The Cuckoo's Calling

Writing under the pseudonym, Robert Galbraith, J.K. Rowling moves away from her internationally known fame for fantasy writing and into the depths of murder mysteries. I must admit, I have not read a single thing from the famous author, but I felt this particular book was lacking in certain aspects.

Comoran Strike is a private investigator who has been down on his luck when it comes to business. When the brother of his deceased childhood friend walks through his door and offers him a job, Strike is pleased by the money but not necessarily the mission-- to look into the death of this new client's adopted sister: stunning supermodel Lula Landry. Her undoing had been ruled a suicide and there was little evidence to suggest any other conclusion. But with any decent novel, nothing is what it seems-- even Strike. 

He's crafty in humble ways and smart, despite his seemingly unattractive looks. He is a solitary character who never shares much with those around him, unless he is caught inebriated. As a reader, you expect his relationship with his new, daring secretary to take a turn, but alas this is a feeling never resolved. My only guess for this is that there may be future "Strike" novels in which more character development occurs. 

Overall, a good read. You won't be able to foresee the ending, which is wonderful for us "guessers." I found myself not being able to put it down not because of the suspense but because every road to "murder" seemed a dead end, and I just had to find out... Was it simply just a suicide? 

You'll want to find out, too.
Rating: 3/5