Troubled Blood by Robert Galbriath Book Review

Private Detective Cormoran Strike is no stranger to a good mystery. But when he’s asked to take a cold case from 1974, even he has doubts. With his loyal partner-in-crime Robin Ellacott by his side, the two take on a case that is as complex as it is mysterious. Tarot cards, psychopathic serial killers, and untrustworthy witnesses all stand in their way as they attempt to unravel this forty-year-old mystery. This blog post takes an in-depth look at what makes this story so intriguing and why readers can expect an exciting adventure!

Click me to go to my Review

Synopsis

Private Detective Cormoran Strike is visiting his family in Cornwall when he is approached by a woman asking for help finding her mother, Margot Bamborough – who went missing in mysterious circumstances in 1974.

Strike has never tackled a cold case before, let alone one forty years old. But despite the slim chance of success, he is intrigued and takes it on; adding to the long list of cases that he and his partner in the agency, Robin Ellacott, are currently working on. Plus the pair are still battling their feelings for one another, while Robin is also juggling a messy divorce and unwanted male attention.

As Strike and Robin investigate Margot’s disappearance, they come up against a fiendishly complex case with leads that include tarot cards, a psychopathic serial killer and witnesses who cannot all be trusted. And they learn that even cases decades old can prove to be deadly . . .

About The Author

Robert Galbraith’s Cormoran Strike series is classic contemporary crime fiction from a master story-teller, rich in plot, characterisation and detail. Galbraith’s debut into crime fiction garnered acclaim amongst critics and crime fans alike. The first three novels The Cuckoo’s Calling (2013), The Silkworm (2014) and Career of Evil (2015) all topped the national and international bestseller lists and have been adapted for television, produced by Brontë Film and Television. The fourth in the series, Lethal White (2018), is out now.

Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym of J.K. Rowling, bestselling author of the Harry Potter series and The Casual Vacancy, a novel for adults. After Harry Potter, the author chose crime fiction for her next books, a genre she has always loved as a reader. She wanted to write a contemporary whodunit, with a credible back story.

J.K. Rowling’s original intention for writing as Robert Galbraith was for the books to be judged on their own merit, and to establish Galbraith as a well-regarded name in crime in its own right.

Now Robert Galbraith’s true identity is widely known, J.K. Rowling continues to write the crime series under the Galbraith pseudonym to keep the distinction from her other writing and so people will know what to expect from a Cormoran Strike novel.

My Review

The story begins with Strike being asked to re-examine an old missing persons case from 1974. The request comes from a woman looking for her long-lost mother, Margot Bamborough. Despite the slim chance of success, Strike takes on the case, adding it to the list of other cases he and Robin are currently working on. As if that wasn’t enough for Robin to handle, she also finds herself juggling a messy divorce and unwanted male attention while trying not to get too attached to her boss Strike.

This mystery is anything but ordinary. Not only is it decades old, but it involves some rather suspicious characters—including a psychopathic serial killer who may be involved in more than meets the eye! The tarot card angle adds another layer of complexity to the story as well; readers never quite know where they stand or who they can trust amidst the twists and turns of this thrilling narrative. Even though we don’t know how it will end yet, one thing is certain—this isn’t your average detective story!

It’s not just exciting – this case could also prove deadly for both Strike and Robin if they aren’t careful. There’s something sinister lurking beneath the surface that these two must uncover before it’s too late! Readers should be prepared for plenty of suspense as they watch our heroes try to solve this forty-year-old mystery without getting hurt in the process!

Obviously, we also have the ongoing saga of Strike and Robin’s relationship which is increasingly complex and awkward as Robin goes through her divorce and tries to stay away from her feelings for Strike which are growing by the day. This slow-burning tension which has been there since day one in the first book, grows with the protagonists having to confront their feelings for each other at the same time as dealing with their own personal issues. Stike’s aunt’s failing health doesn’t help and comes with a sudden interest from his rock star father, alongside Robins divorce issues. Robin does realise though that she prefers the unconventional detective life, particularly important as she has become Strike’s partner rather than his assistant. While there isn’t much progress on this side of things, I am really enjoying this slow-burn relationship and look forward to when they finally do get together (which I am assuming is coming soon) it will be forever!

Again, my main criticism is the length of the book, its grown into a monster and having seen the size of the next instalment I know that one is no better! While I have enjoyed all the smaller cases and sub-plots inside I felt this could have been cut down by probably around 300 pages and wouldn’t have lost any of the impacts or affected the plot greatly. Just because you can write a very long novel, doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. However, I feel invested now and have been researching how many books are expected from the series but haven’t yet found a definitive answer… still, I have one more to go until I get to the end of those published.

Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott have their work cut out for them with this cold case from 1974 – but that doesn’t make it any less intriguing! With layers upon layers of mystery and suspense surrounding them at every turn, readers can expect an exciting adventure full of tarot cards, psychopathic serial killers, and untrustworthy witnesses galore! Will our heroes be able to solve this decades-old riddle before it’s too late? You’ll have to read it in order to find out, but beware, at 944 pages this is the biggest book yet!

My previous reviews of Robert Galbraith’s work

The Cuckoo’s Calling

The Silkworm

Career of Evil

Lethal White

Rated