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May 11, 2015

Cormoran Strike Series

the-silkworm-cuckoos-callingThe Cuckoo’s Calling & The Silkworm

Cormoran Strike Series

By: Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)

Robyn begins her first day as a temp in the office of Cormoran Strike the morning after her boyfriend proposes, one of the happiest days of her life. As she is enters the office, she barely misses running into a beautiful woman and her new boss pursuing the woman, a very bad (although not the worst) day of his life. As the one week temp progresses, Robyn realizes that she does not want to work anywhere else, and so begins an excellent private detective mystery series written by J. K. Rowling, writing as Robert Galbraith.

These are some of the best written and narrated books I have listened to recently. Rowling is a master at describing complex internal thoughts and interesting settings, such as: “It was nearly eight before he returned to the office. This was the hour when he found London most loveable; the working day over, her pub windows were warm and jewel-like, her streets thrummed with life, and the indefatigable permanence of her aged buildings, softened by the street lights, became strangely reassuring.” (The Cuckoo’s Calling, Chapter 7). The plots are complex but only enough to be impress one at how well all elements work toward the ending.

In The Cuckoo’s Calling, a supermodel falls to her death and Cormoran asks himself why we care about people we aren’t really close to and seeks answers in the world of fashion and family ties. In The Silkworm, a stodgy writer is murdered and the less attractive aspects of the publishing world are exposed. Either of these could be plots in many mysteries, but it is the beauty and quality of the prose that sets this series apart. In the audiobook versions, narrator Robert Glenister enhances the experience with a variety of British accents, and I highly recommend them.

Review By: Sherri Bonham