The Silkworm

By: Robert Galbraith

Narrated by: Robert Glenister

Length: 17 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Private investigator Cormoran Strike must track down a missing writer - and a sinister killer bent on destruction - in this "wonderfully entertaining" mystery (Harlan Coben, New York Times Book Review) that inspired the acclaimed HBO Max series C.B. Strike.

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days - as he has done before - and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home. But as Strike investigates, he discovers that Quine's disappearance is no coincidence. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were published, it would ruin lives - meaning that almost everyone in his life would have motives to silence him. When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, Strike must race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any he has encountered before...

A compulsively readable crime novel with twists at every turn, The Silkworm is the second in J. K. Rowling's highly acclaimed series featuring Cormoran Strike and his determined young assistant, Robin Ellacott.

©2014 Robert Galbraith (P)2014 Hachette Digital

Rowling writing as Galbraith is still FANTASTIC

Where does The Silkworm rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

(Rowling) Galbraith writes in a way that I can only see as something I can not compare it too. I've listened to over 2000 audio books. The story lines the character development and the the ultimate solving of the mystery has been truly amazing in the first two books in this series.

What other book might you compare The Silkworm to and why?

I can't compare this book to any except the previous, one in the series

What does Robert Glenister bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Fantastic, he does all the voices, male and female beautifully. (and he even makes them all sound different) The emotions and expressions are fantastic. I hope he continues to voice this series

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were many, but one was when Robin realizes she has to let Matt know she loves the work she's doing and want's to continue. She truly enjoys working with her boss Cormoran Strike who is always determined to find the truth, especially when he has that gut feeling that all is not what it seems.

Any additional comments?

This is one series I know I'm going to stick with. First Galbraith (Rowling) is a brilliant author, these stories are for adults not children. Lots of truly horrible things happen, and I'm not talking about sex. "Cuckoo's Calling" and now this one "Silkworm" are intense murder mysteries. Most books of this genre I can usually figure out who did the crime long before the telling chapter. I didn't know until the moment it was stated. That is a great story. Looking forward to more like this Thank you Audible for a great series for me to follow

Little long and slightly scattered

Any additional comments?

Its a good mystery, interesting characters, creative plot but even though it's a long story, much of the story line seemed rushed in the end. I think a good editor could have helped take out a lot of dead wood or repetitive issues, I got right away he was handicapped so constantly bringing it up in the story line was just a bit too much. I prefer a story that wraps up all the major issues in a flowing sort of way but I thought this one, after a relatively slow pace and very long scenes, jerked to a finish with an ending dialog that explained any loose ends. I enjoyed the narrator.

Expectations Too High, but Still, a Good Listen

The hoopla and raves had me expecting something much more than what I experienced here, but despite higher than normal expectations, I must say that this novel was a solid listen.

The criticisms: (1) The characters didn't warrant much emotion on my part -- they didn't come through as persons deserving empathy or caring. (2) I could see the finish coming many chapters away. . . so the actual ending was a bit anti-climactic.

The positives: (1) The narration is SUPERB! Wow! Great characterizations with many well tuned voices. I like Glenister very much. (2) The interactions between Strike and his assistant kept a little "mystery" going on the side which was interesting.

The central murder-mystery is a strong story if you can accept Strike being in the middle of a snobbish literary world. He seemed to do well there, but he would likely suggest that writers are true nut cases after this experience.

Good listen!

Not for the faint of heart

Cormoran Strike is an amazing detective and I love the fact that he has so many physical problems to overcome in his personal life. It makes him more human. I also like the way Robin is developing/growing and I do hope she dumps Matthew who is not her equal and is very pompous.

I did, however, enjoy “The Cuckoo's Calling” better. This book was too long and detailed and at times it was hard to follow. I sometimes had to go back and do a “re-calculate”.

The subject matter is not for the faint of heart, squeamish or prudish. It is quite graphic.

I did not suspect the ending. In fact I had it totally figured wrong but everything tied together. Although it had terrific ending, the book itself was way too long with too many details. To the point I sometimes wanted to scream “get on with it already”.

Too good for the likes of me.

excellent book and narrator. it is dense, and deserves more attention than I give my audio books.

A Great Who-done -it!

The mystery is intriguing and intelligent, but the two main characters are what will attach you to this novel and make you want to start the next one.

Romance forming?

I am amazed at jk rolling. I don't know where she comes up with these characters! The story was great! I didn't not see the ending coming but the end was so dam good! The pace of the story was well excused.the story was not rushed nor did it take its sweet time getting to the point. The book was great. Is it just me but do I see a romance forming?

Please Keep writing!

What a great story... Strike and Robyn, with a cast of fascinating characters. I did not want to stop listening and did not want it to be over. Cannot wait for the next book!

Better than the First

Robert Glenister is quite possibly my favorite part of this series and I'm not sure I'd give "The Silkworm" such a high rating had I simply read it in print form. That being said the author, Robert Galbraith (a.k.a. J.K. Rowling), is clearly a gifted writer. "Silkworm" unfolded vividly with a disturbing murder and delightfully shady suspects. Cormoran and Robin are such a pair and I loved seeing their lives and personalities unfold further in this second novel.

Where I voice caution is the ending. While better than the first, the ending of "Silkworm" could really use some help. Having read the two novels, I feel like Galbraith (Rowling) is just picking mystery ending styles from a hat -- and fails to match the beautiful build-up of the rest of the novel.

Wish there was another in the series ...

What did you like best about this story?

Really great character development - likable but neither perfect nor fatally flawed main characters. Getting to know each of them a little better was a pleasure. And the development of the additional characters was appropriate to the story. In the end it all made sense and I had my own hints about "who did it" along the way.

Any additional comments?

Thoroughly enjoyed this performance. The narrator was good, not great, but good. The story itself is really fantastic. I am looking forward to reading more about Cormoran Strike and his assistant, Robin.What I liked best about it was that there were no cheap shortcuts taken along the way. There were several places where I thought, OK, here it comes there is going to be another attack on the detective or he and Robin are going to fall in love or whatever.

Of course, by the time I got to this book I had forgotten that it was written by J.K. Rawlings. Had I remembered that I wouldn't have been expecting such easy outs. Still listening to it without that knowledge in the forefront of my mind made it thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding when the shortcuts were NOT taken and the story continued to wind it's way to the end.