An enjoyable read both for those who enjoy the Jackson Brodie series and those who like stories that are referential to the Golden Age of mysteries. Fans of Agatha Christie and similar authors will delight in the nods to that era of writing and the central mystery of the story is engaging without being overly dark or twisted in unbelievable ways.

Based on remembering a previous book by Atkinson that I enjoyed greatly, I plowed (ploughed ha ha) through this overly populated mystery novel. There are at least 4 plot points, each with its own characters, and. also a fake murder mystery which blends all previous characters, a new set of actors, and the fake characters they portray....it was just to much for me, unfortunately. The art theft plot line would have been enough for me and I wish I hadn't had to skim through to get to that denoument.

Author Kate Atkinson's popular private eye, Jackson Brodie, is back in Death at the Sign of the Rook, and mystery lovers are glad. In this adventure, Brodie, who is in Yorkshire to investigate a stolen painting, discovers a whole string of pilfered artworks. He winds up at a former estate that's been converted into a hotel that features Murder Mystery weekends.

This story has the flavor of an Agatha Christie tale, or even the movie, Knives Out. Readers can jump into the book as a standalone or dive into the Brodie series. The crime is a real puzzle, but it plays fair with the readers, and the characters and Brodie are witty and fun. Highly recommended.

I love Kate Atkinson's writing, but I was not aware she had a mystery series. I was excited to be selected to read the sixth addition to her mystery series, Death At The Sign of the Rook.

I was able to acquire an audiobook, and while it was excellent in presentation, I think this is one of those instances where I probably should have read the actual book. I kept getting hopelessly confused by the cast of characters. I also think this is one of the rare instances where it didn't help to jump into the middle of the series. I felt like someone watching from the outside: it looks fun and interesting, but I just don't get it.

While this particular book wasn't for me, I might be interested in starting at the beginning, and trying this series again.

Thank you to NETGALLEY, the author, and Doubleday Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book based upon my love of the first Jackson Brodie book. I tried very hard, twice to get into it and can't. I cannot get invested and find myself very bored. There's nothing literarily wrong with the book, it's just not for me and I'm not going to force myself to read through something on which I cannot focus. It's simply a waste of time. I wish this wasn't the case.

Detective Jackson Brodie has retired from the police force and moved to a quiet town in Yorkshire, taking on the occasional private matter to keep things interesting. His current case is centered around a missing painting. "Woman with a Weasel," a valuable old portrait, hangs over the bed of the matriarch, but it disappears after she dies -- and the in-home carer has likewise dematerialized.[spacer height="20px"]

On his way out, he noticed something he hadn't seen on the way in -- a small patch of ground at the side that had been fenced off and contained headstones, all in different styles. It took Jackson a moment to realize this was a display rather than a graveyard -- Jessop's offered the full service, right down to the stonemason. It was rather like exiting through the gift shop. ~Loc. 1446

[spacer height="20px"]Meanwhile, at the local manorhouse of Burton Makepeace, the current inhabitants are struggling to keep the roof fixed and the heating bill paid. Despite the distaste the family has for rank commercialism, they recognize the necessity of allowing the public in for various events. Especially since their priceless Turner was stolen before they could sell it and raise any funds.[spacer height="20px"]

Lady Milton wasn't particularly fond of any of her children, preferring her dogs, two black Labradors, Tommy and Tuppence -- a brother and sister -- reasonable creatures compared to her own. ~ Loc. 359

[spacer height="20px"]Lady Milton and her family have been reduced to opening the stately home for a murder mystery weekend, complete with out-of-town guest players, community theatre actors, and an amateur script. Of course, just as the unsophisticated guests come tromping in, a massive blizzard traps them all inside, perhaps with a murderer.[spacer height="20px"]

'Lady Milton', who was herself probably one of the Murder Mystery company pretending to be the real Lady milton. Perhaps the entire house was just one big theatrical set. And here he was on stage, a solitary man with his prop, an empty wheelbarrow, like a character in a farce, or a play by Brecht -- both equally unappetizing theatrical experiences in Ben's view. ~Loc. 2856

Brodie's inner monologue is always cranky, sharp, and amusing, and this book is no different. He remains the reluctant hero, by dint of being the one who shows up, not because he has any magnificent altruism.

The novel itself takes on a "Noises Off" or "Murder by Death" slapstick quality once the murder mystery party gets into the swing. Random people answering the doorbell or being asked to show people to their rooms. A body (maybe?) appears then disappears. It's mayhem and no one knows who is in charge.

I really enjoyed Case Histories (and the TV adaptation with Jason Issacs) and I am excited to see the Jackson Brodie has returned.

My thanks to Doubleday for the review e-galley. Read via NetGalley.

A witty and fun Jackson Brodie mystery with a colorful cast of characters. The convoluted plot and laugh out loud moments are what I enjoyed most. I would have liked to have more Brodie, though overall an entertaining read.

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Private investigator Jackson Brodie is asked to solve the mystery of a missing (and valuable) painting. His case gradually intersects with other, similar art thefts and a few dead bodies. The author has included a lot of character exposition and description, sometimes going on for pages. It can be difficult to determine what is important to know about the characters from their back stories, and the story dragged during those long descriptions. Jackson has appeared in a number of Kate Atkinson's novels, but he seems out of place in the setting of the art world and a murder mystery weekend. Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for the eARC.

It all starts (and ends) with a murder mystery dinner. Jackson Brodie is investigating a small painting that an old woman used to have in her bedroom and that mysteriously disappeared the day she died –along with her caregiver, and now prime suspect.
However, that’s not the only painting that has disappeared in similar circumstances in the last few years. And fortunately, our dear DC Reggie Chase was in that case, so she and Brodie start trying to solve the mystery.

I must say there were many parts in which I lost a bit of interest. There were just too many details in the lives of minor characters, and there were a few things that I truly did not understand why were there in the first place (i.e. ‘Nanny’ and the shooter). To me, they felt unnecessary and did not add anything to the plot.

That being said, I love Atkinson’s sense of humor, I love Jackson Brodie and I love Reggie Chase, so of course I will always continue with this series!

3,5 stars!

At this point, I am fully convinced that I will love anything that Kate Atkinson writes. I hadn’t read any of the Jackson Brodie novels up to this point, and I picked this up not knowing anything about the series or the characters, and I loved it! It was full of humor, wit, and fully realized, flawed characters. I fell in love with Jackson and the way his mind works. Even though I hadn’t read any of the other books, it was easy to see what makes him tick and what has drawn so many other readers to this character.

Although Atkinson’s books always tend to have a sad tone, they are also full of humor and hope - making them such a unique reading experience.

After finishing “Death at the Sign of the Rook,” I immediately started “Case Histories,” and I enjoyed it just as much.

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

Jackson Brodie is a grandfather now. He has even provided child care for said granddaughter: “Shattered, knee-deep in nappies and various kinds of bodily fluids, Jackson realized how little he had contributed when his own children were babies.” That fact is incidental to “Death at the Sign of the Rook,” Kate Atkinson’s deliriously readable new mystery, but it says a lot about the head space in which her often disgruntled hero finds himself.

Jackson is older now, on “the wrong side of 60,” and if he hasn’t settled down, he has at least settled. The former police inspector turned private eye may still flinch at not being “real police,” but he’s not unhappy to take a seemingly silly case for the paycheck. Fortunately for him — and us — the case of a missing painting (Jackson refers to it as “Woman With a Weasel”) spirals into a hilariously twisted tale of art theft, the struggling British gentry and a murder-mystery dinner theater gone ridiculously and alarmingly wrong.

A delightful muddle of drawing room mystery, dinner theater and the pursuit of purloined art, “Death at the Sign of the Rook” is Atkinson at her best. Brodie too.

What a fun and funny mystery! This was my first dive into Kate Atkinson’s work and, as such, my introduction to her Jackson Brodie series. Atkinson's wit shines, and the plot is set up like a classic Agatha Christie setup but with a modern feel.

In "Death at the Sign of the Rook," we find Brodie snowed in at a worn-down manor house in the English countryside. As you might expect from such a cozy, locked-room mystery setting, a murder soon disrupts everyone's evening. Brodie, along with his sidekick, must solve the case before the killer strikes again.

The book is smartly written, and the humor really makes it worth reading. It’s not just about the mystery; it’s about the memorable characters who populate the manor, each with their own quirks and secrets. That said, the middle section did feel a little slow at times. With so many characters introduced, it was occasionally hard to keep track of who was who, and I found myself wishing for a bit more focus in the narrative. However, the pacing picked up again toward the end, leading to a satisfying ending.

Despite some slower moments, I really enjoyed Death at the Sign of the Rook and can’t wait to read more from Kate Atkinson. If the rest of the Jackson Brodie series is as witty and well-crafted as this one, it's well worth my time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this advanced readers copy. My thoughts and reviews are my own.

Anything by Kate Atkinson is an auto read for me, so I was looking forward to the latest installment in her Jackson Brodie series. This time, the crime is a missing painting, stolen by someone who seems to have disappeared into thin air. In comes Jackson Brodie to investigate. This was a fun, humorous homage to Golden Age mysteries, and I enjoyed all the subplots and different characters. Lady Milton and the Burton Makepeace setting in particular was a highlight. The only thing was that I wasn’t as gripped as I usually am with her books, and the pacing was quite slow till towards the end. Still, it’s a nice change after the brooding nature of the other books in the series.
Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

DEATH AT THE SIGN OF THE ROOK by Kate Atkinson is a novel featuring Jackson Brodie and was a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for September. Ever curious to meet new characters and knowing Atkinson's strong reputation, I asked for a preview of this recently published book. I felt as though it meandered quite a bit and was not all that surprised to see a Booklist review which concluded: "A lack of background about Brodie could make this confusing for new readers, but it's a treat for fans of the series." I hope to go back and start at the beginning of Atkinson's series about Brodie as this is well-written. Interested readers will find more positive insight from professional reviewers at NPR, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. 3.5 stars

Kate Atkinson is the very best and she can do whatever she likes with whatever characters--but what a dream having Jackson Brodie in an old school murder mystery, complete with his snarky asides. Love Atkinson, love Brodie, too greedy to wait patiently for a couple more years for another book.

I am embarrassed to admit that it took me rather a long time to catch on to the joke in Death At The Sign of the Rook. Kate Atkinson has written a parody of every Agatha Christie, British murder mystery, old country house mystery ever written. Although Death At The Sign of the Rook is the 5th novel in the Jackson Brodie Series, this novel is a stand alone, even though Brodie populates this novel and ultimately solves at least some of the crimes. The characters in Death At The Sign of the Rook are a parody of the characters who readers come to expect in British mysteries. There are police, detectives, a widowed older owner, tourists visiting, a vicar, all of whom are trapped in a country home in the midst of a snow storm. Rooms open into rooms, doors into more doors, real guns and fake guns and a fight on the roof. This country house is like a fun house at a county fair. Every cliche in a British mystery is present, including an escaped prisoner. In short, this was a fun ride. I suspect I will need to read it several more times to get in on the joke.

Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I hope I have done this novel justice.

Death at the Sign of the Rook
By Kate Atkinson

This is an "Agatha Christie"-style murder mystery. It brings back characters from previous books (Jackson Brodie, Reggie Chase) whose modus operandi seems to remain intact from book to book. Jackson is a policeman turned private detective (relieved of his police duties because of his unconventional methods); Reggie Chase is a policewoman who acts as Jackson's point person when information is needed from the police.

This book begins with the death of the Padgett family matriarch and the discovery that a painting has gone missing. Also missing is the caregiver named Melanie Hope. Jackson is hired by the deceased's children to find both. As the plot progresses it become apparent that there have been other artworks stolen in much the same pattern. Thus we meet the Milton family who have lost a piece of art two years prior until similar circumstances – ostensibly stolen by the vanished housekeeper, Sophie Greenway.

From there, the cast of characters increases and the plot thickens. This is a classic British murder mystery. It is entertaining – and when, at the end, the mystery is solved, readers will find that they knew all along who committed the crime!

‘We invite you to enjoy all the excitement of a Murder Mystery Weekend in the charmingly atmospheric surroundings of Rook Hall, a country house hotel located within Burton Makepeace House, one of England’s premier stately homes.’

DEATH AT THE SIGN OF THE ROOK might be a new release, but it has all the makings of a well-worn Agatha Christie: the fallen-on-hard-times aristocrats, the snowstorm that prevents any guests from leaving, a stolen painting, a dinner-gone-wrong, and the knowing detective who pieces it all together.

While I’ve read other Atkinson novels, I haven’t picked up her Jackson Brodie series — ROOK is the sixth. It was a podcast interview she did that led me to diving into this one, she clearly had a blast writing this book and it sounded too fun to pass up.

On the surface, this sounded like the perfect fall read with the upstairs-downstairs cast, a missing painting, secrets upon secrets! I’m normally a reader who loves multiple narrators and storylines, but here I found myself gravitating toward certain plots and slogging my way through the rest (sorry, vicar!)

The actual murder mystery dinner doesn’t happen until over 70% of the way through! I’m all for meandering tales but I struggled to stay focused here. I can typically get through a book in a day or two, this one took 11 days 😮‍💨

When it was good it was golden, but those moments were few and far between. DEATH AT THE SIGN OF THE ROOK has some genuinely laugh out loud moments and it’s evident Atkinson had a great time writing it, but I feel this wasn’t the best starting point for someone new to the series.

This is the sixth book in Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie mystery series. Like the other books in the series, it’s a very slow burn literary mystery, where you start out following a bunch of different characters, one of which is private investigator Jackson Brodie, and it takes a while to figure out how they all come together - in this one, mostly about stolen art with everything culminating in an art meets life murder mystery theater production gone wrong at an old mansion in the Yorkshire countryside.

It’s a little different from other books in the series in that I’d say that some of the others have a bit more of an edge, whereas this one verges on being a cozy mystery and has more humor and even farce. But still with an intriguing mystery, literary writing, and great characters.

You could definitely read this as a stand alone - the first four books were all published and I read more than a decade ago, which means most of them are rather hazy to me though I know that characters besides Jackson are from previous books but I don’t really remember the details. What I will say, though, is that this is a book that definitely is not going to be for everyone. If like me you love slow quirky character driven literary mysteries then I would recommend - but if that’s not your thing, this book is probably not for you. I loved it though!

I felt certain, when I began thinking about writing this review, that I first read a Kate Atkinson book when I read Life After Life. That book was one of my favorite books of 2015; it's a book I still think about and one that has kept me returning to Atkinson. In point of fact, though, my first Atkinson book was When Will There Be Good News (which I'd clearly forgotten by this year). That book is actually the third of the Jackson Brody books.

In 2020, I finally read Cases Histories, the first of the Jackson Brodie books. I had every intention of returning to the Brodie books, but it wasn't until this year that I listened to the second book, One Good Turn, and When Will There Be Good News (again!). I'd hoped to listen to the next two books but it turns out my library doesn't have them on audio. Which is how I went from the third book to this, the sixth.

Do you have to read them in order? No necessarily. But would it be a good idea to do so? Yes, definitely. When I last encountered Reggie she was a 16-year-old who got caught up in a kidnapping case and ended up helping Jackson; now she is a detective, who is very fed up with Jackson's questionable methods. In this book, Jackson's daughter is now grown up with a child of her own. How did they all get to where they are now?

Unfortunately, that wasn't the only problem I had with this book. I've grown used to Atkinson filling her books with large casts of characters, with her books hopping away from Jackson's story to delve into other characters' stories. For some reason, in this book, I was really distracted by this and grew a little bored when we got into side stories of two of the characters. To be fair, those characters did play into the story when things really picked up later in the book, but I'm still not entirely sure that we needed to know their full back story to understand their actions in the moment. I don't know if it makes me feel better to know that I'm not alone in feeling this way.

BUT...I really liked the storyline - the mystery of who stole a small painting, how it came to be in the owner's possession to begin with, how it ties into another art theft. I liked the parts of the book where Jackson was involved, especially his interactions with Reggie. I liked the way things played out once everything began to pick up again. Even a less than her best Atkinson book is still worth reading. And I will read book seven in the series whenever that is released. But first, I'm going back to books four and five. Because I have to know how we got to this point!