The Ink Black Heart - Book Review

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(Ni Hao)

The Ink Black Heart is the 6th instalment in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling.

The book was published by Sphere Books on the 30th of August 2022.

The Ink Black Heart sold 50,738 copies in it's first week on sale in the UK, placing it 1st on the UK Official Top 50 Book sales list.

The novel was criticised for self-insertion, in which a woman is killed after being accused of transphobia. It was compared to Rowling's previous controversial statements surrounding transgender people. Rowling denied the claims that the book was inspired by her own controversies, stating, "I had written the book before certain things happened to me online".

When frantic, dishevelled 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 who goes by the pseudonym of 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 find themselves embroiled in a case that stretches their powers of deduction to the limits - and which threatens them in new and horrifying ways...

A gripping, fiendishly clever mystery, The Ink Black Heart is a true tour-de-force.

I will be honest at say I didn't think we would find out who the culprit was, it really did cut it close towards the end of the book for the culprit to be found and revealed and I can honestly say that even though I was trying to figure it out, I still didn't and in that final part I could feel myself holding my breath while everything developed.

I enjoyed meeting the new characters, and I hope we get to hear about them again in future books, I feel this book was more nerve-wracking than any of the past books because it heavily focuses on cyber-bullying, something we see a lot of. I don't think there is anything scarier than not knowing who is behind that keyboard abusing and threatening you, they really have the power of anonymity, allowing their victims to feel powerless.

I did find the private chats a little confusing and hard to read at times, but I did enjoy following that side of the story, I think it gave more of an in depth look into the minds of the characters that loved The Ink Black Heart cartoon, and I definitely wasn't expecting it to take the turn it did in the chats.

I loved that we got more of an in depth look into both Robin and Strike's relationship in that they both try really hard to keep the relationship and partnership to friends only but they seem to finally be able to come to terms with their true feelings, so I can't wait to see how it all develops between them.

It took me a week to complete reading, and even though I thought at times it seemed a little slow, I think it flowed really well. I don't know if I would see it's my favourite from the series but it's definitely the most spine-chilling book in the series so far. It definitely makes me excited to see what's next in store for the agency and what their next case will be.

I can't wait to get my teeth into the next instalment, but I know that I'm in for a long wait.

PRAISE FOR THE STRIKE NOVELS:

'The work of a master storyteller' - Daily Telegraph

'A finely honed, superbly constructed thriller' - Daily Mail

'Strike and Robin are just as magnetic as ever' - New York Times

'Outrageously entertaining' - Financial Times

'One of Crime's most engaging duos' - Guardian

'A page-turner that will keep you up all night' - Observer

'A blistering piece of crime writing' - Sunday Times

Robert Galbraith Strike Series:

The Cuckoo's Calling

The Silkworm

Career Of Evil

Lethal White

Troubled Blood

The Ink Black Heart

See you soon!

안녕

(Annyeong)

さようなら

(Sayonara)

再见

(ZaiJian)

Bye

Troubled Blood - Book Review

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(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは

(Konnichiwa)

你好

(Ni Hao)

Troubled Blood is the 5th instalment in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling.

The book was published by Sphere Books on the 15th of September 2020.

Troubled Blood sold 64,633 thousand copies in it's first week and was the top selling book in the UK. This was the biggest single week of sales for any Robert Galbraith title and almost double the launch-week volume of the previous Strike novel, Lethal White.

Some media outlets regarded the male villain who dresses as a woman in order to kill women as transphobic, given the author's past comments on transgender people. Laura Bradley, reviewing in The Daily Beast, considered that there were "pernicious anti-trans tropes" in the novel, while Kerridge observed that the book's "moral seems to be: never trust a man in a dress." 

Speaking after the release of the novel, Rowling described it's main themes as "change, loss and absence" and that the book examines the "changing face of feminism." She also stated that the character of Denis Creed was loosely based on real-life killers Jerry Brudos and Russell Williams.

Private Detective Cormoran Strike is visiting his family in Cornwall when he is approached by a woman asking for help finding her mother, Morgot 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 a witness who cannot all be trusted. And they learn that even cases decades old can prove to be deadly...

A breathtaking, labyrinthine epic, Troubled Blood is the fifth Strike and Robin novel and the most gripping and satisfying yet.

I honestly thought this would be the first case Strike and Robin would never find the answers to what happened, it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and I can honestly say I would have never guessed who the culprit was it did leave me shocked, but I did like who the killer was as I think it expressed something that many people tend to forget.

I went into this novel dreading what I was going to read especially with all the uproar about serial killer Dennis Creed, in that he dressed as a woman to kill his victims, for people that are transgender I could see why they not only could find it humiliating, but also because in just that description and review it takes away their hard work of trying to get people to accept who they are and gain the same acceptance and compassion that a "normal" person would get, from reading the book, I didn't find Dennis Creed to be as offending as he was made out to be, from what I took away from the book was that, he dressed as a woman to lure his victims into a false sense of security of a friend or someone wanting to help them. While I still think this could be seen in the wrong context, I think people can forget that women can just be a nasty and as vindictive as a man when it comes to things like this, but I can still see why if you are transphobic or someone who is transgender etc, how it could be seen as a dig and offensive to someone who isn't as open minded and as accepting, as it will be seen in a more negative light then possibly intended to be. While this is just my interpretation from it, I know some may still disagree with me.

To come away from Creed, I really liked seeing a new side to Strike, we're used to seeing the private detective being hard-faced, but it was nice to see a vulnerability to him, especially when it came to his family, I'm looking forward to see how his friendship and relationship with Robin continues to change and grow and whether something will actually happen between them.

I think with this instalment, we got to see more growth from Robin, not only as a detective, but also within her personal life, it seems that she's learning about herself all over again, and also learning to live her life the way she wants and not by what happened to her when she was younger, while she still has the fear from back then, she definitely seems to be using it to her advantage and not as a weakness. Like Strike, she also seems to battling her growing feelings towards Strike, you can see they both need their friendship as for them it's an anchor and keeps them grounded, by having that person they can turn to, but you can tell they have that what if? mindset too on whether being together could make their needs greater.

Like all the other Strike novels, I really failed at being able to put it down and it wasn't too long before I had completed it, I enjoyed the plot, the characters and I thought overall it was really well written, like with the others, I look forward to the next instalment to see what's next for the characters as well as what cases they will be trying to find answers to next.

PRAISE FOR THE STRIKE NOVELS:

'The work of a master storyteller' - Daily Telegraph

'A thoroughly enjoyable classic' - Peter James, Sunday Express

'Strike and Robin are just as magnetic as ever' - New York Times

'Outrageously Entertaining' - Financial Times

'Hugely absorbing' - Sunday Mirror

'A page-turner that will keep you up al night' - Observer

'A blistering piece of crime writing' - Sunday Times

Robert Galbraith Strike Series:

The Cuckoo's Calling

The Silkworm

Career Of Evil

Lethal White

Troubled Blood

See you soon!

안녕

(Annyeong)

さようなら

(Sayonara)

再见

(ZaiJian)

Bye

Lethal White - Book Review

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(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは 

(Konnichiwa)

你好

(Ni Hao)

My first book to be completed this year as part of my reading challenge is Robert Galbraith's Legal White which is the 4th book in the Cormoran Strike series.

On the 23rd of March 2018, J.K. Rowling aka Robert Galbraith announced the completion of the manuscript, after writing it for approximately 2 years. Legal White continues to follow private detective Cormoran Strike and his partner Robin Ellacott and is the longest book in the series so far. Legal White was published the 18th of September 2018.

The story begins with a prologue following immediately after the conclusion of Career of Evil, detailing events taking place at Robin's wedding reception. J.K. Rowling has said there is tentative plans to follow Legal White with at least 5 more books.

'I seen a kid killed... He strangled it, up by the horse.'

When Billy, a troubled young man, comes to private eye Cormoran Strike's office to ask for his help investigating a crime he thinks he witnessed as a child, Strike is left deeply unsettled. While Billy is obviously mentally distressed, and cannot remember many concrete details, there is something sincere about him and his story. But before Strike can question him further, Billy bolts in a panic.

Trying to get to the bottom of Billy's Story, Strike and Robin Ellacott - Once his assistant, now a partner in the agency - set off on a twisting trail that leads them through the backstreets of London, into a secretive inner sanctum within Parliament, and to a beautiful but sinister manor house deep in the countryside.

And during the labyrinthine investigation, Strike's own life is far from straightforward: his new found fame as a private eye means he can no longer operate behind the scenes as he once did. Plus, his relationship with his former assistant is more fraught than it ever has been - Robin is now invaluable to Strike in the business, but their personal relationship is much, much more tricky than that...

The most epic Robert Galbraith novel yet, Legal White is both a gripping mystery and a page-turning next instalment in the ongoing story of Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott.

I've been holding back from reading this book, since I got it on publication day, so I could have it part of this years reading challenge. I'm loving the personal journeys that both Robin and Strike are taking and I can't wait to see where there journey takes them both next, it's definitely seems to be heading down on a route I didn't think it would when I started reading this series. One of the things I loved about Career of Evil was that each chapter was told from either Strike or Robin's point of view, whereas in Legal White it in a similar way but also crossing over, It could start from Strike and end with Robin. I struggled to put Legal White down and it definitely took a turn that I wasn't expecting and it definitely ended in a way I wasn't expecting, which means I can't wait for the next book, but I'm guessing it could be a long while before the next one is released. 
I highly recommend the Strike series if you're a fan of crime and investigation style books, Legal White is full of emotion, suspense, excitement and cliffhangers that make you want to keep reading until you reach that final page in the story.

PRAISE FOR THE STRIKE NOVELS:

'The work of a master storyteller' - Daily Telegraph

'A thoroughly enjoyable classic' - Peter James, Sunday Express

'Strike and Robin are just as magnetic as ever' -New York Times

'Reminds me why I fell in love with crime fiction in the first place' - Val McDermid

'One of the most unique and compelling detectives I've come across for years' - Mark Billingham

'A page-turner that will keep you up all night' - Observer

'Unputdownable' - Sunday Times

Robert Galbraith Strike Series:
The Cuckoo's Calling
The Silkworm
Career Of Evil
Lethal White

See you soon!

안녕
(Annyeong)
さようなら
(Sayonara)
再见
(ZaiJian)
Bye

Career of Evil - Book Review

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(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは 

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(Ni Hao)

My next book review is for Robert Galbraith's Career Of Evil.
Career Of Evil is a crime fiction novel, written by J.K Rowling and published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. It's the 3rd instalment in the Cormoran Strike series of detective novels. It follows The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm.
In the Guardian, reviewer Christobel Kent called the novel "daft but enjoyable", with a "narrative dizzying in it's proliferation of character, location and detail, and tirelessly, relentlessly specific, she summarised, "the whole is delivered with such sheer gusto - and, crucially, such a confident hold on a deliriously clever plot - that most sensible readers will simply cave in and enjoy it.
On the 30th of May 2015, Career Of Evil was one of the six novels nominated for the title of Theakston Old Peculier crime novel of the year.

When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman's severed leg.

Her boss, private detective Cormoram Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people  from his past who he thinks could be responsible - and Strike knows that any  one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur time is running out for the two of them...

A fiendishly clever mystery with unexpected twists around every corner, Career Of Evil is also a gripping story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives. You will not be able to put this book down.

This is the first time I'm posting about any of the Cormoran Strike books, I'm one of the many that's a big fan of the Harry Potter franchise by J.K Rowling, I wasn't really interested when she released The Casual Vacancy, but when I found out she had released a crime and detective novel under another name I was even more intrigued to check it out. While I struggled at first with The Cuckoo's Calling, by the end I knew it would be a series I really enjoyed and would struggle to put down, and that's exactly what happened with Career Of Evil. I love how this book is written from the point of view from both Strike and Robin, so you don't just get one persons adventure's through the book. A good read for me whether it be crime, fantasy, sci-fi or romance is that is it has me feeling the emotions of the characters or has me holding my breath with suspense and excitement, for me Career Of Evil did both of those things. This time round we got to read more about Robin's past and what has helped her to be more determined in following her dreams and interest in what she wants achieve in her life, we also get a hint of growing feelings between Strike and Robin. I also liked that we got little chapters from the mystery, evil man seemingly wanting revenge on Strike. There's definitely some twist and turns throughout this book that I wasn't expecting, like when the mystery limb sender is revealed. I love how this one is written, I really enjoyed reading the growth of both Strike and Robin, in both their professional and personal relationships with one another as well as other character's. I really did have a hard time putting this one down, for me it was one of those books that I would tell myself one more chapter and then I would continue on thinking, just another chapter. It's full of suspense and excitement that for me makes a book worth reading, I can't wait to get stuck into the next instalment to see what's next for both Strike and Robin.

PRAISE FOR ROBERT GALBRAITH:

"A damn good read... It's a book to gulp down" - Daily Telegraph

"Unputdownable... this almost preposterously compulsive page turner is irresistible." - Sunday Times

"A superb and polished thriller" - Sunday Mirror

"Irresistible reading... The Cuckoo's Calling was a calling card for a series that has legs." - Val McDermid, Guardian

"A gimlet eye for detail and beautifully crafted plot make it a delight from start to finish." - Daily Mail

"A thoroughly enjoyable classic... I'm already looking forward to Strike's next outing." - Peter James, Sunday Express

"A properly addictive whodunit." - Financial Times

Robert Galbraith Strike Series:
The Cuckoo's Calling
The Silkworm
Career Of Evil
Lethal White

See you soon!

Hello
안녕하세요 
(Annyeonghaseyo)
こんにちは 
(Konnichiwa)
你好

(Ni Hao)