Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie is back in Death at the sign of the rook

A little bit of background📃

British author, Kate Atkinson, is one of my favourite authors. I've read all of her books, having fallen in love with her with my first read, Behind the scenes at the museum (1995). Her books are superbly British, full of vivid characters, and simply beautifully written. The Jackson Brodie books are among my favourite British crime novels, helped by Jason Isaacs's on-point portrayal of Brodie in the television series. I now see Isaacs whenever I read a Brodie novel! Below is my review of Death at the sign of the rook, Book 6 in the Brodie series.

You can also read my reviews of two of her historical fiction novels, Shrines of gaiety and Life after life, and her collection of short stories.

Death at the sign of the rook | Book 6 | Published August 2024 | Read April 2025

The story📖

Book 6 sees Brodie hit 60 and become a grandfather. He takes on a case of a missing painting, seemingly stolen by a home care assistant from a dying woman's bedroom. The woman's adult children want the painting back as they think it is valuable. Jackson senses something off about the pair and their story. Things are further complicated by the theft of another painting, this time from a nearby crumbling estate, this time by its housekeeper. Added into the mix is a murder mystery weekend at the estate and a psychopathic killer on the loose.

My thoughts on the book💭

I've loved every Brodie book in the series and I'm glad he's back. The last Brodie outing was 2019's Big sky. That novel featured DC Reggie Chase, a character we first met in Book 3, When will there be good news? (2008). Reggie is a decent human - empathetic, clever, and street-smart - and her friendship with Brodie (and the witty banter) is a joy to read. Jackson and Reggie are connected by their respective traumatic pasts. They collaborate based on admiration for each other's capabilities, despite their snarky repartee. I could read a whole series of books on Reggie and Jackson solving crimes together!

Book 6 is trademark Brodie. He's completely relatable - tough and sensible, caring and honest. Atkinson adds interest to her fictional sleuth by making him droll and acerbic. Brodie's observations of himself and those around him are hilarious and on-point. Revelling in Atkinson's characteristic wit and being close to Brodie are reasons enough for me to love the books. Jackson's internal monologue is a fine-tuned machine now and his inner thoughts are witty and accurate (with a sprinkling of irony).

Death at the sign of the rook is all kinds of crazy, but I went with the flow and had a ball. There's a madcap, Agatha Christie-Fawlty Towers vibe to the novel and it makes for a lively story. I actually chuckled out loud at various points in the book, even if it's all a bit bonkers. As per usual for Atkinson, there is a cast of eccentric characters, but they are all fleshed out. Atkinson is the master of crafting colourful characters, all of whom are portrayed in depth, even if they have only minor parts to play in the story. The character-driven narrative means plenty of exploration of backstories and to showcasing the inner thoughts of the core set of characters. I loved the Downton-Abbey-style Lady Milton (posh British to a tee) and Major Benedict Jennings, suffering from depression and PTSD after losing a leg during his army service.

There's a lot going on this one - perhaps too much - and some bits could have been left out, as they didn't seem to serve much purpose. The book feels as if Atkinson's only aim was to have a blast writing a farcical mystery with a bunch of oddball characters bumbling about the place, including Jackson himself. I enjoyed that element of the book, but felt there could have been fewer characters and more substance to the plot, even though I loved going along for the ride. I also wish there'd been more of Jackson and Reggie.

In sum📝

I have rated the book four stars, unable to give it the full five as I was a bit confused by the end of it. There were just too many paintings, backstories, and would-be thieves! I was also left wondering about the inclusion of some of the characters and sub-plots as I felt they weren't properly explained or resolved. That said, I just sat back and enjoyed the madness!!!

Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series is very much carried by Jackson himself. He is a private detective these days, having previously served in the British army and police force. There's a load of Brodie backstory woven throughout the series, so if Book 6 is your first go, I urge you to go back and read the others. I'll be back for Book 7 for sure!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐