The Cuckoo's Calling

By: Robert Galbraith

Narrated by: Robert Glenister

Length: 15 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Published under a pseudonym, J. K. Rowling’s brilliant debut mystery introduces Detective Cormoran Strike as he investigates a supermodel's suicide in “one of the best books of the year” (USA Today).

After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, creditors are calling, and after a breakup with his longtime girlfriend, he’s living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with a shocking story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry - known to her friends as the Cuckoo - famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.

Fast-paced and sharply drawn, this dazzling detective novel inspired Strike, the BBC crime drama series that has captivated millions of viewers worldwide.

©2013 Robert Galbraith (P)2013 Hachette Audio

enjoyed this book

I enjoyed the book, the narrator was great. Going to get the second book and get started

An enjoyable detective story!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it has well developed characters,

What did you like best about this story?

I have not listened to or read many crime or detective books. My favorite fiction book prior to this has been Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. The story did not reveal "who dunno it"early on, if indeed there was a culprit, but kept me guessing until the climactic end when the puzzle pieces were woven together very well. I particularly liked the various characters in the story, the fashion industry environment and the way the individual character stories all came together satisfactorily without breaking credibility.

Have you listened to any of Robert Glenister’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I have not listened to other books performed by Mr. Glenister.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did not have an extreme reaction. I commonly listen to books while I work out on the exercycle in the health center. I did laugh out loud a number of times. As the climax of the story came together I found myself on aux in 'driveway moments" and on earbuds while working around the house because I abandoned my routine as I "could not put it down".

Any additional comments?

I hope J. K. Rowling plans a second book with Cormoran Strike to continue with his detective work! Fun that the entire book is written sprinkled with current British slang and culture.

Just okay.

I wanted to love this book, but I just couldn’t. This book was all dialogue and no action. As someone else put it, I felt like I was sitting in a court room listening to a person a witnesses question about a case. I really liked Robin’s character but felt she was under utilized.

Strike

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Hard in beginning, but a great character in P.I. Strike. Good story line

Would you be willing to try another book from Robert Galbraith? Why or why not?

Yes, J.K.R.

Could you see The Cuckoo's Calling being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No. To early to even consider in series.

Beautiful English but TEDIOUS

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Move the story quicker, develop the characters deeper. Do not overdo one storyline.

What could Robert Galbraith have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Do multiple storylines to keep it interesting. For now there's too much detail and redundance around one timeline and one unendimg, grueling investigation.

Which scene was your favorite?

Comoron and Robin in the dress shop.

Did The Cuckoo's Calling inspire you to do anything?

To aim to write beautiful prose.

Any additional comments?

I gave 3 stars instead of 1 because the language is so beautiful. It is elegantly, artistically read by the narrator at Audible.com. Just when it seemed J.K. Rowling had created the new Sherlock Holmes and Watson, the story deteriorated into tedious detail no more exciting than watching grass grow. Yes, the mystery is important, but story movement and character development are far more important than finding only one new clue to the mystery every 50 pages or so. I hope the author reads this and brings the progagonist and his assistant back for another try in the sequel.

Outstanding narration

Narration outstanding. Able to convey the characters nuances. Rarely does narration add to an excellent book so well.

Exceptional Read

Quite entertaining with great character development. Suspense all the way to the end. Quite heavy on the "F" bomb and sexual encounters so not recommended for the younger reader.

A loong whodunit. Loved it!

By now I guess everybody knows that "Galbraith" is JK Rowling. I hesitated listening to a 16 hour P I mystery novel, written by someone mainly known for Harry Potter...

Glad I took a chance. A great read / listen. Believable characters and a great story.

Outstanding narration as well.

Great mystery

Book was unpredictable. The author uses new perspectives from which to weave a great mystery. It is a well thought out mystery that does not follow the cookie cutter theme of almost catch the bad guy-not yet-almost catch again.....

Highly recommended

Great story, wonderful characters and excellent reading. I've been getting a bit jaded with Scandinavian noir and this was a high quality change of pace.