Death at the Sign of the Rook is a cleverly constructed mystery wherein two paintings are missing and/or stolen, each in remarkably similar circumstances. PI Jackson Brodie is tasked with finding one of those paintings; DC Reggie Chase has been given the assignment of locating the other one. People gather at Rook Hall, the country house known as Burton Makepeace, for a murder mystery weekend but a massive snowfall means that no one (including Jackson and Reggie) is able to leave. And of course, there is a murder or two. But whodunit (and why and how?) Some favorite characters from previous novels in this series make an appearance and it’s fun to see what they have been up to.

In Kate Atkinson’s own inimitable style, there are serious moments and tension, broken up by laugh-out-loud humor. [For example, Ben (who had been a major while in the military) has been charged with greeting the guests and showing them to their rooms. He thought to himself, “Private Dogsbody had been promoted to Major Domo, or perhaps even to General Factotum.”] A very enjoyable, fun-to-read mystery. I hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Jackson Brodie!!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book. This book is DELIGHTFUL. Poor Jackson Brodie, through a complex series of events, finds himself snowed in at a murder mystery weekend in a crumbling manor house. Without giving away spoilers, Atkinson has given us our beloved detective and combined his latest case with the elements that have made her other books such as Behind the Scenes at the Museum and Shrines of Gaiety so engaging. The end result is a funny, quirky, and wry take on a traditional Christie-esque mystery trope.

The usual Jackson Brodie novel is focused on him making his way through a life that often hasn’t treated him well, and his interactions with the various—and varied—characters who make up his personal and professional lives. Formerly a police detective, he’s been a private detective for some years, and his cases tend to be on the prosaic side; or, I should say, they *seem* to be that way in the beginning. They have a way of turning into much more complicated matters.

What a surprise to start reading this book and finding it sounds like a Golden Age country house murder mystery. Jackson Brodie is investigating the apparent theft of a painting from an old lady’s house on the day of her death, with the woman’s now-missing caretaker being the prime suspect. This case has a more upmarket parallel in the theft of a Turner painting from the manor of Burton Makepeace, probably by Lady Milton’s now-missing housekeeper. Jackson’s old police colleague, Reggie, is investigating the theft of the Turner, but of course Jackson ends up with her at Burton Makepeace while a murder mystery weekend is going on, a blizzard approaches, and an escaped killer is on the loose in the area.

The book is a bit of a slow starter, and there is a dizzying number of characters. But sort of like a jigsaw puzzle, once the background is filled in, the picture becomes much clearer and moves to completion much more quickly. The final chapters, with a motley collection of actors, blizzard refugees, Brodie and Reggie, and more than one criminal, turn into a comic version of Clue, with characters moving around the manor house, as mayhem, murder and attempted murder abound. Funny stuff, and a welcome reward for continuing through the slow start and the many characters.

Another welcome entry in the Jackson Brodie mysteries featuring a couple of other recurring characters and many new ones. This story finds Jackson looking into the theft of a painting and later part of a murder mystery theater experience taking place at a home reminiscent of Downton Abbey. Kate Atkinson's witty writing and characters are the draw, as usual, and the nods to Agatha Christie and Clue are a lot of fun.

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday for this ARC. While I haven't read any previous Jackson Brodie novels by Kate Atkinson, I've read other books of hers and have see the TV show based on the Jackson Brodie books - so I had some idea what I was getting into with this one and was excited to see how this series differed or was similar to Atkinson's other books.

This one took me a bit to get into but I think one of the reasons for that was messy formatting. Shifting between characters was a little disruptive until I got a feel for the pacing. One thing I do recall from Atkinson's other books is the fantastic characters - always so interesting in backstory, voice, and personality. About 40% of the way in, it all started to click and then it just rocketed off from there. Even though the book opens with a taste of where it's going to go, it was still a very unexpected journey and ending. I think the ending also would have been even better if I had read the previous books in the series. Those who have will definitely enjoy this latest visit with Brodie.

Jackson Brodie is hired to find a painting believed to have been stolen from a caretaker who has seemingly disappeared. When he tracks down a similar theft, he is reunited with Reggie, the DI he has worked with in the past. All roads seem to lead to the same place where a real life vicar, army captain, marchioness and a killer cross paths with a group of murder mystery actors playing fictional characters that almost mirror the real ones. And it all comes together in a manor house during a blizzard where art imitates life or life imitates art - one or both of those.

I read Kate Atkinson's Transcription awhile back and quite enjoyed it. I have to admit being hesitant to jump straight into this, the 6th in the Jackson Brodie series, but have to say it worked well as a standalone.

Death at the Sign of the Rook was a brisk, fun and hilarious read if you like a cozy mystery or a locked room murder mystery. The writing is witty, the characters were interesting with some a bit peculiar. Strongly recommended for fans of Knives Out.

Thoroughly enjoyable. I am looking forward to catching up on the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for providing an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Thanks to Doubleday & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC i exchange for an honest review.

Is there anything better than a new Jackson Brodie? No, no there is not. I love this character and will read anything Kate Atkinson writes about him. I get the sense that she's tired of him and would rather write exclusively "literature," but thankfully that doesn't come through in the writing.

I'm mildly annoyed at the reappearance of Reggie, the female Scottish police partnered with Ronnie in Big Sky (I see what you did there, KA), but it wouldn't stop me reading. The plot is great, complicated but not labyrinthine or at all off-putting; quirky without bringing irritation. Tons of references I didn't get as an American; thank Christ for the google feature in the eBook. I learned a lot (but will I retain any of it? Probably not).

Jackson makes reference to having lived 7 decades (how?) and I fear that this might be the last we see of him (but also why is he still working at that age? Is he a one-man coincidence-warrior?). Keep writing them and I'll keep reading them. I loved every minute.

I am an outlier in that I just don't love Jackson Brodie. I love Atkinson, but these Brodie mysteries just always leave me bored.

Jackson Brodie, private investigator, is back. This time he’s searching for two works of art and the woman who most likely has stolen them. On his search Jackson, along with the reader, encounter many characters who lead him eventually to an English country house which is hosting a dramatic “ murder mystery.” Kate Atkinson’s humor is sprinkled throughout Brodie’s thoughts and actions and, even more so in the quirky village people. Unfortunately, for this reader the cast of characters amidst the detailed exposition made me occasionally have to stop and regroup, slowing down the storyline progression. The closing chapters seem to suggest a sequel. I have no interest in pursuing it.

This is book 6 in the Jackson Brodie series, and once again, Atkinson, gives us a resounding winner of a read! In his latest case (all books can be read as stand alones), Brodie wonders why his client does not want to get the police involved, and he surmised that there might be something not quite right with the painting's provenance, or with the story of the theft as it is being told to him. But as he starts digging, he realizes something is very off. His theft case seems familiar to another one that has recently occurred, only on a much bigger scale. Can they be related? Has he uncovered Pandora's box when it comes to art thievery? Every new chapter offers a new twist to the case and leaves the reader wondering if the solution isn't quite what Brodie is thinking. A definite page turner, Atkinson gives us another sound mystery not to be missed!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC: Jackson Brodie is always a treat--the wit and throwaway humor is pervasive. As much as I adore Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brody series, this wasn't my favorite. I am not sure if you haven't read the previous novels that you would follow this one--and it was hard to follow--myriad characters with little to no explanation or development. Jackson is hired to find a missing painting and in the process he meets up with people from his past--notably Reggie (who I want to remember more about.) He deals with class hierarchy, and notably the mansion owned by Lady Milton where he son has created a hotel to try and prop up their finances and is staging a murder mystery. There is a classic mystery, art theft, mistaken identity, a blizzard, a vicar who's lost his faith and delicious humor. It took a while to get going and there was some confusion with the many characters. Even a not my favorite Jackson Brodie is still a book to be savored and re-read. Thank you Kate Atkinson for writing another.

A fun, light romp with Jackson Brodie. Drank it down in a day. More of an amuse bouche than some of her longer books, but satisfying and clever and beautifully written, as always.

I received a temporary digital copy of Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson from NetGalley, Doubleday and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Two paintings have gone missing along with their owners' caretaker. Coincidence? Probably not, so when Jackson Brodie begins investigating, he is determined to find the connection.

I have not previously read a Jackson Brodie novel prior to reading Death at the Sign of the Rook and did not need to to understand the characters and the story, which was a relief. The book's synopsis gives the reader the impression that the plot is set within a murder mystery party, but that doesn't actually happen until 79% of the way into the book. I found that some characters, such as the Vicar, had little to no purpose within the story and their backstories were just page-fillers. The one redeeming quality of Death at the Sign of the Rook was the humor, which was at a few points laugh-out-loud funny. Okay read, but unless you are a Jackson Brodie series fan, I would skip this one.

Kate Atkinson's Death at the Sign of the Rook is the sort of steadily paced mystery that gradually builds in complexity and cleverly develops characters, making it a hard-to-put-down read, even if the pace never rally races (and who says a pace has to race?).

This novel is part of a series, and there were moments when I had to suss out ongoing relationshipst. Several of the central characters are not who they first appear to be, which makes issues of character—whether or not one is new to the series—interesting throughout.

This plot revolves around the disappearance of two art works—probably stolen, but not necessarily by those suspected and not necessarily for the reasons assumed. We also get a decaying manor house whose owners are rather ineptly trying to make ends meet by offering mystery weekends, so there's an element of comedy that works well with the more mysterious elements.

If you like "golden age" mysteries with limited bloodshed and generous complications, you'll enjoy this title—and may find yourself wanting to go back and read previous volumes. I'm thinking I'm headed in that direction.

I received a free electronic review cpy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

I love the Jackson Brodie books! I really enjoy Atkinson's characters, her descriptive passages about the British countryside and culture, and I never know where a book is headed. This one is no different. It did seem, however, very different from the other Jackson Brodie books. For one thing, Brodie is almost a secondary character in this mystery of missing paintings and family conflict. The real strength is in all the other characters and their stories and their connections. There were plenty of twists to keep me guessing until the very end. (Although I admit I did figure out the culprit(s) before the big reveal.)

Brodie is called in to find a missing painting that disappeared when an elderly lady died and her caregiver disappeared. At the same time a police officer is called to a manor house to investigate a missing painting that disappeared when a housekeeper disappeared. Yes, there are connections, and they are revealed slowly as the stories of the many characters are told. The biggest issue for readers is the sheer number of characters. There are the two families who are missing the paintings, the local vicar, local vet and her partner and brother, and the cast of a "murder mystery" who was hired to entertain the tourist guests. Since the chapters switch among all these storylines, it is sometimes confusing. Each story, though, is so well written and so engaging that it didn't really matter. Of course, the reader knows it will all be tied up by the end, and it is!

Although there's no murder in this book, it's definitely for fans of Agatha Christie and the recent films of her work or the "Benoit Blanc" movies - Knives Out and Glass Onion.

I was so excited to read another Jackson Brodie novel, no relation! However it wasn’t one of my favorites. Kate’s writing is always wonderful. I enjoyed the story line about the stolen paintings. Brodie was up to the investigation figuring out all the nuances to create a well thought out mystery. My disappointment came with the escaped convict. I felt like I was watching an old black and white horror movie with the monster lumbering around. It gave me a chuckle but the picture I drew in my mind took away some of the enjoyment I experienced the rest of the book. I will still read whatever she writes!

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday for this advance copy.

Big sigh. I love Kate Atkinson. I love Jackson Brodie. I was so excited for this book. And I just couldn’t get into it. I spent weeks and only made it 40 pages. I kept thinking maybe it was just bad timing but it’s feeling like a total slog for me. Thank you to Doubleday for the free book to review.

I've never read a Jackson Brodie novel before (and didn't realize this was the sixth installment in a well loved series) but I enjoyed this one enough to be interested in reading the others. It was charming and quirky with some truly laugh out loud moments and a delightful cast. As other reviewers have mentioned, I definitely got some Knives Out vibes and felt the spirit of Agatha Christie.

Kate Atkinson returns to the Jackson Brodie saga in high spirits and a distinctively playful touch, revisiting the British country house murder trope. Jackson, now a nebulously credentialled private investigator, is well into his sixties here; he's sort of teamed with an unwilling mentee, a millenial DS who wants nothing to do with him as a partner. Atkinson writes, as usual of late, with flawless control and measured humor. She handles the murder mystery aspects of her tale with a knowing knack for plotting and suspense and handles the whole climactic--and knockabout-- manor house sequence as if it's been sketched out by P..G. Wodehouse. All in all a delightful romp that doesn't forget its hero's admirably naive sense of justice.

Death at the Sign of the Rook is a mystery surrounding a family whose painting has gone missing. While the description talks about a murder mystery, this really doesn't come into play until well into the middle of book. We first meet a huge cast of characters within the town and learn about who they are. I had a hard time keeping track of everyone. My favorite part of this book is the humor incorporated throughout. Ultimately the plot just didn't do it for me. Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday for an ARC of this book.