When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson

I selected this book because I liked the title - in these rough times "When Will There be Be News?" seems like an apt question.

The book begins 30 years ago, when a woman and her three children are walking along a rail road track in Scotland. A man springs from out of nowhere and proceeds to murder the family. Only one child, Joanna is able to escape when her mother yells to her: "Run Joanna Run!"

Joanna grows up to be a very kindly doctor who has a baby boy. Her mother's helper is Reggie a 16-year-old orphan who lets everyone think her mother is still alive.

Reggie is fond of her employer and is very devoted. When Joanna is informed that her family's murderer is out of prison. Joanna disappears and only Reggie seems to care.

Two other main characters in the book are Lousie, a police detective, and Jackson, a former policeman. At first it seemed that these two characters had their own separate stories but, eventually, you could see how the stories all entwined.

Another subplot in the book concerned Reggie's n'er do well brother, Billy. I admit that dyslexia or inattention made me got lost in that subplot.

I enjoyed Atkinson's writing and having the story set in Scotland added interest. Sometimes I had a little bit of trouble understanding the vernacular of the location, however.

The best part of the story for me was the relationship between Reggie and Joanna. Both had been through early childhood traumas and seemed to understand each other.

This was a good book -- partly a mystery, partly a thriller, partly a coming of age story.