Barbara M. reviewed on 9/30/2019 + 147 more book reviews

I got this book through paperbackswap.com. I had heard Kate Atkinson was a good writer so decided to read the Jackson Brodie series in order. I believe I gave the first two books three-star ratings. Atkinson is a good writer but not a good storyteller. These books supposedly are "thrillers" or mysteries but thus far, all have been a little short on the mystery part. In this book, like the other two, there are far too many coincidences to be believable. As many other Amazon reviewers have noted, there are so many characters that it's sometimes hard to keep track. In this book I was trying to remember who a particular character was but wasn't interested enough to go back through the book to see if I could find where he first appeared. I just didn't care enough.

Jackson Brodie is the recurring/main character in these books. I have come to see him as rather aimless and not very likeable. Police inspector Louise Munro (sp?), who has crossed paths with Brodie in the other books, is also someone who seems self-absorbed and unappealing. There supposedly is an unspoken chemistry between the two. I wouldn't be surprised if in the next book Louise ditches her nice husband for Jackson, a relationship that likely will not last.

The Needler scenario was a secondary plot line that really had nothing to do with anything else in the story so it contributed nothing relevant. I wonder why the author decided to include it.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS: When Dr. Hunter is found by Reggie and Jackson, she doesn't want the authorities to know she was kidnapped. In spite of being a former police officer, Jackson decides that he will go along with Dr. H's wishes. Jackson then burns down the cabin (with the two bodies of the kidnappers Dr. H killed) where Dr. H was kept. Consequently, Dr. H's husband, who came across as a not particularly likeable character, is charged with arson of one of his businesses, when, in fact, it was the person behind the kidnapping who was responsible. I also thought the twist at the end where Jackson's wife left him and cleaned out his bank account was unrealistic. An acquaintance of Jackson's had engineered a "chance" encounter between "Tessa" and Jackson. In spite of being ex-military, ex-police, and an occasional private investigator as well as a guy in his late 40s who had at least two unsuccessful long-term relationships, Jackson never thought to do any background checks on Tessa. He jumped into marriage just a few months after meeting her.

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