Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Case One: Olivia Land, youngest and most beloved of the Land girls, goes missing in the night and is never seen again. Thirty years later, two of her surviving sisters unearth a shocking clue to Olivia's disappearance among the clutter of their childhood home.

Case Two: Theo delights in his daughter Laura's wit, effortless beauty, and selfless love. But her first day as an associate in his law firm is also the day when Theo's world turns upside down.

Case Three: Michelle looks around one day and finds herself trapped in a hell of her own making. A very needy baby and a very demanding husband make her every waking moment a reminder that somewhere, somehow, she'd made a grave mistake and would spend the rest of her life paying for it--until a fit of rage creates a grisly, bloody escape.

As Private Detective Jackson Brodie investigates all three cases, startling connections and discoveries emerge. Inextricably caught up in his clients' grief, joy, and desire, Jackson finds their unshakable need for resolution very much like his own.

It is an interesting idea, having a private detective commissioned to solve three cases that the police could never solve. What is interesting is what he discovers is often different than the actual result. We get all kinds of perspective, from Jackson himself, the victims and the perpetrators. The odd thing for me was how much sex was discussed in this book, if they weren't talking or fantasizing about it, they were doing it. It was a bit odd to hear these very prim and proper Brits talking about sex. Plus it didn't feel at all erotic but rather detatched.

Almost all the various cases become intertwined with one another in a very interesting way. I would try another of her novels to see if she writes different types of books.