Book Review: Case Histories

Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This novel is built out of a collection on mysteries, all of which are braided together as one British private investigator takes all three cases simultaneously. The characters are captivating, as are the red herrings. When Jackson's life gets threatened, the reader cannot be sure which plot the treat might be coming from.

There are many points of view, but private investigator Jackson Brodie is the bridge between them. Besides the mysteries, you get to know Jackson's broken family life, including a changeling ex-wife, and a young daughter caught in the middle.

As the chapters switch points of view, they stutter-step in time. Mostly they are going forward, but often the next scene backtracks a day or so to let you see the same events from the other point of view.

The descriptions, the dialog, and the different points of view were so well done as to be invisible. You are just there, and these intense, and sometimes frightening, people are very real.

Even if you don't normally pick up mysteries, this is a great read.


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