Started Early, Took My Dog is the 4^th and latest installment of Kate Atkinson’s wonderful crime drama series featuring private detective Jackson Brodie.  Jackson is a tough guy with a heart of marshmallow, a forty-something former police detective, now semi-retired private investigator who has seen as much tragedy in his personal life as he has in his professional life.  Almost universally misunderstood by women, Jackson’s relationships constantly haunt him.  And despite all the experience he has had with the dark side of human behavior, he still has a profound sense of decency and an almost compulsive urge to do the right thing – which usually leads him into all sorts of dangerous and complex situations.

This story is set in the English city of Leeds.  There are actually three stories that intersect, at various times, a characteristic of Kate Atkinson’s braided writing style, and part of her brilliance.  These stories revolve mostly around policemen and women who, with the best of intentions, break the law, and create a web of trouble that spans about thirty years.

In one of his impulsive moments of “doing the right thing”, Jackson steals an abused dog from his brutal owner.  How he manages to balance the needs of his new companion and his gritty and unpredictable life brings many humorous moments to the novel. 

Put this one on your reading list!