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.

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).