I read the first few books of the Cormoran Strike series and wasn’t too impressed. The mystery in The Cuckoo’s Calling was dire, and I wasn’t too invested in the slow burn will they won’t they Strike and Robin romance.
And then, there was the whole trans controversy, which put me off her books for a long time. But at a loose end, and craving a mystery, I caved and picked up Troubled Blood and was wowed by the mystery. I had to read The Ink Black Heart next, and I think I am now totally vested in the series.
Troubled Blood
Private Detective Cormoran Strike is visiting his family in Cornwall when he is approached by a woman asking for help finding her mother, Margot Bamborough — who went missing in mysterious circumstances in 1974.
Strike has never tackled a cold case before, let alone one forty years old. But despite the slim chance of success, he is intrigued and takes it on; adding to the long list of cases that he and his partner in the agency, Robin Ellacott, are currently working on. And Robin herself is also juggling a messy divorce and unwanted male attention, as well as battling her own feelings about Strike.
As Strike and Robin investigate Margot’s disappearance, they come up against a fiendishly complex case with leads that include tarot cards, a psychopathic serial killer and witnesses who cannot all be trusted. And they learn that even cases decades old can prove to be deadly.
~ Synopsis from goodreads
My Review
This is probably the best book of the series. The mystery is strong, and I loved learning more about Strike’s past. The bare bones were covered in earlier books, but the details are really fleshed out here.
Strike spends a good deal of time off-stage taking care of his terminal aunt and grieving uncle. This is such a brilliant tactic! Not only does it make Strike appear more humane and caring, but it also allows Robin to occupy more center stage – which she does brilliantly. I am beginning to think she could be a better detective than Strike! She has superb gut instincts.
I did feel the book was a little too long, and too much time and detail was spent on other non-related mysteries. In addition, there are so many characters it took me some time to connect the dots. I really do think these books could do with a good whos-who at the back of the book – something similar to the old Perry Mason mysteries. It would help to keep my distracted brain on track.
Apart from the near-perfect mystery, I loved all the introspection and the growing up that Strike and Robin did in this book. There are some wonderful parallels that I could see between the victim Margot and Robin; I am wondering now, if I did a reread of the earlier books, would I now see some of the depth and detailing I see now.
I remember when I read Harry Potter, I was a bit meh about the whole thing until I got to the third or fourth book. Then, I reread the earlier books, and it felt like a world opening up to me. I have a similar feeling about these books. There is a lot more to them than just the crime and the chemistry.
The Ink Black Heart
When frantic, disheveled Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn’t know quite what to make of the situation. The co-creator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie, is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure named Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie’s true identity.
Robin decides that the agency can’t help with this—and thinks nothing more of it until a few days later when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart.
Robin and her business partner, Cormoran Strike, become drawn into the quest to uncover Anomie’s true identity. But with a complex web of online aliases, business interests, and family conflicts to navigate, Strike and Robin are embroiled in a case that stretches their powers of deduction to the limits.
~ Synopsis from goodreads
My Review
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
I liked Troubled Blood and was apprehensive going into The Ink Black Heart in case it might not live up to the level of suspense, but I think it did.
The Ink Black Heart explores the toxicity of the internet, especially with beloved fandoms, so I was intrigued about following a mystery that centers on these themes. I was also pretty intrigued about the Twitter wars. I know Rowling faces a lot of hate (rightfully) because of the comments she has made about trans rights, but I wonder if there was a lot of fake online trolling as well. Based on this book and some of her reactions online, I think she believes so.
Back to the book. While the book is a beast (1221 pages), I, surprisingly, did not feel bored at any stage. I enjoy and continue to be amazed by the quality of the writing, particularly on the dialogue setting – with a book covering a huge cast of characters; it’s refreshing that each interaction still felt unique and not repetitive.
This series is fast becoming a favorite of mine.
