When writers are hateful on social media, it’s hard to review their books objectively. I was struggling with a Neil Gaiman book, where everything I read felt creepy and rapey. Once all the allegations came out, it was so easy to skip the book. And now Rowling, aka Galbraith. However, with her books, it’s not as easy. Although she’s horrible on social media, I don’t necessarily get a hateful vibe from her books, which is weird.
I started The Running Grave because I am addicted to this series, and I love a good story about cults. And, this is considered one of the best books in the series on social media. I would have stopped if it showed any signs of transphobia, but it didn’t, and so I read on, engrossed. It really is one of the best books in the Cormoran Strike series.
About The Running Grave
Private Detective Cormoran Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.
The Universal Humanitarian Church is, on the surface, a peaceable organization that campaigns for a better world. Yet Strike discovers that beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones and unexplained deaths.
To try to rescue Will, Strike’s business partner, Robin Ellacott, decides to infiltrate the cult, and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito among its members. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her.
∼ Synopsis from Goodreads
My Thoughts
I absolutely loved this book and could barely put it down. The sheer giddiness, excitement, and exhilaration I felt during various points in the book were incredible. Robin is really turning out to be the star in this series. Her undercover operation was fraught with such close calls and openings, so tense, I didn’t even realize just how tense I was getting until that moment of sheer relief when she got back to safety.
Another aspect of the story that was incredibly well-done was the backstory of the cult – how it was formed, its philosophy and beliefs, the entire setup is again beautifully detailed. Throughout the book, I kept asking myself which of the cult characters actually believed the BS they spewed, and which of them knew they were just conning people.
Some of the characters’ beliefs in the spiritual were most eerie and creepy to me. Of all the books in the Cormoran Strike series, this is the one that spooked me out the most, and I wouldn’t have minded too much if the book moved more in the supernatural direction. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.
That said, some plot points could have been developed more. I didn’t like the direction the book took with Charlotte. She’s not a nice person, probably a narcissist, but I thought Strike seemed strangely detached from her situation, and his avoidant nature in general was ugh. I am also quite tired of his love affairs with random, unsuitable women, who are all uniformly horrible. At this point, I find it hard to distinguish one girlfriend from the other.
I have always disliked the Robin and Strike will they, won’t they love dynamic. At this point in the series, it’s downright ridiculous and I wish they both accepted and understood the best friends nature of their relationship, without all the drama.
But, I guess, that’s just me. In general, there is a loyal fan base out there rooting for these two to get together. I wouldn’t mind that either, it’s just that I don’t want to read another 1000 odd pages of unresolved sexual tension between the two.
Another thing I could have done without is the double-twist at the end. I thought the initial resolution was perfect, and I would have been happy with that. The second twist seemed a bit too much, and I felt there was enough of a foundation built for Strike to reach that conclusion.
Other than these nitpicks, I absolutely devoured the book!
It’s probably one of the best books this year, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Each book is turning out better than the previous one!
