I don't know about you guys but I often buy books the way I buy cosmetics: I do my research beforehand, which means that I know exactly what I want to buy when I go to the bookstore. However, once in a while, I'd make an impulse purchase and The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith is one of those. I was wandering around Hong Kong International Airport when I spotted a bookshop and I came in with the intention of buying some magazines to read on the flight. Well, long story short, I saw this, read the summary, liked it and bought it on the spot.
This novel is the first one in the Cormoran Strike series. It's about the investigation into the death of a supermodel. I love detective genre and adore everything fashion-related, so after reading the first 3 paragraphs on the back cover, I bought it without much hesitation. Had I read the 4th one, I may have known instantly that Robert Galbraith was actually J.K. Rowling's pseudonym. To be honest, it wouldn't have made a difference because as long as the book is good, I'm willing to purchase it regardless of who the author is.
The protagonist, Cormoran Strike, is a unique character. He's a veteran who loses a leg during a mission and bears the scars of a painful past. His present situation isn't much better: he's in debt and homeless, not to mention the problems with his estranged girlfriend. Out of all the detective novels I've ever read, he has to be the most... depressing hero. I won't go into details here as I don't want to spoil the fun for you. Throughout the investigation, he's assisted by Robin Ellacot - a newly-engaged temporary assistant. She loves her job but her fiance dislikes the idea of her working in a detective agency with a male boss, and she struggles between wanting to please him and going for her dream.
The tone of this novel is quite dark and the pace is kind of slow, but I enjoyed reading it. It's a really page-turner: I spent hours reading it since I really wanted to know if I guessed the murderer correctly (As it turned out, I was wrong :P). I read lots of detective novels which I know who the culprits are right from the beginning, and it's kind of boring that way, so kudos for the author for managing to misleading me :) If you expect lots of juicy bits about the fashion industry, then don't because it's only the background, not the center of this novel.
I'd give this novel an 8/10. J.K. Rowling said that a new book would be released in 2014 and I definitely read the sequel to learn about Strike's new case and how the possible romance between him and his assistant develops.
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