Book review : The Running Grave

Making literature accessible through Book reviews

Book reviews as pay-it-forward

Yet another form of “giving back” that I have been indulging in, is the culture of writing book reviews. I make it a point to share my take on books I have read, on popular platforms such as Goodreads, Amazon etc., in Book Club meetings(online or offline), or in my personal blog.

Such reviews not only help readers to discover new books, genres & authors, and elevate lesser known literary works to their radar; they also encourage a platform for deeper engagement on various interpretations of the book under consideration, make the titles accessible worldwide, as well as foster reading habits. They are a great way to build communities, revive the flagging reading culture, as well as drive book sales.

My book review for the seventh Cormoran Strike book : The Running Grave, is captured below-

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The Strike series

The Cormoran Strike novels are a crime fiction series written by the famous author - J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The series follows Cormoran Strike, a gruff, brilliant private investigator and former military police officer, and his assistant-turned-partner Ms. Robin Ellacott, as they solve complex, often dark and layered mysteries in contemporary Britain. A series of seven books has been published so far, with a few more in the offing. This series has garnered at least as much popularity as the Harry Potter one, if not more.

Each novel features a primary plot wherein a crime is investigated by the detective duo, while the secondary plot encompasses their private lives as well as evolving interpersonal dynamic (read romance). The latter has been developed over seven books, definitely a slow burn, that keeps one hooked in anticipation.

Here’s what sets each Cormoran Strike novel apart:

1. The Cuckoo’s Calling (2013) : Introduces Strike’s world - an ex-military P.I. with a prosthetic leg, investigating a supermodel’s ‘suicide’. It blends gritty London streets with the high-gloss fashion scene.

2. The Silkworm (2014) : Delves into the cut-throat literary world: a missing author’s manuscript becomes a weapon, and Strike must untangle fiction from reality. Its grotesque murder and metafictional twists underscore the darker side of creativity.

3. Career of Evil (2015) : Hits Strike, and his assistant Robin, very personally when a severed human leg arrives in the mail for the latter. It’s the most visceral installment; exploring suffering, revenge, and the pair’s evolving equation under mortal threat.

4. Lethal White (2018) : Scales up to political intrigue: a client’s cryptic confession leads them into Parliament’s back rooms and rural estates. It’s the first in the series to weave high-stakes crime with mental-health themes and an expanding supporting cast.

5. Troubled Blood (2020) : Tackles a 40-year-old cold case, interweaving the past and present. Its sprawling scope, layered timelines and use of Tarot cards make it an introspective novel, deepening Strike and Robin’s emotional arcs.

6. The Ink Black Heart (2022) : Plunges into online culture: a cartoonist haunted by a mysterious troll, culminating in a murder at Highgate Cemetery. It’s the first to highlight digital anonymity, cyber-harassment and the dark power of fandom.

7. The Running Grave (2023) : Robin goes undercover in a Norfolk cult to save a client’s son. It’s the most claustrophobic and tense of the series, testing her wits and will under constant psychological threat.

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The Running Grave : a book review

The Author

Though I am a huge fan of J.K. Rowling’s work, her novels are notorious for their length since the Harry Potter days; and unfortunately this series churns out fat tomes too. Seriously, don’t the editors have any say in the number of pages for a book?? Indeed, the last three books are exceptionally long (944, 1024 and 960 pages respectively) - requiring a serious time commitment! I have laboured through the entire series; grunting through thick paperbacks, slick OTT adaptations, as well as lengthy audiobooks - whichever I could lay my hands on.

I consumed the last one as an audiobook spanning a whopping 34 hours!! Yet it was time thoroughly well spent. J.K. Rowling rose to fame due to her realistic depiction of a fantastic parallel universe of wizards and witches (Harry Potter) - full of unforgettable characters, magical places and enthralling plot twists. The Strike series brings out this forte of hers in spades, especially the latest novel. The plot is immensely complex and the list of characters just keeps growing; but they enrich the detailing of the plot. Every character and incidence resonates with the reader.

The book is a fine testament to the author’s talent for balancing multiple characters across different cases as well as time gaps, her minute attention to detail shines through the in-depth research that went into birthing UHC, the dialogues and letters move the narrative along seamlessly, and Rowling excels yet again at tying up various loose ends while keeping the reader guessing.

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Synopsis (mild spoilers)

A worried father approaches the agency to find his son who absconded to join a religious cult - Universal Humanitarian Church (UHC), about 4 years ago. During the investigation, they conclude that the only way to gain more information would be to infiltrate the cult as a member, for which Robin volunteers. She spends a harrowing 4 months inside the Chapman Farm, during which time she and Strike communicate via writing letters to each other. Though the reader is robbed of their chemistry as closely working partners; she can gauge the depth of their emotion between the lines of their letters, and also witness their respective transformation - as an independent investigator as well as that of a self-aware, sorted adult. Their struggles are vastly different, but their evolution is palpable. And through it, their enterprise benefits by leaps and bounds. The day-to-day handling of an ever-expanding case load, and the hiring and retention of the various operatives, is outlined efficiently throughout the book.

Additionally, characters such as Jonathan Wace (Papa J), (Mama) Mazu, the Drowned Prophet - Daiyu (and many more), the horrific abuse & debilitating indoctrination of UHC inmates, the exploitative & paranormal aspects of the cult, introduction of yet another of Strike’s half-siblings, and the revelation of a long-held secret of a close family member; give Strike added skin in the game - making for a spell-binding page turner! The cult seems to be heavily inspired by Scientology. One can literally feel the terror experienced by Robin - how the cult gradually saps her of dignity and free will, reducing her to a sleep-deprived, under-nourished, over-worked and mindlessly chanting robot. Interestingly, Robin’s miraculous escape from the clutches of the UHC does not herald the end of the book; instead the plot continues to weave through fresh twists, until it explodes into a nail-biting climax - the various threads untangling satisfactorily into an exhaustive epilogue. However, I sincerely felt that at least in the cases unrelated to the UHC, the editors’ scissors would have been useful.

The storytelling as well as the escalating emotional tension between Strike and Robin make for a scintillating read. They are finally well-matched in terms of both their investigative prowess as well as mental toughness gained through overcoming individual trauma. Whatever happens post the cliff-hanger ending (where one of them finally makes a declaration of love!), at least the excruciating wait of the preceding six years seems justified. Both of them had needed to lay their past demons to rest, allow their mutual feelings to mature across various liaisons, and grapple with the dilemma of what their deepening attraction would mean for their burgeoning business partnership. The death of a long-standing supporting character is shocking, but used expertly for attaining closure for one of them; thus evoking decisive action at long last.

Conclusion

All in all, I strongly recommend investing your time to read this one; and if not already done, catch up on all the previous Strike books first. The series has evolved from classic detective fiction to psychologically layered, socially conscious thrillers. The later books - especially Troubled Blood(TB), The Ink Black Heart(IBH) and The Running Grave(TRG) - are where the series truly hits its stride.

My personal favourite is TRG (closely followed by TB & IBH) due to its intricate character and plot developments, ‘coming of age’ of the two protagonists, as well as romantic undercurrents simmering beneath the surface. Indeed, Galbraith has created an epic pairing in Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott. He has the smarts, prudence and integrity; while she brings impulsivity, vulnerability and EQ to the mix.