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

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.

Loved this

I read the previous books in this superb series but the reader added a lot . This is such a good story with so many great characters. Alrhough this is a mystery it is so much more. There is a lot of humor and pointed and precise observations. This entire series is special and should be read in order for full enjoyment.

Challenging and Thought Provoking

Kate Atkinson is a challenging author. If you read Life After Life you will understand her novels are not straightforward stories you can listen to unless you are paying close attention. That said I think her novels are wonderful and thought provoking. Her use of words and descriptive phrases is terrific. Look forward to more.

weirdly wonderful

Odd, disjointed, wordy, wonderful characters & language, beautifully narrated: would listen to anything else by this writer.

Enjoyable listen. Stands up to a second 'reading'

An interesting tale, well told. It is part mystery, part romance in the classical sense, part sheer entertainment. Note that it is part of a continuing series by Kate Atkinson. Something I wished I knew before starting this one.

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.