It’s time for another adventure in Kate’s 6 Degrees of Separation Meme from her blog, Books Are My Favourite and Best. We are given a book to start with, and from there we free associate six books.
This month we start with Kate’s pick for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction, All Fours by Miranda July.
first degree
The most recent novel I’ve read that features a number in its title is The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan.
second degree
I’ve recently read a novel by another author named Kate, Kate Atkinson’s Death at the Sign of the Rook.
third degree
Atkinson’s book includes a murder investigation that strands several people in an old country house during a snowstorm. Another book in which a snowstorm features prominently is Rock, Paper, Scissors by Alice Feeney.
fourth degree
Alice Feeney’s most recent novel, Beautiful Ugly, is near the top of my “read next” stack. In this book a writer’s wife disappears, leaving her car behind near the edge of a cliff.
fifth degree
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave also features a character who apparently fell to his death into the ocean from a cliff.
sixth degree
The word lost also appears in another title, Jane Harper’s The Lost Man. Like The Night We Lost Him, this novel centers on a man who dies under suspicious circumstances.
This month’s 6 Degrees of Separation journey has covered the gamut of human experience: from life (three lives, actually) to death (yikes, five of those, actually). I hope your literary travels this month are more upbeat than mine!
© 2025 by Mary Daniels Brown
I’ve read two of the books in your chain, The Lost Man and Death at the Sign of the Rook. I’m tempted by the two Alice Feeney books, too.
My links were even less upbeat than yours!
Thanks for reading and commenting, Rose. I love the way you’ve connected all the books in your 6 Degrees. I’m glad to have found your blog and look forward to reading more of your posts in the future.
I read The Lost Man by Jane Harper last month, did you enjoy it? I thought it was a pretty easy and reliable read. Harper is great for when you want to read something that won’t be hard slog but will keep you interested.
Hi, Becky, I’m glad to meet you, and I loved your #6Degrees post for this month. I did like Harper’s The Lost Man; her psychological insight is impressive. Thanks for reading and commenting.
The only one I’ve read from your chain this month is the Kate Atkinson. I was very disappointed in it. But I’m not one for Cosy Crime, so it’s not fair of me to judge, I guess.
To be honest, Margaret, I didn’t much like Death at the Sign of the Rook, either. I listened to the audiobook, although “endured” would probably be more accurate. Much of the book was downright silly. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Good to know we agree!
Loved the Kate Atkinson book. Great chain!
I didn’t like this Kate Atkinson book as much as I liked the earlier ones in the Jackson Brodie series. To each her own! Thanks for commenting. I enjoyed your 6 Degrees post.
Lovely chain – simple and direct!
Thanks, Davida. I’m a Virgo; straightforwardness is my super power!
Lots of intriguing crimey titles in this chain, love it!
Thanks, MarinaSofia. I read a lot of crime fiction, so my 6 Degrees posts tend to be crime heavy.
And that’s what I love about your lists…
I haven’t read any of these but I do have a copy of Death at the Sign of the Rook which I’m looking forward to as I enjoyed the others in the Jackson Brodie series.
I hope you enjoy Death at the Sign of the Rook. Thanks for reading and commenting, Helen.
I have not read Kate Atkinson’s Death at the Sign of the Rook yet, but I will sometime this year. I have not read anything by Feeney I should try something by her. Very nice chain.
TracyK at Bitter Tea and Mystery
I haven’t read much by Alice Feeney, but I did enjoy Rock, Paper, Scissors. Thanks for commenting, Tracy.
Good chain, I loved The Lost Man, I’ll have to check out a couple of the others.
Thanks, Claire Louisa. I loved your list as well and have added a couple to my own TBR list.
I started with a number too, but it was four for me!
Fun chain. The only one I have read is the Jane Harper!
Thanks, Marg. You’ve reminded me that I have The Diamond Eye sitting on my shelf.