September 15, 2020
When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
A six year old child witnesses the brutal murder of her mother and siblings; 30 years later, the 16 year old baby-minder is the only one concerned when a mother and her child go missing; an ex-detective is convinced that his ex-girlfriend's child is his son and is dragged back into detective work by his ex-boss. Four separate lives, each with their own tragedies and flaws, and four separate story lines are woven together.
There are a lot of good reviews for this book, but this isn't one of them. Although this book is supposed to be a mystery or thriller, it is more about dysfunctional families. The first 150 pages of the book really drag and I found myself skimming the rest of the book. The plot is confusing and there are too many characters introduced who serve no point in the story. Do we really need to have the back story and ruminations of every character in the book?
The bright spot in the book is 16 year old Reggie, an "old soul" who is street-smart, loyal, and prepared for emergencies. She is the link between the characters in the book and the true heroine of the story.
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