh-out-loud moments: a lovingly-crafted spoof of the genre.

As always with an Atkinson novel, there are moments of real pathos amongst the sardonic humour: no one draws a hapless, world-weary character half so well. The cast are endearingly and brilliantly mad: caricatures so well drawn they leap off the page. While the denouement is a little predictable, there were so many surprises along the way I really didn't mind.

Death at the Sign of the Rook is a wild ride from start to finish: another triumph for Atkinson.

I love the writing of Kate Atkinson and love the character of Jackson Brodie. I am so pleased that he is back although I just felt there was a little bit missing in this one. The scene is set: a country house in Yorkshire near to a small village during a snowstorm. Lady Milton (lady of the house) has been losing paintings over time, including a Turner and Sophie the housekeeper is thought to have stolen it. However, Sophie has disappeared overnight. The country house in question is running murder weekends in order to make some well needed money. A drama troupe turns up to enact said murder mystery and chaos ensues. Jackson Brodie also turns up with DC Reggie Chase, his colleague from old. They are investigating the suspected theft of a painting and the thief is coincidentally the carer of the widow who owned said painting. I can see this book making a really good stage farce as the setting just gives itself to the story. However, I do think there maybe could have been more of Jackson and Reggie than there was. I also think at times it was a bit chaotic as we are given the actors' real names and the characters that they are playing in this murder weekend. I thought this was a little confusing hence only 4 stars. However, I love Kate Atkinson's writing and characters so I am quite happy to forgive her for this especially as Bridie is back. I am extremely grateful to Netgalley for being given the chance to read and review this book.

I've missed Jackson Brodie so this was a very welcome return

This time Jackson is tasked with tracking down a stolen painting with an already dodgy provenance. Running alongside this is a murder mystery event at a stately home. The characters and storylines come together brilliantly to a satisfying and clever conclusion.

The trademark wry humour and brilliantly observed characterisation of this series is still very much in evidence in this sixth instalment.

I felt this was perhaps a little slower than the previous books but still a very enjoyable read

Thanks to Doubleday and Netgalley for an early read

The sixth and final book in the Jackson Brodie series, although it can easily be read as a standalone.

Jackson Brodie, ex-police officer turned Private Investigator, now a 70-odd-year-old grandfather, is called out to Burton Makepeace, a former stately home in Yorkshire, to look into the theft of a painting.

The novel begins like an Agatha Christie locked-room mystery and ends with a play within the novel.

We are reunited with all our favourite characters from the previous Jackson Brodie books – Jackson's daughter Marlee, his ex-wife Julia, the love of his life Louise Monroe, and, of course, police officer Reggie. There is also a cast of new and equally colourful characters – a couple of greedy siblings, a mute vicar, a war veteran suffering from PTSD and a dangerous convict on the loose. Add to that a snowstorm and you have all the ingredients for a gripping, twisty and atmospheric Jackson Brodie novel, complete with a laugh-out-loud moment in practically every chapter.

Loved it!

What a return to form for Jackson Brodie and his creator! I ENJOYED big Sky but felt it lacked the flair and joie de vivre You get with a JB novel. It was less literary too. But this one is so much better. There are several chances to actually laugh out loud as Jackson meets the clients who need him to find their missing painting. His relationship with Reggie is sweet and the bond between them grows. Add in the lovely character Ben, and vicar Simon and there are several strands to care about here. I was less enthused by the farce at the Murder Mystery event but Jackson Brodie never disappoints. Here his cynicism and dry wit makes him ever more lovable. Jackson Brodie says what most people are thinking but dont mention. Or he thinks it for us via the page. I LAUGHED a lot. Thank you Kate Atkinson, Jackson is back on form.

This is #6 in the hugely popular Jackson Brodie series from an author I’ve enjoyed for many years, Kate Atkinson. This is a classic country manor “whodunnit” starring ex-detective Brodie and his police buddy, Reggie Chase. Brodie has been called to investigate the disappearance of a valuable painting in a sleepy Yorkshire village. A valuable Turner painting has also been stolen from the old country manor of Burton Makepeace, along with the disappearance of the housekeeper, Sophie Greenway.

The crumbling Manor House has been converted into a hotel offering murder mystery weekends to help pay the bills. As the guests arrive during a snowstorm, prepare for the convergence of a series of plots for Brodie and Reggie to solve.

This is the perfect easy holiday read. The many legions of Kate Atkinson fans will not be disappointed by the multiple plot lines, sharp humour and the final big reveal. Three stars from me and with many thanks to @netgalley and @penguinbooksuk for the advance copy in return for my honest review.

I was so excited to read this, there may have been squealing involved, but in the end it didn't live up to my expectations. The story revolves around a couple of missing paintings, and turns into a country house mystery. For me there were a few too many characters who weren't involved in the story in any way, and the story itself felt disjointed. This was supposed to be a Jackson Brodie book but he felt very much like a supporting character.

Wonderful, simply wonderful. Kate Atkinson gets better and better. I laughed aloud on almost every page, and wanted to get out my highlighter pen to underline all the insightful, pithy and memorable gems of wisdom. I absolutely loved this book and will definitely reread it. A sort of country house murder mystery, which frequently dissolves into farce, but always remains gripping and entertaining. Jackson Brodie is tasked with discovering what happened to a possibly valuable painting, and goes in search of the mysterious carer who disappeared along with the work of art. His investigations lead him to a similar case, where a painting was stolen from a stately home. Throw in a staged murder mystery, a disillusioned vicar and a disabled war veteran, not to mention a dangerous escaped prisoner, and you have an explosive mixture. Truth and justice are explored and, as always, when Jackson is involved, are open to interpretation. A truly enjoyable, but also thought provoking, novel, which leaves you satisfied yet still wanting more.