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Cormoran Strike #5
Troubled Blood
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2020)Listening length: 31 hours and 52 minutes
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 ...
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 ...
32 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 15, 2020
11424 people are currently reading
44550 people want to read
About the author
Robert Galbraith
31 books32.8k followersThis is a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series and The Casual Vacancy, a novel for adults.
NOTE: There is more than one author with this name on Goodreads.
Rowling was born to Anne Rowling (née Volant) and Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.
Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.
Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.
NOTE: There is more than one author with this name on Goodreads.
Rowling was born to Anne Rowling (née Volant) and Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.
Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.
Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 12,847 reviews
October 20, 2020
I was extremely excited to read this novel as J.K Rowling/Robert Galbraith is the only author that makes me pre-order. I got this in the morning the novel was published but I started to properly read it after two weeks because I needed quiet time from GR to be able to enjoy my reunion with Strike and Robin.
I enjoyed the ride but it was way too long. I jokily anticipated the length with a comment as soon as I knew the title and added the novel to my TBR but I wasn’t expected to be so right. I understand that she is a very famous writer but editors should still do their job and edit down unnecessary information. Troubled Blood could have easily been 300 pages shorter without losing anything important. While I enjoy spending as much time with Robin and Strike as possible, there were too many side stories, additional characters and endless interviews that did not bring much to the plot.
Despite its length and some filler scenes, it was still a wonderfully written mystery. Robin and Strike are hired to investigate the cold case of a woman who disappeared 40 years ago. It was believed to be killed by a known serial killer but the daughter wants to know for sure what happened to her. Without too much hope, the pair agrees to investigate and for the next one year and a bit they try to dig into the past while struggling to solve the other cases they have on their hands. There are lots of incursions into Strike and Robin personal lives, most of them unhappy but necessary for the evolvement of the characters and their relationship. The plot was complex and full of twists and turns, which I enjoy. I also appreciated the exploration of tarot and astrology and the inclusion of the police officer’s notes, a device I applaud although it was impossible to read the whole thing on kindle.
The novel explores the idea of bias and how we can be deceived by our judgment of appearances, social status, occupation, sex etc. A special accent is put on violence against women, in its many forms.
15.09: This beauty waited for me on my kindle this morning. Already sank my teeth in it and can't wait do devour all its 888 pages.
I enjoyed the ride but it was way too long. I jokily anticipated the length with a comment as soon as I knew the title and added the novel to my TBR but I wasn’t expected to be so right. I understand that she is a very famous writer but editors should still do their job and edit down unnecessary information. Troubled Blood could have easily been 300 pages shorter without losing anything important. While I enjoy spending as much time with Robin and Strike as possible, there were too many side stories, additional characters and endless interviews that did not bring much to the plot.
Despite its length and some filler scenes, it was still a wonderfully written mystery. Robin and Strike are hired to investigate the cold case of a woman who disappeared 40 years ago. It was believed to be killed by a known serial killer but the daughter wants to know for sure what happened to her. Without too much hope, the pair agrees to investigate and for the next one year and a bit they try to dig into the past while struggling to solve the other cases they have on their hands. There are lots of incursions into Strike and Robin personal lives, most of them unhappy but necessary for the evolvement of the characters and their relationship. The plot was complex and full of twists and turns, which I enjoy. I also appreciated the exploration of tarot and astrology and the inclusion of the police officer’s notes, a device I applaud although it was impossible to read the whole thing on kindle.
The novel explores the idea of bias and how we can be deceived by our judgment of appearances, social status, occupation, sex etc. A special accent is put on violence against women, in its many forms.
15.09: This beauty waited for me on my kindle this morning. Already sank my teeth in it and can't wait do devour all its 888 pages.
December 3, 2020
Updated review:
There was a lot going on in this book which made it hard to follow at times. At heart, it revolves around the character development of Strike and Robin. The case itself was slower and more along the lines of The Cuckoos Calling. Addressing the issue of Creed, or the “trans” alleged villain, he was not trans or gender confused. He disguises himself in a way that appeals to his victims but it’s such a minuscule detail that if you blink you’ll miss it entirely. Rowling does address other tough topics such as abortion, pornography/sex trafficking, and sexual harassment, but she does so in a careful way that sheds important lights of truth but also compassion on the topics for anyone who is ignorant to them, or may have been involved in them.
All in all, the character development between Strike and Robin was what made the story while the actual investigation got to be confusing with many different people and theories that were hard to keep track of.
Original:
Rowling is not transphobic. Everyone giving this book 1 star before they’ve even read it is doing so to silence someone because they have a different opinion than them. I don’t want to rate this book before I’ve read it but everyone giving it a one star because Rowling is “transphobic” is just being childish and unfair. Rowling has done her research on the issue that brought her to her position which is based on factual science, not fear or hate.
There was a lot going on in this book which made it hard to follow at times. At heart, it revolves around the character development of Strike and Robin. The case itself was slower and more along the lines of The Cuckoos Calling. Addressing the issue of Creed, or the “trans” alleged villain, he was not trans or gender confused. He disguises himself in a way that appeals to his victims but it’s such a minuscule detail that if you blink you’ll miss it entirely. Rowling does address other tough topics such as abortion, pornography/sex trafficking, and sexual harassment, but she does so in a careful way that sheds important lights of truth but also compassion on the topics for anyone who is ignorant to them, or may have been involved in them.
All in all, the character development between Strike and Robin was what made the story while the actual investigation got to be confusing with many different people and theories that were hard to keep track of.
Original:
Rowling is not transphobic. Everyone giving this book 1 star before they’ve even read it is doing so to silence someone because they have a different opinion than them. I don’t want to rate this book before I’ve read it but everyone giving it a one star because Rowling is “transphobic” is just being childish and unfair. Rowling has done her research on the issue that brought her to her position which is based on factual science, not fear or hate.
September 24, 2020
You are all acting like JK Rowling is rounding up trans people into her mansion and brutally slaughtering them. You sound like children... You can't enjoy a story by an extremely talented writer because she doesn't have the exact same views as you? That is beyond pathetic. Do you have any idea how much money Jo has donated to charity? She's done so much more for humanity than any of you simpering morons ever will.. Congrats on being woke on the internet though, you're really making a difference I'm sure... Maybe this book is nothing but militant anti-LGBT propaganda. I'm at least going to read it before I make any judgements though, and judge the story on it's own merit. I'm only giving it 5 stars because so many of you """"heroes"""" have unfairly given it 1 star without even reading it.
September 15, 2020
Absolutely excellent book, just finished. There is no transvestite murderer. There's a sentence in which one near-victim in the 1970s couldn't give a good description her attacker as he wore a woman's wig and coat. That's it. No mention of transgender throughout the book.
The statements from the online mob of bullies are pure bulls*#t.
The statements from the online mob of bullies are pure bulls*#t.
December 18, 2023
(A-) 81% | Very Good
Notes: A catchy yet belabored song, elaborate and story-strong, it all in all goes on and on, ho-hum in spots and far too long.
Notes: A catchy yet belabored song, elaborate and story-strong, it all in all goes on and on, ho-hum in spots and far too long.
September 15, 2020
When the killer is a woman: "YOU'RE A MISOGYNIST"
When the killer is a transgender: "YOU'RE A TRANSPHOBE"
When the killer is black: "YOU'RE A RACIST"
When the killer is a straight white male: "This is fine because all white men are white supremacists and rapists."
- The idiotic left (2020)
When the killer is a transgender: "YOU'RE A TRANSPHOBE"
When the killer is black: "YOU'RE A RACIST"
When the killer is a straight white male: "This is fine because all white men are white supremacists and rapists."
- The idiotic left (2020)
December 28, 2020
Time for the FAQ because most of you are repeating each other-
Yes, I know. I also know that it is a theme in Silence of the Lambs and Psycho. No need to mention it for the 42nd time. The man dressing up as a woman isn't the main point. It's the fact that Rowling is abusing her enormous platform to share unkind and hateful opinions about the trans community. Her incorrect comments do nothing except further the abuse of trans people. The problem isn't fully the concept of this book. It's the fact that it's coming from a transphobic author whose pseudonym is a psychiatrist who is known for gay conversion therapy.
I have actually read a whopping 1 page of this book before I decided I didn't want to waste 900+ pages of my time on it's BS. As far as the one star, it is there to do what it is designed for, express my opinion about this book.
I want to make it very clear once again...
I DO NOT HATE J. K. ROWLING! I completely disagree with her opinions but I do not hate her. She is a very talented author. I just wish she would listen to reason. Until then, I will continue to fight for the truth and love.
As always, I am completely open for a reasonable discussion. Any hate or slurs will be reported and deleted along with the user being blocked. If you need to talk to someone, please feel free to click the links at the bottom of this review.
Love,
Tucker
- - - - - -
this is a book about a male serial who dresses up as a woman to kill his victims...
HOW IS THIS BEING PUBLISHED? This is coming from an obviously unkind and transphobic author. It's not a mysterious/thrilling plot device. It's bigotry disguised as literature.
C'mon, Hachette. You're better than this.
Links:
➵ What J.K. Rowling has done
➵ Does J.K. Rowling's Transphobia Ruin Harry Potter?
➵ Is J.K. Rowling Transphobic?
➵ Is J.K. Rowling a Transphobe? Trans guy reacts
➵ The Science of the Transgender Issue VS. the Pseudoscience Surrounding Gender and Biology!
I do not condone hatred or condone attacking authors nor is that what I am intending to do here. But J.K. Rowling's hate, hypocrisy and abuse of power must be recognized.
If you need someone,
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
You know that a man dressing up as a woman to kill people can happen in real life/fiction, right?
Yes, I know. I also know that it is a theme in Silence of the Lambs and Psycho. No need to mention it for the 42nd time. The man dressing up as a woman isn't the main point. It's the fact that Rowling is abusing her enormous platform to share unkind and hateful opinions about the trans community. Her incorrect comments do nothing except further the abuse of trans people. The problem isn't fully the concept of this book. It's the fact that it's coming from a transphobic author whose pseudonym is a psychiatrist who is known for gay conversion therapy.
hAvE yOu EvEn ReAd ThE bOoK?!? / WhY dId YoU rAtE 1 star??!
I have actually read a whopping 1 page of this book before I decided I didn't want to waste 900+ pages of my time on it's BS. As far as the one star, it is there to do what it is designed for, express my opinion about this book.
I want to make it very clear once again...
I DO NOT HATE J. K. ROWLING! I completely disagree with her opinions but I do not hate her. She is a very talented author. I just wish she would listen to reason. Until then, I will continue to fight for the truth and love.
As always, I am completely open for a reasonable discussion. Any hate or slurs will be reported and deleted along with the user being blocked. If you need to talk to someone, please feel free to click the links at the bottom of this review.
Love,
Tucker
- - - - - -
this is a book about a male serial who dresses up as a woman to kill his victims...
HOW IS THIS BEING PUBLISHED? This is coming from an obviously unkind and transphobic author. It's not a mysterious/thrilling plot device. It's bigotry disguised as literature.
C'mon, Hachette. You're better than this.
Links:
➵ What J.K. Rowling has done
➵ Does J.K. Rowling's Transphobia Ruin Harry Potter?
➵ Is J.K. Rowling Transphobic?
➵ Is J.K. Rowling a Transphobe? Trans guy reacts
➵ The Science of the Transgender Issue VS. the Pseudoscience Surrounding Gender and Biology!
I do not condone hatred or condone attacking authors nor is that what I am intending to do here. But J.K. Rowling's hate, hypocrisy and abuse of power must be recognized.
If you need someone,
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
September 13, 2020
Hmmm a book about a serial killer going around killing women while disguised as a woman written by She Who Will Not Be Named..... nothing wrong or suspicious here. If anyone dares say she isn't transphobic after this after she is saying that 'men in dresses' should be seen as suspicious and predatory and potentially altering people's views so they also see it this way then I kindly ask you to go choke!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2023
Of course I was going to give it 5 stars, as always!
This one is a bit different because it’s a cold case they have to solve, so there wasn’t much immediate danger. Though, without giving anything away, Strike and Robin are in more danger than they think.
The relationship between Strike and Robin is VERY interesting in this one and I’m sure everyone is dying to know what happens between them just as much as wanting to know whodunnit.
I loved the involvement of astrology, tarot cards, occultism/Aleister Crowley and satanism; clues left behind by a detective inspector who had been on the verge of a mental breakdown during the original investigation; and also one of the suspects, Dennis Creed, being a convicted and imprisoned serial killer.
I loved the new characters in this book, and also characters previously mentioned in other books which are more involved this time round.
I think Career of Evil is still my favourite in terms of the murder mystery, but in terms of the relationship between Strike and Robin, this is without a doubt the best one yet. And I think most people would agree, it’s Strike and Robin that keeps people coming back for more.
This one is a bit different because it’s a cold case they have to solve, so there wasn’t much immediate danger. Though, without giving anything away, Strike and Robin are in more danger than they think.
The relationship between Strike and Robin is VERY interesting in this one and I’m sure everyone is dying to know what happens between them just as much as wanting to know whodunnit.
I loved the involvement of astrology, tarot cards, occultism/Aleister Crowley and satanism; clues left behind by a detective inspector who had been on the verge of a mental breakdown during the original investigation; and also one of the suspects, Dennis Creed, being a convicted and imprisoned serial killer.
I loved the new characters in this book, and also characters previously mentioned in other books which are more involved this time round.
I think Career of Evil is still my favourite in terms of the murder mystery, but in terms of the relationship between Strike and Robin, this is without a doubt the best one yet. And I think most people would agree, it’s Strike and Robin that keeps people coming back for more.
October 26, 2020
Can't wait to read this
Couldn't care less her views on Gender whatever, still writes a good enough story for me.
Couldn't care less her views on Gender whatever, still writes a good enough story for me.
November 14, 2020
Rowling's latest in the London based private investigator Cormoran Strike series is one for those who enjoy being immersed in a mystery for a considerable length of time, a fast paced read this is not. The author plays to her trademark strengths of focusing on characters and their development, both with Strike and Robin, who have personal challenges to handle, and the other people created specific to a 40 year old cold case. Strike is in Cornwall staying with his Aunt Joan and Uncle Ted, more parents to him and his half-sister Lucy, than his groupie mother, Leda, and rock star father, Jonny Rokeby, who never showed the slightest interest in him until he became well known. Joan is dying from cancer, and Strike who has never been one to talk about his emotions is struggling to handle this, trying to do his best to be there for Joan and support Ted, who is devastated. With all this on his plate, he is less than amenable to his half siblings on his father's side and Rokeby wanting his presence at their family and band event.
Robin as we know has separated from Matthew after she discovered he had been cheating on her with Sarah, her life is being made miserable as he refuses to accede to a straightforward divorce, insisting that Robin is responsible for the breakdown of their marriage. His meanness and spite makes him want to hold on to all marital assets, including what Robin's parents had financially contributed, the only thing she will fight for. Robin is further pushed to reflect on her tendency to avoid confronting certain situations in the interests of avoiding conflict, even when a odious subcontractor, Saul Morris, crosses lines that she should not have put up with, bringing back traumatic memories from her past. 40 years ago in 1974, GP and mother, Margaret Bamborough, disappeared in London on her way to meet a friend at a pub. Anna, her daughter, wants to know what happened to her, and is willing to pay for a year's worth of investigative work, on a case where it was assumed she was a victim of notorious cross dressing serial killer now in Broadmoor, Dennis Creed.
Strike is upfront with Anna that they are unlikely to solve what happened to Margaret after so much time has passed, and it is certainly one of the most difficult cases they have taken on. For a start, many key figures from the case are dead, and a number that might be living prove to be particularly difficult to locate. Getting hold of the police files on the case is harder than expected, and when DI George Laybourn finally hands them over, it is clear the original police inquiry under DI Bill Talbot was a fiasco, for some time he disregarded anything that didn't fit his belief that she had been one of Creed's victims. That is not all, Talbot had serious mental health issues, and had pursued and obsessed over the strange territories of applying intricate and hard to fathom astrology and tarot card interpretations to those involved in the case.
The narrative takes place just over the period of a year, a year which includes other cases, and the impact of what is happening in the personal lives of Strike, such as his grief at the loss of Aunt Joan, contact from the likes of Strike's volatile ex-girlfriend, Charlotte Campbell, and Robin's divorce. Strike is determined not to let anyone get close to him, he struggles to emotionally read others or adequately understand that he needs to let others into his life and express what he is feeling so that he is less likely to implode when under emotional stress. Whilst both he and Robin are reluctant to cross into personal territory with each other, they do not want to threaten their professional business partnership, they love what they do, their relationship does develop to the point they are able to be more honest with each other. This is a terrifically entertaining and stellar addition to what is a marvellous series which I recommend to those who love their character driven crime mysteries.
Robin as we know has separated from Matthew after she discovered he had been cheating on her with Sarah, her life is being made miserable as he refuses to accede to a straightforward divorce, insisting that Robin is responsible for the breakdown of their marriage. His meanness and spite makes him want to hold on to all marital assets, including what Robin's parents had financially contributed, the only thing she will fight for. Robin is further pushed to reflect on her tendency to avoid confronting certain situations in the interests of avoiding conflict, even when a odious subcontractor, Saul Morris, crosses lines that she should not have put up with, bringing back traumatic memories from her past. 40 years ago in 1974, GP and mother, Margaret Bamborough, disappeared in London on her way to meet a friend at a pub. Anna, her daughter, wants to know what happened to her, and is willing to pay for a year's worth of investigative work, on a case where it was assumed she was a victim of notorious cross dressing serial killer now in Broadmoor, Dennis Creed.
Strike is upfront with Anna that they are unlikely to solve what happened to Margaret after so much time has passed, and it is certainly one of the most difficult cases they have taken on. For a start, many key figures from the case are dead, and a number that might be living prove to be particularly difficult to locate. Getting hold of the police files on the case is harder than expected, and when DI George Laybourn finally hands them over, it is clear the original police inquiry under DI Bill Talbot was a fiasco, for some time he disregarded anything that didn't fit his belief that she had been one of Creed's victims. That is not all, Talbot had serious mental health issues, and had pursued and obsessed over the strange territories of applying intricate and hard to fathom astrology and tarot card interpretations to those involved in the case.
The narrative takes place just over the period of a year, a year which includes other cases, and the impact of what is happening in the personal lives of Strike, such as his grief at the loss of Aunt Joan, contact from the likes of Strike's volatile ex-girlfriend, Charlotte Campbell, and Robin's divorce. Strike is determined not to let anyone get close to him, he struggles to emotionally read others or adequately understand that he needs to let others into his life and express what he is feeling so that he is less likely to implode when under emotional stress. Whilst both he and Robin are reluctant to cross into personal territory with each other, they do not want to threaten their professional business partnership, they love what they do, their relationship does develop to the point they are able to be more honest with each other. This is a terrifically entertaining and stellar addition to what is a marvellous series which I recommend to those who love their character driven crime mysteries.
August 28, 2020
I was dying to find out what was going to happen with Strike and Robin after that wonderful, sexual-tension-filled ending in the last book. Alas, Jo Rowling has killed any desire for me to read number 5. I ignored her past transphobic statements in the past and chalked them up to her being ignorant or thoughtless. The past few months have proven she is thoughtful in her callousness. I won't put money in her pocket again. Do I feel bad about leaving a one-star review on a book I haven't read? Nah.
September 14, 2020
Not being transphobic is easy and fun! Choose to support authors who aren't sentient bags of garbage. ♥
signed,
-- a trans person who grew up with a special interest in Harry Potter and can't begin to describe how disappointed they are in their ex-role model
signed,
-- a trans person who grew up with a special interest in Harry Potter and can't begin to describe how disappointed they are in their ex-role model
October 26, 2020
Intricate and Surprising!
40 years ago, Margot Bamborough, a young doctor, went missing without a trace. At the time, a notorious serial killer named Creed was on the loose, targeting innocent women. Although there was no evidence, the police believed Creed was responsible for Margot's disappearance. In the present, her daughter contracts the famous Detective Cormoran Strike to find out what really happened to her mother. No one really believes that Strike and his partner, Robin, will unearth what really happened to Margot Bamborough, including Strike and Robin themselves.
Strike and Robin have a lot to contend with on this case, including the notes of a delusional police officer obsessed with astrology, lost witnesses, those who tried to profit off of Margot’s disappearance, as well as her widow, his new wife, and the notorious killer, Creed. Much has been made of Creed's penchant for cross-dressing as a method to lure his victims, but after reading this, I can say this element of the controversy is overblown.
At the same, Strike and Robin’s agency is growing and they can barely keep up with all of their cases as their personal lives are getting in the way, Strike is dealing with a personal tragedy while at the same time trying to deal with the attention of his famous father. Robin is trying to process her divorce and single life. They also have some new and difficult employees to contend with. Of course, Robin and Strike pondering their feelings for one another takes up a good portion of the book. I am over this back and forth, and I am hoping they reach a new stage of their relationship in the next book because I can’t take it anymore!
The mystery is intricate and intriguing. There are so many interesting and eccentric characters tied to the case that I couldn’t exactly pinpoint what was going on. My armchair detective skills were put to the test, and I failed. I had a theory, which was rather conventional, and I was surprised by the reveal, which caught me off guard.
As others have commented, this is a lengthy book, but I am happy to report that there is not a superfluous moment, all matters (I didn’t feel this way about book #4). The events of the narrative take place over a year, and the way Galbraith plots out the events made the timeline feel real. The pacing was appropriate and enjoyable. When I got to the final pages, I was sad to see it was over as I could have read more!
I am excited to see where things are headed for our detective duo, and I am looking forward to seeing what role the new detective, Michelle, plays in the next book.
On a final note, I would like to say that I DO NOT AGREE with J.K Rowling’s personal views on the Trans community. I would prefer not to get into a political discussion, so please only post comments about Troubled Blood.
40 years ago, Margot Bamborough, a young doctor, went missing without a trace. At the time, a notorious serial killer named Creed was on the loose, targeting innocent women. Although there was no evidence, the police believed Creed was responsible for Margot's disappearance. In the present, her daughter contracts the famous Detective Cormoran Strike to find out what really happened to her mother. No one really believes that Strike and his partner, Robin, will unearth what really happened to Margot Bamborough, including Strike and Robin themselves.
Strike and Robin have a lot to contend with on this case, including the notes of a delusional police officer obsessed with astrology, lost witnesses, those who tried to profit off of Margot’s disappearance, as well as her widow, his new wife, and the notorious killer, Creed. Much has been made of Creed's penchant for cross-dressing as a method to lure his victims, but after reading this, I can say this element of the controversy is overblown.
At the same, Strike and Robin’s agency is growing and they can barely keep up with all of their cases as their personal lives are getting in the way, Strike is dealing with a personal tragedy while at the same time trying to deal with the attention of his famous father. Robin is trying to process her divorce and single life. They also have some new and difficult employees to contend with. Of course, Robin and Strike pondering their feelings for one another takes up a good portion of the book. I am over this back and forth, and I am hoping they reach a new stage of their relationship in the next book because I can’t take it anymore!
The mystery is intricate and intriguing. There are so many interesting and eccentric characters tied to the case that I couldn’t exactly pinpoint what was going on. My armchair detective skills were put to the test, and I failed. I had a theory, which was rather conventional, and I was surprised by the reveal, which caught me off guard.
As others have commented, this is a lengthy book, but I am happy to report that there is not a superfluous moment, all matters (I didn’t feel this way about book #4). The events of the narrative take place over a year, and the way Galbraith plots out the events made the timeline feel real. The pacing was appropriate and enjoyable. When I got to the final pages, I was sad to see it was over as I could have read more!
I am excited to see where things are headed for our detective duo, and I am looking forward to seeing what role the new detective, Michelle, plays in the next book.
On a final note, I would like to say that I DO NOT AGREE with J.K Rowling’s personal views on the Trans community. I would prefer not to get into a political discussion, so please only post comments about Troubled Blood.
August 24, 2025
There is nothing worse than people who rate a book before it’s release!!!
August 2, 2022
Reread:
Okay, I am trash for this series. I didn’t start this year out planning to reread this series, but I am endlessly happy that I did. I will now spend the remainder of this month obsessively counting down the days until book 6 releases on the 30th.
Original Review:
Could it have been trimmed down a bit? Maybe. But, this book had all of the mystery, heart, and character dynamics that I love about this series. Strike and Robin are such a wonderful duo. It was so easy to fall back into the familiar rhythm of their story, even though it’s been two years since I finished the last one. If you like a good mystery, this one does not disappoint!
Okay, I am trash for this series. I didn’t start this year out planning to reread this series, but I am endlessly happy that I did. I will now spend the remainder of this month obsessively counting down the days until book 6 releases on the 30th.
Original Review:
Could it have been trimmed down a bit? Maybe. But, this book had all of the mystery, heart, and character dynamics that I love about this series. Strike and Robin are such a wonderful duo. It was so easy to fall back into the familiar rhythm of their story, even though it’s been two years since I finished the last one. If you like a good mystery, this one does not disappoint!
September 16, 2020
Great book. A 900 page, roller coaster ride through deep relationships and a 40 year old cold case. Firstly lets get the thought police out of the way first - the offending comment in the book is on page 75 and it recounts a serial killer who used to dress occasionally in a women's coat and wig to look less threatening in persuading women to jump into a van with him. This is not transphobic - if you don't want to read the book and give JK Rowling your money - great! That is your choice - but don't talk ignorantly about a book you've not read and mix up someone standing up for women's rights as being transphobic. Also - please would you write the same kind of vitriol about all the other novels and real cases where this has occurred, otherwise we may simply consider your views misogynistic against Rowling, rather than being balanced about inequality in society.
Back to the book - this is a simply put down-able race through the disappearance of a missing GP and the way in which Robin and Strike unravel the case. It is a touching and analytical view of human relationships and the complex way that they wax and wane and how they develop. The way that Rowling writes the investigation is thorough and realistic and keeps you hanging on for more. There is so much life in this book, so much character and understanding of the human condition, that reading gives you a different perspective on many things - but for me it was relationships and the way that interactions between people could be so much easier if we all were a little more open with our experiences.
I was lucky to get this yesterday in B&N - they had only 1 copy left!
Back to the book - this is a simply put down-able race through the disappearance of a missing GP and the way in which Robin and Strike unravel the case. It is a touching and analytical view of human relationships and the complex way that they wax and wane and how they develop. The way that Rowling writes the investigation is thorough and realistic and keeps you hanging on for more. There is so much life in this book, so much character and understanding of the human condition, that reading gives you a different perspective on many things - but for me it was relationships and the way that interactions between people could be so much easier if we all were a little more open with our experiences.
I was lucky to get this yesterday in B&N - they had only 1 copy left!
nope
June 29, 2023This blog doesn’t support transphobic authors or their equally phobic works. I recommend instead people read some books by actual trans authors!
Here’s a short list:
Felix Ever After
I Wish You All the Best
Cemetery Boys
A Safe Girl to Love
Edit: I am done responding to hateful comments. However if anybody would like to have an actual discussion on how this work is harmful, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Here’s a short list:
Felix Ever After
I Wish You All the Best
Cemetery Boys
A Safe Girl to Love
Edit: I am done responding to hateful comments. However if anybody would like to have an actual discussion on how this work is harmful, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
September 20, 2020
In my review of Lethal White, I described the 650-page previous entry in this series in part as: “I do mean long, clocking in at almost a full third longer than the first three books in the series. Is it too long? Perhaps. There were a few places that I felt dragged a bit despite the generally solid pacing of the story.”
So, now JKR offers up a 944-page story. You know how I know this is a bloated, overlong mystery novel that badly needed an editor? Because you can’t name another mystery novel that’s 944 pages.
But I’d probably have suffered through a too-long mystery were it not for the primary problem with this novel. JKR could have written any characters into existence to fill these pages, but she made a deliberate choice to unnecessarily wedge her anti-trans views into this tale. Apparently no longer content to simply air her ill-informed views everywhere else, JKR decided to weave her false—and dangerous—anti-trans tropes into her novel.
Why JKR has chosen this path defies my understanding, as her Harry Potter series teaches nothing so much as the importance of love and tolerance. And she’s free to write whatever she wants. But I’m free to to make this book the first she’s written that I will not purchase. I’m free to make this book the first she’s written that I will not read. Because I will not support the fears and lies she seems hellbent on pushing. Trans women are women.
So, now JKR offers up a 944-page story. You know how I know this is a bloated, overlong mystery novel that badly needed an editor? Because you can’t name another mystery novel that’s 944 pages.
But I’d probably have suffered through a too-long mystery were it not for the primary problem with this novel. JKR could have written any characters into existence to fill these pages, but she made a deliberate choice to unnecessarily wedge her anti-trans views into this tale. Apparently no longer content to simply air her ill-informed views everywhere else, JKR decided to weave her false—and dangerous—anti-trans tropes into her novel.
Why JKR has chosen this path defies my understanding, as her Harry Potter series teaches nothing so much as the importance of love and tolerance. And she’s free to write whatever she wants. But I’m free to to make this book the first she’s written that I will not purchase. I’m free to make this book the first she’s written that I will not read. Because I will not support the fears and lies she seems hellbent on pushing. Trans women are women.
September 16, 2020
It is so stupid that people are giving this book 1 star without reading it because a serial killer cishet killer sometimes likes to dress up as a woman TO LURE HIS VICTIMS IN by making himself seem non threatening. I do not understand how this is transphobic whatsoever. Now, if they were upset about a trans character in "Silkworm", I'd understand. But this is just "brave" keyboard warriors fighting for... what? So brave to click on one star for a book you haven't read and vow you never will.
I loved this book. It's the first cold case Strike and Robin are trying to solve so it is extra challenging. It was quite a wild ride. The relationship between the two detective partners was also showing progress - finally, after 4 years LOL. I just finished reading reading it at 3 am and plan to re-read it (hopefully listen to audiobook, actually).
I loved this book. It's the first cold case Strike and Robin are trying to solve so it is extra challenging. It was quite a wild ride. The relationship between the two detective partners was also showing progress - finally, after 4 years LOL. I just finished reading reading it at 3 am and plan to re-read it (hopefully listen to audiobook, actually).
September 14, 2020
Transphobic premise, transphobic author, NO THANKS
nah-bro
September 17, 2020There sure is some TROUBLED BLOOD surrounding this book!
Can it get worse?
Does the irony of the issues surrounding this book deepen??
Y E S
↓ ↓ ↓
JKR basically spoiled this book's plot with her slew of transphobia:
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/09/14...
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/09/16...
PUBLICATION DAY things to consider if, after all the calls to stop supporting this author, you still want to read this book:
— a cisman dressing up as a woman to kill women is a rare, improbable thing because men don't need dresses to help them kill women
— the above was a fear that JKR kept tweeting about & pushing as a reason to keep transwomen from ciswomen space (note: women are women whether or not the bodies are a bit different)
— you don't need to "read this to find out for yourself" because the transphobia has been called out & shared multiple times
— if you ABSOLUTELY MUST read this because you refuse to be "bullied" into avoiding ONE problematic book . . . do it quietly. Don't purchase it. Borrow from a library or a friend. Don't shovel money into the author's pockets & stop piling onto the hurt transpeople don't deserve and have repeatedly, consistently asked readers to stop
— and if you do still choose to read this, I'm not going to tell you stop. It should still be a free world to read whatever you decide & that's a right I will defend . . . but if you decide to read this?? I'm going to unfriend/unfollow because you have chosen to ignore the voices of the oppressed transpeople that this book and author target. You choose to follow in the footsteps of bigotry and transphobia when there are plenty of other authors & stories you could support but choose to support transphobic material instead
Pre-publication:
Can it get worse?
Does the irony of the issues surrounding this book deepen??
Y E S
↓ ↓ ↓
JKR basically spoiled this book's plot with her slew of transphobia:
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/09/14...
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/09/16...
PUBLICATION DAY things to consider if, after all the calls to stop supporting this author, you still want to read this book:
— a cisman dressing up as a woman to kill women is a rare, improbable thing because men don't need dresses to help them kill women
— the above was a fear that JKR kept tweeting about & pushing as a reason to keep transwomen from ciswomen space (note: women are women whether or not the bodies are a bit different)
— you don't need to "read this to find out for yourself" because the transphobia has been called out & shared multiple times
— if you ABSOLUTELY MUST read this because you refuse to be "bullied" into avoiding ONE problematic book . . . do it quietly. Don't purchase it. Borrow from a library or a friend. Don't shovel money into the author's pockets & stop piling onto the hurt transpeople don't deserve and have repeatedly, consistently asked readers to stop
— and if you do still choose to read this, I'm not going to tell you stop. It should still be a free world to read whatever you decide & that's a right I will defend . . . but if you decide to read this?? I'm going to unfriend/unfollow because you have chosen to ignore the voices of the oppressed transpeople that this book and author target. You choose to follow in the footsteps of bigotry and transphobia when there are plenty of other authors & stories you could support but choose to support transphobic material instead
Pre-publication:
September 15, 2020
i can't undo hp's success but i sure can scream about this transphobic as fuck bullshit.
in case her violently transphobic tweets in the past few months were not indicative enough, jkr has now written a book where the villain is a man who "dresses as a woman and kills people." so. 🙃 she can rot in hell and this book'll be there with her
in case her violently transphobic tweets in the past few months were not indicative enough, jkr has now written a book where the villain is a man who "dresses as a woman and kills people." so. 🙃 she can rot in hell and this book'll be there with her
September 20, 2020
note: i'll be deleting any new comments since it all went out of control with sick and obsessed people attacking me and calling me racist slurs just for defending a minority.
i'll repeat what i said in the comments here: if this book had been written by someone else, the story would be different. i can't give a free pass to a woman that has previously made discriminatory statements towards the trans community. declarations that have fed the stereotypes that negatively affect trans people, making suicide rates higher and their lives miserable. trans people aren't "dangerous" like the media has made them look.
***
944 pages of pure transphobic crap. how does this woman even gets the green light to write this? also why is she so obsessed with trans/gender non-conforming people?
anyway chile, i never rate books that i haven’t read but i hate seeing the TERFS happy.
i'll repeat what i said in the comments here: if this book had been written by someone else, the story would be different. i can't give a free pass to a woman that has previously made discriminatory statements towards the trans community. declarations that have fed the stereotypes that negatively affect trans people, making suicide rates higher and their lives miserable. trans people aren't "dangerous" like the media has made them look.
***
944 pages of pure transphobic crap. how does this woman even gets the green light to write this? also why is she so obsessed with trans/gender non-conforming people?
anyway chile, i never rate books that i haven’t read but i hate seeing the TERFS happy.
November 13, 2020
Firstly I would recommend that you read this book on your kindle or other device. I read the paperback and it was huge, unwieldy and very heavy. Nevertheless the content made my struggle worthwhile.
This series is definitely character driven and although I have had issues with some characters (especially Robin) in the previous books I had no such problems this time. In Troubled Blood both Robin and Strike are going through stressful times with their own families and it is good to watch them leaning on each other for support. The ending to the book promises better things in the future too.
As I struggled with the size of the book I wondered why it was not published in two volumes but there turned out to be no point at which the story could have been stopped. The main mystery is a forty year old cold case which tests all of the team's ingenuity and takes all 945 pages to solve. Lots of other little stories are told along the way of course plus all the family dramas and I never lost interest at any point. It helps that the author writes so well.
I enjoyed the whole thing right down to the smart ending. I was left wondering if the author intends to write any more books in this series or if we have been left to imagine Robin and Strike one day walking off into the sunset together.
This series is definitely character driven and although I have had issues with some characters (especially Robin) in the previous books I had no such problems this time. In Troubled Blood both Robin and Strike are going through stressful times with their own families and it is good to watch them leaning on each other for support. The ending to the book promises better things in the future too.
As I struggled with the size of the book I wondered why it was not published in two volumes but there turned out to be no point at which the story could have been stopped. The main mystery is a forty year old cold case which tests all of the team's ingenuity and takes all 945 pages to solve. Lots of other little stories are told along the way of course plus all the family dramas and I never lost interest at any point. It helps that the author writes so well.
I enjoyed the whole thing right down to the smart ending. I was left wondering if the author intends to write any more books in this series or if we have been left to imagine Robin and Strike one day walking off into the sunset together.
September 23, 2020
WORST toilet paper I ever bought. Not only is the paper too thin, it tends to crumble if you wipe too vigoriously especially after the diarrhea explosion you’ll have after reading this hot transphobic garbage. It wouldn't even make decent compost and its honestly better off going straight to the trash.
Not surprising this book was written by TERF JK Rowling to further her anti-trans propaganda.
Trans people are who they say they are. Trans rights are human rights. Trans women are women.
And JK Rowling is human trash.
Not surprising this book was written by TERF JK Rowling to further her anti-trans propaganda.
Trans people are who they say they are. Trans rights are human rights. Trans women are women.
And JK Rowling is human trash.
September 15, 2020
This book features a crossdressing male serial killer. Many documented serial killers have been cross dressers. Trans women are not crossdressing men. Saying this book is transmisogynistic says more about how you view trans women than how Rowling does
November 7, 2022
Missed the target again. :(
At 900+ pages this book was a little too long for a mystery. I liked the mystery part even though the all the talk around sun signs made my head spin. I think some of that and some other parts could have been omitted without hurting the story or the characters' arc.
I loved the personal life events of Strike and Robin, through they could use some more heart to heart. No use of bottling up all those emotions. Both of them accepted few necessary things about themselves and I am happy for them.
I would give this a three star but I am bumping it to four for Strike and Robin.
At 900+ pages this book was a little too long for a mystery. I liked the mystery part even though the all the talk around sun signs made my head spin. I think some of that and some other parts could have been omitted without hurting the story or the characters' arc.
I loved the personal life events of Strike and Robin, through they could use some more heart to heart. No use of bottling up all those emotions. Both of them accepted few necessary things about themselves and I am happy for them.
I would give this a three star but I am bumping it to four for Strike and Robin.
October 19, 2025
The first thing to say is that this is a very big book: close to 950 pages of print or nearly 32 hours of audio. But, in truth, it didn’t really feel that way. I took the audio route, read by the ever reliable British actor Robert Glenister. This is book 5 of the crime series featuring London based private investigator Cameron Strike and his attractive female sidekick, Robin Ellacott. There’s a mutual attraction between the two, but for reasons that will be evident to existing followers of this series, the ‘will they won’t they’ saga has been ongoing from virtually the start. It continues here, and it’s a core element of the book, getting almost as much page (or voice) time as the main crime they’re called on to investigate. Is that a problem? In all honesty, the answer for me is no.
The investigators are engaged by the daughter of a woman who disappeared over 40 years ago. Dr Margot Bamborough left her surgery one evening after work but never made her liaison with a friend at a nearby pub. And despite a rumoured sighting some years back there’s been no sign of her since. It seems like an impossible task for Strike & Robin, but they’re signed up for a full twelve months to do what they can. In addition to this case, there are also a handful of minor enquiries they continue to manage and provide the reader with updates on.
Having managed, through contacts, to get sight of the original case file and also a personal notebook maintained by the detective who originally investigated the case, there is a good deal of material to work through. But unfortunately it quickly becomes clear that in the course of his investigation the detective had begun to have mental health issues, with the result that the material they had to work with turning out to be cryptic or even plain daft. Many of the detective's ramblings focussed on astrology and the use of tarot cards, meaning that his notes were often barely comprehensible.
It’s a complex puzzle of a case and we’re led through the events of the day Dr Bamborough went missing - and indeed events prior to and following her disappearance – via a series of interviews conducted with each of her colleagues (the ones still living) and others who may have witnessed something of significance on the day. This might sound laborious but its nothing like that in reality as Galbraith (AKA J.K Rowling, of course) is hugely adept at bringing alive colourful characters, interesting conversation and creating a tension that is pulpable out of these proceedings. And the tension doesn’t stop there, the chemistry between the two investigators is something that drew me back to the earlier books in this series and because I’ve grown to like both characters so much I really wanted to see how this would play out.
For me, there’s an awful lot to like here. The journey is a good one, and the destination, once reached, doesn’t disappoint either. It’s another quality offering in what I believe is a truly excellent series.
The investigators are engaged by the daughter of a woman who disappeared over 40 years ago. Dr Margot Bamborough left her surgery one evening after work but never made her liaison with a friend at a nearby pub. And despite a rumoured sighting some years back there’s been no sign of her since. It seems like an impossible task for Strike & Robin, but they’re signed up for a full twelve months to do what they can. In addition to this case, there are also a handful of minor enquiries they continue to manage and provide the reader with updates on.
Having managed, through contacts, to get sight of the original case file and also a personal notebook maintained by the detective who originally investigated the case, there is a good deal of material to work through. But unfortunately it quickly becomes clear that in the course of his investigation the detective had begun to have mental health issues, with the result that the material they had to work with turning out to be cryptic or even plain daft. Many of the detective's ramblings focussed on astrology and the use of tarot cards, meaning that his notes were often barely comprehensible.
It’s a complex puzzle of a case and we’re led through the events of the day Dr Bamborough went missing - and indeed events prior to and following her disappearance – via a series of interviews conducted with each of her colleagues (the ones still living) and others who may have witnessed something of significance on the day. This might sound laborious but its nothing like that in reality as Galbraith (AKA J.K Rowling, of course) is hugely adept at bringing alive colourful characters, interesting conversation and creating a tension that is pulpable out of these proceedings. And the tension doesn’t stop there, the chemistry between the two investigators is something that drew me back to the earlier books in this series and because I’ve grown to like both characters so much I really wanted to see how this would play out.
For me, there’s an awful lot to like here. The journey is a good one, and the destination, once reached, doesn’t disappoint either. It’s another quality offering in what I believe is a truly excellent series.
September 18, 2020
I’d say this was between 4-4.5 stars for me, but my reasons for rounding up to 5 are twofold:
1) I love Cormoran and Robin, and all I want to do is quit my job, somehow learn how to become a private detective, and move to London to hang out with them and solve crimes.
2) It REALLY pisses me off that people are on GR giving this 1 star without even reading it because it’s just “proof that JKR is transphobic” or whatever. Sorry, but her fictional serial killer would most definitely NOT be the first (male) serial killer to don women’s clothing in an attempt to lure female victims. This novel is absolutely NOT transphobic but the people giving it 1 star and screaming obscenities and hatred at JKR wouldn’t actually know that because THEY HAVEN’T EVEN READ IT. Also. I don’t agree with her on many points, but she’s allowed an opinion, and you suddenly hate her because hers is the unpopular one....? Hmm. So, 5 stars to try and combat the unnecessary hatred.
I will admit that this 944 page tome could have used an editor to say “hey lady, you can trim about 200 pages of fluff from the middle and this 744 page novel will still be fantastic, I promise.” Oh, well, though. I loved it.
“I am Envy...I cannot read and therefore wish all books burned.” - Christopher Marlowe
1) I love Cormoran and Robin, and all I want to do is quit my job, somehow learn how to become a private detective, and move to London to hang out with them and solve crimes.
2) It REALLY pisses me off that people are on GR giving this 1 star without even reading it because it’s just “proof that JKR is transphobic” or whatever. Sorry, but her fictional serial killer would most definitely NOT be the first (male) serial killer to don women’s clothing in an attempt to lure female victims. This novel is absolutely NOT transphobic but the people giving it 1 star and screaming obscenities and hatred at JKR wouldn’t actually know that because THEY HAVEN’T EVEN READ IT. Also. I don’t agree with her on many points, but she’s allowed an opinion, and you suddenly hate her because hers is the unpopular one....? Hmm. So, 5 stars to try and combat the unnecessary hatred.
I will admit that this 944 page tome could have used an editor to say “hey lady, you can trim about 200 pages of fluff from the middle and this 744 page novel will still be fantastic, I promise.” Oh, well, though. I loved it.
“I am Envy...I cannot read and therefore wish all books burned.” - Christopher Marlowe
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