This is definitely the best so far of J.K Rowling's pseudonymously written Cormoran Strike crime novels. Strike's partner Robin is sent a severed leg in the post with a message that relates to Strike's past. Strike can immediately think of four men who hate him enough to have targeted his partner and his business. The story unfold as they try and track down each of these men.
Robin's impending marriage to the good looking but shallow Matthew and her past secrets, feature prominently. One of the four suspects is Strike's former step-father, so more is revealed about his past and his childhood.
By basing the case around Strike himself, the book avoids wasting time building up background stories for a whole array of possible suspects. Each suspect reveals something about Strike's past. Business plummets as a result of the publicity from the severed leg. This allows the story to focus on the single case. The police investigators are all characters from the earlier books; this again saves time sketching out new characters.
Rowling seems to enjoy writing about the seedier side of life, the drug dealers, the sex trade and the paedophiles. These are all in the book but they're nicely balanced with details about wedding planning and expensive restaurants. Strike's life sits uncomfortably between the seedy world of the people from his past and the monied world of his girlfriends, his father and his clients.
The complexity of language and sentence structure, compared to the Harry Potter series, show Rowling's skill as a writer. There are plans for a BBC miniseries based on the books. I look forward to seeing who is chosen to play Strike.
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