THE CUCKOO'S CALLING by Robert Galbraith

THE CUCKOO’S CALLING

by

Robert Galbraith

            The Cuckoo’s Calling is the first foray into adult fiction published by J. K. Rowling, well-known author of the highly successful Harry Potter series, under her pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. In The Cuckoo’s Calling, we meet Cormoran Strike, a war hero, private investigator, illegitimate son of a famous father. We actually meet Strike through Robin, a temporary secretary sent to Strike by the temp agency. It was a fortuitous assignment for Strike, as his business, like his personal life, was about shot to hell. He was down to his last (and only) client when Robin, and the case of a lifetime, walked through his door.

            Famous model Lula Landry died after falling from the balcony of her apartment. Although the police ruled Landry’s death a suicide, her brother, John Bristow, did not believe that his sister had killed herself. Bristow hired Strike to prove that Landry did not jump but, rather, that she had been murdered.

            The Cuckoo’s Calling is a “classic” mystery novel, and Strike takes us along as he solves the case. Galbraith has Strike walk us through each step – there is no leap by the detective or evidence that he uses in his resolving of the case to which we were not privy.

            In The Cuckoo’s Calling, we see the masterful character development that Rowling evidenced in the Harry Potter series. Cormoran Strike may not be one of the “beautiful people” – he is far from perfect, and we have been given a close up view of many of his “warts” – but, he is a character whose cause we want to champion. Galbraith makes us love Strike, much as Rowling led many of us to love Severus Snape with fierce loyalty.

            Galbraith’s plot is interesting as well. Although I successfully pre-saged who done it, it was a fluke, and I was not able to formulate much about how it was done or why. I in no way felt cheated or let down by the fact that my speculation was correct.

            I thoroughly enjoyed The Cuckoo’s Calling. I love Cormoran Strike, and I look forward to spending more time in his world. This who-done-it does not disappoint.

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