This is the fourth book in the Cormoran Strike series, and if you enjoyed the previous three books, I’m guessing you’ll also like this one. At the end of the day, you probably don’t need me to sell this book to you, but it doesn’t disappoint, given all that came before.
Lethal White picks up almost immediately after Career of Evil, which ended with Robin marrying her piece of shit boyfriend, Matthew. So we get to spend a good bit of time seeing how that plays out. Strike’s newfound fame from catching the Shackleford Ripper has brought in a lot of work to the agency. One such case comes by way of a government minister, who is being blackmailed by the son of a former employee. But the whole novel kicks off with a young man named Billy who claims to have seen a young girl strangled when he was a child. He wants Strike to uncover the truth of his memory.
This book, like the three before it, are pretty heavy on plot. A lot happens, here, and in six months I won’t remember any of the details. Having just read it, I can’t really tell you anything about the other three novels in the series. I know the first was about…a model or something? Maybe she killed herself. I don’t remember anything about the second one. The third was about a ripper case, but I only remember that because they kept talking about the “Shackleford Ripper”.
But I think this is a short-coming of mine, not the book. I just don’t really retain those kinds of details about books.
This was written by JK Rowling, though. The characters are what make these books. I really like them, and they feel like fully fleshed out people. Both Robin and Strike have rich internal lives that they often don’t share with others. It’s such a small detail in characterization, but important for establishing the unique reality that everyone inhabits. Rowling is incredibly adept at giving life to her characters, and, four books into this series, I feel as comfortable here as I did in the Harry Potter books. Even though this universe isn’t as developed or detailed, and is more firmly rooted in reality, Cormoran and Robin are both great characters.
It took me longer to read this book than it probably should have, but I knew I that I’m not going to get another Rowling book for a couple years, so I didn’t want it to end. If that isn’t the mark of a pretty awesome book, I don’t know what is.
“But I think this is a short-coming of mine, not the book. I just don’t really retain those kinds of details about books.”
It’s not just you for these. I actually remember the details of the first one rather well but can’t remember the plots of book 2 and 3 without referring to Amazon. Maybe the first one I remember because it was the first Rowling mystery but the rest of the series hasn’t stood out in the same way. I enjoy them and they are well plotted because Rowling, but in the end they are kind of throwaway mysteries.
You enjoyed this one more than I did. I think she made this one overly complex seeming but maybe that’s just me. It just seemed like it went nowhere, and then at the very end, it all came together. I would have preferred more of an investigation with small revelations throughout.
It’s crazy to me how all her books (except the Casual Vacancy, I guess. I haven’t read that one.) are mysteries. The Harry Potter books are all mysteries, after all.
But they are sooooo much more memorable. I’m not quite sure what the difference is.