Jason Brody returns to his life as a private detective, a profession he once left behind. This new chapter is marked by a dual focus: tackling client assignments while relentlessly searching for his second wife, Tessa. The revelation that Tessa, an archaeologist in his eyes, was actually a con artist who emptied his bank account and vanished, still stings. While not financially ruined, thanks to the delayed sale of his French home, the betrayal fuels his search.
The narrative kicks off with a client’s case: an individual adopted in early childhood seeking to find their biological parents. This quest leads Jason to Leeds, setting the stage for a series of unexpected events. Almost concurrently, Jason finds himself rescuing a Jack Russell terrier from an abusive owner. This act of kindness coincides with another rescue: a female security guard, a former police officer, intervenes to save a young girl from her drug-addicted, prostitute mother. The security guard, familiar with the mother’s history of neglecting her children, makes the difficult decision to buy the girl, an act that, while ethically questionable, is framed as a compassionate intervention by a single woman.
Parallel to these developing storylines is the poignant journey of Tilly, an elderly former actress grappling with senile dementia. Despite her failing mind, she lands a role playing the protagonist’s mother in a crime series. Tilly’s narrative is largely characterized by her fading memories, particularly of a close friend from her youth, Phoebe, a celebrated actress. In the 1970s, Phoebe allegedly stole Tilly’s lover, a fashion director. Tilly also reflects on a lost romance with an employee of the Zimbabwean embassy, a relationship tragically cut short by a botched abortion on Tilly’s part during a later pregnancy. This medical complication left her unable to have more children.
The novel explores the complex dynamics of parenthood, contrasting the suffering of those with disobedient or indifferent children with the deep longing of those who desire them. Jason, alongside his newfound canine companion, becomes entangled in various predicaments. Meanwhile, the narrative weaves in a thirty-year-old cold case: police responding to a neighbor’s complaint about a foul odor discover a severely emaciated young boy in the apartment of a deceased drug-addicted prostitute.
In the end, the author masterfully ties together these seemingly disparate threads, ensuring that justice is served and characters receive their due. However, the specific role Tilly plays in the overarching narrative remains somewhat unclear to the reader. Similarly, the character of Trixie, the police officer willing to go to extreme lengths to keep the girl she “rescued,” lacks full conviction. The underlying message of the novel suggests a bleak reality: law enforcement officers are not entirely dissimilar to the criminals they pursue, both being predatory in their own ways.
This installment, “Чуть свет с собакою вдвоем” (which can be translated as “At First Light with a Dog”), marks the fourth novel in Kate Atkinson’s series featuring Jason Brody. While the book is highly commendable, the reader expresses a desire to pause their reading of this particular series for a while, with only the fifth book remaining. The interest in Atkinson’s work was sparked by an audiobook gift, prompting a return to the beginning of the series. The initial books provided an engaging escape, a welcome distraction from current events. However, this latest installment, while excellent, doesn’t quite reach the ecstatic level of the earlier ones, hence the decision to take a break.
The story continues to delve into Jason Brody’s personal and professional life as a private detective. His search for the deceptive Tessa is ongoing, a significant personal mission intertwined with his casework. The Leeds investigation, involving the search for birth parents, takes an unexpected turn with the rescue of the Jack Russell terrier and the intervention of the former police officer with the young girl. These concurrent events highlight the author’s skill in weaving multiple plotlines, exploring themes of betrayal, rescue, and the search for belonging.
The exploration of Tilly’s past, her relationships, and her struggles with dementia adds a layer of poignant reflection on memory, loss, and the passage of time. Her story, intertwined with that of Phoebe and a lost love, provides a counterpoint to the more immediate, crime-focused narratives. The novel ultimately questions the nature of good and evil, suggesting that the lines can be blurred, even among those tasked with upholding the law.
