Book Review: Case Histories

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

Case Histories     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Kate Atkinson
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Fiction

Three unrelated crimes occur at widely separated intervals -a very young girl disappears without a trace in the early 70's, about ten years later a young wife trapped in a premature marriage takes matters into her own hands with tragic results, and in the early 1990's a young clerk in a legal office is fatally slashed with a knife as her coworkers gape in horror.

The young wife serves time in prison, but the other crimes go unsolved, until two sisters of the little girl who disappeared find her treasured stuffed animal among their deceased father's possessions. Since the toy had disappeared along with their sister, they now hire a private investigator to learn the truth about their sister's fate.

Jackson Brodie is a former cop, and before this wonderful novel is concluded, the reader will understand all the circumstances of all three events. Brodie himself copes with the aftermath of a failed marriage and the eccentric demands of an elderly woman who insists on engaging him to track down errant strays from her populous stable of cats.

Moving back and forth in time, Atkinson's wonderously plotted novel is an absolute delight. All the characters are real and believable. The action avoids cliche, and is comic, suspenseful, and insightful in equal measure.

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM