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Checked out
Due 19 Feb 2023
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A brilliant mystery in a classic vein: Detective Cormoran Strike investigates a supermodel's suicide. After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is now living in his office. Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: his sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man. You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member barbmbtb
What a great debut novel! It's hard to believe that this is in fact the first novel by the pseudonymous Robert Galbraith; it's so polished and offers the complete literary package. The characters are well-rounded, the plot is intriguing, the back stories are interesting.
Cormoran Strike has had a
The army gave Strike a home. As a successful investigator for the military police's special investigations branch, he found his place in the world. Until he lost part of one of his legs in an explosion in Afghanistan. He was demobbed and thrown back into an unwelcoming civilian world. He decided to continue to do what he knew best and hung out his shingle as a private detective. Success, however, remained elusive.
At the start of "The Cuckoo's Calling," Strike has just left his highly dysfunctional relationship with his beautiful, blueblooded, rich, crazy girlfriend, Charlotte. He is now sleeping on a camp cot in his shabby office and accidentally nearly kills the new secretary sent to him by the temp agency. Although Robin Ellacott's introduction to her new boss was less than salubrious, she is secretly thrilled to be living out a childhood fantasy of working in a detective's office. Of course, in the fantasy, she was the detective.
Thus the stage is adeptly and compellingly set for the case of a lifetime.
John Bristow is a financial lifesaver when he walks into Strike's office. Strike has no money and apparently owes a large sum to someone who calls on a regular basis to hound him for payment. Life couldn't get much worse when Bristow walks in. Homely and emotionally labile, Bristow has come to see Strike because his supermodel sister, Lula Landry, plunged to her death a few months before. The police have labeled it a suicide, but Bristow thinks it was murder.
If Strike thinks his family tree is twisted, it turns out that Bristow can go head-to-head with him on convoluted and skewed relationships. Bristow has come to Strike because Strike was a childhood friend of Bristow's brother, Charlie, who died young. Charlie, John, and Lula were all adopted by an upperclass, childless couple.
Lula, half black and half white, continued her troubles after leaving home by becoming involved with other young, disaffected, entitled celebrities. It's the perfect environment for tragedy.
When Strike is first seen, he is a disheveled, distraught, and lumpy-but-strangely-attractive disaster. It is a surprise, therefore, when he proves himself to be a meticulous, observant, intuitive, and brilliant detective. Galbraith pleasantly upends stereotypes and frequently pulls out both big and little surprises.
The story is not all about Strike. Robin Ellacott thought she knew what she wanted: her fiancé, Matthew, a future stuffed shirt, and a comfortable, responsible life with him. There is no romance between Strike and Ellacott. Rather, the romance is between Ellacott and her almost-forgotten dreams of adventure and daring. She shows ingenuity and compassion. She grows on Strike and on her audience.
Lovely long, luxurious lines of storytelling. The 400+ pages are a joy.
Cormoran Strike has had a
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complicated and heart-breaking life, although he has had a sure hand in creating some of the drama in it. Strike is the son of a high-profile aging rocker (think Mick Jagger), via a drug-addicted, narcissistic supergroupie, who died a sordid and much-publicized death. He doesn't really know his father or any of his half-siblings, with the exception of Lucy, his mother's other child by a different father.The army gave Strike a home. As a successful investigator for the military police's special investigations branch, he found his place in the world. Until he lost part of one of his legs in an explosion in Afghanistan. He was demobbed and thrown back into an unwelcoming civilian world. He decided to continue to do what he knew best and hung out his shingle as a private detective. Success, however, remained elusive.
At the start of "The Cuckoo's Calling," Strike has just left his highly dysfunctional relationship with his beautiful, blueblooded, rich, crazy girlfriend, Charlotte. He is now sleeping on a camp cot in his shabby office and accidentally nearly kills the new secretary sent to him by the temp agency. Although Robin Ellacott's introduction to her new boss was less than salubrious, she is secretly thrilled to be living out a childhood fantasy of working in a detective's office. Of course, in the fantasy, she was the detective.
Thus the stage is adeptly and compellingly set for the case of a lifetime.
John Bristow is a financial lifesaver when he walks into Strike's office. Strike has no money and apparently owes a large sum to someone who calls on a regular basis to hound him for payment. Life couldn't get much worse when Bristow walks in. Homely and emotionally labile, Bristow has come to see Strike because his supermodel sister, Lula Landry, plunged to her death a few months before. The police have labeled it a suicide, but Bristow thinks it was murder.
If Strike thinks his family tree is twisted, it turns out that Bristow can go head-to-head with him on convoluted and skewed relationships. Bristow has come to Strike because Strike was a childhood friend of Bristow's brother, Charlie, who died young. Charlie, John, and Lula were all adopted by an upperclass, childless couple.
Lula, half black and half white, continued her troubles after leaving home by becoming involved with other young, disaffected, entitled celebrities. It's the perfect environment for tragedy.
When Strike is first seen, he is a disheveled, distraught, and lumpy-but-strangely-attractive disaster. It is a surprise, therefore, when he proves himself to be a meticulous, observant, intuitive, and brilliant detective. Galbraith pleasantly upends stereotypes and frequently pulls out both big and little surprises.
The story is not all about Strike. Robin Ellacott thought she knew what she wanted: her fiancé, Matthew, a future stuffed shirt, and a comfortable, responsible life with him. There is no romance between Strike and Ellacott. Rather, the romance is between Ellacott and her almost-forgotten dreams of adventure and daring. She shows ingenuity and compassion. She grows on Strike and on her audience.
Lovely long, luxurious lines of storytelling. The 400+ pages are a joy.
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LibraryThing member austcrimefiction
Into every crime fiction reader's life something like THE CUCKOO'S CALLING should sneak. Quietly delivered to the front door, unheralded (apart from a blurb comment from Val McDermid that should make you sit up and pay attention), decorated with a nicely atmospheric cover, with a blurb that doesn't
But you know it when it is happening. A feeling that this is exactly the sort of book that you've been looking for. It's the sort of book that makes you start to resent the need for sleep, and not regret ignored chores for one second.
Part of what makes this such a fantastic book is the characters. The central private detective Cormoran Strike comes from the school of lone wolves, but very current day. He's an injured war veteran, a recently ex-fiancé, struggling businessman, living in his office after what seems like the final split from his volatile ex. His temporary help in the office, Robin, is surprisingly normal, a country girl come to the city, she's efficient, a self-starter who enjoys the difference of working for a PI. So much so, that she doesn't seem all that keen to take on a more stable, full time job even though her buttoned down boyfriend thinks she should.
There's a lot more background to both of them, but it's woven into the story of an investigation triggered when a brother comes to Strike for help after the fall off a balcony of a troubled, very famous model is called a suicide.
Which leads to the other part that makes THE CUCKOO'S CALLING such a fantastic book. It's a terrific plot. Twisty, unexpected, littered with possibilities and alternatives, it's such an intriguing case. There's such a contrast between the lives of the rich and famous, and those less materially fortunate who look into their lives. There's the contrast between famous for not a lot, and injured and maimed for an awful lot. There's also great humanity and touching complications in the relationship between Strike and Robin, Robin and her boyfriend, Strike and just about everybody he comes across.
It's also a plot that leads to a conclusion that, I didn't see coming, but when it arrived, made complete sense.
There's really only one problem with books as good as THE CUCKOO'S CALLING. Waiting for the next one in the series. It's hard not to whinge about the waiting.
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quite telegraph exactly what is about to happen.But you know it when it is happening. A feeling that this is exactly the sort of book that you've been looking for. It's the sort of book that makes you start to resent the need for sleep, and not regret ignored chores for one second.
Part of what makes this such a fantastic book is the characters. The central private detective Cormoran Strike comes from the school of lone wolves, but very current day. He's an injured war veteran, a recently ex-fiancé, struggling businessman, living in his office after what seems like the final split from his volatile ex. His temporary help in the office, Robin, is surprisingly normal, a country girl come to the city, she's efficient, a self-starter who enjoys the difference of working for a PI. So much so, that she doesn't seem all that keen to take on a more stable, full time job even though her buttoned down boyfriend thinks she should.
There's a lot more background to both of them, but it's woven into the story of an investigation triggered when a brother comes to Strike for help after the fall off a balcony of a troubled, very famous model is called a suicide.
Which leads to the other part that makes THE CUCKOO'S CALLING such a fantastic book. It's a terrific plot. Twisty, unexpected, littered with possibilities and alternatives, it's such an intriguing case. There's such a contrast between the lives of the rich and famous, and those less materially fortunate who look into their lives. There's the contrast between famous for not a lot, and injured and maimed for an awful lot. There's also great humanity and touching complications in the relationship between Strike and Robin, Robin and her boyfriend, Strike and just about everybody he comes across.
It's also a plot that leads to a conclusion that, I didn't see coming, but when it arrived, made complete sense.
There's really only one problem with books as good as THE CUCKOO'S CALLING. Waiting for the next one in the series. It's hard not to whinge about the waiting.
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LibraryThing member brenzi
I’m not much of a crime reader so I may not be the best judge of this book, written by Robert Galbraith, whom everyone now knows is J. K. Rowling. But holy cracker jack of a tale! I don’t know when I’ve more enjoyed following the clues, eliminating suspects and following in the footsteps of
Beautiful supermodel Lula Landry (dubbed ‘Cuckoo’ by a famous doting fashion designer) has taken a nose dive from her balcony outside her luxury apartment onto the snow covered asphalt below. Initially, it is ruled (very quickly) as a suicide, but Landry’s step-brother is convinced that she was pushed to her death and he hires Strike to find the killer.
Rowling knows a thing or two about character development and that is apparent as she fills this volume with a boatload of interesting, fully fleshed and believable characters that all add to the heart-thumping narrative. The relationship between Strike and his temporary secretary, Robin was especially well done. I found this book hard to put down and the ending could hardly have been more perfect. I have to admit, I would never have picked this book up had it not been for the publisher revealing that Robert Galbraith was a pseudonym for J. K. Rowling. And I will be lining up for the next volume, The Silkworm, out in June.
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our hero, private detective Cormoran Strike (does every British author turn to Dickens for character name inspiration?) and his gal Friday, Robin Ellacott.Beautiful supermodel Lula Landry (dubbed ‘Cuckoo’ by a famous doting fashion designer) has taken a nose dive from her balcony outside her luxury apartment onto the snow covered asphalt below. Initially, it is ruled (very quickly) as a suicide, but Landry’s step-brother is convinced that she was pushed to her death and he hires Strike to find the killer.
Rowling knows a thing or two about character development and that is apparent as she fills this volume with a boatload of interesting, fully fleshed and believable characters that all add to the heart-thumping narrative. The relationship between Strike and his temporary secretary, Robin was especially well done. I found this book hard to put down and the ending could hardly have been more perfect. I have to admit, I would never have picked this book up had it not been for the publisher revealing that Robert Galbraith was a pseudonym for J. K. Rowling. And I will be lining up for the next volume, The Silkworm, out in June.
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LibraryThing member lit_chick
When uber-wealthy supermodel, Lula Landry, plunges to her death from the balcony of her lux apartment, private investigator Strike Cormoran is approached by the model’s lawyer-brother John Bristow to investigate. Officially, the police have concluded that Landry’s death was suicide, but Bristow
Why I Read This Now: I was curious about The Cuckoo’s Calling when I learned that J.K. Rowling is actually Robert Galbraith.
Recommended: Yes, highly! I now understand why Harry Potter became such a phenomenon! What a writer, and what a storyteller! If you’re at all inclined towards well-written suspense and idiosyncratic characters , you must meet Cormoran Strike.
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is not convinced. Interestingly, a neighbour of Landry’s, Tandy Bestigui, who witnessed Landry’s body falling, tells the police that she heard Landry arguing with a man moments before she fell. But the building has proven to be perfectly soundproofed, and Bestigui’s story is dismissed as the audio-hallucination of a coke-hazed socialite. But there’s more … and Strike Cormoran, in discovering just how much more, will navigate a maze of wonderfully eccentric characters: rockstars, supermodels, fashion designers, homeless addicts, high stakes lawyers, gold-digging socialites, and more. Ah, but the perpetrator is so worth waiting for!Why I Read This Now: I was curious about The Cuckoo’s Calling when I learned that J.K. Rowling is actually Robert Galbraith.
Recommended: Yes, highly! I now understand why Harry Potter became such a phenomenon! What a writer, and what a storyteller! If you’re at all inclined towards well-written suspense and idiosyncratic characters , you must meet Cormoran Strike.
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
A famous model plunges to her death from her third-story flat, and the world mourns for a few frenzied weeks. Such is the life and death of a celebrity. To her family members though, the ruling of death by suicide does not sit well, prompting them to look up an old family friend cum private
Robert Galbraith’s The Cuckoo's Calling is a true, old-fashioned murder mystery, albeit without the misogynistic, machismo tendencies such novels traditionally have. In true detective novel fashion, it is the characters that makes the story so enjoyable. Cormoran Strike is at once sympathetic and more than a bit scary. He is hairy, large, and extremely capable. There is a coldness to him, due to his past experiences in the military, that makes itself known in every little action and word. Yet, he is endearingly sweet, careful around his loved ones, and still very vulnerable thanks to his mental and physical wounds. It is this vulnerability onto which a reader will latch, as he struggles to pull his life back together while attempting to discern the truth. Similarly, Robin is a delightful counterpoint to Cormoran’s fumblings. She is exceedingly competent at her job, appears delicate but has a backbone of steel when needed, and has the type of caring attitude that her boss needs to further his healing. Moreover, she is intelligent and very good at thinking on her feet, something Cormoran appreciates, recognizes as a huge asset, and for which gives her credit. Robin is not the bimbo secretary there to take his calls and organize his schedule and files, nor does he treat her like one. Theirs is definitely a modern-day partnership, with all the respect and appreciation good working relationships generate.
The Cuckoo's Calling harkens back to old-school detective novels. Cormoran has all the modern-day sensitivities even if he is a man’s man with his massive bulk, his non-metrosexual body hair, military history and accolades, and intimidating demeanor. Robin, for all her tidiness and appearance of delicacy, is the perfect foil for Comoran, and together they make a great team. Also, the story itself is one of the few mysteries in recent months that actually remains a mystery until the very end. The use of well-hidden clues and plenty of red herrings excel at throwing readers off the scent of the truth. Mirroring Cormoran’s detective work, the novel is methodical and deliberate, and while there is little action, the resolution is as satisfactory as it is surprising because of the time Mr. Galbraith takes in developing his characters and establishing the plot. Because of the care Mr. Galbraith takes to establish his story, The Cuckoo's Calling is not meant for slapdash, quick reading. Instead, it requires the same deliberately slow reading pace used to set the tone of the novel. However, because the story is so careful and exactly in its details, a reader will not mind at all to spend a little more time with the adorable Robin and vulnerable yet daunting Cormoran Strike.
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detective to search for the truth. Enter Cormoran Strike, former military police, wounded in Afghanistan, and now facing the sudden and volatile break-up with his long-time girlfriend. His business is failing, and now that his relationship is over, he has no home. What he does have is a careful attention to detail, a passion for justice, and the intellect necessary to use one to achieve the other. As he goes about his business searching for clues and hard proof to back up his suspicions, he is helped by his extremely competent and adorably innocent secretary, Robin. Together, they ferret out the truth and uncover a surprising plot for fame, money, and glory.Robert Galbraith’s The Cuckoo's Calling is a true, old-fashioned murder mystery, albeit without the misogynistic, machismo tendencies such novels traditionally have. In true detective novel fashion, it is the characters that makes the story so enjoyable. Cormoran Strike is at once sympathetic and more than a bit scary. He is hairy, large, and extremely capable. There is a coldness to him, due to his past experiences in the military, that makes itself known in every little action and word. Yet, he is endearingly sweet, careful around his loved ones, and still very vulnerable thanks to his mental and physical wounds. It is this vulnerability onto which a reader will latch, as he struggles to pull his life back together while attempting to discern the truth. Similarly, Robin is a delightful counterpoint to Cormoran’s fumblings. She is exceedingly competent at her job, appears delicate but has a backbone of steel when needed, and has the type of caring attitude that her boss needs to further his healing. Moreover, she is intelligent and very good at thinking on her feet, something Cormoran appreciates, recognizes as a huge asset, and for which gives her credit. Robin is not the bimbo secretary there to take his calls and organize his schedule and files, nor does he treat her like one. Theirs is definitely a modern-day partnership, with all the respect and appreciation good working relationships generate.
The Cuckoo's Calling harkens back to old-school detective novels. Cormoran has all the modern-day sensitivities even if he is a man’s man with his massive bulk, his non-metrosexual body hair, military history and accolades, and intimidating demeanor. Robin, for all her tidiness and appearance of delicacy, is the perfect foil for Comoran, and together they make a great team. Also, the story itself is one of the few mysteries in recent months that actually remains a mystery until the very end. The use of well-hidden clues and plenty of red herrings excel at throwing readers off the scent of the truth. Mirroring Cormoran’s detective work, the novel is methodical and deliberate, and while there is little action, the resolution is as satisfactory as it is surprising because of the time Mr. Galbraith takes in developing his characters and establishing the plot. Because of the care Mr. Galbraith takes to establish his story, The Cuckoo's Calling is not meant for slapdash, quick reading. Instead, it requires the same deliberately slow reading pace used to set the tone of the novel. However, because the story is so careful and exactly in its details, a reader will not mind at all to spend a little more time with the adorable Robin and vulnerable yet daunting Cormoran Strike.
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LibraryThing member kalky
I love a good British mystery, and "The Cuckoo's Calling" was great. In it, Cormoran Strike has left the military after losing part of his leg in Afghanistan. He has set himself up as a private investigator, but business isn't even close to booming, he has creditors to pay, and he and his fiancee
His luck changes when a temporary agency sends him Robin, a surprisingly competent assistant, on the same day that John Bristow arrives at his office asking him to investigate the death of John's sister, supermodel Lula Landry. What follows is a classic mystery with a large cast of characters and a flawed but loveable detective. I gave up trying to figure out the case about half way through the book and just sat back and enjoyed the story and the people who populate the pages of the book. This is a debut novel, and I can only hope that it's the first in a series about Cormoran Strike.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
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have just broken up.His luck changes when a temporary agency sends him Robin, a surprisingly competent assistant, on the same day that John Bristow arrives at his office asking him to investigate the death of John's sister, supermodel Lula Landry. What follows is a classic mystery with a large cast of characters and a flawed but loveable detective. I gave up trying to figure out the case about half way through the book and just sat back and enjoyed the story and the people who populate the pages of the book. This is a debut novel, and I can only hope that it's the first in a series about Cormoran Strike.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
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LibraryThing member PhaedraB
I rather liked this, and although I picked it up because it's J.K. Rowling, I think I would have liked it even if I hadn't known who "really" wrote. I read a lot of the mystery genre and this was a perfectly good PI novel. The back-stories for her lead characters were interesting, not terribly
Where I could see the Rowling touch is not where you'd expect. The story concerns the trappings of fame, including paparazzi, money, and the exploitation of other people's celebrity--all things that Rowling has experienced up-close and personal. Her telling of it, seen from the perspective of the outsider investigators, felt genuine, not the superficial fantasy one usually finds. She has been both outside and inside that world and is able to write convincingly about both the famous and the "regular" people who intersect with other people's famous lives.
My only reservation was what I felt was rather old-fashioned Agatha Christie-like denouement. It seemed a bit hurried next to the comparative richness of the rest of the storytelling. But the answers were satisfying.
It was a good, immersing genre read, and I will certainly look forward to her detective's further adventures.
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cliched, and the characters felt fully developed.Where I could see the Rowling touch is not where you'd expect. The story concerns the trappings of fame, including paparazzi, money, and the exploitation of other people's celebrity--all things that Rowling has experienced up-close and personal. Her telling of it, seen from the perspective of the outsider investigators, felt genuine, not the superficial fantasy one usually finds. She has been both outside and inside that world and is able to write convincingly about both the famous and the "regular" people who intersect with other people's famous lives.
My only reservation was what I felt was rather old-fashioned Agatha Christie-like denouement. It seemed a bit hurried next to the comparative richness of the rest of the storytelling. But the answers were satisfying.
It was a good, immersing genre read, and I will certainly look forward to her detective's further adventures.
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
By now everyone's heard the story about J.K. Rowling writing a mystery novel under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith and although the few reviews about it said it was quite good, no one noticed it enough to read it. And then the real author's name was leaked and now it's very popular. So popular, that
Cormoran Strike is an ex-Red Cap (that's the British version of the military police), who left the army when he lost part of a leg in Afghanistan. He's just broken up, for the last time, with his fiancee and his private detective business is heavily in debt. He's living in his small set of offices and drinking a fair amount. He is simultaneously stuck with a secretary from a temp agency, which he really can't afford, and given a solid and well-paying case to investigate. The brother of a supermodel who committed suicide is convinced she was murdered and wants Strike to prove it.
As a fan of the mystery novel, it was a pleasure to read a well plotted, well written book that clearly demonstrated Rowling's own love of the genre. Cormoran Strike is a great addition to the ranks of private eyes in fiction. He's big and hairy and methodical and insightful. He has an understanding of human nature, but is still able to show empathy. I like him. The mystery is very much the focus of the story, although Rowling seems to be setting up for a potential series by giving the reader part of Strike's background. I hope she does continue to write about Cormoran Strike.
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last week, just as I was reading it on the train, so was the guy sitting across from me. So, the question is, how good is it, really? I'm happy to tell you that it is very good, but nothing at all like the Harry Potter books, so if you loved them, you may well not like The Cuckoo's Calling, but if you're a reader of mystery novels, you will probably enjoy this solid and respectful entry into the genre. Cormoran Strike is an ex-Red Cap (that's the British version of the military police), who left the army when he lost part of a leg in Afghanistan. He's just broken up, for the last time, with his fiancee and his private detective business is heavily in debt. He's living in his small set of offices and drinking a fair amount. He is simultaneously stuck with a secretary from a temp agency, which he really can't afford, and given a solid and well-paying case to investigate. The brother of a supermodel who committed suicide is convinced she was murdered and wants Strike to prove it.
As a fan of the mystery novel, it was a pleasure to read a well plotted, well written book that clearly demonstrated Rowling's own love of the genre. Cormoran Strike is a great addition to the ranks of private eyes in fiction. He's big and hairy and methodical and insightful. He has an understanding of human nature, but is still able to show empathy. I like him. The mystery is very much the focus of the story, although Rowling seems to be setting up for a potential series by giving the reader part of Strike's background. I hope she does continue to write about Cormoran Strike.
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LibraryThing member DramMan
Excellent crime fiction from (it is now known) J K Rowling. Good characterisation and a plotline that roars along at a great pace, a real page-turner. I read hardly any fiction but this left me wanting more.
LibraryThing member Smiler69
Things aren't going very well for Cormoran Strike. When we meet him, he's just broken up with his long-time girlfriend and fiancée, who's run out on him like a fury, and since they were living together and his private eye practice hasn't been doing well, now he is stuck sleeping in his office on a
I liked the story well enough, and found Cormoran and his helpmate Robin to be appealing characters I had fun getting to know, but the tabloid elements felt too prevalent for me to feel I was sinking my teeth into a murder mystery of substance. There's the world-famous gorgeouser-than-thou supermodel with bipolar disorder and a possible drug habit, there's the loser heroin-addict famous musician boyfriend who likes to toy with the paparazzi, there's the super-gay high fashion designer who alternates between adoring and exploiting his muse, there's the lifestyle that is something akin to billionaire racing heiress Petra Ecclestone's (a recent tabloid fixture in the UK), there's the attractive wannabe-actor chauffeur who is chummy with the stars... it seems J. K. Rowling (writing under the pen name of Robert Galbraith) didn't have to look much father than her supermarket's checkout line to find inspiration for the first book in her Cormoran Strike series. That being said, this was my first reaction as I was listening to the excellent narration by Robert Glenister for this audiobook a few weeks ago, but I thought I'd let the experience mellow and see what impressions I might be left with after a while, and I must admit that Galbraith/Rowling managed to create a very vivid little world few of us are usually privy to, yet seems familiar because of the media fascination with this elite world of people with too much money to have much common sense. Do I think this book will become a classic and be read in coming decades? Perhaps if readers are keen on getting a snapshot of what the second decade of the 21st century was like as far as popular culture goes. But for this very same reason, I'm now quite curious to see what Galbraith will do with his/her next book, where the mystery takes place in the just slightly less high-profile and less tabloid-centric world of a novelist gone missing, and a private detective whose next steps I'm keen to follow in the upcoming follow-up being released later this month, The Silkworm.
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camp bed amid boxes of his belongings. On the same day, a saviour in the form of temporary secretary Robin Ellacott appears, along with a client who is willing to pay a high fee to solve a case. Famous supermodel Lula Landry plunged to her death from her luxury pad's balcony a few months ago, and her brother John Bristow suspects this was not a suicide as the police determined, and wants Strike to find the killer. Strike himself has an interesting background. He's a veteran from the war in Afghanistan where he lost his leg, and he is also the bastard son of a famous musician, his mother having been a well-known groupie back in the day. This is practical as far as getting people in high places (always impressed with his link to fame) to talk to him, but otherwise he is far from liking the too-close-for-comfort association with the world of tabloid press. I liked the story well enough, and found Cormoran and his helpmate Robin to be appealing characters I had fun getting to know, but the tabloid elements felt too prevalent for me to feel I was sinking my teeth into a murder mystery of substance. There's the world-famous gorgeouser-than-thou supermodel with bipolar disorder and a possible drug habit, there's the loser heroin-addict famous musician boyfriend who likes to toy with the paparazzi, there's the super-gay high fashion designer who alternates between adoring and exploiting his muse, there's the lifestyle that is something akin to billionaire racing heiress Petra Ecclestone's (a recent tabloid fixture in the UK), there's the attractive wannabe-actor chauffeur who is chummy with the stars... it seems J. K. Rowling (writing under the pen name of Robert Galbraith) didn't have to look much father than her supermarket's checkout line to find inspiration for the first book in her Cormoran Strike series. That being said, this was my first reaction as I was listening to the excellent narration by Robert Glenister for this audiobook a few weeks ago, but I thought I'd let the experience mellow and see what impressions I might be left with after a while, and I must admit that Galbraith/Rowling managed to create a very vivid little world few of us are usually privy to, yet seems familiar because of the media fascination with this elite world of people with too much money to have much common sense. Do I think this book will become a classic and be read in coming decades? Perhaps if readers are keen on getting a snapshot of what the second decade of the 21st century was like as far as popular culture goes. But for this very same reason, I'm now quite curious to see what Galbraith will do with his/her next book, where the mystery takes place in the just slightly less high-profile and less tabloid-centric world of a novelist gone missing, and a private detective whose next steps I'm keen to follow in the upcoming follow-up being released later this month, The Silkworm.
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LibraryThing member GSB68
Really good mystery!
I found Cormoran Strike and his new assistant Robin to be fun interesting protagonists and the story moved at a brisk pace. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel.
I'm a little worried that it stuck to the hard boiled tropes a little too much and that the motivation of the
I found Cormoran Strike and his new assistant Robin to be fun interesting protagonists and the story moved at a brisk pace. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel.
I'm a little worried that it stuck to the hard boiled tropes a little too much and that the motivation of the
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killer is fairly muddled. Along with a "twist" ending that has been done better elsewhere. Still a good read no pun intended. Show Less
LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Cormoran Strike is down to his last client when he breaks up with his girlfriend and moves out of her apartment. A new temp secretary has just started when an old schoolmate comes in and asks him to investigate whether his sister, a famous model, actually committed suicide or was pushed to her
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death. Show Less
LibraryThing member ChristineEllei
Cormoran Strike is a down on his luck PI in London England. After his most recent fight with his girlfriend he is living in office, avoiding his creditors and wondering how his two remaining clients are going to help him earn enough to get to the end of the week. Then two fortuitous things happen;
Sounds pretty cliché and it is. This book has all the tried and true hallmarks of a detective novel; it’s gritty, the characters reside either in the underbelly or the top echelon of society, the wealthy client arrives in the nick of time to save the day, the pretty and (surprise) smart assistant and of course all the necessary red herrings. Yup, they are all there. If you like the gritty detective genre you will enjoy this book. It left me a little flat. The only saving grace to this book was the ending. Good job Ms. Rowling, I honestly did not see it coming.
There was such hoopla surrounding this book when the big discovery was “leaked” that Robert Galbraith was really J.K. Rowling. Yes, it’s always interesting to discover that a well-known author has penned a book under a pseudonym. It’s happened before … Richard Bachman/ Stephen King … but no matter which author is involved I always suspect the “leak” comes as the result of floundering sales for the unknown pseudonym. It sure perked up sales for this book.
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Robin, the temp the agency sent happens to have a hidden talent for investigative work and the brother of a recently deceased super-model hires Strike to prove she was murdered. Things are definitely looking up. The only thing he has to do is solve the case.Sounds pretty cliché and it is. This book has all the tried and true hallmarks of a detective novel; it’s gritty, the characters reside either in the underbelly or the top echelon of society, the wealthy client arrives in the nick of time to save the day, the pretty and (surprise) smart assistant and of course all the necessary red herrings. Yup, they are all there. If you like the gritty detective genre you will enjoy this book. It left me a little flat. The only saving grace to this book was the ending. Good job Ms. Rowling, I honestly did not see it coming.
There was such hoopla surrounding this book when the big discovery was “leaked” that Robert Galbraith was really J.K. Rowling. Yes, it’s always interesting to discover that a well-known author has penned a book under a pseudonym. It’s happened before … Richard Bachman/ Stephen King … but no matter which author is involved I always suspect the “leak” comes as the result of floundering sales for the unknown pseudonym. It sure perked up sales for this book.
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LibraryThing member auntmarge64
A superb change of pace from J.K. Rowling (aka Galbraith), who has made a smooth switch from Harry Potter to begin a meticulously paced private eye series for adults. Her skill at characterization and plot is in full view. Wow, am I impressed!
LibraryThing member Tarklovishki
I feel it has become a necessity to point out that the five stars is not because J.K Rowling wrote the book and all flaws found are made redundant, but because of my personal enjoyment of the story.
Many readers (but not all) have flunked out of J.K's new books because it isn't Harry Potter, which
The Cuckoo's Calling is a great crime novel. I don't read a lot of them, but when I do I usually enjoy them, and this is no different.
Detective Cormoran Strike is, to me, a difficult character to relate to in terms of personal history. He's been through some shit, folks. He's been and lived in the proverbial "butt end" of London, and was forced out of the army, the only real home he ever had, due to his leg being blown off by a land mine. Now he lives with a prosthetic leg that pains him often.
I'm actually grateful that J.K Rowling did not make Cormoran gorgeous. I have seen too many male protagonists labelled as gorgeous, with flawless features and impeccable tastes in clothing. Cormoran has been mocked for his "Pube Hair" (which was also his adolescent nickname, hence the capitals) and his face is that of a boxer whom has taken one too many hits to the face. The fact that he is not flawlessly beautiful just adds to his relatability and evokes sympathy from the reader (in my opinion).
His big reveal at the end, despite not being up to par with Sherlock Holmes, is quite satisfying and brilliant. Throughout the book it seems like a wild goose chase and that any lead he gets will be snatched out of his fingers and any suspect turns to dust.
Robin was a nice female protagonist as well. I kind of love how she and Cormoran are introduced; he almost accidentally knocks her down a flight of stairs and grabs her by her left boob to save her. I am hoping she'll be in the rest of the series, only with a little more air time.
I do implore those who are really iffy about reading this book to give it a go. Just forget that J.K Rowling wrote it, forget what she's written before, and just go into The Cuckoo's Calling with an open mind.
Rate for personal enjoyment, not because of the author's previous works!
Many readers (but not all) have flunked out of J.K's new books because it isn't Harry Potter, which
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I find profoundly unfair. The Cuckoo's Calling is a great crime novel. I don't read a lot of them, but when I do I usually enjoy them, and this is no different.
Detective Cormoran Strike is, to me, a difficult character to relate to in terms of personal history. He's been through some shit, folks. He's been and lived in the proverbial "butt end" of London, and was forced out of the army, the only real home he ever had, due to his leg being blown off by a land mine. Now he lives with a prosthetic leg that pains him often.
I'm actually grateful that J.K Rowling did not make Cormoran gorgeous. I have seen too many male protagonists labelled as gorgeous, with flawless features and impeccable tastes in clothing. Cormoran has been mocked for his "Pube Hair" (which was also his adolescent nickname, hence the capitals) and his face is that of a boxer whom has taken one too many hits to the face. The fact that he is not flawlessly beautiful just adds to his relatability and evokes sympathy from the reader (in my opinion).
His big reveal at the end, despite not being up to par with Sherlock Holmes, is quite satisfying and brilliant. Throughout the book it seems like a wild goose chase and that any lead he gets will be snatched out of his fingers and any suspect turns to dust.
Robin was a nice female protagonist as well. I kind of love how she and Cormoran are introduced; he almost accidentally knocks her down a flight of stairs and grabs her by her left boob to save her. I am hoping she'll be in the rest of the series, only with a little more air time.
I do implore those who are really iffy about reading this book to give it a go. Just forget that J.K Rowling wrote it, forget what she's written before, and just go into The Cuckoo's Calling with an open mind.
Rate for personal enjoyment, not because of the author's previous works!
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LibraryThing member elizabeth.b.bevins
Sorry...I didn't finish this one. The story never caught my interest. I highly recommend Casual Vacancy though. That was a great book.
LibraryThing member Alie
Fantastic! The novel started off a bit slow, but once it picked up, I couldn't put it down! It is written in J.K. Rowling's excellent, descriptive, developed writing style. A very smart crime novel, I'm so happy to see it will be a series!
LibraryThing member Lisa2013
recommended for:
most readers who enjoy mysteries
My hardcover edition already has J.K. Rowling noted in the author information for this book. For her sake, and for the fun of it, I wish she hadn’t been outed, but for my sake, I’m glad because I read this because it’s by J.K. Rowling. I likely
I tend to like cozy mysteries much more than hard boiled mysteries, but this is hard boiled “lite” and is closer to soft boiled, in my opinion. Anyway, while not a cozy, I loved it.
Maybe the book is not “amazing” but I’ll try to explain why I feel it deserves my 5 star rating.
This was an ably told mystery story. It’s very cleverly done.
She played fair. There were lots of possibilities for what happened, and why, and who the culprit might be, and I didn’t guess correctly for almost sure until near the end, but she gave adequate hints all along to accurately predict who and their reasons. She didn’t cheat the way many mystery writers do.
I didn’t think I’d be interested in or care about the people, but I did, so much.
My reading experience was very enjoyable, much more than I’d expected from reading just about the main protagonist(s) and victim/victim’s world.
I enjoyed the many characters, the many red herrings, the many possible suspects, and the wondering if there were to be any guilty people at all, although I kind of assumed the truth about whether or not a murder had occurred.
I loved the quotes at the beginning of chapters and their literary quality and how apropos they were.
I appreciated that each section’s chapters started with chapter 1, as it made it easier to keep track of where I was in the book regarding chapters and sections.
I knew some of the English English (vs. American English that I use) and learned some more of those words, which I always find fun.
The storytelling is stellar, as it has been in every book by this author.
I got a kick out of the paparazzi comments and those about the public’s fascination with celebrities, especially knowing that the very famous J.K. Rowling is the author, and that is wasn’t written by an unknown, new author. I’ll bet she had fun writing those parts.
Robin is a character I really enjoyed and she was a perfect balance for the main character of Cormoran Stike, who, much to my surprise, I grew very fond of. She’s a wonderful character for mystery book fans, particularly women. In some ways I could really identify with her.
I am very eager to read the next book in the series. I’m glad it will be out next year.
I immediately loved the Harry Potter books, though with those I went in with a lot of information, already knowing the term muggles, and knowing some facts about Fluffy, etc. The Casual Vacancy took me a number of pages to become engaged, but then I thought it was brilliant, and once I started enjoying it, I did thoroughly. I found this book appealing almost immediately and I got more and more engrossed as I read; by the end it was incredibly difficult to put down. I’m in awe at how all these are such different types of books, in many ways. What they have in common is fine writing, fascinating characters, and highly skilled storytelling.
Three things I didn’t like:
I hate that Strike smokes. (The heavy drinking seems to be a British thing?) I don’t care if smoking fits his character. I fervently hope he gives it up in a future book.
And, “oriental woman” – really?! This is not supposed to be historical fiction. How did that term get in there?! (Now I can’t even remember the context. Perhaps that’s how a particular character would have expressed themselves?)
And, I’m sad. I love J.K. Rowling and her work. The Harry Potter books mean a great deal to me. Yet, in my opinion, she showed once again in this book that she’s got tremendous fat prejudice. Fat slurs come up, and some of her less desirable characters tend to be the ones who are fat. I admit I might be off about this, but I’m thinking not. (I’ll have to dredge up some memories and ask some friends who’ve also read all her books. I am thinking of some striking exceptions so this is more a note to myself.)
Just recently I read 2 comic novels in a row, both with some mystery components actually, and that was a lovely comfort reads period. I’m about to read another book in a mystery series I’ve loved for years. Come on library!: Get it from your vendor asap! Reading 2 mysteries (almost) in a row are also great comfort reading for me. I’ll remember this one. It’s memorable.
most readers who enjoy mysteries
My hardcover edition already has J.K. Rowling noted in the author information for this book. For her sake, and for the fun of it, I wish she hadn’t been outed, but for my sake, I’m glad because I read this because it’s by J.K. Rowling. I likely
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wouldn’t have found it/the series otherwise, at least not for a long time. Here, the main protagonist and plot summary aren’t things I’d have probably found appealing enough to seek out. (That would have been a mistake on my part.) I’m so behind on all but a very few of my mystery series books and overbooked in general, so this book probably wouldn’t have attracted me on its own, though if trusted friends reviews raved about it, I’m sure I’d have at least added it to my to-read shelf. I’m glad I own a copy, although I did start by reading a library copy.I tend to like cozy mysteries much more than hard boiled mysteries, but this is hard boiled “lite” and is closer to soft boiled, in my opinion. Anyway, while not a cozy, I loved it.
Maybe the book is not “amazing” but I’ll try to explain why I feel it deserves my 5 star rating.
This was an ably told mystery story. It’s very cleverly done.
She played fair. There were lots of possibilities for what happened, and why, and who the culprit might be, and I didn’t guess correctly for almost sure until near the end, but she gave adequate hints all along to accurately predict who and their reasons. She didn’t cheat the way many mystery writers do.
I didn’t think I’d be interested in or care about the people, but I did, so much.
My reading experience was very enjoyable, much more than I’d expected from reading just about the main protagonist(s) and victim/victim’s world.
I enjoyed the many characters, the many red herrings, the many possible suspects, and the wondering if there were to be any guilty people at all, although I kind of assumed the truth about whether or not a murder had occurred.
I loved the quotes at the beginning of chapters and their literary quality and how apropos they were.
I appreciated that each section’s chapters started with chapter 1, as it made it easier to keep track of where I was in the book regarding chapters and sections.
I knew some of the English English (vs. American English that I use) and learned some more of those words, which I always find fun.
The storytelling is stellar, as it has been in every book by this author.
I got a kick out of the paparazzi comments and those about the public’s fascination with celebrities, especially knowing that the very famous J.K. Rowling is the author, and that is wasn’t written by an unknown, new author. I’ll bet she had fun writing those parts.
Robin is a character I really enjoyed and she was a perfect balance for the main character of Cormoran Stike, who, much to my surprise, I grew very fond of. She’s a wonderful character for mystery book fans, particularly women. In some ways I could really identify with her.
I am very eager to read the next book in the series. I’m glad it will be out next year.
I immediately loved the Harry Potter books, though with those I went in with a lot of information, already knowing the term muggles, and knowing some facts about Fluffy, etc. The Casual Vacancy took me a number of pages to become engaged, but then I thought it was brilliant, and once I started enjoying it, I did thoroughly. I found this book appealing almost immediately and I got more and more engrossed as I read; by the end it was incredibly difficult to put down. I’m in awe at how all these are such different types of books, in many ways. What they have in common is fine writing, fascinating characters, and highly skilled storytelling.
Three things I didn’t like:
I hate that Strike smokes. (The heavy drinking seems to be a British thing?) I don’t care if smoking fits his character. I fervently hope he gives it up in a future book.
And, “oriental woman” – really?! This is not supposed to be historical fiction. How did that term get in there?! (Now I can’t even remember the context. Perhaps that’s how a particular character would have expressed themselves?)
And, I’m sad. I love J.K. Rowling and her work. The Harry Potter books mean a great deal to me. Yet, in my opinion, she showed once again in this book that she’s got tremendous fat prejudice. Fat slurs come up, and some of her less desirable characters tend to be the ones who are fat. I admit I might be off about this, but I’m thinking not. (I’ll have to dredge up some memories and ask some friends who’ve also read all her books. I am thinking of some striking exceptions so this is more a note to myself.)
Just recently I read 2 comic novels in a row, both with some mystery components actually, and that was a lovely comfort reads period. I’m about to read another book in a mystery series I’ve loved for years. Come on library!: Get it from your vendor asap! Reading 2 mysteries (almost) in a row are also great comfort reading for me. I’ll remember this one. It’s memorable.
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LibraryThing member iansales
According to the blurb on this book, it was a huge best-seller and then the author was revealed as JK Rowling, which is not how I remember it happening. The Cuckoo’s Calling received several positive reviews and sold modestly. Then someone at Rowling’s solicitors (I think) leaked Galbraith’s
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true identity, and sales shot up overnight by about 5000%. But hey, let’s rewrite history anyway and make out that it’s not Rowling’s name that sells books, that’s she still a really good writer even when no one knows it’s her. So, of course, it comes as little surprise to find The Cuckoo’s Calling is… okay. It has too many words for its story and could have done with losing 100 pages, the most interesting thing about its hero, Cormoran Strike, is his improbable name, and the whole thing feels like it was written by someone who’s a little bit out of touch. A supermodel falls to her death from her penthouse flat and the police initially rule it suicide. But the supermodel’s brother, a solicitor, thinks this is wrong and hires Strike to investigate. At the same time, a new temp has started as Strike’s secretary, and she proves to be highly competent and very much in love with the idea of being a private investigator – parts of the novel are written from her perspective. The plot moves smoothly, but it feels wordy, yet nowhere near literary enough to be literary fiction. There are a few digs at the ultra-wealthy, which feel like they’re the result of personal experience, but mostly Strike’s life seems to belong to an earlier decade. I now have a copy of the sequel, The Silkworm, but I’m not expecting it to be any better. Show Less
LibraryThing member reading_fox
Really very good, you wouldn't know that She Who Must Not Be Named had written it, the voice and style is very different. Very unusually for me, I have actually watched the TV adaption first, and I'm very impressed at how close they managed to get to the tone and style of these characters.
Strike
With surprising ease Strike gets to interview various rich and/or famous people all of whom profess more or less to care deeply about the dead girl, despite her occasionally flakey lifestyle, drug use et al, from Fashion designers, musicians and friends strike builds up a picture f her last few days, and more importantly her mental attitude at the time. Despite a row with her boyfriend, and a distressing conversation with her mum, she seemed unlikely to be wanting to kill herself then. The temp Robyn is thoroughly excited to find her-self working for a detective and does the best she can to be helpful, and not mind her employers business. After all she's only here for a week or so until she finds a permanent better paying job, and can enjoy life with her new fiancée. The two make an unlikely but successful pair.
Written in the third person it's occasionally odd when it veers into telling us Strike's mental processes rather than showing us through his actions, but other than that does very well at presenting the case. Robyn's very different voice is well handled throughout, and their interactions add just the right amount of lightness to what is at heart a dark story where none of the actors comes out well.
Thoroughly enjoyable a good addition to the crime genre, and I'll catching up on the rest of the series.
Strike
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is the usual PI - just about broke, but with good habits instilled from the army (A greater contrast to Jack Reacher may not exist), doing the best he can, against all the personal troubles a background of hardship and injury will do. He isn't expecting the business to last much longer, but the replacement temp he's been sent has such a self-reliant and un-intrusive manner he can't bring himself to sack her for the week. His only remaining client is also a pity case, from his childhood the rich son is prepared to pay double to investigate his sister's recent death, widely reported as suicide. Strike is somewhat reluctant to take the case because the coroner's verdict looks very secure, she was a celebrity and so the police worked extra hard, and the available leads look slim, but the prospect of earning enough to pay his temp for another week and maybe even clear some debts is too much to resist.With surprising ease Strike gets to interview various rich and/or famous people all of whom profess more or less to care deeply about the dead girl, despite her occasionally flakey lifestyle, drug use et al, from Fashion designers, musicians and friends strike builds up a picture f her last few days, and more importantly her mental attitude at the time. Despite a row with her boyfriend, and a distressing conversation with her mum, she seemed unlikely to be wanting to kill herself then. The temp Robyn is thoroughly excited to find her-self working for a detective and does the best she can to be helpful, and not mind her employers business. After all she's only here for a week or so until she finds a permanent better paying job, and can enjoy life with her new fiancée. The two make an unlikely but successful pair.
Written in the third person it's occasionally odd when it veers into telling us Strike's mental processes rather than showing us through his actions, but other than that does very well at presenting the case. Robyn's very different voice is well handled throughout, and their interactions add just the right amount of lightness to what is at heart a dark story where none of the actors comes out well.
Thoroughly enjoyable a good addition to the crime genre, and I'll catching up on the rest of the series.
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LibraryThing member MarciaWeber
I didn't like this book. I read until chapter 10 and I quit.
LibraryThing member MrsLee
Cormoran Strike is on his last leg. Literally. An injured war veteran, split up with his fiancee, homeless with a failing detective business. A very dysfunctional family. This man has about had it, but he isn't a quitter. When a new temp shows up at his office (he thought he had called the agency
I enjoyed this mystery. It was well told, clues abundant, and yet not obvious. The characters were well fleshed. Cormoran Strike could have seemed a very unpleasant man full of self-pity, and yet he didn't. He reminded me more of the detectives of noir fiction; determined like a bulldog, dark and yet not without humor when examining their lives. Robin was delightful as a young woman learning to find her talents and have a voice. I look forward to reading other books with these two in them.
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to cancel further temps), he hasn't the heart to turn her away. But she seems to bring him a change of luck. Suddenly he has a new client and case as well.I enjoyed this mystery. It was well told, clues abundant, and yet not obvious. The characters were well fleshed. Cormoran Strike could have seemed a very unpleasant man full of self-pity, and yet he didn't. He reminded me more of the detectives of noir fiction; determined like a bulldog, dark and yet not without humor when examining their lives. Robin was delightful as a young woman learning to find her talents and have a voice. I look forward to reading other books with these two in them.
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LibraryThing member sackville-west
I liked the plot and the main characters. A brilliant story which keep on all the time.
LibraryThing member Clara53
A disappointment. Made probably more acute by the fact that Ms. Rowling decided to adopt a pseudonym in writing this detective novel, thus creating much increased anticipation for it. (And I did look forward to it - since her first non-Harry Potter book, "The Casual Vacancy", was rather a
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praiseworthy one...). Here, I thought the plot was weak, even though one could detect a seasoned writer behind the lines. I doubt I shall be reading any more in this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member she_climber
Rather disappointing for such a well-loved author. Just not her genre, I guess. Very slow-paced, although depth to her characters. Not even quite sure why I kept reading and didn't put it down for something else more to my liking.
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2015)
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — Mystery/Thriller — 2013)
British Book Award (Shortlist — 2013)
Crimefest Awards (Winner — 2014)
NPR: Books We Love (2013)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (Fiction — 2013)
Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List (Selection — 2014)