I've run out of superlatives for these books. They are a brilliant re-imagining of the whodunit genre. Instead of the usual cardboard cut out characters and a strong plot, these books are rounded characters stumbling to a solution of a crime.

This one is at least as good as the fantastic first outing of Jackson Brodie. ( )

This book, despite its violent premise and tough scenes, is a compelling read thanks to Atkinson's dark sense of humour which alleviates the tone. I really enjoyed the strong female leads and their unique personalities that did not rely on quirks as is often the case in detective fiction. Although it seems to be part of a series, it's fine to read as a standalone, although I'm now definitely curious to read more in the same vein.
A very original and addictive read. ( )

So bad, no badly narrated, that I had to give up. ( )

What I'm enjoying the most about this series is Jackson Brodie, wondering what incarnation he will take this time. I'm also frustrated and sort of disappointed in Jackson, because it seems like no matter what he does, misfortune just follows him. Maybe I feel like I can relate, a little. But in this case, the book's title is very fitting, because once again Jackson and the people in his orbit are magnets for bad shit happening. The characters here include a woman who has grown up into a functioning human after surviving an attack as a child that killed most of the rest of her family, and a girl who seems to be surrounded by death. There is also Louise, whose unfulfilled flirtation with Jackson drives both of them to distraction, despite both having ostensibly moved on from it. All these threads are brought together, in Atkinson's now-familiar narrative style, by a huge, life-changing event. "Everywhere you looked there was unfinished business and unanswered questions," Jackson muses near the end, and for the first time in this series I find myself wanting to move right into the next installment. But since it also appears to be the last (for now), I'll pace myself and stretch it out a little. ( )

Not what you might expect, being part in the series. Without giving too much away, I just say that Jackson Brodie is not in the centre of the action, although, at the same time, he kind of is. I like Atkinson's way of building characters and making use of coincidences, the same goes for this one as well. I enjoyed this! ( )