Join Kate Atkinson to talk about STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG, our June Book of the Month, on Weds 22 June, 8-9pm

[TillyBookClub]

June's Book of the Month is the latest Number One bestseller from a much-requested Mumsnet favourite, Kate Atkinson. STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG is the fourth novel to feature former private detective Jackson Brodie. The story also introduces security chief Tracy Waterhouse, whose one moment of madness turns her steady world into a nightmare of fear and panic. As the plot dovetails and twists and weaves together, Jackson (who has spent a lifetime looking for missing people) now begins to learn those people don't always wish to be found.

Transworld are offering 50 copies of STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG to Mumsnetters. To bag your copy before they run out, email your name and address to [email protected], and put Mumsnet in the Subject bar.

We're delighted that Kate will be joining us on Wednesday 22 June, 8-9pm, so don't forget to join us to ask Kate about all her books, how she writes, her experiences of motherhood, what inspires her... See you then.

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Brilliant. I bought this last week when I was in England. I will read it and post a question.
By the by, I did love behind the scenes at the museum.

I just love the way Kate writes. The plot is always secondary for me- I so enjoy her characters' interior monologues.

It was years ago that I read Behind the Scenes, but when I am unfairly bad-tempered with my children, unavailable to them and not paying attention to their frustrations, I often think of one particular scene in that book. I forget the details, but the little girl has insisted on taking her toy bike or some such on an outing and she is getting on badly with it. Her mother is very withholding of concern. Too irritable and stressed to be able to care. It sticks in my mind as a symbol of 'not being good enough', and ironically it makes me feel a bit like the little girl as well as the mother: I chose to bring the bike/have children and now I am struggling to keep up.

i liked all the other books. I lost this one and tbh i dont miss it. got halfway through.
just thought the whole THING had got too drawn out. New characters please

I love all KA's books, especially Behind The Scenes, Human Croquet, and Not The End Of The World.... but I do, pettily, get a bit annoyed with the dodgy topography of York in Behind the Scenes!

SFXmum - noooooo! Julia is all wrong! The rest of the cast look how I imagine them though. Bit scared to watch it, I love the books so much.

Started Early kept me sane at the weekend when all the East Coast train services were cancelled and it took me 5 hours to get home! Few loose ends that I am intrigued/frustrated by.

I will think of a question by and by...

Julia should be blousier than that!
And Theo is meant to be massively overweight surely?

I'm not sure I really want to join this Q&A? I've been a fan of Kate since she won the Whitbread for BtSotM. Every book she has ever written has scarily uncanny connections to me. My OH laughs his head off at me freaking out.

For the latest book I'm about a third through and have 7 strong connections, I am getting more paranoid with every book! They are always set in a city I have lived in with people of an age and disposition similar to me or a close family member and same names in some cases. Lovell Park in this latest book features in the first chapter, well I did reading to the blind in a block of flats at Lovell Park on a high floor and I had to walk up the same stairs described. How the hell is she doing this!!!!! One connection is a coincidence 7 is sending me to medication :)

I love KA's books especially the Jackson Brodies. I just wish she would write more quickly.

Just finished started early, a fantastic reasd with brilliant characterisation. What I love about Kates writing is that it is so descriptive, it is visual. I can picture all these people as I read them.
So sad for the children that went 'missing' and no one noticed.

"Just finished started early" is a confusing thing to say. I'll be starting late with starting early, even though I have my free copy now. I'll take my dog.

Yy I could do with some grammar there!

Quick reminder that Case Histories is on telly tonight, BBC1 at 9pm :)

Yy I could do with some grammar there!

wheelybug, i've done the same as you - read Case Histories, haven't managed to read the other two yet, but am enjoying this one just as much. I don't feel I've missed anything, or that you have to have read the middle ones.

And quick reminder that anyone can ask Kate about any of her books, not just the crime ones. (Behind the Scenes one of my all-time favourites, so I'm attempting to edit down my questions down to a reasonable number...)

Behind the scenes was such a massive success. How did you cope with the pressure of following it up?
I love all of your books btw.

Thanks Tilly - I am reading hte second one at the moment as I am enjoying the tv adaptation so trying to get through them in book form before seeing them on TV. I might get through them all by 22nd, but otherwise I'll ask questions based on waht I've read so far.

I want to ask Kate if Jackson and Louise will ever get together. Properly. Please.

Only watched part of the TV series so far (recorded the rest), but I think the casting is superb. Jason Isaacs is a very broody Brodie (broody/Brodie - I'm sure that's no coincidence), and the rest of the cast are just as I imagined them, especially Sylvia Simms as Binky.

Not sure what my question is yet - will have a ponder....

am loving the TV series- in particular the wee girl playing Marley is just perfect and so funny. Not sure that natasha Little is right tho- Julis was always much more of a dippy hippy in my head - more helena Bonham Carter I think.
Jason Isaacs is a good choice as Jackson.

My question: am I being thick or did lots of hinges regarding the child not get explained? Only read once so not sure. And if not, will they be on a later book BECAUSE I REALLY REALLY WANT TO KNOW and also, did anyone else feel that Left Early was channeling Our Friends In The North?

Ooh, got my free copy, just read Case Histories then watched it on tv. I quite liked the adaptation, although I preferred the detail of the book. They had to cut out too much for tv.
Looking forward to my new read and thinking of some questions!

Just got my free copy so thanks to Transworld! Have read Case Histories and One Good Turn and started When will there be Good News? and have enjoyed them and recommended to a couple of friends.

I would like to ask if Kate has a border terrier? Her descriptions of the dog are spot on. My lovely girl is JUST like the first description we have of The Ambassador in the park. Border terriers are so clever and funny - they rock!