Started Early, Took My Dog

A Novel

By: Kate Atkinson

Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Waterhouse leads a quiet, ordered life as a retired police detective - a life that takes a surprising turn when she encounters Kelly Cross, a habitual offender, dragging a young child through town. Both appear miserable and better off without each other - or so decides Tracy, in a snap decision that surprises herself as much as Kelly.

Suddenly burdened with a small child, Tracy soon learns her parental inexperience is actually the least of her problems, as much larger ones loom for her and her young charge.

Meanwhile, Jackson Brodie, the beloved detective of novels such as Case Histories, is embarking on a different sort of rescue - that of an abused dog. Dog in tow, Jackson is about to learn, along with Tracy, that no good deed goes unpunished.

©2010 Kate Atkinson (P)2011 Hachette Audio

A lot to follow but worth it.

This was my go to book when I was grooming my dogs. I actually got excited to do the dogs because I got to listen to the story! Sad to have it end.

Great depth, but somewhat confusing

I am a great fan of Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie novels, but that said, they are always a bit confusing, this one especially as it swings rapidly between time periods and different characters’ points of view. Perhaps in written form it would be easier to follow. Also, even though each stands alone, it definitely helps to read the series in order as Jackson has quite a backstory and other characters often show up in later books. The strangest part of this one is that Jackson has mental conversations with ex-girlfriend Julia and ex-wife Josie during the course of the book, and one is never sure whether they are remembered or imagined, along with innumerable literary references. It does make for a rich tapestry, which is part of what I love about Atkinson’s writing, but be prepared for balancing upon shifting tectonic plates.

Finally, there are always unanswered questions and characters whose stories are bound to surface in future volumes.

Atkinson’s language is richly layered. Her character development makes you realize this is a totally inhabited world, imagined fully in the author’s mind - almost Tolkienian in depth. There is an over-reliance on coincidences, characters who just happen to be in the same place at the same time and whose threads become conveniently wound together, but that seems to be a general fault of the modern novel. Perhaps less Tolkienian and more Dickensian.

Poor Narration

I loved the audio version of the 3rd Jackson Brody mystery, but this one was a disappointment. The reader employs a small range of inflections and a sing-song manner. And, although these stories are always populated by characters who are down and out or struggling, these characters were universally bleak. Not much to like or admire in any of them.

Excellent Performance, tho better as a read book

I hold Kate Atkinson a very high standard, and I believe this would have been a better read than a listen, tho The narrator was excellent, I got very tired of listening to endless descriptions which if read, might have been alright. Hoping for a better next one.

Brilliant

I have read many Kate Atkinson books, and it shocks me that more people don’t know of her talent. I find her brilliant, and the narration of the books is always incredible.  I loved this one so much that I listened twice. There were some parts that I questioned as well so it filled in the gaps for me. It will be a sad day when I run out of Kate Atkinson novels.

Came for the Dog, stayed for the plot.

I, as another review did, got this book on a whim, and because I liked the title. I'm a sucker for dog stories, and if the word "Dog" is in the title, I will definitely check it out. This story follows two people who have, through some buried, previously unaknowledged, unfulfilled desires, acquired dependents that alter the course of their lives. The first is a man, a detective, who becomes the owner of a small dog, a Border Terrier. The other is a woman, a retired policewoman, who - in action completely outside of her previous experience- impulisvely "buys" a 5 year old girl from a preoccupied prostitute. Both of these characters must learn to live with and care for their new charges, and while they do not know each other, their lives become entwined by the course of events both past and present. At the heart of this story is a murder mystery, the circumstances of which unfold, curling back into time as the lives of the two main charaters hurtle forward. Other characters appear and become entangled in the plot as well, and the whole thing becomes a giant soup of chance meetings and twisted connections that are just as strange as real life. I really enjoyed the ride this story took me on, and loved all the characters I encountered. The only thing I never learned, as all the loose ends tied up, was why the book was titled as it was. Still, it is great fun, and Graeme Malcom is a terrific reader.

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT.

Kate Atkinson does a great job of combining the foibles of human behavior, irony, humor, all wrapped up in a mystery....couldn't be a better package. And the narrator, Mr. Malcolm does s superb job telling the story with a wry humor evident in his voice. A great pleasure, and I don't say that too often!

Good Listen

I find it interesting the way this author links her different books. They are not exactly a series, yet certain characters are echoed from earlier stories. For a murder mystery, this author provides more than just suspense: Her prose and her POV techniques and her character development are worthy of a more literary genre.

Some mystery; much pathos. Many characters.

This was an effective book. Complicated story, many characters to keep track of. Too much back story on almost everyone of them. However, in the end, Kate Atkinson delivered a credible tale of why a murder occurred years before, and why it was so effectively covered up until some of the investigators decided to look into it again. In addition to the mystery there is much examination of the pain resulting from bad decisions made among family members in a complex web of relationships.

Kept putting me to sleep; edit: now I love it!

Any additional comments?
I enjoyed Case Histories show on PBS the last two years so decided on a whim to download When Will There Be Good News and was surprised at the depth the show had to leave out. I thoroughly enjoyed that book and was very impressed with that reader, so I downloaded the other two available titles in the series. I was really looking forward to this as it's the only one that would be completely new as the others were dramatized in the TV series. I don't know if this book is that much duller or if I don't react as well to the reader, but it was quite a let down. I'll probably try again soon to see if I was just not in the right mood or was too tired when I tried to listen.
Edit:
Second listen was much better; it's now a go-to when I need something relaxing and fun. I love Atkinson's humor and seem to pick up something new each time I listen. Strange, since I relisten to books when I need something without having to pay close attention.