Writing a review on this book in some ways can be a little problematic. Not necessarily due to the subject matter of it, but more so the various controversies which surround the author which revealed themselves prior to this book being published. Aside from the initial negative press amongst reviewers on Goodreads and bookstagram, it has to be said that the Cormoran Strike series never fails to amaze or captivate me. Having essentially powered through the majority of this book in 2 days, I will stick to keeping this review relatively short; there isn’t all that much to process about the tale, so here I go with a more commentary-like review.
Like the previous novels in the series, this one, in theory, could be its own stand-alone book, the only thread which is carried through is that of the life of the protagonists and their families, as well as those working within the agency, they are not exactly the most important things to remember in the series, yet they do add value to the tale and can definitely be found after some Google searches of summaries and all the various ties. For peace of mind, I recommend the entire series, some are better than others but following along on the entire story is worth it.
Starting out like the previous books in the series, Troubled Blood starts with an update on the, at this point, mildly chaotic lives of the two lead detectives. It’s only a few chapters in that they are contacted by their principal customer, putting yet another strain on the agency and the cases that are already being handled. Objectively, this is the hardest case which the pair has ever worked on, mysterious and unexplained deaths, people involved in the case dead for several years, no way of collecting any new evidence except for what is held in police archives, when you are presented with all these facts, the case seems virtually impossible to solve. Strike and Robin are given a year for what is objectively, an impossible case to solve and with all that is going on in their lives outside of the agency, it is no surprise that they are pressed under such time constraints. Was I surprised at the outcome? Oh yes. As was my mom who had read the book prior to me and kept any spoilers very well kept, despite my various attempts to try and get something out of her about what happens.
Though I am not entirely sure as to why I am not giving it a 5-star rating, there is something stopping me from it. I am completely certain that mood and motivation have something to do with how you process a book. Though the book has a strong start to it, I did put it down for w full two days before getting back to it, subsequently having finished it in the three days that followed this break. There are some moments which are easy to break away from, but the further you get, the harder it can be. Like with many contemporary fiction novels, there are sad moments in the tale and there are moments where I found myself laughing at a certain passage, which, to anyone watching must have looked rather bizarre. Despite being packed full of strange details which surround the case, Troubled Blood is easy to follow and relatively simple. I have always admired authors who are able to communicate complexities without embellishing their text with overly complex language, there is something pleasing about the simplicity of a text. That being said, the text still holds a certain sophistication to it, simultaneously the language and action make for an unputdownable novel. With the varied range of subjects that occur in the book, it is not one for everyone, nor at times for those faint of heart. It is not gory, this isn’t a horror novel, though there are some harder hitting conversations and topics, and even the integration of the occult may not sit entirely well with some readers; for me, not an issue, for others, it could be.
For me, there were few faults in Troubled Blood. By the end of the book, I feel like I know the meaning behind the title, and similarly, understand how all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Everything is tied up with a nice bow and there is even a hint of a potential sequel to the tale, and being completely honest, though the mysterious element of it is what carries the plot forward, it is the lives of the two protagonists that keeps me rooted to this series. Without a doubt, however, the writing is impeccable. I have always powered through each of the books in the series, waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one as soon as an announcement is made, though with all the initial negative press that surrounded this one pre-publication I’m a little uncertain of whether a sequel is to happen, I’m holding out hope.
aga is reading 
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