Way back in March 15th J. K. Rowling released the title of Strike 8 as The Hallmarked Man, an event that usually occurs shortly after the manuscript of the book is announced as finished. We first heard of her working hard on the book the previous May 7th, before The Running Grave was released. Most people who were tracking progress were fairly confident of an Autumn 2024 release. Those hopes have been dashed, and it now looks more and more likely we will have to wait for Autumn 2025. See below for Rowling’s tweets keeping the fandom updated on progress. One reason for the delay might be the revelation that she has six books in various stages of development, with the next non-Strike book likely to be a futuristic story that she has been planning for more than a decade!
Do you have more books in the pipeline?
I’ve got six books in my head. I’ve got the one I’m currently writing. There’ll be two more Strikes, and then there are three more books that I really want to get to. [She taps her head] I always gesture to the back of my head. I’m sure an MRI scan would prove it’s got nothing to do with the back of my brain, but I always find myself doing this when I’m talking about where it comes from. God knows. But I do have other stories in my head that I really need to get out.
I work in a library and recommend the Strike books ALL THE TIME. I have elderly patrons in their 90s who are desperately awaiting the release of The Hallmarked man. When?? Please release before Fall of 2025 – patrons are breathlessly hanging on, hoping for more about Cormoran and Robin and their next case, before THEY become the next case…
Stike 8 or Hallmarked Man….hopefully not till Fall of 2025, thought it might be here for Xmas season this year, so how bout spring?