Last week I shared a pattern that may exist in the Cormoran Strike mysteries by Rowling-Galbraith. In Strike Pattern: Bars in London and Out of Town Business-Conversations in Alternating Books  I explained that odd numbered books featured Cormoran and Robin in a bar, some mention of Strike’s boxing, heavy drinking, and remarkable revelations about their pasts that pushes their relationship and understanding of each other significantly. Even number books, though they include meals and drinks in pubs, have no unveilings of this kind. They do have a meal on the road in which they discuss their business partnership and Robin’s ability to do the job given her personal circumstances and mental condition.

I speculated in last week’s post that, if this is a true pattern, we should have another of these even numbered book scenes in Strike6, Ink Black Heart. It occurred to me today that Silkworm and Lethal White, our two previous even-numbered books have something else in common. In both books Strike goes to some lengths to interview a waitress, who, on a break from the hectic labors of waiting tables, reveals the backstory elements the Peg-Legged PI suspects is out there but needs to nail down. Join me after the jump for the relevant scenes in Strike 2 and Strike 4 — and what we should look for in Strike6! [Read more…]

I have noticed a curious pattern in the five Cormoran Strike mysteries.

In brief, in odd numbered books, the pair have occasion to meet in a pub or bar and things get so out of hand, one has to escort the other home. This meeting advances the intimacy of their relationship significantly, if not immediately or obviously.

In even numbered books, the two share a meal and talk business, especially as it involves their personal lives. Their partnership in the Agency, which is to say ‘Robin’s role in it,’ is augmented after each of these discussions.

I think it fair to expect, if this is a true pattern rather than just a coincidence, that we will see another such business meeting over an informal meal in Ink Black Heart, perhaps as early as the Ritz Champagne Buffet birthday treat.

Details after the jump. [Read more…]

At the close of Troubled Blood, our love birds were off to the Ritz Hotel in London to celebrate Robin’s birthday and the successful resolution of the Margot Bamborough case (the place is a head nod to Robin’s suggestion on the night Strike knocked her lights out, blackening both her eyes, that they go to the Ritz, hold the sarcasm). If Ink Black Heart opens where Strike 5 closed — and why not? — I’m hopeful we’ll hear them discuss three things: the painting of Leda and the Swan on the wall, Strike’s health, and the Third Man factor, Jonny Rokeby the living ghost-presence in Cormoran’s life.

For what I think they might say over the champagne tea and buffet — and their conversations are always most interesting if they are drunk or in the Range Rover ancient-of-days — join me after the jump! [Read more…]