Back from my hols (more of which later in the week) with one I prepared earlier. If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, no matter how short, you’ll probably have gathered that Kate Atkinson is one of my favourite writers, not nearly as recognised by awards judges as she should be. Last September we were treated to Transcription and after polishing that off I settled down to wait for the next one unaware that it would be less than a year or that it would be an instalment of the Jackson Brodie series. After a hiatus of nine years, Jackson’s back and installed in a cottage in his native Yorkshire looking after his teenage son while Julia, Nathan’s mother, finishes off the latest in the TV police procedural series in which she stars. It’s not long before Jackson becomes embroiled in a case that encompasses historical sex abuse, modern day slavery and people trafficking.
Jackson is spending his summer ferrying thirteen-year-old Nathan around, impersonating a young girl online in the hope of snaring a paedophile and providing a cuckolded wife with a seemingly endless stream of evidence of her husband’s infidelity while looking after Julia’s portly, ageing Labrador of whom he’s become increasingly fond. Meanwhile, a trio of golfing buddies make fun of the fourth member of their group. Vince has never felt part of their gang, merely tolerated by Steve whose life he saved when they were schoolkids. In the midst of a divorce, Vince is on his uppers, wondering about stepping over a crumbling cliff when Jackson appears and saves him, the second death he’s prevented that summer. Through a web of coincidence and circumstance, these two will find themselves uncovering a heinous crime whose roots stretch back to the ‘70s and ‘80s. Before Jackson’s latest case draws to its satisfying conclusion, justice will have been done but its legality is quite another thing.
Atkinson neatly fills in Jackson’s backstory for readers who haven’t read the four previous Brodie novels (and have that delight to come). Handy for those of us whose memories, like Jackson’s, have become a little woolly in the nine years since Started Early, Took My Dog.
Wasn’t that called something – a logical fallacy? (Was he just making that up?) His little grey cells put their thinking caps on, but – unsurprisingly – came up with nothing
Many of the familiar Brodie tropes are here: Jackson’s still blaming himself for his failure to save his murdered sister, determined to protect as many vulnerable women and girls as he can; he’s still deeply suspicious of the middle classes; and there are dogs, many of them, the sweetest of which is Julia’s Dido.
He was becoming a walking, talking history lesson, a one-man folk museum except that nobody was interested in learning anything from him
Atkinson has a knack of getting her readers to inhabit the minds of her characters, not least Jackson, his thoughts commented on by Julia, who has taken up residence in his head. Men don’t come off very well in Jackson’s world, their treatment of women and girls frequently exploitative and brutal, but there’s hope in the form of Vince, who finds an unexpected way to redeem himself, sixteen-year-old Harry, determined to protect his little sister and respect his stepmother, and, of course, Jackson, always on the lookout for injustice. As with the previous four Brodie novels, Big Sky is an intelligent, thoroughly satisfying piece of crime fiction that tackles social issues with a sharp wit and dry humour. Fingers crossed that the BBC have Jason Isaacs lined up for an adaptation.
I’m so looking forward to this. I didn’t manage to get an ARC so I’m thinking of going for the audiobook – read by Jason Isaacs who played Jackson in the TV adaptation!
Oh, you should, Kate. Issacs is the perfect Jackson. Fingers firmly crossed he’s signed up for a TV adaptation of this one, too. I’d love to see them all repeated.
I’ve just acquired this as an audio book, narrated by Jason Isaacs (as Kate mentioned in her comment). I also have Transcription in my 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge list and I’m hoping to get through both in the next few months. Kate Atkinson is due to appear at Henley Literary Festival later this year and I’m hoping to hear her talk about the books.
That sounds like a great summer to me. Looking forward to your review of the audio book, Cathy.
Isn’t it a joy? And I was delighted at the return of Reggie.
Absolutely!
Just at the early part of the book and yes it’s wonderful to be back with Jackson. I’ve not been keen on Atkinson’s recent novels (gave up on Life after Life and was underwhelmed by Transcription) but this looks like a return to the author I’ve loved in the past
Glad to hear that you’re enjoying this one, Karen. I think the Jackson Brodie novels are altogether different from her others.
I have high hopes it will continue to be good
Can’t wait to meet up with Jackson again!
It’s a delight to have him back! I’m hoping we won’t have to wait another nine years for the next one.
I’d never read a Jackson Brodie before this one, but it was a joy (though the storyline reminded me forcefully of Line of Duty). He’s my new fictional crush. (We have the same taste in music and he’s played by Jason Isaacs, I’m a simple soul.)
Ah, you have the treat of the previous instalments to look forward to. I’ve not seen Line of Duty so the plot was all new to me.
Hooray! Really looking forward to reading this, I’m so glad it lives up to (huge) expectations!
It absolutely does, I’m delighted to say.
I’m halfway through my library copy of Big Sky and I’m LOVING it. It makes me think that I want to go back and reread all of the Jackson Brodie series.
Oh, me, too. What a great way to spend a summer that would be.
An absolute beauty. Fantastic to have him back.
And let’s hope he’ll be paying us all another visit soon.
There are dogs?! I don’t remember that. I read Case Studies years ago (years!), so can’t remember it very well. But it sounds like everyone is really enjoying this new installment!
Definitely dogs! Lots of love out there for Jackson I’m glad to report.
Something tells me I should get acquainted with Jackson Brodie
You most definitely should, Rachel. Jackson’s excellent company!
I am sure I will read this eventually, but I will wait for the paperback. I read Transcription recently and was underwhelmed I’m afraid, though I did enjoy the other Jackson Brodie novels I read.
I know several other bloggers were disappointed with Transcription, too. I think the Jackson Brodie novels are very different from the rest of her work.
My local library is changing its system in the next couple of weeks and so has stopped ordering for the time being. What a time to choose!
How frustrating! I hope you can get your hands on a copy soon.
I’m late to the Atkinson party, only reading Life After Life and A God in Ruins last year – I loved them both. At some stage I’ll start the Brodie series, even though crime is not usually my thing.
Mine, neither, Kate, but I love them. They’re very different from Atkinson’s other novels but I think you’ll like them. So many treats in store…
My husband likes her writing but I don’t know if he’s read this series or not.
Well, I’m a huge Atkinson fan so a wee bit biased but I’d say he’d almost certainly like these, too. They are very different from her more literary fiction but just as clever, witty and absorbing. I hope he’ll give one a try, and perhaps you, too?