Death at the Sign of the Rook, Kate Atkinson
There’s something quite special about crime novels that approach the theme of death with a light-hearted touch, finding an enjoyable balance between the macabre and the unsettling. When the thrill of the investigation - “Come, Watson! The game is afoot,” as Sherlock Holmes famously declared - takes precedence over the crime itself, the result is often a more palatable and less disturbing story. The police may be baffled, suspects abound, and the murders are creatively imagined, yet the conclusion provides a sense of satisfaction rather than unease, reassuring readers that all is well with the world. Kate Atkinson masters this approach in her latest Jackson Brodie novel, offering a charming and comforting read that feels like slipping into your favourite, well-worn cardigan - familiar, warm, and a source of quiet joy.
It's been five years since we last encountered Jackson Brodie in Big Sky. Now, in Death at the Sign of the Rook, our largehearted, country-music-loving private investigator - now on "the wrong side of 60" - returns to tackle another case. What unfolds is a delicious, Agatha Christie-esque romp through the snowy Yorkshire Moors, showcasing Atkinson's smartest, wittiest, and most playful writing yet.
Jackson, battling a midlife malaise, is unexpectedly called to a sleepy Yorkshire town to investigate what seems like a routine theft of a painting before finding himself embroiled in an eerily similar second theft: a priceless Turner has vanished from Burton Makepeace - a once-grand estate now partially converted into a hotel. Jackson is convinced there is a connection (“a coincidence is just an explanation waiting to happen”), and along with his old, if somewhat reluctant, ally DC Reggie Chase ("we're not a partnership, we're not 'Brodie and Chase, Detectives',") what started as a purloin of a portrait taken from the house of an elderly widow on the morning she died - the housekeeper probably did it - soon blossoms into a labyrinth of secrets, mistaken identity, and decaying familial wealth.
Amid the scandal, Burton Makepeace, presided over by the wonderfully eccentric Lady Milton and her unpleasant children, remains determined to play host to a shambolic Murder Mystery weekend (including a breakfast "served Downton-style"), drawing a cast of characters straight out of a classic whodunnit: a vicar questioning his faith, an ex-army officer processing his trauma, and down-on-their-luck aristocrats with more than a few skeletons in their closets. And let’s not forget about the convicted murderer who is on the run in the moors surrounding the home.
What unravels is a congenial nod to the golden age of detective fiction, giving us a modern take on the armchair sleuth archetype reminiscent of the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. Atkinson seamlessly blends the tropes of a classic whodunnit with intricate crime puzzles, complete with clues and red herrings (quite literally, in this case, comparable to a ‘cerebral workout') wrapped in her distinctly droll and warm narrative. Her elegant and measured prose allows the mystery to unfold naturally, inviting us to savour each twist and turn. The detail - whether describing the English countryside or the subtleties of social interaction - grounds the story in vivid reality, making the eventual revelations satisfying rather than twee.
Seen in much of Atkinson’s work, the novel, at times, feels like a collection of short stories, where the crimes often appear as unwelcome coincidences, taking a backseat to the accounts of the richly drawn characters. Yet, Atkinson skilfully weaves these red threads into a gratifying crescendo, demonstrating her ability to manage a multi-dextrous storyline without it ever feeling convoluted.
Death at the Sign of the Rook is a testament to Atkinson's versatility and mastery of the crime genre. It pays a heartfelt homage to the golden age of detective fiction while offering a fresh, invigorating take on the classic murder mystery. For fans of traditional whodunits and newcomers alike, Death at the Sign of the Rook is the gentlest novel in the Jackson Brodie series, yet still packs a punch. It offers a captivating escape into a world where every puzzle piece fits seamlessly into a perfectly choreographed mystery.
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