by Kate Atkinson

There is something wonderfully dependable about a good detective series, and Kate Atkinson must now be counted among those authors who can consistently deliver in this genre. Started Early sees the fourth appearance of Jackson Brodie – her larger than life policeman turned private detective – who yet again masterfully untangles the web of intrigue and saves the day.

But Kate does not merely craft an intricate and tangled mystery: she imbues it with wicked humour, acerbic wit and dark undercurrents. She also departs from the norm in crime novels (which rely heavily on plot and scantily on character) by drawing her characters beautifully and fleshing them out fully from within. Jackson develops as a character through each novel, and moves through his own life, with its unfair share of tragedy, mystery, angst and misfortune, as well as solving the crime.

The Jackson Brodie series is soon to be screened as an ITV drama: look out for ‘Case Histories’ with Jason Isaacs in the lead role.

©Julia Welstead 2011