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Our Noble Selves
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Expected 10 Sep 26It’s the summer of 1951 and everyone is looking to put the dark days of the war behind them. The government’s The Festival of Britain, a celebration of the country’s creativity, grit and ingenuity.
For foreign correspondent turned war reporter Harry Flynn, it might offer the chance of redemption after a bad war in the Far East and a peace that is proving no easier to negotiate. Having failed to resume his journalistic career, he reluctantly joins an oddball team of misfits, ne’er-do-wells and downright chancers helping to ready the Festival of Britain for launch.
Flynn’s attempts to resume some semblance of a romantic life also founder when one of his dates goes missing and he is deemed to be the last person to have seen her alive. Could he have been in some way responsible for her disappearance?
Little does he realize that the answer to some of his mounting problems may lie in the hands of a precocious, straight-talking thirteen-year-old called Veronica and a rather scruffy terrier who goes by the name of Mrs Betty…
Brilliantly plotted, witty and compelling, Our Noble Selves reaffirms Kate Atkinson’s place as one of the greatest chroniclers of our times.
For foreign correspondent turned war reporter Harry Flynn, it might offer the chance of redemption after a bad war in the Far East and a peace that is proving no easier to negotiate. Having failed to resume his journalistic career, he reluctantly joins an oddball team of misfits, ne’er-do-wells and downright chancers helping to ready the Festival of Britain for launch.
Flynn’s attempts to resume some semblance of a romantic life also founder when one of his dates goes missing and he is deemed to be the last person to have seen her alive. Could he have been in some way responsible for her disappearance?
Little does he realize that the answer to some of his mounting problems may lie in the hands of a precocious, straight-talking thirteen-year-old called Veronica and a rather scruffy terrier who goes by the name of Mrs Betty…
Brilliantly plotted, witty and compelling, Our Noble Selves reaffirms Kate Atkinson’s place as one of the greatest chroniclers of our times.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 10, 2026
10 people are currently reading
623 people want to read
About the author
Kate Atkinson
76 books12.4k followersKate Atkinson was born in York and now lives in Edinburgh. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award and she has been a critically acclaimed international bestselling author ever since.
She is the author of a collection of short stories, Not the End of the World, and of the critically acclaimed novels Human Croquet, Emotionally Weird, Case Histories, and One Good Turn.
Case Histories introduced her readers to Jackson Brodie, former police inspector turned private investigator, and won the Saltire Book of the Year Award and the Prix Westminster.
When Will There Be Good News? was voted Richard & Judy Book Best Read of the Year. After Case Histories and One Good Turn, it was her third novel to feature the former private detective Jackson Brodie, who makes a welcome return in Started Early, Took My Dog.
She is the author of a collection of short stories, Not the End of the World, and of the critically acclaimed novels Human Croquet, Emotionally Weird, Case Histories, and One Good Turn.
Case Histories introduced her readers to Jackson Brodie, former police inspector turned private investigator, and won the Saltire Book of the Year Award and the Prix Westminster.
When Will There Be Good News? was voted Richard & Judy Book Best Read of the Year. After Case Histories and One Good Turn, it was her third novel to feature the former private detective Jackson Brodie, who makes a welcome return in Started Early, Took My Dog.
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Indubitably a glorious and outlandish collation
Kate Atkinson has always been a joyous, lip-smacking ingester of language, as though words were the tastiest and most sustaining of morsels. And so it is here, in this dizzying, twisty-turny extravaganza of many things, set around and within the post-war horrors of PTSD experienced by surviving military veterans of the second world war, and the preparations for the 1951 Festival of Britain.
A group of these damaged ones, managing as best as they can, are colleagues in the organisation overseeing the Festival, design to lift the spirits of a population still feeling the effects of war on the home front. Central is Harry Flynn, ex journalist, and survivor of the conflict in the Far East, and its camps. Flynn, as he is known to all is a tender soul, deeply despairing, strangely attractive to women, possibly because he is, despite everything, without malice or harmful intent, even though he did walk out of a bad marriage, undertaken after the war was over, with Ivy, a forceful woman with her own agenda for making a marriage which was never going to benefit either of them. Flynn left behind not only Ivy, but his stepdaughter teenage Veronica, who appeared to disapprove of Flynn as much as her mother did, and her scruffy dog, Mrs Betty, the only one Flynn really regrets leaving.
The first half of the book is a slow weaving of a huge cast of eccentric characters involved in the Festival. And is wonderfully detailed, absorbing and sparkling with Atkinson’s delectable, seemingly effortless and precise humour. However…………..what, once the scene is properly set, ratchets up the page-turn is that the random disappearance of a stroppy and unpleasant Frenchwoman, Delphine Dubois, leads to a suspicion that she has been murdered, and the Flynn is the murderer, as he appears to be the last person to have seen her alive, and various other pieces of evidence, whether witnesses or material, point to him. The reader knows from the off that Flynn is not the culprit.
Veronica and Mrs Betty re-appear, and in their own, ridiculous and wonderfully Atkinsonesque way, turn out to be a marvellous and quirky solver of crimes. Both Veronica, and an equally wonderful, intelligent but linguistically challenged office boy ‘Boy’ become the clever and seamless way in which Atkinson’s playfulness with language can take wings and fly.
I have, hopefully, whetted some appetites here, whilst avoiding all spoilers. Having read, fairly recently, several books by writers who reminded me (to their detriment) of Atkinson, because they appeared, in their cases, effortfully to be trying to do what she does as if it were as simple as breathing, I ended up reading those authors with a sense of deeply missing Atkinson. Being offered this book by her, I have fallen on it like a woman fed a diet of porridge, who had been dreaming of a cornucopia of fresh and tasty fare, put together by a chef who understands flavours, piquancy, and how food should delight as well as nourish.
These gustatory overloads of this review are not out of place. Much is made, within this story, of the making of a cake, and also, as at the time this book is set, rationing was still in force, there is an understandable yearning for lashings of all things rich and tasty!
My only sorrow (boo!) is that the book had to end. Hint to readers, there are line drawings at the start of each chapter which show the way to walk round the exhibition’s various themes and rooms. Don’t ignore them, their subject matter and their relationship to chapter titles!
Kate Atkinson has always been a joyous, lip-smacking ingester of language, as though words were the tastiest and most sustaining of morsels. And so it is here, in this dizzying, twisty-turny extravaganza of many things, set around and within the post-war horrors of PTSD experienced by surviving military veterans of the second world war, and the preparations for the 1951 Festival of Britain.
A group of these damaged ones, managing as best as they can, are colleagues in the organisation overseeing the Festival, design to lift the spirits of a population still feeling the effects of war on the home front. Central is Harry Flynn, ex journalist, and survivor of the conflict in the Far East, and its camps. Flynn, as he is known to all is a tender soul, deeply despairing, strangely attractive to women, possibly because he is, despite everything, without malice or harmful intent, even though he did walk out of a bad marriage, undertaken after the war was over, with Ivy, a forceful woman with her own agenda for making a marriage which was never going to benefit either of them. Flynn left behind not only Ivy, but his stepdaughter teenage Veronica, who appeared to disapprove of Flynn as much as her mother did, and her scruffy dog, Mrs Betty, the only one Flynn really regrets leaving.
The first half of the book is a slow weaving of a huge cast of eccentric characters involved in the Festival. And is wonderfully detailed, absorbing and sparkling with Atkinson’s delectable, seemingly effortless and precise humour. However…………..what, once the scene is properly set, ratchets up the page-turn is that the random disappearance of a stroppy and unpleasant Frenchwoman, Delphine Dubois, leads to a suspicion that she has been murdered, and the Flynn is the murderer, as he appears to be the last person to have seen her alive, and various other pieces of evidence, whether witnesses or material, point to him. The reader knows from the off that Flynn is not the culprit.
Veronica and Mrs Betty re-appear, and in their own, ridiculous and wonderfully Atkinsonesque way, turn out to be a marvellous and quirky solver of crimes. Both Veronica, and an equally wonderful, intelligent but linguistically challenged office boy ‘Boy’ become the clever and seamless way in which Atkinson’s playfulness with language can take wings and fly.
I have, hopefully, whetted some appetites here, whilst avoiding all spoilers. Having read, fairly recently, several books by writers who reminded me (to their detriment) of Atkinson, because they appeared, in their cases, effortfully to be trying to do what she does as if it were as simple as breathing, I ended up reading those authors with a sense of deeply missing Atkinson. Being offered this book by her, I have fallen on it like a woman fed a diet of porridge, who had been dreaming of a cornucopia of fresh and tasty fare, put together by a chef who understands flavours, piquancy, and how food should delight as well as nourish.
These gustatory overloads of this review are not out of place. Much is made, within this story, of the making of a cake, and also, as at the time this book is set, rationing was still in force, there is an understandable yearning for lashings of all things rich and tasty!
My only sorrow (boo!) is that the book had to end. Hint to readers, there are line drawings at the start of each chapter which show the way to walk round the exhibition’s various themes and rooms. Don’t ignore them, their subject matter and their relationship to chapter titles!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s 1951 and the British government wants to put the dark days behind us and focus attention on the Festival of Britain. It’s a celebration of creativity as well as grit and determination. For war correspondent and POW Harry Flynn, it might just be the focus he needs to re-find what he lost in the Far East and so he joins an oddball bunch aiming to launch the Festival. It is indeed just the ticket, a harbour and a tonic for him and it helps restore some humour as well as camaraderie. He even attempts a date, albeit somewhat reluctantly, with Delphine Dubois and her subsequent disappearance suggests he may have been the last person to see her alive. Is he involved in someway? His problems mount but maybe these can be resolved thanks to Veronica, a very resourceful 13-year-old and her constant companion, a terrier called Mrs Betty.
I’ve read everything Kate Atkinson has written as she’s a truly fabulous writer and she’s come up yet again with a novel which is sure to be a best seller. There’s the usual trademark lively writing with humorous asides against the backdrop of the potential exhibits at the Festival – some weird, some eccentric, some whimsical, some futuristic and so on. The sense of time and place is terrific, the post war atmosphere of a country desperate to recover with the Festival of Britain symbolising that.
As for the plot, it’s a very entertaining blend of a mystery thriller, combined with an actual historical event, extraordinarily colourful characters, all delivered with the optimistic tone set by the Festival and a great deal of wit, especially in the dialogue. This is how we learn the origin of the title. Cheers. The author strikes a perfect balance between all the elements.
The characterisation is outstanding, especially of Harry and all those he works with, and those he meets along the way throughout the pre-festival months. Some are hilarious such as Veronica whose hollow legs and capacity for food is quite admirable, and Terrence, the office boy, and of course Mitzi Blinkhorn, a thinly disguised Fanny Craddock. Other characters have motives that are slightly more nefarious or secretive but they are all colourfully depicted.
The plot is busy but always clear as all the different strands meld together. I’m glad Harry‘s story in the Far East is only referred to peripherally, it’s there but not overdramatised. It’s perfectly in keeping with most World War II survivors and of course, the spirit of the festival. It’s a shame the festival buildings are removed bar the Festival Hall as there had been a great monument and sign post for the future.
Overall, I love everything about this book and was highly entertained from beginning to end. It also enables me to learn more about the Festival of Britain as that is so well researched. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K. Transworld for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
I’ve read everything Kate Atkinson has written as she’s a truly fabulous writer and she’s come up yet again with a novel which is sure to be a best seller. There’s the usual trademark lively writing with humorous asides against the backdrop of the potential exhibits at the Festival – some weird, some eccentric, some whimsical, some futuristic and so on. The sense of time and place is terrific, the post war atmosphere of a country desperate to recover with the Festival of Britain symbolising that.
As for the plot, it’s a very entertaining blend of a mystery thriller, combined with an actual historical event, extraordinarily colourful characters, all delivered with the optimistic tone set by the Festival and a great deal of wit, especially in the dialogue. This is how we learn the origin of the title. Cheers. The author strikes a perfect balance between all the elements.
The characterisation is outstanding, especially of Harry and all those he works with, and those he meets along the way throughout the pre-festival months. Some are hilarious such as Veronica whose hollow legs and capacity for food is quite admirable, and Terrence, the office boy, and of course Mitzi Blinkhorn, a thinly disguised Fanny Craddock. Other characters have motives that are slightly more nefarious or secretive but they are all colourfully depicted.
The plot is busy but always clear as all the different strands meld together. I’m glad Harry‘s story in the Far East is only referred to peripherally, it’s there but not overdramatised. It’s perfectly in keeping with most World War II survivors and of course, the spirit of the festival. It’s a shame the festival buildings are removed bar the Festival Hall as there had been a great monument and sign post for the future.
Overall, I love everything about this book and was highly entertained from beginning to end. It also enables me to learn more about the Festival of Britain as that is so well researched. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K. Transworld for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
" 'Now, now, no shop talk. I shall bring in the canapés, 'she said rather grandly, as if about to introduce new guests."
For 30 years Kate Atkinson has been a favourite author- stretching back to Behind The Scenes at the Museum through to historical novels and the brilliant Jackson Brodie series. Every novel is written with a wry observant humour and wisdom on the human condition.
Our Noble Selves continues this pathway of originality with a novel set around the 1951 Festival of Britain- the celebration of British life, history and the future to come -post WWII- on the South bank of London. Not being alive then I was aware of the event through family anecdotes as a child of the sixties and seventies.
The story is part thriller and part comedic/informative exploration of a team of people who are involved in the organisation of the event. Comedic in the sense that the camaraderie, observations of life at the Festival and the inter-play of dialogue is superb and pitch perfect capturing of the words and phrases of the period. ( echoes of grandparents and great aunts and uncles at family gatherings). Any book that can parody a Fanny Craddock-style cook has to be special .
The principal character is the brilliantly conceived Harry Flynn; serving after the war and a victim of imprisonment and slavery in Burma and one of the backroom team navigating their way through arrangements for the opening day of the Festival. Accompanied by Evans, Badger, Maud and The Boy, this ensemble is a magical creation - just the verbal interactions and observations from the group is worthy of a read. But as with Kate Atkinson books, there is a plot that runs deeper and in this instance it is the disappearance of a young woman from the Festival who Flynn meets one evening.
The attention to detail of the period and the description of events surrounding the celebrations are based on true events and just show truth is certainly stranger than fiction- or at least as surreal or bizarre.
This is a wonderful read - yes, there is a nostalgia to those old enough to have been on the tail end of the post war changes - but if you want an intelligently observed and cleverly plotted novel of intrigue, human connections and wonderful dialogue then Our Noble Selves is a winner
Highly recommended. and it would be rgreat to see the return of Harry Flynn and Veronica
Thank you to Doubleday publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy and an honest review.
Quotes:
" Long on obedience and short on enjoyment, it was meagre, empty kind of household, where the examined life was not encouraged and where love and affection were in short supply."
" Unlike Evans, Flynn found the Boy's ignorance refreshing. Knowledge was for the most parts a burden."
" The House of Commons would be a perfect home for his kind of sound and fury. It signified nothing."
" The lives and society of our Commonwealth brethren are represented by a 'steel-pan band" Wonderful though that is, it is hardly representative. Should there not be more recognition of the Empire's contribution to our prosperity?"
Wonderfully rich vocabulary featured in the novel:
Gallimaufry / Chicanery / Bailiwick / Waggery / Cauterized / Metonymical / Tumbril / Verbiage / Trinitarian inventory / Defenestrated
For 30 years Kate Atkinson has been a favourite author- stretching back to Behind The Scenes at the Museum through to historical novels and the brilliant Jackson Brodie series. Every novel is written with a wry observant humour and wisdom on the human condition.
Our Noble Selves continues this pathway of originality with a novel set around the 1951 Festival of Britain- the celebration of British life, history and the future to come -post WWII- on the South bank of London. Not being alive then I was aware of the event through family anecdotes as a child of the sixties and seventies.
The story is part thriller and part comedic/informative exploration of a team of people who are involved in the organisation of the event. Comedic in the sense that the camaraderie, observations of life at the Festival and the inter-play of dialogue is superb and pitch perfect capturing of the words and phrases of the period. ( echoes of grandparents and great aunts and uncles at family gatherings). Any book that can parody a Fanny Craddock-style cook has to be special .
The principal character is the brilliantly conceived Harry Flynn; serving after the war and a victim of imprisonment and slavery in Burma and one of the backroom team navigating their way through arrangements for the opening day of the Festival. Accompanied by Evans, Badger, Maud and The Boy, this ensemble is a magical creation - just the verbal interactions and observations from the group is worthy of a read. But as with Kate Atkinson books, there is a plot that runs deeper and in this instance it is the disappearance of a young woman from the Festival who Flynn meets one evening.
The attention to detail of the period and the description of events surrounding the celebrations are based on true events and just show truth is certainly stranger than fiction- or at least as surreal or bizarre.
This is a wonderful read - yes, there is a nostalgia to those old enough to have been on the tail end of the post war changes - but if you want an intelligently observed and cleverly plotted novel of intrigue, human connections and wonderful dialogue then Our Noble Selves is a winner
Highly recommended. and it would be rgreat to see the return of Harry Flynn and Veronica
Thank you to Doubleday publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy and an honest review.
Quotes:
" Long on obedience and short on enjoyment, it was meagre, empty kind of household, where the examined life was not encouraged and where love and affection were in short supply."
" Unlike Evans, Flynn found the Boy's ignorance refreshing. Knowledge was for the most parts a burden."
" The House of Commons would be a perfect home for his kind of sound and fury. It signified nothing."
" The lives and society of our Commonwealth brethren are represented by a 'steel-pan band" Wonderful though that is, it is hardly representative. Should there not be more recognition of the Empire's contribution to our prosperity?"
Wonderfully rich vocabulary featured in the novel:
Gallimaufry / Chicanery / Bailiwick / Waggery / Cauterized / Metonymical / Tumbril / Verbiage / Trinitarian inventory / Defenestrated
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There is one author guaranteed to give me a book hangover and that is Kate Atkinson. Every time I finish a new book (always binged, there is no restraint, no eeking out the pages) I get hit with a melancholy that it's over, that I have to leave the characters behind, sure that no book I read in the next few months will measure up. What is it about Atkinson? The superbly sharp characterisation? The dry, dark wit? The unexpectedness of the plotting, often racheted up to almost unbearable tenseness? The way she evokes time and place? The point perfect writing? Tick all of the above. She never descends to sentimentality and yet her books can be devastatingly sad if often, in the end, hopeful. I usually cry at least once.
So, as the tik tokers say, I was today old when I realised that the Royal Festival Hall on Southbank, a brutalist building I have walked past many times was, and you may be as surprised as me, built for a Royal Festival! If only there was some kind of clue in the name. A festival held in the early fifties to celebrate all that was Good About Britain in the dreary, still-rationed early 50s Britain. This is the setting for Our Noble Selves. Working at the festival is Harry Flynn, just about functioning probable alcoholic. irresistable to women for reasons he cannot fathom. survivor of the Burmese Railways. He shares an office with several other men, all with their own war scars buried surface deep, working against the clock as the opening date ticks nearer, heading back to his one room flat every night to drink whisky and try to forget the past. But when an evening out he doesn't even want to go on ends with a blackout and a black eye for Harry and the disappearance of his French date things turn very dark. The police and some colleagues seem to think he killed her despite the lack of body and Harry knows he is being set up. he just doesn't know by who or why but he didn't survive starvation and brutality to go down without a fight.
This is Atkinson at her best, unreliable and shady and twisty, superb sense of time and place leaving me feeling like I had set foot in the Festival, peopled with real, unforgettable, startling original characters. What she did superbly was convey the utter horror of Harry's past without it ever veering into exploitation with just a few never to be forgotten horrific details. A masterclass. Read it.
So, as the tik tokers say, I was today old when I realised that the Royal Festival Hall on Southbank, a brutalist building I have walked past many times was, and you may be as surprised as me, built for a Royal Festival! If only there was some kind of clue in the name. A festival held in the early fifties to celebrate all that was Good About Britain in the dreary, still-rationed early 50s Britain. This is the setting for Our Noble Selves. Working at the festival is Harry Flynn, just about functioning probable alcoholic. irresistable to women for reasons he cannot fathom. survivor of the Burmese Railways. He shares an office with several other men, all with their own war scars buried surface deep, working against the clock as the opening date ticks nearer, heading back to his one room flat every night to drink whisky and try to forget the past. But when an evening out he doesn't even want to go on ends with a blackout and a black eye for Harry and the disappearance of his French date things turn very dark. The police and some colleagues seem to think he killed her despite the lack of body and Harry knows he is being set up. he just doesn't know by who or why but he didn't survive starvation and brutality to go down without a fight.
This is Atkinson at her best, unreliable and shady and twisty, superb sense of time and place leaving me feeling like I had set foot in the Festival, peopled with real, unforgettable, startling original characters. What she did superbly was convey the utter horror of Harry's past without it ever veering into exploitation with just a few never to be forgotten horrific details. A masterclass. Read it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Readers familiar with Kate Atkinson’s novels expect memorable attention to detail, quirky characters, vivid settings and a carefully plotted narrative. ‘Our Noble Selves’ does not disappoint. Set in 1951 and focusing on a disparate group all involved in the organisation of the Festival of Britain, Atkinson reminds us of a country still fantasising about lashing of butter on tea cakes and with a general demeanour of beige and grey.
Harry Flynn, one time journalist and survivor of war in the East hopes to live a quiet life. A failed marriage under his belt, he is surprised when his adopted thirteen year old stepdaughter, Veronica, is foist upon him whilst her mother goes off to the Continent. Hurrah for Veronica. A pragmatist, comedian and quick thinker, she brings Harry unexpected joy. And he needs some joy in his life. For some reason, the police suspect him of the murder of a woman he hardly knows and clues to implicate him keep turning up. Has he become violent whilst under the influence of the many whiskeys with which he self-medicates?
Veronica is partial to murder mysteries and ‘Our Nobles Selves’ mimics this genre in some respects. We are not encouraged to become emotionally involved in this comic novel; the deaths are written more as plot convenience than horror. The hero Harry Flynn attracts women aplenty but goodness knows why. MI5 come and go; the police bungle and good overcomes evil.
Atkinson’s latest novel certainly entertains and it is interesting to learn something of the Festival of Britain. However, it’s the portrayal of the children that stands out for me. Veronica is enterprising, funny and tough, as is her counterpart the Boy. Would love to see them in Sixties London!
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Harry Flynn, one time journalist and survivor of war in the East hopes to live a quiet life. A failed marriage under his belt, he is surprised when his adopted thirteen year old stepdaughter, Veronica, is foist upon him whilst her mother goes off to the Continent. Hurrah for Veronica. A pragmatist, comedian and quick thinker, she brings Harry unexpected joy. And he needs some joy in his life. For some reason, the police suspect him of the murder of a woman he hardly knows and clues to implicate him keep turning up. Has he become violent whilst under the influence of the many whiskeys with which he self-medicates?
Veronica is partial to murder mysteries and ‘Our Nobles Selves’ mimics this genre in some respects. We are not encouraged to become emotionally involved in this comic novel; the deaths are written more as plot convenience than horror. The hero Harry Flynn attracts women aplenty but goodness knows why. MI5 come and go; the police bungle and good overcomes evil.
Atkinson’s latest novel certainly entertains and it is interesting to learn something of the Festival of Britain. However, it’s the portrayal of the children that stands out for me. Veronica is enterprising, funny and tough, as is her counterpart the Boy. Would love to see them in Sixties London!
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m a huge Atkinson fan and I was delighted to be preapproved on NetGalley galley UK to read this new novel. It went straight to the top of my reading list.
I was reminded quite early on a thing I noticed when I’m reading all of Kate‘s books that she uses some more English words that I recognise but can’t use myself I’m left to checking them in the Kindle dictionary on multiple occasions during reading this book
It’s rather timeless book written perhaps in the style of a 50s novel which follows a group of people who are all working together at the festival of Britain organisation offices in the 1950s we mainly follow Harry Flynn who works in this office. It’s a spy novel really I suppose one of the women that he has been seeing informally disappears and he gets a few accused of murdering her. We meet a whole selection of other characters, some of whom turn out to be spies, there’s a lot of double crossing and daring does going on. I’m not much good at keeping up with stories where there are lots of different characters and I did find myself lost on a few occasions reading this one. It moves along quite speedily and is an enjoyable fast paced read.
I didn’t really find myself loving the main character and felt that the character definition in this novel was not as great as I would’ve liked
I loved several Atkinson‘s previous novels in particular life after life and I’m afraid this one doesn’t quite get the same amount of love from me as that.
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK in return for an honest review. The book is published in the UK on the 10th of September 2026 by random house UK Transworld publishers
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, StoryGraph, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com after publication it will also appear on Amazon and Waterstones
I was reminded quite early on a thing I noticed when I’m reading all of Kate‘s books that she uses some more English words that I recognise but can’t use myself I’m left to checking them in the Kindle dictionary on multiple occasions during reading this book
It’s rather timeless book written perhaps in the style of a 50s novel which follows a group of people who are all working together at the festival of Britain organisation offices in the 1950s we mainly follow Harry Flynn who works in this office. It’s a spy novel really I suppose one of the women that he has been seeing informally disappears and he gets a few accused of murdering her. We meet a whole selection of other characters, some of whom turn out to be spies, there’s a lot of double crossing and daring does going on. I’m not much good at keeping up with stories where there are lots of different characters and I did find myself lost on a few occasions reading this one. It moves along quite speedily and is an enjoyable fast paced read.
I didn’t really find myself loving the main character and felt that the character definition in this novel was not as great as I would’ve liked
I loved several Atkinson‘s previous novels in particular life after life and I’m afraid this one doesn’t quite get the same amount of love from me as that.
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK in return for an honest review. The book is published in the UK on the 10th of September 2026 by random house UK Transworld publishers
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, StoryGraph, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com after publication it will also appear on Amazon and Waterstones
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a free advance review copy of Our Noble Selves by Kate Atkinson from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
This novel follows Flynn, a former prisoner of war, alongside a cast of mismatched characters who come together to plan and deliver the Festival of Britain in 1951. The idea of the festival as a kind of 'reset moment for the nation' stayed with me. I loved how the book captured that sense of hope while still acknowledging the weight of what had come before.
There’s a lot going on in this book; murder mysteries, sharp and often funny dialogue, and a wide range of characters, and it works. I found myself invested in them, particularly Flynn, Terence, and Veronica. Veronica, especially, arrived at just the right moment for me; I had been struggling slightly with the novel, and her wit completely lifted the energy. She and others made me laugh out loud more than once.
What I appreciated most was how the novel doesn’t shy away from the effects of war. Flynn’s experiences are woven in which makes them feel all the more real. At the same time, the planning of the Festival offers a sense of movement forward both personally and collectively.
I also really enjoyed the structure of the book, particularly the pages between chapters showing sketches of the different parts of the festival. It’s clear Kate Atkinson did a great deal of research, and I learned a lot about the Festival of Britain that I didn’t know before.
This is a book that will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction with depth, a touch of mystery, and genuinely witty writing. It’s thoughtful without being heavy and ultimately feels hopeful in a quiet way.
This novel follows Flynn, a former prisoner of war, alongside a cast of mismatched characters who come together to plan and deliver the Festival of Britain in 1951. The idea of the festival as a kind of 'reset moment for the nation' stayed with me. I loved how the book captured that sense of hope while still acknowledging the weight of what had come before.
There’s a lot going on in this book; murder mysteries, sharp and often funny dialogue, and a wide range of characters, and it works. I found myself invested in them, particularly Flynn, Terence, and Veronica. Veronica, especially, arrived at just the right moment for me; I had been struggling slightly with the novel, and her wit completely lifted the energy. She and others made me laugh out loud more than once.
What I appreciated most was how the novel doesn’t shy away from the effects of war. Flynn’s experiences are woven in which makes them feel all the more real. At the same time, the planning of the Festival offers a sense of movement forward both personally and collectively.
I also really enjoyed the structure of the book, particularly the pages between chapters showing sketches of the different parts of the festival. It’s clear Kate Atkinson did a great deal of research, and I learned a lot about the Festival of Britain that I didn’t know before.
This is a book that will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction with depth, a touch of mystery, and genuinely witty writing. It’s thoughtful without being heavy and ultimately feels hopeful in a quiet way.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Another storytelling triumph from Kate Atkinson, this time set in 1951, following Harry Flynn, a former POW still finding his way in the ‘real’ world after wartime experiences that would leave many broken and lost.
“From afar, Flynn had developed a certain affinity with the Lion and the Unicorn. He was, he felt, himself a figure of straw, insubstantial and unenduring”
Flynn finds himself as part of a team planning, overseeing, and stocktaking the Festival of Britain, alongside a cast of eccentric, engaging, and highly entertaining characters. Throw in a secondary plot involving a murdered French woman, the secret service, undercover fascists, and you have all the elements for this entertaining and informative novel. Tightly plotted, elegantly written, at times wonderfully farcical, this is a story I enjoyed immensely. Huge shout out for the characters of Veronica and ‘The Boy’, every moment they spent on the page was a joy to read, and I would pay good money for a book about the further adventures of these two!
And as the Festival of Britain” was designed to bring lightness, joy and celebration back to the British people we watch as Flynn begins to heal and find his role in the world once more (and certainly not one he ever expected). Highly recommended!
“From afar, Flynn had developed a certain affinity with the Lion and the Unicorn. He was, he felt, himself a figure of straw, insubstantial and unenduring”
Flynn finds himself as part of a team planning, overseeing, and stocktaking the Festival of Britain, alongside a cast of eccentric, engaging, and highly entertaining characters. Throw in a secondary plot involving a murdered French woman, the secret service, undercover fascists, and you have all the elements for this entertaining and informative novel. Tightly plotted, elegantly written, at times wonderfully farcical, this is a story I enjoyed immensely. Huge shout out for the characters of Veronica and ‘The Boy’, every moment they spent on the page was a joy to read, and I would pay good money for a book about the further adventures of these two!
And as the Festival of Britain” was designed to bring lightness, joy and celebration back to the British people we watch as Flynn begins to heal and find his role in the world once more (and certainly not one he ever expected). Highly recommended!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Another absolutely joyous tale from the pen of Kate Atkinson. Set in the early 1950s, as the Festival of Britain approaches, and the memories of war are recent, we're introduced to Harry Flynn, whose own wartime experiences he prefers to forget; now, he seems to accidentally fall into office work, planning some of the minutiae of the forthcoming Festival. His colleagues all seem to have been plucked from obscure corners of post-war Britain, from the enthusiastic Terence (the Boy!), to a certain maiden aunt of this Parish.
When not having to obsess about the quantity of artificial doves, Harry seems to frequently find himself an object of desire, much to his bewilderment; but after the most exotic date in the diary, with the less than enigmatic Delphine, Things Start to Happen and poor Harry seems endlessly trapped between frequent police visits and, oh yes, the precocious stepdaughter Veronica who is an absolute ...delight? (Seriously, I adored her and she needs her own novel).
So yes, there's no doubt that there are some shocking goings-on (was it murder? Kidnap?), but this has more frivolity than Shrines of Gaiety; yet somehow, despite the lighthearted moments, there's often pause for thought. This was very much a one-sitting read for me, but I managed to savour it over two days, instead. Wonderful.
When not having to obsess about the quantity of artificial doves, Harry seems to frequently find himself an object of desire, much to his bewilderment; but after the most exotic date in the diary, with the less than enigmatic Delphine, Things Start to Happen and poor Harry seems endlessly trapped between frequent police visits and, oh yes, the precocious stepdaughter Veronica who is an absolute ...delight? (Seriously, I adored her and she needs her own novel).
So yes, there's no doubt that there are some shocking goings-on (was it murder? Kidnap?), but this has more frivolity than Shrines of Gaiety; yet somehow, despite the lighthearted moments, there's often pause for thought. This was very much a one-sitting read for me, but I managed to savour it over two days, instead. Wonderful.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Set in 1951 the government, keen to leave the dark days of the war behind, decide to hold a ‘Festival of Britain’ that showcases the best of British.
Harry Flynn, who had inadvertently ended up as a POW in the Far East, is offered a job helping get the Festival ready for opening. Unfortunately his luck takes another downturn when a date mysteriously disappears and he becomes under suspicion as the last person to see her.
Throughout the course of the book we get to know a selection of fascinating & amusing characters (including some who are definitely not who they’re pretending to be) & while it gets a little confusing at times all becomes clear by the end.
I particularly loved the portrayal of Veronica, Flynn’s 13 yr old stepdaughter, who is bluntly honest & much more practical than him.
‘Our Noble Selves’ is more lighthearted than some of the author’s previous books, the war experiences of the main characters are alluded to rather than gone into in depth.
Overall it’s an enjoyable, informative & at times laugh aloud funny read.
The author’s note at the end regarding the organisation of the Festival is fascinating and shows the enormous amount of research she must have undertaken in order to write about it in such detail.
Many thanks to NetGalley & Transworld for the ARC
Harry Flynn, who had inadvertently ended up as a POW in the Far East, is offered a job helping get the Festival ready for opening. Unfortunately his luck takes another downturn when a date mysteriously disappears and he becomes under suspicion as the last person to see her.
Throughout the course of the book we get to know a selection of fascinating & amusing characters (including some who are definitely not who they’re pretending to be) & while it gets a little confusing at times all becomes clear by the end.
I particularly loved the portrayal of Veronica, Flynn’s 13 yr old stepdaughter, who is bluntly honest & much more practical than him.
‘Our Noble Selves’ is more lighthearted than some of the author’s previous books, the war experiences of the main characters are alluded to rather than gone into in depth.
Overall it’s an enjoyable, informative & at times laugh aloud funny read.
The author’s note at the end regarding the organisation of the Festival is fascinating and shows the enormous amount of research she must have undertaken in order to write about it in such detail.
Many thanks to NetGalley & Transworld for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is, at heart, a rolicking good yarn peopled with eccentricities of every variety
It is 1951, our main protagonist Harry Flynn like much of the population is recovering from "his" war in which he was a POW in Burma, a journalist convinced Singapore would not fall to the Japanese, yet caught up in events. After testing his mettle by working with a printer, he finds himself employed to compile public poetry for the Festival of Britain.
Straightforward plotting is then thrown in the air as he unassumingly becomes involved with the police, the secret service, the fallout of French resistance activity and Mosley's fascists. At a breakneck speed the characters pop up, disappear, shapeshift...and nothing is as it seems. Mixed with the huge ideas for the Festival which need endless committees to confirm anything, a sense of both farce and menace entwine.
Atkinson writes and plots so cleverly that it kept me engaged and page turning. I found the denouement over-long and complex but this did not detract from my enjoyment of being in post-war London with such a fine cast of characters!
With thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK for the opportunity to read and review
It is 1951, our main protagonist Harry Flynn like much of the population is recovering from "his" war in which he was a POW in Burma, a journalist convinced Singapore would not fall to the Japanese, yet caught up in events. After testing his mettle by working with a printer, he finds himself employed to compile public poetry for the Festival of Britain.
Straightforward plotting is then thrown in the air as he unassumingly becomes involved with the police, the secret service, the fallout of French resistance activity and Mosley's fascists. At a breakneck speed the characters pop up, disappear, shapeshift...and nothing is as it seems. Mixed with the huge ideas for the Festival which need endless committees to confirm anything, a sense of both farce and menace entwine.
Atkinson writes and plots so cleverly that it kept me engaged and page turning. I found the denouement over-long and complex but this did not detract from my enjoyment of being in post-war London with such a fine cast of characters!
With thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK for the opportunity to read and review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed this novel. I do like Kate Atkinson's work and have read all of her novels so that is not a surprise.
The story centres around the Festival of Britain in 1951. The exhibits for the Festival are being curated by an office team of well-drawn characters of whom, Harry Flynn is the main interest. I liked him. Not long back from Burma where he has been a prisoner of war forced to work on The Railway he is still coming to terms with the aftermath. Formerly a journalist he is taking jobs which require little effort until he is offered a position choosing poems for the Festival poetry collection.
No spoilers but the story moves quickly, involves spies, and showcases the peculiarities of depicting 'Britishness'. I was moved to look up what was featured at the Festival and the novel did not exaggerate.
As an older reader I recognised one appalling character and on whom she was based immediately. Kate Atkinson reveals all in the Afterword. I looked up the real life person and she was even more outrageous!
I think Atkinson has read Virginia Woolf, especially Between the Acts (1941) about a village staging a history pageant (recommended).
I recommend this novel as easy to read and very enjoyable. I received a copy from Netgalley and the publishers. Thanks.
The story centres around the Festival of Britain in 1951. The exhibits for the Festival are being curated by an office team of well-drawn characters of whom, Harry Flynn is the main interest. I liked him. Not long back from Burma where he has been a prisoner of war forced to work on The Railway he is still coming to terms with the aftermath. Formerly a journalist he is taking jobs which require little effort until he is offered a position choosing poems for the Festival poetry collection.
No spoilers but the story moves quickly, involves spies, and showcases the peculiarities of depicting 'Britishness'. I was moved to look up what was featured at the Festival and the novel did not exaggerate.
As an older reader I recognised one appalling character and on whom she was based immediately. Kate Atkinson reveals all in the Afterword. I looked up the real life person and she was even more outrageous!
I think Atkinson has read Virginia Woolf, especially Between the Acts (1941) about a village staging a history pageant (recommended).
I recommend this novel as easy to read and very enjoyable. I received a copy from Netgalley and the publishers. Thanks.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Flynn has returned to London after spending much of the war as a Japanese prisoner of war building the Burma railway. This despite him never actually having been a soldier but being captured while working as a war correspondent. His experiences there are only referred to briefly but form a background to his current situation having rather drifted into a job working to organise the Festival of Britain.
As you would expect from Kate Atkinson what follows is well-researched with a real feel of the period and is hilarious, with a cast of mismatched characters including two engaging street-wise youngsters who attach themselves to Flynn and a Fanny Cradock style cooking 'expert' who can't cook at all. There is also a mystery as Flynn appears to be being set up in the disappearance of a woman after he spent an evening with her.
For me these two elements - the story of how the festival was put together and the mystery element didn't quite mesh, but I can overlook that as it was so amusing and with great well-drawn characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy.
As you would expect from Kate Atkinson what follows is well-researched with a real feel of the period and is hilarious, with a cast of mismatched characters including two engaging street-wise youngsters who attach themselves to Flynn and a Fanny Cradock style cooking 'expert' who can't cook at all. There is also a mystery as Flynn appears to be being set up in the disappearance of a woman after he spent an evening with her.
For me these two elements - the story of how the festival was put together and the mystery element didn't quite mesh, but I can overlook that as it was so amusing and with great well-drawn characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Festival of Britain, designed to uplift the spirits of the country after the war by showcasing the best of Britain, was an inspired choice as a setting for this novel. It was extensively researched and I found it extremely interesting, so much so that I enjoyed that part of the story in preference to the murder mystery that went with it, although the mystery was well plotted. The diagrams of the various elements of the exhibition at the beginning of each chapter were great for visualising the enterprise and the various ‘rooms’.
It is beautifully written with the dialogue perfectly pitched, the characters well developed, believable and real. The Boy and Veronica were a delight, adding a lighter touch against wartime trauma alluded to occasionally by the adults.
It is a book with something refreshingly different to offer and in the hands of an author of the calibre of Kate Atkinson it is a joy to read.
Many thanks to Kate Atkinson, Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity read an early copy, it was much appreciated and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It is beautifully written with the dialogue perfectly pitched, the characters well developed, believable and real. The Boy and Veronica were a delight, adding a lighter touch against wartime trauma alluded to occasionally by the adults.
It is a book with something refreshingly different to offer and in the hands of an author of the calibre of Kate Atkinson it is a joy to read.
Many thanks to Kate Atkinson, Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity read an early copy, it was much appreciated and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Another really good novel by this author, where I learnt an awful lot about the Festival of 1951. Mind you, based on this book, if half of what was talked about actually happened, I'm amazed the buildings and exhibits were completed, let alone it opening on time!
The story revolved the cast of eccentrics who became embroiled, intentionally or otherwise, in a murder / spy caper. I use the word 'caper' deliberately because these seemed almost secondary to the ongoing life of Flynn, and his recovery from his time on the Burmese Railway, aka the railway of death.
Things I particularly liked include Mitzi, whom I had guessed was based on Fanny Craddock even before I read the endnotes, the stock list, which detailed from where each item requested for the Festival was sourced, and finally Veronica and The Boy. I enjoyed this book so much, I am tempted to reread it. Not something I often do for fiction.
I really hope that this is the start of a new series from this well-loved author.
Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
The story revolved the cast of eccentrics who became embroiled, intentionally or otherwise, in a murder / spy caper. I use the word 'caper' deliberately because these seemed almost secondary to the ongoing life of Flynn, and his recovery from his time on the Burmese Railway, aka the railway of death.
Things I particularly liked include Mitzi, whom I had guessed was based on Fanny Craddock even before I read the endnotes, the stock list, which detailed from where each item requested for the Festival was sourced, and finally Veronica and The Boy. I enjoyed this book so much, I am tempted to reread it. Not something I often do for fiction.
I really hope that this is the start of a new series from this well-loved author.
Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Harry Flynn is back from the war and trying to come back to life. He goes to work for the Festival of Britain and has a drink with Delphine Dubois. She doesn’t seem that interested in him and he goes home, waking with a black eye and a dreadful hangover. When she doesn’t turn up for work, he is suspected of her murder and a whole host of events then unravel while he tries to clear his name and find out what really occurred. This is a book of two halves for me. Literally nothing happens in the first half and it’s very dull. Then it all kicks off, the characters and amusing and the twists are multiple. This second half feels sharply observed and worthy of four stars. But it takes too long to get there. I would recommend skipping through the beginning and then enjoying the story once it gets going. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a rollercoaster of a novel.
Fast paced and yet slow at times, with so many twists and time jumps as we get to know Flynn and the rest of the characters.
It takes some time for the plot to unravel, the crime in which our "hero" Flynn finds himself tied to, but once I was given a sort of direction, I found the story engaging and intriguing.
I truly appreciated how Flynn's past was never dramatised for the sake of it and yet I got to feel the depth of the horrors he went through during the war.
As for the style, I thoroughly enjoyed the care applied to every single word. It truly embedded the story in its time, but also made it quite cinematic and vivid.
This is a book that must be savoured slowly.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC, for which I have provided this honest review.
Fast paced and yet slow at times, with so many twists and time jumps as we get to know Flynn and the rest of the characters.
It takes some time for the plot to unravel, the crime in which our "hero" Flynn finds himself tied to, but once I was given a sort of direction, I found the story engaging and intriguing.
I truly appreciated how Flynn's past was never dramatised for the sake of it and yet I got to feel the depth of the horrors he went through during the war.
As for the style, I thoroughly enjoyed the care applied to every single word. It truly embedded the story in its time, but also made it quite cinematic and vivid.
This is a book that must be savoured slowly.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC, for which I have provided this honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lots of interesting information about the creation of the Festival of Britain, a part of history that new to me. The feelings of the time. were evoked. It also covered the trauma that was still affecting the people who were now de-mobbed from military service during World War 2 but were still suffering from the experiences they had endured.
The festival was used as the background and personnel of a secret service special operation. I think this was meant to be tragi-comedy but this is where it fell down. The individuals were all interesting characters but the plotting of the operation left a lot to be justified and some of the scenes were sad not amusing.
A interesting way of looking at the post war period.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The festival was used as the background and personnel of a secret service special operation. I think this was meant to be tragi-comedy but this is where it fell down. The individuals were all interesting characters but the plotting of the operation left a lot to be justified and some of the scenes were sad not amusing.
A interesting way of looking at the post war period.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 23, 2026
I rocketed through this. I found Shrines of Gaiety convoluted and lacking so v glad that this feels like a return to form for Atkinson.
Inspired setting of the festival of Britain, prompted me to think about how often we gloss over the periods after war and the legacy that leads. And all the fascists and traitors muddling along in the mess. I also have very limited history knowledge so this is my first introduction to the fall of Singapore and the Burmese railway camps. Grateful as ever to have eyes opened.
Atkinson is so good at just dropping you on a setting isn’t she. Characters are so fully formed and lived in. Vivid! I think the pacing was a bit lopsided but it was rolicking. Great read 4.5
Inspired setting of the festival of Britain, prompted me to think about how often we gloss over the periods after war and the legacy that leads. And all the fascists and traitors muddling along in the mess. I also have very limited history knowledge so this is my first introduction to the fall of Singapore and the Burmese railway camps. Grateful as ever to have eyes opened.
Atkinson is so good at just dropping you on a setting isn’t she. Characters are so fully formed and lived in. Vivid! I think the pacing was a bit lopsided but it was rolicking. Great read 4.5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This story is set in 1951 and concerns Harry Flynn, a former prisoner of war and now working as part of a team on the preparations for the Festival of Britain. Kate Atkinson's trademark lighthearted humour runs throughout the story and as usual her characters are quirky and interesting. The first half of the book was slow. There was lots of description and background detail but the story didn't have any forward momentum until the second half. The final half of the book took off with murders and intrigue aplenty but then seemed to peter out as the loose ends were tied up. It was an enjoyable read but not one of Kate Atkinson's best.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
March 20, 2026
This book is set around the Festival of Britain, held in 1951. Harry Flynn, an ex-war correspondent, becomes involved in the event aimed at showcasing Britain after the war. His story takes a turn when a woman he recently dated vanishes, and he is the last person to have seen her, with no memory of their final hours together. This book looks at a nation undergoing reconstruction, the lingering trauma of war, and the lengths people might go to shape a future. Kate Atkinson’s writing never fails to please, and this is a wonderful account of mid-century Britain with a mystery that keeps you turning the pages.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The very first part of this book came across as one of those books where not much happens
Very character driven.
What a lot of memorable characters there are!
Set against the lead up to the opening of the festival of Britain, it's almost farcical at times.
Then things take a darker turn, and there's spies, murder, mayhem.... Thank goodness for Veronica and her light relief.
I was enjoying it before all of those things happened, and I enjoyed it even more when they did.
Another good one from Ms Atkinson.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
Very character driven.
What a lot of memorable characters there are!
Set against the lead up to the opening of the festival of Britain, it's almost farcical at times.
Then things take a darker turn, and there's spies, murder, mayhem.... Thank goodness for Veronica and her light relief.
I was enjoying it before all of those things happened, and I enjoyed it even more when they did.
Another good one from Ms Atkinson.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s 1951 and perhaps the Festival of Britain is going to help make life shine a bit brighter. But there will always be someone who has their own agenda and things aren’t what they seem. The story gives an interesting insight to the planning and organisation that went on behind the Festival while managing to keep the secrets and background stories of the characters until the end. Although it took a while for the story to start developing, I enjoyed it and would recommend it. My thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book centres around the Festival of Britain, 1951. Harry Flynn joins an eccentric team working at the Festival Office. He is an ex journalist who was captured in the Far East and who is haunted by his wartime experiences.
He becomes embroiled in a murder enquiry when the girl he meets for a drink disappears the next day. He cannot remember what happened after he called her a cab and needs to investigate to clear his name.
His investigations are helped by an odd assortment of characters including his step daughter and her dog.
Full of quirky characters and odd happenings set in the context of the Festival - some details of which I found fantastical - this book enticed me in and kept me enthralled throughout.
He becomes embroiled in a murder enquiry when the girl he meets for a drink disappears the next day. He cannot remember what happened after he called her a cab and needs to investigate to clear his name.
His investigations are helped by an odd assortment of characters including his step daughter and her dog.
Full of quirky characters and odd happenings set in the context of the Festival - some details of which I found fantastical - this book enticed me in and kept me enthralled throughout.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It is 1951, but Harry Flynn is still suffering from the effects of being a Japanese prisoner of war and is finding it hard to move on with his life. A fortuitous meeting with an old editor sees him recruited to work on the Festival of Britain. Gradually he finds himself starting to live again - but then a date goes missing and he cannot remember what happened after she left him in the pub. To add to his woes, his stepdaughter, from an ill conceived and swiftly abandoned marriage, is dumped on his doorstep, along with the family terrier, the only member of the family he has missed. And so Harry who had given up on life, stumbles into an adventure, finding unlikely allies and foes along the way.
This is Kate Atkinson writing at her best. Her novels are always so difficult to describe, because they are complex, multilevel and superbly crafted. Each character is carefully conceived - and although some veer toward caricatures, it is always intentional. This is a hectic, joyful book with adventure and humour aplenty. It is the sort of novel you wholeheartedly dive into and only emerge at the end, gasping. For the avoidance of any doubt, I loved it.
This is Kate Atkinson writing at her best. Her novels are always so difficult to describe, because they are complex, multilevel and superbly crafted. Each character is carefully conceived - and although some veer toward caricatures, it is always intentional. This is a hectic, joyful book with adventure and humour aplenty. It is the sort of novel you wholeheartedly dive into and only emerge at the end, gasping. For the avoidance of any doubt, I loved it.
April 6, 2026
I was delighted to receive a review copy of this latest book from Kate Atkinson whose books I’ve always really enjoyed.
I liked the premise of this and enjoyed all the research that had been done into the festival, which was something I didn’t know much about.
For me, the story didn’t quite get going until about half way through and it was quite a gripping spy story once it did. For some reason I couldn’t quite get going with the first half. But I’m glad I stuck with it.
I liked the premise of this and enjoyed all the research that had been done into the festival, which was something I didn’t know much about.
For me, the story didn’t quite get going until about half way through and it was quite a gripping spy story once it did. For some reason I couldn’t quite get going with the first half. But I’m glad I stuck with it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Set in 1951 the cast of characters are setting up the Festival of Britain - for those of us who can remember the Millennial Dome and all of the build up to that event, it may seem familiar! There are a lot of characters in this book and maybe I was a bit slow on the uptake but it took me a while to establish who was what and to an extent, what was the plot. Once it gets into it's stride it is an enjoyable romp.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fascinated to read about the 1951 Festival of Britain which had escaped my attention beforehand. This was a murder mystery that was as usual beautifully written and plotted by an author who is incapable of writing a dull sentence.
The characters were well depicted and I really enjoyed reading this.
The characters were well depicted and I really enjoyed reading this.
May 9, 2026
Oh what a joyous read…
Absolutely love Kate Atkinson & she hasn’t disappointed me again - full review to follow but thank you to @NetGalley & @PenguinRandomHouse @Transworld for the advanced copy.
Kate paints beautiful images in your mind; this time I’m also seeing characters in the style of #BerylCook 🤣
Absolutely love Kate Atkinson & she hasn’t disappointed me again - full review to follow but thank you to @NetGalley & @PenguinRandomHouse @Transworld for the advanced copy.
Kate paints beautiful images in your mind; this time I’m also seeing characters in the style of #BerylCook 🤣
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is Kate Atkinson at her best. Written with compassion for the horrors endured throughout the war and the consequences of the aftermath. I thought it a great concept planning for the Festival of Britain. It's an absorbing yet gripping read. Highly recommended.
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