When Will There Be Good News?: A Novel

This is no cute little detective story where we kind of know what's going to happen in advance. This is a gritty, tough, realistic, sometimes funny and very touching story that spans thirty years. Here are some of my observations and reasons I think this is one of the best books of the year:

1. There are really four main characters, Jackson, our old friend from her past books, a 16 year old orphan and amazingly resourceful girl, a loving and devoted female MD who has gone through hell and survived and a somewhat crusty and yet excellent female detective who is trying hard to have a normal and proper life, yet can't quite get there. All of these characters have had difficult lives and backgrounds, death and suffering behind them, and yet each gets out there every day to do good things. We love each of them even though they are flawed, lie, hide things, have made bad marriage decisions, etc. At the same time, we have no idea if any of them will survive and make it whole through this grim set of circumstances.

2. We view the world and what's happening through the eyes of each of these characters from chapter to chapter. Along the way, we pick up information from each that starts to answer questions about the others and what may really be going on in the world. There is no speed reading here. There are little clues and hilarious and sometimes scary comments in the minds of each of the characters that will play out in the future. Along the way, there are many little old nursery rhymes and sometimes quotes from the bible or from other writers that play in each of their minds in a very clever way. Sometimes these little quotes foretell the future or put us into a gloomy mood that death has happened or is just around the corner.

3. I especially loved the character of Reggie, the 16 year old orphan girl. She lives in such a horrible world of lies, and she is so clever and resourceful and intelligent. And yet she doesn't know when to ask adults for help or what she can or can't admit to those few competent people around her and she's barely surviving. Remember the little girl in "Lonesome Dove" who races around on her horse and is so likeable? And then Blue Duck kills her?

4. The book comes together well at the end along with some tragedy, some redemption and in the case of Jackson Brodie, a hugely disappointing and yet somehow funny and appropriate ending. Nothing works quite like I though it would. But as I put the book down, I had a lump in my throat and I can't wait for the next book. Excellent work, Kate.

Every chapter is like a little novel. You're drawn into a world where coincidence lies at the very heart of this great writer's bag of tricks. Yes, there are many coincidences, but what a great loss it would be if they weren't there; the intertwining of past relationships, of past and present tragedies -- this is what makes this book so special.

And Reggie -- she's like a fairy tale come true. She's so small that no one can believe that she's sixteen, but she has the heart and soul of someone beyond all years. Her relationship with Jackson, which comes at the latter half of the book is as moving as her relationship to Sadie ( a very smart and loyal dog). There are many other characters that could be mentioned that are key to the story -- the cynical, down-at-herself Louise, the wonderful Joanna, playing a role for thirty years, etc. But this is, in essence, a suspense novel and it build to a tremendous climax. Yes, at some point and in some lives, there is some good news, but not for most of us.

Atkinson is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Her writing is outstanding, and her humor is genius.

This was my favorite Brodie novel to date. What I admire so much about this book, is that Atkinson didn't fall into the trap that many authors do when writing a series - turning out the same book again and again. The writing was top notch, and the story engrossing.

When Will There Be Good News was full of the complexity and detail that made Behind the Scenes at the Museum: A Novel such a great read. There were a lot of characters, but they were fascinating and likeable, and there were a lot of threads to the story which were woven together excellently.

I hope Atkinson turns out some non-Brodie fiction again in the future, but I will eagerly await the next installment in the series as well.

Kate Atkinson has found her true niche. She writes like nobody else -- it's astounding how she can get into the minds of so many disparate people, tell the story from so many vantages, and despite leaving some questions unanswered, manage to bring it all together in a satisfying whole. She challenges the reader to fill in some gaps. While there are dark aspect to this story, there are as many that are hilarious, and Atkinson's accurate ear for dialogue make for a lively read. This is not Scottish noir, such as the Glaswegian novels of Denise Mina, nor are they police procedurals, such as the series by Ian Rankin (great to think of Inspectors Rebus and Monroe on the same force), but Atkinson is on her way to a franchise that is truly original where past histories and their collisions in the present dramatically affect the future.

I just finished reading When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson, the latest installment in her Jackson Brodie detective saga, and it was terrific! I have greatly enjoyed all three of the Brodie novels.

There are several story lines and a number of characters, but at the center of the book is a question - how do people go on after something truly horrific happens to them? Joanna Hunter is a successful physician and a devoted mother; but she is also the survivor of the murder of her mother and her two siblings, and the murderer is about to be released from prison. There are other women in danger, too, including a truly amazing 16 year old orphan. There's a train wreck, and a woman that Jackson is very attracted to, and confusion of identities. If this sounds rather Gothic, I suppose it is (astounding things are always happening to Brodie), but it's grounded in realistic human emotion.

If you like mysteries, you should read this book. If you like a good story with great insight into character, you should definitely read this book - but read the other two Brodie novels first!

Happy Reading!

The Book Goddess
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