A review by canada_matt
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith

adventurous challenging informative mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Committed to the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith, I forge onwards. This is surely the most intense and hands-on book to date, pulling on a cold case that is sure to send shivers up the spine of the reader. In a piece that is drawn out and yet completely alluring, Galbraith weaves a tale keeps the reader wanting to know more, with numerous twists throughout. With strong characters and a sensational pace for a case that has been dormant for decades, Galbraith proves just how impactful a well-written book can be.

While Cormoran Strike is visiting his family in Cornwall, he is sure the private investigation agency is in good hands with his partner, Robin Ellacott and their sub-contractors. However, Strike is approached by a woman with an odd request, but sure that he can assist. The woman speaks of her mother, Margot Bamborough, who went missing in 1974. Many feel that she was a victim of the Essex Butcher—a ruthless serial killer caught in the mid-1970s—though the body has never materialised. Pondering his options, Strike is sure that this will be a taxing job and one he will need to pass through his partner before agreeing.

Having never worked a cold case before, Strike and Robin will have to really put in a great deal of effort. They agree to take the case, though the forty year delay is surely one that has them concerned. With a long list of active cases and some personal issues in both their realms, this will be something akin to juggling chainsaws, but it could have great prospects, should everything work out. Still, the niggling concerns about Robin’s marital dissolution and Strike’s aunt, their time will be severely limited, with witnesses also feigning memory loss.

Putting a great deal of their efforts into the cold case, Strike and Robin continue investigating the disappearance. This pushes them into liaising with many who see life from a different perspective, as they use tarot cards to explain events, a psychopathic serial killer who hoped to get another shot in the limelight, and even some witnesses whose theories cannot be trusted. All the while, both are trying to come to terms with issues in their own lives and an ever-growing magnetism towards one another. The truth about Margot Bamborough is out there, but with the clock ticking, will anyone uncover it in time? Galbriath’s best and most intense novel to date that shows just how addictive this series can be for the series fan.

This series has garnered a great deal of my attention and praise over the past week or so. Robert Galbraitaith, pseudonym or not, has proven to be a stellar writer that is able to weave together strong stories with just a hint of controversy to keep people drumming up added attention. A strong narrative foundation is again found in this book, which needs it for all the action that takes place throughout. There is a strong push towards exploring the lives of the protagonists, both personal and professional, as well as the ever-lingering question of a Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott romance. Galbriath flirts with the idea as he expands the regulars and keeps the cases from getting too stale. The plot twists in the main storyline re plentiful and the detail to which the author find himself going explains the length and depth of the book. This book is perfectly placed in the series look back over everything that has come to date. Something this intense should not have come any sooner, nor should it have been shortened. There is a strong connection between reader and protagonists, which needed to develop over time. Therefore, it is my pleasure to see Robert Galbraith offering up this stellar piece at this point, with a few more to go in the ever-intensifying series, Bring it on!

Kudos, Mr. Galbraith,for another great mystery. I cannot wait to see what else you have in store for fans.

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