He thought of his heart, if it had existed at all, as something that had started to ossify some time ago, petrification that was completed in Burma. The little dog, gazing miserably at him, threatened to crack open the calcified organ as easily a nut.
Flynn’s living in a pokey flat on the edges of Soho after his departure from the Wealdstone house of his war widow wife, leaving his sulky stepdaughter and Mrs Betty, his beloved dog, behind, when Gerald Barry spots him in a park, staring into space. Flynn had ended up in Burma by way of a short stint as a war correspondent working for Barry. His new job involves trawling through the execrable poetic contributions from the public for the Festival Anthology, joining the team making similar judgements about the astonishingly eccentric artefacts donated for the Lion and Unicorn stand. Despite his unassuming manner, Flynn is a magnet for women, one of whom invites him for a drink before disappearing after rudely walking out on him leaving Flynn flummoxed and wondering why he has a black eye the next day after drowning his sorrows as he so often does. Before long, he finds himself drawn into a labyrinthine intrigue which sees him almost on first name terms with the Bow Street police and in bed with an MI5 agent. By the end of the Festival, the puzzle of Delphine’s disappearance will have been satisfyingly solved, Flynn will have been reunited with his stepdaughter, and more importantly with Mrs Betty who’s delighted to see him.
The Boy’s own father having died before the war (of something simply referred to as ‘lungs’ by his mother), Evans had taken him under his wing and, in loco parentis, had assumed the task of trying to civilize the Boy before he evolved into Man and was therefore for ever damned.
Atkinson fans will recognise many of her trademarks in this new novel: a multitude of literary and classical allusions; the slightly puzzled decent male protagonist; smart, quick-witted women and a dog, safe to the end. Rationing is still in force, bombsites have yet to be built on and there are many men, quietly keeping the horror of their war experience to themselves. Atkinson’s characters are always well drawn but the irrepressible Boy attached to Flynn’s team who’s never seen a cow and is happy to dispose of any weird or wonderful artefacts, and waspish Veronica, considerably savvier than her stepfather, are the stars of the show. There’s a good deal of characteristic knowing wit to enjoy and the plot pleasingly thickens as Flynn sets about his investigations, unwittingly making things worse. I loved this one which seemed to fit somewhere between Lissa Evans and Jonathan Coe’s novels to me. It more than made up for the slight disappointment of At the Sign of the Rook.
Doubleday Books: London 9781529937824 352 pages Hardback (NetGalley)
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A new Atkinson! Always something to look forward to.
Absolutely loved this one! Up there with her best.
A new Atkinson – yay! Can’t wait to read this one.
It’s an absolute treat! One of her best yet.
I’m an Atkinson fan too, but her last two slightly disappointed me. Good to know she’s back in excellent form.
Definitely back on form, for me. Something to brighten up winter.
PS. 76th in the queue at the library!
Well, I’m pleased for her but not for you. It’ll be worth the wait, though.
I have this waiting. Looking forward to it. I was thinking it sounded slightly Coe-ish (Expo 58 etc) and then I got to where you mention him!
That’s an excellent comparison! You’ve a treat in store with this one.
I’m looking forward to this but I still think Behind the Scenes is the best, it felt so fresh at the time didn’t it?
It did! No other writer quite matches that knowing wit for me. And her dogs are always happy and well…
Not always – have you read Transcription?!
Oh dear – have I misremembered that one? Not my favourite of hers so perhaps I’ve blanked out a horrible end.
I loved Behind The Scenes At The Museum. This sounds like a book I would enjoy. Atkinson has such a vivid imagination.
And such a great sense of humour, too!
This sounds good. “there are many men, quietly keeping the horror of their war experience to themselves”–my Grandfather was one albeit on the other side of the Atlantic. I’d like to read Lissa Evans Small Bomb at Dimperly, but it hasn’t come out over here.
Indeed, and there were still many from the previous war still suffering in silence. I’m sorry about the Evans but I hope you’ll be able to get your hands on this one.
I’ve loved the couple of Atkinson I’ve read so this appeals.
I think it’s one of her best, Cathy.