The cuckoo’s calling, and Strike is listening

JK Rowling returns but this is no child’s play.

If this book were written by a real Robert Galbraith, the pseudonym used by JK Rowling, it would have made a great debut. However, it isn’t, and Rowling, of Harry Potter fame, once again takes centre stage as the author of The Cuckoo’s Calling, a crime fiction novel set in the heart of London.

Rowling’s style gives her away throughout the book, right from the very beginning, with vivid descriptions and a particular attention to detail. It is rather unnerving at first, to see the author of a beloved children’s series transition so easily into adult fiction. Her new protagonist is practically a chain smoker, and her writing is peppered with swear words, making the language different from that of the Goblet of Fire.

The story centres on Cormoman Strike, a private investigator called in to explore the apparent suicide of Luna Landry, a famous supermodel. While police reports state that her death was purely an act of self destruction, Luna’s brother, John Bristow, has serious doubts, suspecting foul play, and thus hires Strike.

The son of an infamous rockstar, and a war veteran, Strike is a character beautifully constructed by Rowling. One would immediately draw physical comparisons to Rowling’s lovable Hagrid, but mentally, not so much. Strike would be best described as a man whose life is falling apart. He lost a leg during the war in Afghanistan, had to leave the love of his life, and is in severe debt. Enter Bistrow, who provides not only a financial lifeline, but a distraction of sorts for him.

Another significant character is Robin, a young woman who ends up working as Strike’s secretary. With a new case to crack, and a faithful sidekick (note how her name is Robin), Strike sets off to find out whether Landry committed suicide or was murdered.

The plot evolves rather slowly, as Strike interviews various people who may or may not have been connected to Landry’s death, with the occasional field assistance from Robin. An intricate web of clues is woven from a variety of different sources, with Strike carefully dissecting each and every hint. Mentions of the most miniscule details throw the reader off, but are just as essential to the case as other findings.

There is an evident contrast between the life of the detective and that of the former supermodel. Throughout his work, Strike is thrown into a word of lavish homes, drugs, and money. Socialising with supermodels and rock stars, producers and fashion designers, Strike is clearly drawn out to be an impressive character, not falling prey to all the glitz and glamour around him. In fact, Strike manages to use the opulence of their lives against these celebrities, taking advantage of the copious amounts of alcohol to elicit sensitive information from them. It becomes clear at one point that Strike has solved the case, but Rowling keeps the reader in suspense, revealing little as the story progresses.

As for the significance of the title, Cuckoo was a nickname given to Landry by her friends, and the title suggests that in a way, Landry was calling out to Strike, edging him on, pushing him towards the truth. Strike relates to her death in such a way that he becomes almost obsessive in his search for justice.

Murder, they wrote

Joyland

Joyland, set in a small town amusement park in 1973, revolves around college student Devin Jones, who comes to work there that summer. Jones gets more than he bargained for however, when he is dragged into a homicide case which occurred four years ago.

Confessions of a Murder Suspect

When Malcolm and Maud Angel are murdered, their daughter Tandy is on the list of suspects and she can’t trust anyone, including herself. As she sets out to clear her name, Tandy discovers secrets, dangerous secrets better left hidden, and invites more danger into her life.

The 9^th Girl

A young woman’s body is found, so badly damaged that she is given the nickname zombie doe. She is the 9th female victim of the year and detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska are called in to investigate the crimes.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, September 22^nd, 2013.