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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
Oh man! This was definitely a 4.5-5 Star read for me. I felt like this was the strongest of the three in the Strike series. There was much more going on with regards to character backgrounds that contributed to more character development than in the previous books. What I enjoyed the most was the chapters from the killer’s POV. At first, I did not like those snippets because I kept thinking it would rob me of the “twist” at the end. However, about a quarter of the way through the book (once the pool is suspects was clearly narrowed down and brief background given) those chapters became something to look forward to. I enjoyed trying to find clues within the killer’s chapters. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released. That damn cliffhanger is gonna make sure I check for updates on Lethal White on a monthly basis.
I only started reading this series this year, but I have been eagerly anticipating this book for months. I wasn’t disappointed.
I could talk about the crime which is the centre of the book, but honestly while it was a good plot and once again I hadn’t guessed who the killer was the crime element is not what draws me to these series. I’m far more interested in Strike and Robin, with their whole will they/won’t they relationship. I swear at the rate they are going they could give Ross and Rachel a run for their money.
At this point I have to have a little rant (minor spoiler alert) about Robin and Matthew.
Right so Robin had finally left Matthew and I was so happy. Even if didn’t get with Strike in this book at least the groundwork would be set…but no such luck. Despite the fact Matthew is a complete and utter git she forgives him and gets back with him. And indications are he will get more controlling and and an all round pain in the arse in the next book. Actually based on something rather backhanded Matthew did in this book I’m expecting fireworks in the next book once Robin finds out.
The whole Strike – Robin – Matthew triangle aside we also got to learn more about both Strike and Robin, with further insights into both their pasts. In particular we discover the mystery behind why Robin dropped out of university. The honeymoon period for Strike an Robin also appears to be over with the pressures of the case putting a strain on their partnership.
My verdict remains as it has for the previous two books. It was enjoyable and addictive. Great if you want something easy to read or when your going on holidays for by the pool.
I could talk about the crime which is the centre of the book, but honestly while it was a good plot and once again I hadn’t guessed who the killer was the crime element is not what draws me to these series. I’m far more interested in Strike and Robin, with their whole will they/won’t they relationship. I swear at the rate they are going they could give Ross and Rachel a run for their money.
At this point I have to have a little rant (minor spoiler alert) about Robin and Matthew.
Right so Robin had finally left Matthew and I was so happy. Even if didn’t get with Strike in this book at least the groundwork would be set…but no such luck. Despite the fact Matthew is a complete and utter git she forgives him and gets back with him. And indications are he will get more controlling and and an all round pain in the arse in the next book. Actually based on something rather backhanded Matthew did in this book I’m expecting fireworks in the next book once Robin finds out.
The whole Strike – Robin – Matthew triangle aside we also got to learn more about both Strike and Robin, with further insights into both their pasts. In particular we discover the mystery behind why Robin dropped out of university. The honeymoon period for Strike an Robin also appears to be over with the pressures of the case putting a strain on their partnership.
My verdict remains as it has for the previous two books. It was enjoyable and addictive. Great if you want something easy to read or when your going on holidays for by the pool.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
‘Career of Evil’ is probably my favourite of the series so far, with lots of gruesome details and mystery surrounding the three suspects throughout the novel. Strike and Robin’s relationship struggles begin to interfere with the case and I loved the building suspense throughout. However, I do wish the last few chapters were a little longer as it ends so quickly.
Gruesome, but sucks you in; I stayed up until 3am to finish it! R for violence and gore, language, and some sexual stuff. 18+
My favourite of the series so far. Although I had come up with a completely different killer that was not even mentioned. I am however wanting this immensely slow burn romance to speed up
Wat een fijn boek, helemaal wanneer je ook de eerste twee delen uit de serie hebt gelezen. Het is goed geschreven, er is ruimte voor diepgang/details maar het verhaal houdt zijn vaart en zakt nergens in. De 'will they/won't they' situatie tussen Strike en Robin gaat nog een stapje verder en ook Matthew leren we iets beter kennen - hoewel misschien niet helemaal op een goede manier. Goede cliffhanger ook op het einde, zodat er nu niks anders opzit dan rustig afwachten tot het volgende deel verschijnt... 4,5 sterren.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Career of Evil is definitely my favorite of the series so far, though unfortunately it still suffers from the same trend of the first hundred or so pages being dull as paint drying. I'm really enjoying getting to dig into the meat of the main characters and their lives outside of the main case of the book. I do love a slow burn romance and am warming up more and more to the idea of Strike and Robin, even if I'll admit I didn't really like the idea in the first two books. I didn't think Matthew was as bad as the book wanted the reader to think he was... until the end of this one. What he did was unforgivable. What an ass. Much more excited for the next in the series but damn can we please skip the boring endless interlude next time? I'm not optimistic...
Love it. I’m almost tempted to give 5* but I rarely do that and it’s not the best book I’ve ever read. I am becoming very fond of Strike and Robyn. I love hanging out with them and miss them when I’m finished reading a book. Can’t wait for the next one. I loved the music references in this book - can’t believe I’d never been introduced to the Blue Oyster Cult but the Career of Evil playlist on Spotify (yes, there is one) soon put that right. Also loved the descriptions of the British localities they visit (I enjoyed the different dynamic that came from them leaving London), particularly Barrow as I have family there (and yes, they do have a strange accent). I’m visiting them there later this year but I can’t say the book has me enthused about that. Easy read, great story, better than the second one.
I nearly ran to the library when it was my turn with this audiobook, as I've been developing quite a book-crush on this series. I really liked Career of Evil, but not quite as much as The Silkworm, so this books suffers from comparison more than by its own merits.
What's to like, and why is this 4 stars instead of 5:
The Characters - I still love Cormoran and Robin (but not Matthew), and we had tons and tons for each of them in this book. Robin's backstory was on full parade, and was very well done. Cormoran had a new relationship, and this seemed an interesting foil to Robin and Matthew's engagement sub-story. We also got more backstory on Cormoran, his former step-father, his mother's death, but no glimpse of his sister or his half-brother, and I missed them. I think that lead to part of the darker tone, as his family (sister, nephews, annoying brother in law, half-brother) bring some lightness to Cormoran that we were bereft of in this book. We're left in a lurch about the future of this trio, and now I'm stalking the internet to try to find out when we'll get another book in this series. I'm all for reading a new Harry Book book / screenplay / whatever, but not if it's stopping us from finding out what's going on with Cormoran, Robin and Matthew.
The Theme - The first book in this series was really about fame and fortune and the hunt for such. The second book was about the publishing industries and all the odd ducks in that pond. This book is really about women, violence against them, societal limitations, and the struggles of one particular woman that we've come to like quite a bit, despite her own limitations. I like this subject, being a woman, and working in a career that was traditionally legally restricted to men only. But, the level of violence against women (and girls) in this book is hard to absorb while reading something "fun" as it made this book significantly darker than the prior two. Not that having a darker tone is bad, but it just made it a little less enjoyable to me. The narration from the perspective of the killer was particularly chilling and something that wasn't present in the prior two books in this series.
The Mystery - I think the mysteries in these books are particularly tightly drawn, with enough clues to lead the reader towards the killer, but also enough red herrings to send you off the track. In this book there were three main suspects that Cormoran and Robin were researching, tailing, and monitoring, but the physical description of the three were all so similar, it was really hard to keep them straight. Maybe some of my issues were listening on audiobook, as you don't see the names of the characters, and I didn't always catch when they were shifting from one suspect to another in their investigation. Here's a slight spoiler - they are all terrible people. The main issue I had with the book was confusion at the end regarding which bad acts were committed by which members of this trio, and which dude was actually sending Robin and Cormoran the body parts rather than just being a horrible person to people in their daily lives.
The Odd New Fact - I like to learn about something new in books of fiction so I feel like I'm actually learning and not just "having fun", so learning about the people who fantasize about amputations and injuries was a shocking new fact. Good lord, who knew, but apparently it is a thing. That sobering new information actually gave us one of the lightest scenes in the whole book, though, as Cormoran and Robin were paying money (that they didn't have) to take out to dinner two people, including a horrible woman who fakes injury for attention and thinks she's a hero for it. Tempest, I think, was the woman's name, and just the whole image of that dinner, along with Cormoran's dinner at the fancy restaurant with his new girlfriend with mild spoiler were really the only "light" moments in the book and greatly appreciated.
Unwanted Earwigs - I'm old enough to remember some Blue Oyster Cult, and never particularly liked it. The creepy lyrics which started out each chapter certainly didn't want me to go search out vintage record shops to find some. So the whole time I'm listening to this book, I'm hearing "Don't Fear the Reaper" on continual loop. I actually went and listened to "Burning For You" to have some variety in my head. Please stop. How can I make this stop.
For the love of all that is holy, please no more Blue Oyster Cult. I promise I'll give 5 stars to the next book if it comes out in the next year or so, it gives us character development (spoiler) and I don't get some 1970s band music stuck in my head for days. Is that too much to ask?
What's to like, and why is this 4 stars instead of 5:
The Characters - I still love Cormoran and Robin (but not Matthew), and we had tons and tons for each of them in this book. Robin's backstory was on full parade, and was very well done. Cormoran had a new relationship, and this seemed an interesting foil to Robin and Matthew's engagement sub-story. We also got more backstory on Cormoran, his former step-father, his mother's death, but no glimpse of his sister or his half-brother, and I missed them. I think that lead to part of the darker tone, as his family (sister, nephews, annoying brother in law, half-brother) bring some lightness to Cormoran that we were bereft of in this book. We're left in a lurch about the future of this trio, and now I'm stalking the internet to try to find out when we'll get another book in this series. I'm all for reading a new Harry Book book / screenplay / whatever, but not if it's stopping us from finding out what's going on with Cormoran, Robin and Matthew.
The Theme - The first book in this series was really about fame and fortune and the hunt for such. The second book was about the publishing industries and all the odd ducks in that pond. This book is really about women, violence against them, societal limitations, and the struggles of one particular woman that we've come to like quite a bit, despite her own limitations. I like this subject, being a woman, and working in a career that was traditionally legally restricted to men only. But, the level of violence against women (and girls) in this book is hard to absorb while reading something "fun" as it made this book significantly darker than the prior two. Not that having a darker tone is bad, but it just made it a little less enjoyable to me. The narration from the perspective of the killer was particularly chilling and something that wasn't present in the prior two books in this series.
The Mystery - I think the mysteries in these books are particularly tightly drawn, with enough clues to lead the reader towards the killer, but also enough red herrings to send you off the track. In this book there were three main suspects that Cormoran and Robin were researching, tailing, and monitoring, but the physical description of the three were all so similar, it was really hard to keep them straight. Maybe some of my issues were listening on audiobook, as you don't see the names of the characters, and I didn't always catch when they were shifting from one suspect to another in their investigation. Here's a slight spoiler - they are all terrible people. The main issue I had with the book was confusion at the end regarding which bad acts were committed by which members of this trio, and which dude was actually sending Robin and Cormoran the body parts rather than just being a horrible person to people in their daily lives.
The Odd New Fact - I like to learn about something new in books of fiction so I feel like I'm actually learning and not just "having fun", so learning about the people who fantasize about amputations and injuries was a shocking new fact. Good lord, who knew, but apparently it is a thing. That sobering new information actually gave us one of the lightest scenes in the whole book, though, as Cormoran and Robin were paying money (that they didn't have) to take out to dinner two people, including a horrible woman who fakes injury for attention and thinks she's a hero for it. Tempest, I think, was the woman's name, and just the whole image of that dinner, along with Cormoran's dinner at the fancy restaurant with his new girlfriend with mild spoiler
Spoiler
(during which he contemplated breaking up with her, but not during dinner as she was buying, and then he received a call from the police about Robin and left)Unwanted Earwigs - I'm old enough to remember some Blue Oyster Cult, and never particularly liked it. The creepy lyrics which started out each chapter certainly didn't want me to go search out vintage record shops to find some. So the whole time I'm listening to this book, I'm hearing "Don't Fear the Reaper" on continual loop. I actually went and listened to "Burning For You" to have some variety in my head. Please stop. How can I make this stop.
For the love of all that is holy, please no more Blue Oyster Cult. I promise I'll give 5 stars to the next book if it comes out in the next year or so, it gives us character development (spoiler)
Spoiler
and Robin finds out that Matthew deleted her messages from Cormoran on her phone
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pseudonym of JK Rowling