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

excellent read.

more in the roll of actual police work. The details the witnesses the entire story woven together is excellent.

Great mystery thriller

Really enjoyed this book!!! Very convoluted and fun storyline with lots of well developed characters. Loved the narrators voice!!

Almost quit halfway through, but it got better

I'm not a huge mystery fan, and honestly, only tried this book because of JK Rowling. The writing is good; I wouldn't say as good as Harry Potter,but it's good. My problem with the story is having SO MANY characters/suspects being introduced so quickly. The author does try to help the reader keep them straight by mentioning their relationship or occupation to remind us, but still, there were times when it was hard to keep them all straight.

This has always been an issue for me, so I don't think it's a flaw of the writing or the story, but just something I struggle with. I nearly quit listening because of it about halfway through, but persevered and finally was able to get them mostly planted in my mind. Of course, now, this story is over and, presumably, apart from the two many characters, the next book will involve a whole different set of people, so I'd have to start all over, so it's doubtful I'll continue with the series.

The narration was quite good and each character had their own, distinctive voices.

Elaborate plot, well performed

A post Afghanistan entry into the London gumshoe antihero detective novel. The storyworld is well woven with location details and a throng of multi ethnic, multi class characters, and the narration brilliantly performed with excellent dialect acting. Great fun.

Great writing of a "who done it?"

Really engaging story and characters. The clues are all there but the reveal of the killer doesn't disappoint and you won't see it coming a mile away, as in so many mysteries. Great performance as well! .Made listening a pleasure!

Easily 5 Stars!

So well written. So well-narrated. One of the best books I’ve enjoyed in quite a while! Can’t really wait to read the rest in the series.

Best book I’ve listened to this month!

And that’s saying something because I listen to audio books almost 24/7. I probably go through 20-30 books a month.

It’s no secret anymore that this was written by J. K. Rowling. She is by far my favorite author and she has out done herself again. The characters in the story were so realistic and love able even the ones she described as pompous or needy had character to them beyond that. Her main character detective Strike is flawed and undesirable, until you get to know him. (I dislike Matthew quite a bit even though we only see him once or twice.)

Personally I think the bad reviews on this book are solely due to people trying to shame this series for Rowling’s statements on some political matters.

It is a masterpiece and deserves a read. Be warned it’s not Harry Potter but it has all the magic of the characters and store depth that Rowling has always promised us.

Explore a world of fame

This book give you the opportunity to explore the interaction if millionaires. The problems of a upper soiety

Too much swearing

I’m not a prude but after listening to this glad not to have to listen anymore. Too much swearing especially the f-word. Liked the story line but will not be listening to anymore from this author.

Really enjoyed

I don't remember how I got this one, but finally listened to and loved so much bought the next novel. If you're needing a good mystery this is the one you need. Everything about it was enthralling!