BIG SKY
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BIG SKY ‘Kate Atkinson never disappoints and Big Sky, her fifth Jackson Brodie novel, is the standout read of the summer. It’s a masterclass in brilliant writing, and whether you’ve read the earlier books in the series or not, you’ll enjoy it.’ Independent ‘A masterclass in what can be done with crime fiction, brilliantly using the form to expose what Atkinson bleakly describes as “one more battle in the war against women”.’ Joan Smith, Sunday Times ‘Big Sky is laced with Atkinson’s sharp, dry humour, and one of the joys of the Brodie novels has always been that they are so funny.’ Stephanie Merritt, Observer ‘Atkinson weaves a magically absorbing world, full of crossed paths and coincidences. Her sublime turn of phrase, impeccable gallows humour, beautifully drawn characters and complex plotting make for a fabulously entertaining and moving book. It can be enjoyed as either a standalone mystery or a very welcome reunion with an old friend.’ Sunday Mirror ‘Big Sky has all the sizzle of a British fry-up; Ms Atkinson’s evocation of the beauty and desolation of faded seaside resorts is unerring. Several stories are woven into a seamless plot, with the help of credible-seeming twists of fate. And there is just enough unfinished business to leave readers impatient for [Brodie’s] next outing.’ Economist ‘Atkinson brings back her much-loved PI Jackson Brodie for a tightly plotted tale . . . The real mystery here is the human heart, with Atkinson serving up an acute and believable look at the state of Britain today.’ i
‘Atkinson’s nimble and endearing skill . . . is to take the determinedly domestic, find the wry, sometimes waspish humour in it, and yet reveal something profoundly humane . . . You finish Big Sky feeling battered – but thoroughly cheered up.’ Siobhan Murphy, The Times ‘He [Jackson] is one of the few characters in modern crime fiction so fully realized that one can imagine him living a life outside the books . . . By some alchemy Atkinson makes her sad stories supremely funny, even uplifting.’ Sunday Telegraph ‘With a many-tentacled storyline distilling some of the more disturbing headlines of recent years, this dark material proves supremely compulsive . . . Brodie brings out the best in Atkinson, partly because he’s a handy peg for what tends to come across as her regretful sense of bemusement about modern Britain.’ Metro ‘I can’t get enough of Jackson Brodie . . . he may well be the great fictional detective of our age . . . her bunch of seemingly ordinary but deeply fascinating characters . . . seem so real that you come to care about them like your oldest friends.’ Sunday Express ‘This clever page-turner tackles some sobering subjects, but the real draw is the return of Jackson Brodie, the dour but big-hearted private investigator.’ Telegraph ‘Atkinson has long been the standard bearer for literary crime fiction, and Big Sky sports her customary elegance . . . Once again, a vividly drawn cast of characters adorns a complex plot.’ Financial Times
Also by Kate Atkinson Behind the Scenes at the Museum Human Croquet Emotionally Weird Not the End of the World Life After Life A God in Ruins Transcription featuring jackson brodie Case Histories One Good Turn When Will There Be Good News? Started Early, Took My Dog
BIG SKY Kate Atkinson
TRANSWORLD TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS PUBLISHERS 61–63 61–63 Uxbridge Uxbridge Road, Road, London London W5 W5 5SA 5SA www.penguin.co.uk www.penguin.co.uk Transworld Transworld is is part part of of the the Penguin Penguin Random Random House House group group of of companies companies whose whose addresses addresses can can be be found found at at global.penguinrandomhouse.com global.penguinrandomhouse.com
First First published published in in Great Great Britain Britain in in 2019 2019 by by Doubleday Doubleday an an imprint imprint of of Transworld Transworld Publishers Publishers Black Black Swan Swan edition edition published published 2020 2020 Copyright Copyright © © Kate Kate Costello Costello Ltd Ltd 2019 2019 Kate Kate Atkinson Atkinson has has asserted asserted her her right right under under the the Copyright, Copyright, Designs Designs and and Patents Patents Act Act 1988 1988 to to be be identifi identified ed as as the the author author of of this this work. work. This This book book is is aa work work of of fi fiction ction and, and, except except in in the the case case of of historical historical fact, fact, any any resemblance resemblance to to actual actual persons, persons, living living or or dead, dead, is is purely purely coincidental. coincidental. Every Every effort effort has has been been made made to to obtain obtain the the necessary necessary permissions permissions with with reference reference to to copyright copyright material, material, both both illustrative illustrative and and quoted. quoted. We We apologize apologize for for any any omissions omissions in in this this respect respect and and will will be be pleased pleased to to make make the the appropriate appropriate acknowledgements acknowledgements in in any any future future edition. edition. A A CIP CIP catalogue catalogue record record for for this this book book is is available available from from the the British British Library. Library. ISBN ISBN 9780552776660 9780552776660 (B (B format) format) 9781784165246 9781784165246 (A (A format) format) Typeset (UK), Milton Keynes. Typesetin 10.57/12.85pt Bembo Typeset inin11.75/14.25pt 11.75/14.25pt Bembo by by Jouve Jouve (UK), (UK),Milton MiltonKeynes. Keynes. Printed Printed and and bound bound in in Great Great Britain Britain by by Clays Clays Ltd, Ltd, Elcograf Elcograf S.p.A. S.p.A. Penguin Penguin Random Random House House is is committed committed to to aa sustainable sustainable future future for for our our business, business, our our readers readers and and our our planet. planet. This This book book ® is is made made from from Forest Forest Stewardship Stewardship Council Council® certifi certified ed paper. paper.
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Before Enlightenment I chopped wood and carried water. After Enlightenment I chopped wood and carried water.
Zen saying ‘I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against.’
Malcolm X
For Alison Barrow
Eloping ‘So what now?’ he asked. ‘A quick getaway,’ she said, shucking off her fancy shoes into the passenger footwell. ‘They were killing me,’ she said and gave him a rueful smile because they’d cost a fortune. He knew – he’d paid for them. She had already removed her bridal veil and tossed it on to the back seat, along with her bouquet, and now she began to struggle with the thicket of grips in her hair. The delicate silk of her wedding dress was already crushed, like moth wings. She glanced at him and said, ‘As you like to say – time to get the hell out of Dodge.’ ‘Okay, then. Let’s hit the highway,’ he said and started the engine. He noticed that she was cupping the bowl of her belly where she was incubating an as yet invisible baby. Another branch to add to the family tree. A twig. A bud. The past counted for nothing, he realized. Only the present had value. ‘Wheels up, then,’ he said and put his foot down on the gas. * 1
On the way, they made a detour up to Rosedale Chimney Bank to stretch their legs and look at the sunset that was flooding the vast sky with a glorious palette of reds and yellows, orange and even violet. It demanded poetry, a thought he voiced out loud, and she said, ‘No, I don’t think so. It’s enough in itself.’ The getting of wisdom, he thought. There was another car parked up there, an older couple, admiring the view. ‘Magnificent, isn’t it?’ the man said. The woman smiled at them and congratulated the ‘happy couple’ on their wedding and Jackson said, ‘It’s not what it looks like.’
2
One Week Earlier
Anderson Price Associates Katja scrutinized Nadja’s make-up. Nadja posed for her as if she were taking a selfie, cheeks sucked in like a corpse, mouth pouted extravagantly. ‘Yeah. Good,’ Katja pronounced finally. She was the younger of the two sisters but was by far the bossier. They could be twins, people always said. There were two years and one and a half inches between them. Katja was the smaller and the prettier of the two, although they were both petite and shared the same shade of (not entirely natural) blonde hair, as well as their mother’s eyes – green irises encircled by grey. ‘Hold still,’ Nadja said and brushed an eyelash off Katja’s cheek. Nadja had a degree in Hospitality Management and worked at the Radisson Blu, where she wore a pencil-skirted suit and two-inch heels and tidied her hair away in a tight bun while she dealt with complaining guests. People complained all the time. When she got home to her shoe-box apartment she shook her hair free and put on jeans and a big sweatshirt and walked around barefoot and no one complained because she lived on her own, which was the way she liked it. 5