Case histories

One of my favourite books is 'Case histories' by Kate Atkinson, also known for her novel 'Behind the scenes at the museum'. Case histories has now been made into a BBC series and the first part starts on Sunday 5th June at 9pm starring Jason Isaacs as Jackson Brodie the lead character. It has been filmed in Edinburgh and I am looking forward to seeing if the TV series does the book justice. 'Case histories' is one of those books which has an absolutely absorbing first chaper and is unputdownable thereafter. It is basically a detective mystery novel but so much more. If you become hooked on this Jackson Brodie tale then you will be pleased to know that there are another three thereafter. The other three are: 'One good turn', 'When will there be good news', and 'Started early, took my dog' (great title that last one!)

For more information on Kate Atkinson's novels: http://www.kateatkinson.co.uk/

For details of the TV series: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011whc9/

Dark matter:a ghost story by Michelle Paver

I really enjoyed Michelle Paver's children's series - Chronicles of ancient darkness - and having seen her talking about Dark matter on a television book show I had high hopes of this her first book for adults.

The book is set in 1937 and is about a group of young men who go to the Arctic on a scientific expedition. The five young men are left with their eight huskies to survive the dark Arctic winter alone. A series of events mean that eventually Jack, the main charcter, is left on his own with the huskies unable to leave because the sea freezes and there is no way to leave even if he wants to. But is Jack really alone, or is there a ghost walking the ice and wanting revenge?

The book is well written and very descriptive but I thought the ghostly presence was just a bit too obvious and far from original. I had expected something more of a scientific phenomenon to be the cause of Jack's unease given the 'dark matter' of the title. Not as terrifying as all the reviews would have you believe and ghost notwithstanding Jack is never entirely alone. But worth a read if only for the interesting insight into preparing for an Arctic expedition in the late 1930s.