Jennifer Pickett

Having read and enjoyed the previous Jackson Brodie novels, I was looking forward to “Death at the Sign of the Rook” but delayed buying it because I thought I might receive it for my birthday. I guessed right, and was delighted to receive it. The day after my birthday, and before I had opened the book, I was in a tea room that had a second-hand book section. Spotted on the shelves, among the usual Da Vinci Code, Fifty Shades etc and Spare, was “Death at the Sign of the Rook.” Uh oh! Not a good sign to be jettisoned so soon after release. Unfortunately I think that sums it up. I have ploughed through to p294 and decided to look for reviews as I was beginning to doubt myself. Had my concentration lapsed? Was I getting too old to follow a convoluted plot? Had I missed something critical when I was tired? Unless a lot of other readers were similarly afflicted, it appears that it is not me, but Kate Atkinson who has lost the plot. It must have been quite difficult to write such a rambling epistle and disappointing that the author feels so little for the character she has created that she consigns him to the role of also-ran and gives starring parts to comedy characters like Lady Milton and Rev Smallbones. Quite frankly I have had more pleasure from writing this review than from reading the book. I hope it is just a lapse on Kate Atkinson’s part, but I will finish this book- only 68 pages to go - then I might even re-read one of the earlier Jackson Brodie novels just to remind myself that it was good.