The Cuckoo’s Calling
By
Robert Galbraith (or JK Rowling – for those of you not living under a rock in Siberia)
Published by Little Brown & Company 2013
The Book!
Cormoran Strike is dealing with a lot. He’s lost his leg in Afghanistan, his relationship with long time girlfriend Charlotte is at an end, he’s knee deep (well one knee deep) in debt, and he’s forgotten to cancel the temporary secretary he booked. Enter stage left Robin, a young savy temp who while on the surface is looking for a “real job”, is thrilled to be working in the world of a private detective, and plans to make the most her time in Strike’s office.
Like any good detective novel, this is where the “case” arrives at the door! Meet John Bristow, an on edge, high strung lawyer who is determined to have Strike investigate the death of his sister. A sister who is none other than supermodel Lula Landry. Landry who recently swan dived off her balcony to do a face plant into the street. Contrary to what police believe, Bristow insists this is no depressed suicide and wants Strike to uncover the truth for him.
Strike and Robin take a trip into Lula’s world, a world of big money, super models, actors, and designers, and of course the underbelly of it all as well. Each clue leads Strike to another piece of the puzzle, and Robin hopes to see the last piece in place, before that “real job” catches up to her. Is what the police say true, Landry committed suicide and her brother is trying to make sense out of his grief, or is it the word of downstairs neighbour Tansy who has a much different story to tell? This one unfolds beautifully. Sit back and enjoy.
The Review!
So Agatha Christie were she living might have competition! I was so not expecting this book to impress me, and I was even slack about reading it at first. I couldn’t wrap my brain around JK Rowling doing a detective novel, and certainly not one that would leave me at the end comparing it to one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels…nooooo I’m not telling which one, but read it and you’ll see. The story takes a lot of turns, and I thought at times…where is she going now?? But she got there, and reading the last few chapters I kept saying…brilliant, just brilliant!
Strike is the perfect main character, he’s got his flaws, and his weaknesses, and that’s really his charm. He’s that down on his luck, hero that you want to cheer for because you know he’s got the mind of a Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot in there figuring it all out. I thoroughly enjoyed the chemistry between Strike and Robin, and no I won’t be cheesy by saying she’s Robin to his Batman, but she is. And bless you JK, you left the door open for a sequel…and you should, I’d definitely read another!
The Rating!
Woot!! She’s done it! She’s convinced me that she can do it without the glasses and wand! I thought the whole pen name thing might have been a little hokey, but when you are JK Rowling I’m betting there’s a big challenge in getting honest feedback from publishers…Are you seriously going to turn down a JK Rowling book? So I think it had its purpose. I enjoyed it, and hope you do as well. Definitely one to add to the shelf!
The Cover!
I got the flash cam cover, and as I write this review, it made me think again of Princess Di and the Paparazzi. Wickedly good choice.
The Author!
(For those of you living under a rock in Siberia)
Robert Galbraith – (This is what little I could find out online about him)
After several years with the Royal Military Police, Robert Galbraith was attached to the SIB (Special Investigative Branch), the plain-clothes branch of the RMP. He left the military in 2003 and has been working since then in the civilian security industry. The idea for Cormoran Strike grew directly out of his own experiences and those of his military friends who returned to the civilian world.
quoted from the following blog
Books On The Edge 
