A brilliant novel from Kate Atkinson about Jackson Brodie Part 3 (When Will There be Good News? - Kate Atkinson)

Member Name: keran77

Product:	When Will There be Good News? - Kate Atkinson
Date:	10/09/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unputdownable, interesting, funny and imaginative

Disadvantages: Maybe too many characters to keep track of

Please read Case Histories and One Good Turn before reading When Will There Be Good News? The latter is the third in a series of crime novels from the great Kate Atkinson. Jackson Brodie is the character that the three novels centre around.

The book begins with a man attacking a family that he does not know and killing several members of the family, only a little girl, Joanna, remains alive. The story continues three decades later with Jackson Brodie wondering about whether a little boy may be his son. The killer is released. One train crash, one disappearance (Joanna) and several coincidences later the whole story unfolds. Although Brodie does not believe in coincidences (like many of the great fictional detectives on TV!)

The only thing I found difficult about reading this book were the number of characters introduced at the star of the novel. They kept disappearing and then reappearing in the story and because some of them are fairly similar I had to go back to find out who was who!It was difficult to keep track of them but after reading a quarter of the book they made more sense.

Kate Atkinson always manages to link her characters lives and shows how interconnected everything can become. This is one of the greatest characteristics of her writing and something I enjoy. She brings characters to life and life into stories. And this is her talent. As a result I read this novel within 72 hours of starting it.

Summary: Not a traditional crime novel, but one where coincidences are allowed