Started Early, Took My Dog

Another fabulous read by Kate Atkinson, my favourite contemporary English writer, featuring the main character Jackson Brodie again, who has been the thread running through the previous three 'crime' type novels by this writer. If you haven't read Kate Atkinson's other Jackson Brody novels yet (Case Histories, One Good Turn, When Will There Be Good News) read those first because it would be a shame for you not to understand the whole story (although it's not absolutely necessary in order to enjoy this one).

Jackson Brodie is a former soldier and veteran of three failed relationships, now a part-time private eye and on the hunt, in his own singular way, to try and discover a woman's origins, and how she came to grow up with a family in New Zealand instead of England. Cue an intricate plot that weaves past with present in the lives of some of the characters. The events surrounding the three main characters, Jackson himself, Tracy Waterhouse, a former policewoman who is now the head of security in a Leeds shopping centre, and Tilly, an aging actress, are gradually and cleverly brought together as the novel heads towards the revelation at the end. I loved that this novel has lots of Yorkshire settings which added to the interest for me, as I live in this area.

A rather complicated book to follow at times, with leaps backwards and forwards in time, and between a large number of character viewpoints and opinions, but this depth/spread of insights on the events does definitely add to the effectiveness and intrigue in the novel. A great book from a witty writer at the top of her game, with great characters.

The more I read of Atkinson's work and in particular this series, the more of a genius I think she is. Not only do you have a mystery or two in the book to work out, you have this overall mystery of just how on earth everything interlinks and with `Started Early, Took The Dog' she draws out the process by introducing each character and bringing their circumstances and personalities to the fore. No one dimensional characters here, not even if they are merely in the book for a page or two. All the main characters are marvellous, readable and real. In doing so she also gets to voice her thoughts on both issues from the past (in this case the serial killings in the seventies which gripped the nation and left many women in fear) and in the present (the state of society, prostitution, child welfare, the recession, dementia) through their back stories which makes it even a fuller read.