When Will There Be Good News? cover art

When Will There Be Good News?

(Jackson Brodie)

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When Will There Be Good News?

By: Kate Atkinson
Narrated by: Steven Crossley
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The third Jackson Brodie novel, winner of Richard & Judy's Best Read: literary crime from the number-one bestselling author of Big Sky and Transcription.

In a quiet corner of rural Devon, a six-year-old girl witnesses an appalling crime. Thirty years later the man convicted of the crime is released from prison.

In Edinburgh, sixteen-year-old Reggie, wise beyond her years, works as a nanny for a G.P. But her employer has disappeared with her baby, and Reggie seems to be the only person who is worried. Across town, Detective Chief Inspector Louise Monroe is also looking for a missing person, unaware that hurtling towards her is a former acquaintance – Jackson Brodie – himself on a journey that becomes fatally interrupted.

'An exhilarating read. Her wry humour, sharp eye for the quirks of human behaviour and subtle characterisation are a constant joy' Daily Mail

© Kate Atkinson 2008 (P) Penguin Audio 2014

 Cosy Crime Fiction Mystery Police Procedurals Private Investigators Fiction Crime Witty Funny Suspense

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Critic reviews

By becoming a crime writer she has - in a way that other "literary" types may wish to note - become a better literary writer than ever: funny, bracingly intelligent and delightfully prickly . . . Kate Atkinson is that rarest of beasts, a genuinely surprising novelist
Atkinson's genius is her sure control of plot . . . immaculately - even lovingly - paced, and it is a measure of Atkinson's talent that I read it in one sitting . . . insightful, often funny, life-affirming
An exhilarating read. Her wry humour, sharp eye for the quirks of human behaviour and subtle characterisation are a constant joy...with writing of this quality, there is good news on every page
An intricately crafted tale of coincidence and fate, love and longing. From the get-go, Atkinson's pitch-perfect ear for dialogue is apparent . . . As in the best crime fiction, dramatic events and unexpected twists abound, but Atkinson subverts the genre by refusing to neatly tie up every thread. And while there is plenty of blood and bitterness, redemption and resolve are well represented too. Good news all around
Atkinson's world is full of bizarre accidents and meaningless murders, but she celebrates love, laughter and literature so wholeheartedly that I cheered aloud. She is one of the most eccentric of crime writers, and perhaps the sanest. Everybody should read her
Full of unsolved mysteries and suspense. It is one of those rare fictions that defies categorisation, creating a milieu that is a recognisable version of the real world but inflected with its author's preoccupations...contains startling moments of truth, and its insights into human nature are simply superb
The good news, of course, is that here is another Jackson Brodie thriller from the brilliant Kate Atkinson. The even better news is that . . . it's the most enthralling to date
Another faultless display by Kate Atkinson . . . Like the other titles in the Jackson Brodie series, this one plays with the tenets of the crime genre without ever sacrificing the essence of wit and nuance which make Atkinson's novels such jubilant reads
In this gripping new thriller by Kate Atkinson we are plunged into the heart of darkness . . . Suspense is tinglingly maintained throughout . . . shot through with wry wit and gritty realism
One of those writers who effortlessly bridges the gap between commercial and literary fiction (FAY WELDON)
All stars
Most relevant
I have read and listened to all of the books in the Jackson Brodie series so far. I love the different plots in the books and this one is another super plot with a lot of humour and a few unexpected turns. But it is the characters in these books that have kept me captivated. Steven Crossley really brings the characters to life and I love his different voices for them. Overall, just a thoroughly pleasant and easy going book.

Simply splendid

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

What can I say? Kate never fails to deliver. Made all the more intresting because I live in Cambridge where it is set.

What did you like best about this story?

A great twisty plot with lots of sub stories all slowly coming together.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Any additional comments?

Buy it.

Another classic

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Steven Crossley reads very well, but he is hopeless at women’s voices and Scottish accents. Since the majority of the main characters are female and from Edinburgh , wouldn’t it have made sense to have it read by a woman from Edinburgh? The quavery gentility of every single woman in the dramatis personae gets irritating beyond endurance. He also seems to think a Glasgow accent is just an Edinburgh one but growlier. Come on, Audible, we have plenty of people who can read in Scotland.

Unsuitable reader.

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I love all the Jackson Brodie books but decided to buy paper copies of the last two in the series as I kept being disappointed by the narrator. This one - the narration itself is good but the character voices for nearly all the females and especially the younger girls / women are ridiculous and ruined the listen for me. Brilliant, funny, satisfying story though.

Narrator limitations

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I did enjoy it but I found the plot, particularly events concerning Jackson himself very unlikely and contrived given the character we have got to know.

Enjoyed it, but a little contrived

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