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

Good read hard to put down

Would you consider the audio edition of The Cuckoo's Calling to be better than the print version?

N/A

What did you like best about this story?

The story was well written kept me engaged throughout. It was very hard to stop listening.

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

N/A

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Exceptionally good. Most enjoyable.

Brilliant writing. Spot on narration. Excellent character development. A great read. Going on to book 2, "The Silkwork" straightaway. Bravo!

Each character lives

Rowling has written a marvelous story, As with her previous work her crowning achievement is her keen perception into human characters. I could barely stop listening and shot through this book faster that any other I have purchased from audible.

The narration was top-notch as well.

The only complaint I have and the one thing people may want to note is the liberal use of expletives (most of them very "harsh"). I thought she went a bit far - we get the point. There is also some moral ambiguity that I found disappointing.

Overall however, I am cannot wait for the next installment. I am in awe with this author's ability.

Even better the second time around!

The nuances in this book are amazing. I enjoyed it just as much on the second listen.

should have read it sooner

Where does The Cuckoo's Calling rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

one of the best

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Cuckoo's Calling?

Stike on the town with a super model.

Which character – as performed by Robert Glenister – was your favorite?

Strike

Any additional comments?

I don't know why I let this sit in my library so long. This book was a delight. Great story with interesting characters. The mystery kept me guessing right up to very close to the end. The narrator was wonderful. Clear voice, great pace and very good with the many different characters.

The Cuckoo's Calling

Captivating and consuming! I Couldn't stop listening in anticipation! The Readers voices held me hostage!

Five Star Book or Does the Narrator Make it Five Star

I read the Casual Vacancy and became a believer in the author. She made a compelling story out of a group of generally unlikeable people. This book, compared to the Casual Vacancy, is out of the starting blocks pretty quickly. It's a very English detective yarn. The detective prefers to be a man of few words but he is never at a loss for words when those aristocratic English types (that the author seems to despise) try to put him in his place or mislead him. It is a very good detective story with the requisite twists and turns and a side lost love story. But I realized when I read the next book that I had been totally taken over by the narrator, Robert Glenister. I about to do a search for every book he has narrated Was the book that good or did the narrator make it that good?

Great mystery!

I was impressed right away by the deft use of character building and misdirection that had me guessing until the very end. Satisfying writing and characters I care about and hope for.

Promising start to a new crimen series

Promising start to a new crime series featuring the singular and enigmatic private detective Cormoran Strike and his loyal and resourceful assistant, Robin. The criminal investigation was interesting, but not awesome. What kept me reading were the two main characters and the way they interacted and uncovered the mystery. I loved Galbraith's writing style, the subtle humor, eye for detail and characterisation.

Great yarn & the narrator is incredible

What made the experience of listening to The Cuckoo's Calling the most enjoyable?

Robert Glenister is outstanding. He brings rich color and distinction to each character and makes the story realistic and entertaining. At times, I was laughing out loud at his dialogue narration. The story line is full-bodied with intricate detail that could pull you out of the story if the narration wasn't so fabulous.

What other book might you compare The Cuckoo's Calling to and why?

Scott Turrow's Presumed Innocent for the detail and believability.

Which character – as performed by Robert Glenister – was your favorite?

Strike is a multi-dimensional hero who is both inspiring and exasperating. Guy, the fashion designer is a riot!

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

I laughed out loud at parts of it. Strike angered me for what seems to me to be a tendency toward self-inflicted misery.

Any additional comments?

I've listened to all three of Galbraith's books. This is the best, by far.