“The second novel from Rowling’s alter ego Robert Galbraith”

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

In this book we return to the Denmark Street office of Cormoran Strike, private investigator. After his previous success in solving the Landry case he sees an influx of rich wives hiring him to catch their cheating spouses. Seemingly bored by his current clientele, he is drawn into searching for missing author, Owen Quine, by his dowdy and socially lacking wife, Leonora.

This is another real onion of a book, with the layers peeling back quickly as you follow Strike, limping across London with the help of his immensely likeable Robin.

As you learn that Quine has written a poisonous manuscript, leaving all of his enemies in the literary world and beyond, barely concealed, he turns up brutally murdered. The race is on to narrow down the many suspects and beat the Met to finding the killer. Galbraith leads you on with clue after clue in an unputdownable read that keeps you hanging on until the jigsaw pieces come together in the final pages.

The relationship between Cormoran and Robin progresses in this book and I’m left feeling that, although I’m unsure if I want them to become romantically involved, don’t want them to be with anyone else!! After this second Galbraith offering, I can honestly say I have that rare feeling that I will eagerly await all future books and I won’t even read the blurb!

Rowling is God.

Reviewed by:

Leah Nayer

Added 13th March 2015

More Reviews By
Leah Nayar

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

I read The Cuckoo’s Calling last year and openly admitted I’m not even a big fan of crime fiction. I’m a pure hanger-onner, and as such a fan of Rowling had to read it the moment the news broke about the author pseudonym. As it happened I loved it and it’s been far too long a wait for The Silkworm, finally released last month.

The Silkworm is much longer than The Cuckoo’s Calling and you get the real sense that Rowling is playing the long game here, setting the scene for many more novels. It’s a real slow burner with loads of back story and I absolutely loved getting to know both Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott better, which is probably a good job because this book felt very much like it was time to get to know the characters while the mystery built.

The ‘mystery’ involved missing author Owen Quine and as such it’s sort of a novel within a novel, as the missing author’s last novel ends up being key to the solving of the mystery. I certainly don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll say no more but this is a twisty-turny tale of shallowness, artistic temperaments, and betrayal. As always Rowling’s ideas and values shine through in her characters, and I don’t mind admitting I have a massive crush on Cormoran!

When I read The Cuckoo’s Calling I had a fair idea whodunit early on, with The Silkworm I had no idea until the final few pages. Absolutely gripping, really enjoyable, easy read. I love Rowling’s writing and I think she writes exceptional characters, as she has here with what is sure to be another well-loved series.

 

Reviewed by:

Kath Cross

Added 21st June 2015