Lethal White

A Cormoran Strike Novel

By: Robert Galbraith

Narrated by: Robert Glenister

Length: 22 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

An unsettling cold case investigation ensnares Cormoran Strike and his partner in a web of dangerous secrets in this #1 New York Times bestseller, the inspiration for HBO Max's acclaimed series C.B. Strike.

When a troubled young man named Billy asks Cormoran Strike to help him investigate a crime he witnessed as a child, the private eye is left deeply troubled. While Billy is obviously mentally distressed and cannot remember many concrete details, there is something sincere about him and his story. But before Strike can question him further, Billy bolts from his office in a panic.

Trying to get to the bottom of Billy's story, Strike and Robin Ellacott—once his assistant, now a partner in the agency—set off on a twisting trail that leads them through the backstreets of London, into a secretive inner sanctum within Parliament, and to a beautiful but sinister manor house deep in the countryside.

And during this labyrinthine investigation, Strike's own life is far from straightforward. His newfound fame as a private eye means he can no longer operate behind the scenes as he once did. Plus, his relationship with his former assistant is more fraught than it ever has been; Robin is now invaluable to Strike in the business, but their personal relationship is much, much trickier than that.

The most epic Robert Galbraith novel yet, Lethal White is “addictive, murderous fun” for British mystery lovers and crime fiction fans alike (Vox).

©2018 Robert Galbraith (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"[Narrator] Robert Glenister has peopled Strike's world with a huge cast that is convincing, horrifying, and funny. Here, as Strike and his partner, Robin, sort out the murder of Britain's awful culture minister, Jasper Chiswell (pronounced 'chisel'), the many greedy, snobbish, cruel faces of evil are human, but the plot and performance are pure magic." (AudioFile)

"Rowling's wizardry as a writer is on fulsome display in Lethal White (3.5/4 stars), a behemoth of a novel that flies by in a flash. This is a crime series deeply rooted in the real world, where brutality and ugliness are leavened by the oh-so-human flaws and virtues of Galbraith's irresistible hero and heroine."—USA Today

"At times you might feel as you did when reading the Harry Potter books, particularly later in the series, when they got longer and looser. You love the plot, and you love being in the company of the characters, and you admire the author's voice and insights and ingenuity, and you relish the chance to relax into a book without feeling rushed or puzzled or shortchanged.... Long live the fertile imagination and prodigious output of J.K. Rowling."—The New York Times

"If you love the intricate, character-driven mysteries written by Tana French and Kate Atkinson, then chances are good that you'll enjoy the ones by Robert Galbraith. . . . Robert Galbraith knows how to tell a story every bit as deftly as does J.K. Rowling. Cormoran Strike, who lost a leg in Afghanistan, may limp painfully through much of the book, but the tale being told never misses a step."—Joyce Sáenz Harris, Dallas Morning News

Cormoran Strike is the new Sherlock Holmes

I can't imagine any lover of mystery & detective stories being able to pass up a "Robert Galbraith" novel.
This one is perhaps the best so far of the four Cormoran Strike mysteries.
Complicated in plot, realistic and harder to shake loose from than hot tar.
This is not a novel you get to listen to a little and then set down to go do something else.
Make plans, set aside the time or you'll forget all about that appointment later today.

If 10 stars were allowed for author & narrator, I would offer them...

The “Strike” series is among my top 3 favorite series of all time. Galbraith/Rowling has masterfully crafted storylines that get better each series, & characters I have grown to cherish (don’t know if Ive ever actually said that in a review, though Peter Grainger’s characters in DC Smith also evoke that from me).

The only possible complaint I would offer is a spoiler...so I’ll just say this. Make it happen, please. We’re all ready & I’ve come to realize I’m as much a romantic as I am a detective story fan with these books.

Finally, Robin is perhaps one of my favorite characters of all time. Of course I like Strike, despite his often gruff behavior, because I understand why he has developed that tough outer shell. Both Cormoran & Robin are very believable. So believable that they actually seem real to me when reading/listening, especially read by Mr Glenister. But Robin...how can one not love Robin, who plows on, despite her doubts & understandable insecurities. I love her growing fierceness in the face of cruel or awful people & circumstance, & of course, her bravery & intelligence. She is one of the great heroines of all time. So thank you, JKR, for another excellent read. I’ll be here, pining away for the next book, hoping...

Superb

Exceptionally well written. Spellbinding story. Fantastic narration. This book picks up where the third book in the series ended - Robin's wedding to Matt. It is obvious that Robin and our hero Cormoran Strike have feelings for one another, but a series of misunderstandings and events resulted in Robin staying with Matt after the wedding and Cormoran had to move on in his private life to a relationship with another woman. Yet Cormoran and Robin continue to work together as partners at Cormoran's detective agency. Both of them love their work and they operate well as a duo. The agency is starting to thrive since the success of their last big case, which happened just before Robin's wedding. Cormoran Strike is now somewhat famous.

At the beginning of this book a very disturbed young man comes to Cormoran to ask for help. He claimed he saw a child strangled and buried years ago. But he runs away without giving any more information. At about the same time, Cormoran is hired by the Minister of Culture to find out who is trying to blackmail him. He is willing to pay anything for the service. Cormoran and Robin are exposed to the world of the aristocracy and their sense of superiority and entitlement. This particular set of aristocrats have a great deal to hide. Then there is a suicide, or was it a murder? There are many characters involved in the story and it proceeds logically and systematically to a grand ending. The story from the troubled young man ties in with the blackmail attempt on the Minister. Along with the investigation, Robin and Cormoran must deal with the details of their separate and messy personal lives. The ending is not a cliffhanger, but there is plenty of personal story left for the next book in the series.

This book is very long, in fact too long in my opinion, but still moves steadily and held my attention. The author, Galbraith/Rowlings, is a very detailed writer, and a little too detailed and slow moving some of the time. This book could have been shortened to almost half its length and still been excellent. The author has created vivid characters that are relatable and likable. Cormoran and Robin are not perfect by any means, but they are believable and seem very real to me.

The narrator, Glenister, is awesome. I love his deep voice which can be soothing, sharp, dramatic or calm. He seems to know the story and characters well and it comes through in his performance. He is one of the best audiobook performers in the business. I highly recommend this book, but believe it is important to have read the first three books first in order to get the most enjoyment from Lethal White. The first three books are all excellent.

Additional comment: One thing about his book totally baffles me. Each chapter begins with a one sentence quote from Henrick Ibsen, Rosmersholm, however Henrick nor Rosmersholm are ever connected to the story. He mentions Rebecca a few times in the quotes, but she is is never connected to the story. The substance of the quote vaguely corresponds to the content of the chapter, but only vaguely. I just don't know why each chapter starts this way. There is no explanation. Maybe the next book involves Henrick, but maybe not. It is a mystery to me.

Finally done

A good story very well performed, it did seem interminable though. Seems to go on forever.

I wish the book hadn't ended.

I absolutely loved it. Corm and Robin are perfect. I love the plot twists and turns.

Didn’t want it to end

I travel quite a bit and love audible. These characters are colorful and I feel like I know them. The performance is spot on! I can’t wait for the next book.

Love this series!

Can't wait for the next installment. Robert Glenister is the perfect narrator. He gets all the characters just right, especially Cormoran Strike.

Another well constructed story!

Great investigative mystery with a cast of central characters whose chemistry (between Robin and Strike) continues to evolve.
Interesting plot with plenty of twists to hold your attention
Excellent presentation by Robert Glenister

Excellent!

Great story and intetesting plot twists. Cant wait for the next Cormoran Strike adventure! Hope it's soon.

great writers write great books

some thing about the writing just kept my interest throughout the entire book. I await the next episode with eager anticipation.