twig_larkin's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
sherean's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 I've heard it called a literary mystery and I think that's right. It's the first in the Jackson Brodie detective series. But this was not a detective procedural. Several overlapping mysteries that do get resolved, but not all by the detective. The writing is enticing and the characters are well drawn and some are quite funny. I'm definitely going to read more in the series.
debbiesummers's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
whitmc's review against another edition
5.0
Oh this was totally what I needed right when I needed it, and there are FOUR MORE in the series. Britishy, lots of mystery, a bit grisly and characters that are flawed and real and lovable, with endings that are not exactly those magic surprise twists, but a mix between surprise and reality in that you can very much see all of these events playing out in any day and just, well, throwing anyone's world into a loop.
The back of my book had an interview with the author that was so just candid and to the point that I now want to read all of her books.
The back of my book had an interview with the author that was so just candid and to the point that I now want to read all of her books.
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
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....