Review
The prolific Kate Atkinson once again shows herself to be a master at crafting literary mystery with
Started Early, Took My Dog. Unlike many mysteries, where the action is plot-driven (characters conveniently appear to carry things along), Kate Atkinson uses murder and mayhem to flesh out her characters and the dastardly crimes that define who they are and what they're capable of.
Her characters are quirky, snarky, flawed, and world weary - not an archetypal hero to be found among the lot. They ponder the wisdom of past choices they've made as well as those they are currently dealing with. In some cases, the decision to take action or to not must be made in mere seconds, and the fateful dilemmas in which they find themselves bring to mind the saying "timing is everything."
As circumstances unfold, characters continue to gain three-dimensionality. This is...
Beyond the Book
Does trying to decipher the meaning of British phrases make you raving bonkers?
Confused over all those acronyms used to identify British police officers? Do you find yourself reading and rereading certain sentences asking: What the heck does this mean? How is it that trainers don't seem to mind being tossed into a boot, and how do they fit in it anyway? Read on.
Police terms:
- nicked: stolen
- PC: Police Constable
- WPC: Woman Police Constable
- DC: Detective Constable
- DS: Detective Sergeant
- DI: Detective Inspector
- DCI: Detective Chief...
