Book 1 (2011): Case Histories

In Kate Atkinson's novel Case Histories, there are so many twists and turns that even the best sleuth reader wont figure them all out.

We have several cold cases, a missing 3 year old girl, a woman who kills her spouse, and a dead daughter whose killer wasn't brought to justice. All three of these cold cases converge on the desk of one private detective: Jackson Brodie.

As Jackson, a former cop, tries to solve these years old cold cases, his live intertwines with the families of these victims, with the survivors who did and didn't move on with their lives. Jackson, along the way, chases his own ghosts.

This is a great thriller with complex characters. Every character is given a rich and full story and I love the layering of the stories, one over the other. I like the dollop of humor, just when the story feels as if it would be too heavy for the reader to continue, too dark, a bit of humor goes a long way. (336 pgs)

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