Lethal White

Ah, detective fiction! Is there anything better than curling up with a good whodunnit? It's been 3 years since Galbraith graced us with a new Strike novel (I hear he's been gallivanting around New York and Paris with various beasts over the past few years), and I could not be more satisfied with the newest installment. Out of the first 3 novels in the series, Silkworm was undoubtedly my favorite. I enjoyed Career of Evil, but it lacked the page-turning, sleep is for the weak, I haven't eaten in 12 hours quality that the first two did. Lethal White is now competing with Silkworm for the top spot. It is, however, my least favorite title thus far, and the cover does not match that of the rest of the books which makes my eye want to twitch. But you don't care which one is my favorite, so let's get to the story. I'll try to avoid revealing any real spoilers. We last left Strike and Robin at Robin's wedding to Matthew in Career of Evil. Lethal White takes place immediately after the events of the previous book. Following the prologue, we are quickly thrown into a new case with about 1,032 threads running through it. We dive into the personal lives of both Robin and Strike as the case develops, and the reader is thrust into 600+ pages of deceit, blackmail, and murder (or was it?). Despite it's length, the book is fast-paced and engaging. There is a veritable sea of red herrings (I'm pretty sure I saw a green herring in there as well). The novel concludes with a satisfactory denouement (I was only half right) and then essentially leaves us where we were before picking up the book in the first place, impatiently waiting for a new Strike novel with more questions than answers. Throughout the book, Strike is, well, Strike. He's a smart, somewhat boorish man with a decent heart and a lack of decorum. In Lethal White he's still drinking beer, smoking his cigarettes, and eating rubbish (despite being on a diet). So, yeah. He's delightful (no sarcasm). We do see his character develop more in this installment, but I'll spare you the spoilers. The real shining star is this book is Robin. Her journey and growth in this novel are inspiring. We really get to see what an astute, resourceful, and strong woman she has become. Galbraith's tackling of mental heath and the aftereffects of trauma are handled particularly well through Robin's character arc. So grab yourself a Doom Bar and curl up with Galbraith's Lethal White. If nothing else, you'll walk away with a better knowledge of the coloring of horses.

The long-awaited fourth installment of the Strike series has arrived at last! My greedy hands snatched it up and devoured the near-700 pages in a single weekend. Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott are off on another adventure - this one larger and grander than any of their previous tales. This one took about 250 pages to get going. My friends reading along with me had similar feedback. It's a tediously slow and complicated start and just about the opposite of a page turner. Towards page 300 things really get going and the story veers into movement. I really enjoyed it after that. Have some patience for this one if you feel the same. In the end, it was worth the investment and really paid off. In fact, it may be about my favorite book of the series. And even though the first third was pretty meh, I never mind just being in the company of these characters. And the plot itself is pretty complicated, so I suppose the intense set up was more than necessary. On a negative note, I'm not a fan of the Matthew/Robin side story that's been going on for, at this point, about 1500 pages and four entire novels (someone should have stopped that madness!!). I wish I understood the ultimate aim here or why we've had to sit through the longest, most boring breakup in novel history (or which feels like a break up anyway, and has since book one). I get it to an extent, what with Robin's history, but my patience has worn thin. Unfortunately I can't comment further without giving spoilers. But needless to say I was both satisfied and frustrated with some of the outcomes there. There were a few questions I had after I read it. Perhaps some plot holes, things that didn't quite add up to me. I tend to overthink stories and I'm guilty at trying to connect everything. When I was done, I was not satisfied with Billy's role in the story despite the neatly tied up closure we get. Not to be nit picky, but it's a huge part of the story. Discussion with my friends didn't help anything (they all agreed it was loosey goosey) but overall it didn't detract from the overall story. No spoilers of course, so you have to decide for yourself. On a positive note, this was one of the more exciting books in the series. Tons of undercover work, road trips, treks through the woods, lots of interviews and clues and research, all set against the backdrop of the 2012 London Olympics, which was mildly interesting but served well as a juxtaposition for social commentary. Most importantly, I felt like both Strike and Robin really glowed in this one. I felt like I got to know them both even better than before, with their character development really off the charts. The chemistry between these characters is brilliant, and they are at their best when they are looking out for one another. We meet some new friends, and revisit some old ones, and all is good fun. The mystery itself was complicated and challenging, but felt very real. You have tons and tons of twists and turns and surprises waiting for you in this one. Highly recommended! And can't wait for this one to make it to the series. I just love Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger.

Welcome return to the rich storytelling of a great writer! A fantastic series gets an exciting new edition, cementing not only the writer’s quality but ensuring excellent characters see a lifetime in print. The pacing of the mystery beautifully interweaves with deepening the personal lives of the two primary characters. The clues to the mystery spread effortlessly throughout the narrative, often pulling in pieces previously mentioned in casual conversation, giving the crucial impulse to break the case. Robin’s personal trials are a tough read: painful, forlorn, trapped in competing notions of the “best life.” You want to scream at the “obvious” solution to her problems, worried that you may treat your own difficulties as insurmountable, that your own solutions may be so easily identifiable to others. “…before she could be trapped, as she now saw it, by cowardice disguised as compassion.” The story is set in 2012, so the ease with which Strike completes his preliminary online research into the personal lives of persons of interest would not be possible today, what with the stricter online privacy laws in effect and people learning the dangers of putting so much of their lives on indestructible media. Oh, wait… Matthew. Go f*** yourself. Seriously. Great line: * “Life had taught him that a great and powerful love could be felt for the most apparently unworthy people, a circumstance that ought, after all, to give everybody consolation.” Note: does not apply to Matthew (see above).

Good read along with her other books.

Like most others, I have read all 4 of the books in this series and I've enjoyed them all. But this one already stands out as the best of the bunch. I won't go into the plot as it's been done many times over in various reviews and the main protagonists will be familiar to most but the story is brilliantly interwoven with the private lives/relationships of both Cormoran and Robin. Ordinarily, I might actually find that a bit boring (I think it's a bloke thing) but this was funny, sad and tense all at the same time. I always thought that the BBC never did justice to these stories with their low budget Sunday night feeble attempts which didn't even scratch the surface, although the two main characters are thankfully nailed on. But what these need are a Poldark or even Killing Eve type budget with at least 6 episodes rather than the paltry couple of 90-minute throwaway programmes we're given. But that's another debate. What the BBC did do is concentrate on the relationship between Strike and Robin. Too much in my view and it was unreflective of the first 3 books, trying to make it a Mulder and Scully type scenario, but they'll have a field day with this one! They might even miss out the murder completely! Wouldn't put it past them. Problem is, they're going to have to introduce characters like Matthew and Charlotte whom they have blissfully ignored in the past. A rod for their own back etc. The bottom line for me is that Robert Galbraith (aka....) is a superb writer. There is a nice balance throughout between description and conversation so that you never end up speed reading to get something out of the way. Nasty habit of mine based on having the concentration span of an earwig. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; more than any other for quite some time. I'm not sure where she's taking this - the relationship (such as it is) between Strike and Robin - but it promises to be interesting finding out. The two of them are completely ill-suited and I foresee choppy waters. Bring it on! This was brilliant.

Mi è piaciuto molto e la trama non è per niente scontata. L'unico difetto secondo me è la quantità di nomi/personaggi presenti, che spesso si finiscono per confondere o dimenticare anche perché tanti personaggi hanno anche un soprannome.. e soprattutto se lo mettete in pausa per qualche giorno rischiate di non ricordarvi nulla; avrei quindi apprezzato almeno una sorta di albero genealogico per diciamo la famiglia 'più importante' per la storia. Comunque il libro è consigliatissimo, soprattutto se avete letto i precedenti. Se non avete mai letto un libro intero in inglese e/o non avete una comprensione ottimale dell'inglese probabilmente è meglio evitare di prenderlo in lingua originale ( considerate che ci sono termini strani, a me è successo di cercare la traduzione del termine e poi il significato del termine in italiano.. XD ).

A bcp plu à ma fille

このシリーズが好きなので購入しました。 レビューは内容ではなくこの本の大きさについて。 この本、いつものペーパーバックと同じと思って購入したのですが、 何と大きさはタテ、ヨコ、厚さが 23cm x 15cm x 5cm と大きな本でビックリしました。 文字も多少ですが大きくなっている様に見え、老眼の身には読み易く感じます。 家で読むにはとても良い大きさです、嬉しい誤算でした。

Cormoran Strike is not your normal private investigator. He doesn't fit the mold that has been set over the years by Hollywood. That's one of the compelling things about him, he seems more real and believable. J.K. Rowling (aka Robert Galbraith) has created a great character in Strike that by now, regular readers of the series have bonded with his roughness and vulnerability. This latest book in the series, Lethal White, is another riveting case full of murder, intrigue, and multiple motives. Lethal White is set in London (2012) before the London Olympics. What starts out as a random case initiated by the foggy memories of a troubled man, soon transforms into a web of deceit and secrets from the rural towns of England to the corridors of power in the Houses of Parliament. My favorite character, Robyn, excels as usual, as she continues to learn the ropes and tries to dodge danger when she goes undercover. This series continues to be driven by solid characters and intricate details waiting to be discovered, it's that understated style that I think makes it so compelling. Red herrings, manipulation, grudges, secrets, money, the plot has it all. With so many threads weaved together as one, the case is like an itchy London sweater waiting to be unpicked. We bear witness to the progress of Robyn's relationship with Matthew, from their marriage to more dramas and whatever lays beyond. And whilst we're entangled in the throes of the case, even more of Strike's own troubled life is revealed. By now, Strike fans already know much of their history, but we learn a little more with each book and our connection to them grows. It will interesting to see how things pan out in the future for this pair of opposites who work together so well. I'm hoping for triumph, not tragedy. Having been such a fan of the books, I was thrilled when I heard the BBC were making them into a series. The problem for me was that here in Australia I didn't have access to the shows. But luckily for me, that all changed this year due to Covid. My streaming tv service gave me extra channels for free to cope with the trials of home isolation. The series covers books 1 to 3 and they are really well done - understated and compelling - just like the book. And now I have faces for Strike and my favorite character, Robyn. Do yourself a favor ... If you've read the books, give the series a go. And if you're not a reader, I suggest the series is a great way to go. Here's some news that Strike fans already know. TROUBLED BLOOD (Cormoran Strike #5) is almost upon us. The book is due for release September 15, 2020, and comes in at a whopping 944 pages. It seems that each new book in the series gets bigger than the last. AND the BBC have announced that filming for 4 new episodes covering LETHAL WHITE started in 2019 and will be on our screens in August 2020. Can't wait! In a Nutshell: This is another worthy book in a great series. RG (JKR) has created another enthralling crime novel full of twists, charm, and vibrant characters. I'd sum up Lethal White as 'understated and compelling'. Strike fans will love it, and I urge others to jump on board.