Case Histories: A Novel

Atkinson chose a quote from the New Testament as the book’s epigraph: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Is this a fitting quote to begin the book? Why or why not? Which characters in the novel are “freed” by the truth?

While Case Histories is classified as a detective novel, it plays with and even subverts many rules of the genre. Do you think this is an effective strategy? Why or why not?

Atkinson weaves three cold case narratives together throughout the book. How do these cases shed light on one another and on the novel’s preoccupations and themes?

Black cats are a motif associated with luck and good fortune, and they appear throughout the novel. What is the role of luck in the novel? Consider its role in Jackson’s life as well as in the solutions to the various mysteries presented.

Case Histories deals with some very dark and horrific issues, including child abuse and murder. However, the novel can also be very funny at times. Analyze the role of humor in the novel, paying special attention to its role in Jackson’s characterization.

Sibling relationships play an important role in the novel, and there are several relationships described: Jackson and Niamh, the Land sisters, Laura and Jenny, Shirley and Michelle. Choose one set of siblings and, using textual support, explore their relationship. How does Atkinson characterize the siblings? How does this relationship connect to the novel’s ideas and themes?

As the father to a young daughter, Jackson keeps thinking of Theo’s loss with great sympathy. In what ways are the two men similar as fathers? In what ways are they different?

The novel is set in Cambridge, an English town divided between lofty universities and seedier neighborhoods. How does the novel’s setting inform its mood? In what ways does the setting affect the novel’s themes and ideas?