Case Histories

A Novel

By: Kate Atkinson

Narrated by: Susan Jameson

The first book in Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie Mysteries series, called "The best mystery of the decade" by Stephen King, finds private investigator Jackson Brodie following three seemingly unconnected family mysteries in Edinburg.

Case one: A little girl goes missing in the night.

Case two: A beautiful young office worker falls victim to a maniac's apparently random attack.

Case three: A new mother finds herself trapped in a hell of her own making - with a very needy baby and a very demanding husband - until a fit of rage creates a grisly, bloody escape.

Thirty years after the first incident, as private investigator Jackson Brodie begins investigating all three cases, startling connections and discoveries emerge . . .

captivating story

i loved this book. i was fascinated by the stories and the structure of the novel, watching the characters and their stories unfold. when it ended, i so wanted it not to be over. the narration was excellent. lots of characters, but she managed to imbue them with enough individuality that a listener can easily follow. i'm looking for other works by this novelist for my library.

Structure That Drew Me In

Ms. Atkinson's writing is silky smooth constantly going down little lanes full of character details. I was totally drawn in to this book which is full of tension. The biggest tension is between the smooth, slow pace of the sentences and the feeling something big is just around the corner. When that big thing comes, it really isn't as big as the details of the characters' lives. For some readers, this is a let down; for me, this is an honest approach, very grounded, very real. I can't wait for more of Kate's voice.

One of the best audiobooks I've heard

I am always slightly puzzled by the mixed reviews on various books, and realize that everyone has different tastes. Having said that. however, I am a loss to understand why this book did not captivate everyone who read it. As other reviewers have stated, the structure of the book is ingenious. The characters are fascinating, and the ending has some surprises. Jackson Brody is not a typical hero, and the people who populate the book are eccentric and unpredictable. The narrator was flawless, and I was disappointed to discover that she only narrates one other Kate Atkinson book, and that only five of her books are even available on audio. One of them (the next book in this series) is only available in an abridged form. I've already bought the book in print form (well, actually for my Kindle - so Amazon gets my money in either case) and will hope for more Kate Atkinson books on audio, hopefully read by Susan Jameson.

Entertaining and well written

I had reservations about the way the book was structured at first but the author does a good job at tying it all together and delivering an interesting story overall. It was a little slow in parts but in general this is a good read.

Interesting Case Histories

I enjoyed the various mysteries and the way they were presented. The characters and their stories were well developed and interesting. I listened to this on audio and thought it was well narrated.