Cormoran strikes (pun intended) yet again, and how !! This book made me miss 3 important phone calls and delayed an update report. Thats how engrossed I was into it. Troubled Blood, is the 5th book in the Cormoran Strike series and its a tome, at nearly 900 pages.
Just before writing this review, I looked up a few reviews online. Strangely most Indian newspapers seem to have panned the book, all because J K Rowling made some comments about transgenders and this book has a serial killer disguising himself as a woman. Well, I don’t know what the author’s comments were about transgenders, but this book doesn’t have anything derogatory about them.
Troubled Blood – The plot
Strike and Robin are retained to solve the disappearance of Margot Bamborough, a doctor who vanished from the world in 1974. The police at the time suspect that she was abducted by a serial killer Dennis Creed. Neither is the case solved nor is Margot’s body ever found. 40 years later, Margot’s daughter Anna hires Strike and Robin to try and solve the case.
The detective agency is working on several other cases. One can argue that mentioning all those cases, makes it difficult for the reader to track the main plot. Besides all the other cases, the personal issues of Strike and Robin also keep getting woven into the plot. There is a heavy dose of Tarot and Astrology as well in the story. Especially the lead detective Talbot is shown as being obsessed with star signs !
A number of unknown mental and physical ailments are brought out in this novel. Its probably because the main character Margot is a doctor, who is married to a doctor. For instance, the Fragile X syndrome that the Gwilherm family suffers from is something I haven’t heard of.
While I am not giving away the actual plot, this is the first time that Strike and Robin are solving a cold case. When the real killer of Margot is unveiled, its a tremendous surprise and that alone tells you why J K Rowling is a master story teller. You never suspect the identity of the real killer. Read the novel to find out.
The big question – do Robin and Strike get together ? Well, they are on their way to getting together :):).
I enjoyed the book with all the meanderings into Strike and Robin’s personal life. I also think all the additional information makes them resemble real people.
Do read the book and if you have liked the previous novels in this series, then start this book on a Friday and not on a Monday !
Other reviews – Book review – Cormoran does strike !