leannaaker's review against another edition
5.0
One of the more complete suspense books I've read in awhile. Great character development...nice interweaving of story lines.
carolbsmith's review against another edition
5.0
This was the first book I read by Kate Atkinson, but it won't be my last. I didn't want to put this book down!
afox98's review against another edition
4.0
Kate Atkinson has an incredible talent for writing in a meandering way that brings stories together in a satisfying click at the end. Case Histories covers three different cases Jackson Brodie, PI, is hired to solve - 1, the long-ago disappearance of a young girl, 2, the violent death of a grieving man's daughter, and 3, the tracking down of a child gone into foster care after her mother murdered her father. As Jackson works through the cases, his own history is revealed - trauma within his own family and his wrestling with missing his daughter who lives with his ex-wife. Overall, each case was its own interesting story, but loved how they came together in the end. Bonus that it's set in England, which is always fun to read about.
benevolentruler's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
veraa1997's review against another edition
3.25
it was fun and i was curious to see how everything happened. i expected jackson brodie to do more… he was kinda just There
but also why are these characters so obsessed with sex
but also why are these characters so obsessed with sex
wanderaven's review against another edition
3.0
When I worked at the bookstore and discovered Atkinson and wanted to read her after reading the synopsis of her books, I wondered why her books were catagorized under general fiction instead of mystery. Now I understand a bit better why this is... as another reviewer mentioned, this novel fell slightly more on the side of "character study" than hardcore mystery.
Which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the myster(ies). I particularly enjoyed that there were multiple mysteries to consider. Most of all, I appreciate an author who actually solves the mysteries she presents to the reader. I'm not known for catching on very quickly (for all the people who said they saw the end of Sixth Sense coming a mile away, I was sitting there, incredulous, saying, "This whole time? He's been dead this whole time?"), so it's probably not saying a whole lot for the writer when I say that I figured out about three quarters of the killers/motives fairly early on in this one.
Although I'm only clicking the third star, I'm actually quite looking forward to reading more by Atkinson, especially featuring the same lead protagonist, Brody....
Which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the myster(ies). I particularly enjoyed that there were multiple mysteries to consider. Most of all, I appreciate an author who actually solves the mysteries she presents to the reader. I'm not known for catching on very quickly (for all the people who said they saw the end of Sixth Sense coming a mile away, I was sitting there, incredulous, saying, "This whole time? He's been dead this whole time?"), so it's probably not saying a whole lot for the writer when I say that I figured out about three quarters of the killers/motives fairly early on in this one.
Although I'm only clicking the third star, I'm actually quite looking forward to reading more by Atkinson, especially featuring the same lead protagonist, Brody....
steve_sanders's review against another edition
4.0
I revisited this one after a decade. It’s strengths are still apparent, notably Atkinson’s psychological acuity , the nesting dolls structure, and her use of something close to stream of consciousness (a breakthrough in a formally conservative genre). Unfortunately the novel’s weaknesses are also more apparent. The central mysteries aren’t that mysterious and don’t even involve that much detection on Jackson Brodie’s part. The solution to the Laura Wyre murder seems so obvious that it’s impossible to believe that it wouldn’t have been solved the first time around. Still, it’s a fascinating read and a great start to the series.
kellymc03's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. This is considered a detective mystery book - it has a lot more than mystery.
la_lune's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
julsmarshall's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
loved this! Now I need to read the rest of the series! Great on #audio