Case histories

No cover

Kate Atkinson: Case histories (2005, Doubleday, Black Swan)

304 pages

English language

Published Nov. 13, 2005 by Doubleday, Black Swan.

ISBN:
978-0-385-60799-5
Copied ISBN!

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (8 reviews)

"Case One: Olivia Land, youngest and most beloved of the Land girls, goes missing in the night and is never seen again. More than thirty years later, two of her surviving sisters, each achingly lonely in her own way, reunite when their cruel and distant father dies. There, among the clutter of their childhood home, they unearth a shocking clue to Olivia's disappearance." "Case Two: All of Theo's happiness is tied to his devoted daughter Laura. He delights in her wit, her effortless beauty, and selfless love, and in the fact that she's taken a position at his prestigious law firm. But on her first day on the job, a maniac storms into the office and turns Theo's world upside down." "Case Three: Michelle looks around one day and finds herself trapped in a hell of her own making. A very needy baby and a very demanding husband make her …

12 editions

Review of 'Case histories' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

While some of this book tried my patience (mostly in the sections about the Land sisters, which unfortunately dominated most of the book), this was a touching and enjoyable story about families dealing with loss, death, and closure in varying degrees. I found the two primary male characters to be the most likable - lovable, even - while the women left me cold. (Kind of an interesting thing, since the author mentioned in an interview in the back of this edition that it was her first time trying to write male characters.) I enjoyed the principle of this book and liked the way the family mysteries were intertwined, but I felt that the resolutions were all hasty and disappointing; not really as suspenseful or surprising as I'd hoped, with most of the twists being predictable. Overall I did enjoy the book and liked Kate Atkinson's writing style - especially her …

Subjects

  • Fate and fatalism -- Fiction.
  • Private investigators -- England -- Cambridge -- Fiction.