I chose to listen to the audio version of The Cuckoo's Calling, and am so glad I did! The reader, Robert Glenister, is perfect for this series. The story begins with detective Cormoran Strike, a war vet who lost his leg in Afghanistan, and is now trying to make ends meet as a private detective. Struggling to pay rent, bills, or the new assistant the temp agency sent him, Strike must come up with something or be out on the streets. Then out the blue, he lands the case of a lifetime when a former childhood friend comes to him for help finding his sister, Lula Landry's, killer. Lula was a famous model, and suddenly Strike finds himself meeting with the famous and wealthy of London to put together how the events unfolded the night Lula died. The plot of the main mystery is great with interesting characters and twists to make you second guess who you assumed the killer might be over and over again. The side stories definitely deserve credit to... an interesting relationship between Strike and his newly found assistant, Robin, as well as Strike's background and connections throughout the novel. I would give this novel 4 of 5 stars.
After finishing the first in this series, I put in a request at the library for the audio of the second book (because lucky me the second book had already been released!). Of course there was a waiting list since the title was new, but within a month or so I got the audio of the second novel...
This book, I felt, was more twisted and even more "adult" than the first novel. The main case that Strike is investigating is the gruesome murder of a writer, Owen Quine. Once again, the characters are extremely well thought out and unique, but even more unique, Quine's last book (which was not published before his death) is the main evidence and motive for his murder. Quine was an interesting man and very interesting writer. The world of writers in this novel is full of jealousy, greed, and high emotions (I wonder where J.K. Rowling got these ideas from...), and if Strike doesn't get to the bottom of this murder fast enough, the wrong person just might be charged. I like this novel just as much as the first one (perhaps not some of Quine's writing, but really that's secondary lol), and I love that Robin's character is developing as well as Strike's. I would also give this novel a 4 of 5 stars... and now this time I have to play the waiting game for the next book...
What are some of your favorite mysteries and mystery authors? I could use some more good recommendations! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and got lots of reading time in!
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