Customer Reviews
The good news is... Atkinson returns to form - By: BookWorm, 29 Nov 2008 
If you need a reminder of why Kate Atkinson is one of the UK's best authors, particularly after her last couple of offerings, this novel ought to do it. 'When Will There Be Good News' is a stronger novel than its two 'Jackson Brodie' predecessors, coming up towards the standard of Atkinson's earlier standalone books.
A page turningly good read, the plot is tighter & cleaner thanin 'One Good Turn' and, although there is still too much reliance on coincidence, it isn't as obvious. The character of Reggie, a spirited young nanny, is a breath of fresh air & she carries the story along, gluing together the various threads. Jackson Brodie & Louise Monroe, familiar from former novels, are also featured, but for me Reggie was definitely the star of the show.
The 'detective story' aspects worked better here thanin Atkinson's previous Jackson Brodie novels, probably because she has toned down the quirkiness, which doesn't sit well with a crime genre. There are still a couple of interesting twists & it certainly makes a change from the run-of-the-mill crime novel.
Atkinson's writing is always excellent, she's one of those truly great writers that you just want to keep reading. Even putting aside what she has to say, she always says it well, & I caught flashes of 'Behind the Scenes at the Museum' morein this novel thanin any of the others.
I would highly recommend this, even if you haven't liked the other 'Jackson Brodie' novels. If Atkinson writes more featuring the detective - which the open ending of this one suggests she will - I won't mind if it's this sort of quality.
Suspension of Disbelief Required! - By: Book Fiend, 26 Nov 2008 
If you can suspend your disbelief at the number of coincidences, this is a fantastic pacy read. I have to confess to enjoying it for the characters rather than the plot - Dr. Joanne Hunterin particular intrigued me & I found myself totally convinced by her, perhaps less so by the 16 year old Latin-loving Reggie, who was none the less a very attractive character. For me the plot was almost incidental but other readers would perhaps enjoy it for that alone. I feel it would make a wonderful BBC
serial or one-off film.
Brilliant! - By: RH, 17 Nov 2008 After reading Case Histories & One Good Turn I was looking forward to this & I was not disappointed.
Such intelligent writing with humour & class.
Thank you for a wonderful week of reading!
A Coincidence Is Just An Explanation Waiting To Happen - By: prisrob, 16 Nov 2008 Coincidence as defined by Webster "the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection." Kate Atkinson is a perfectionist when it comes to coincidence. Her mystery thrillers are made of such. Into each one she weaves a story that grabs us & soon we are ensconcedin the telling of the tale.
How to describe the beginning? A full cut madness that resultsin a family torn apart, one little girl, Joanna survives. She becomes a physician, a caring person with a husband & a baby son. Her Nanny is a young girl named Reggie. Reggie without family except for an outlaw brother, & the family she wants is with Joanna. Jackson Brodie, a private investigator embarking on a train trip to London, after traveling to Edinburgh to ascertain if he has a son. The train runs off its track & after almost bleeding to death he is saved by Reggie. The investigating office is Louise, an old friend to Brody. Louise has also brought news to Joanna. Coincidence? You decide.
One of the most interesting aspects of reading a Kate Atkinson novel is her mission to bring us the reason for living. How & why do we go on after trauma & grief. What do we do when we find the person we are married to may be the wrong one. When our loved ones die how do we go on? How do we know we have found what we needin life?
This is the third novel with Louise & Jackson Brodie as main characters. We know do we not that they are meant for each other? But Kate Atkinson seems to knock off the menin these women's lives. Why is that? Will Jackson Brodie & Louise find true happiness? I think not & that is not just a coincidence!
Highly Recommended. prisrob 11-08-08
One Good Turn: A Novel
Behind the Scenes at the Museum: A Novel
Too depressing - By: E. Davies, 07 Nov 2008 
I gave up reading this after the first few chapters, the dog body count was far too high for me to enjoy it, never mind the human one! I get enough depression & disasterin my own life I don't need to read it here. I usually love Kate Atkinson but every so often she produces a right minger (usually when she's trying too hard - see 'Emotionally Weird')
I hope the next one is more readable.
