Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Cuckoo's Calling

Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

22 reviews

cjfooks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

This is actually written by JK Rowling, but under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith. As you would expect from JK Rowling, the characters are written well, plot is planned out nicely and it’s enjoyable enough to read. Cuckoo’s Calling is a private investigator crime mystery that I wouldn’t say is anything to necessarily rave about, but more of a comfort read. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it - excitement in the right parts, predictability and unpredictability when it’s needed, and likeable but not exceptional characters.

Loved it, but I’m not passionate about it.

Would I recommend it? 100%. Would I read it again? Probably not - but I would read the rest in the series, although not back to back (I think there’s 7 so far)

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harthara13's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-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? Yes

5.0

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sllumbar's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This was a good story. The book moved a bit slow, and with the long descriptions in parts it dragged on a little. But it was worth it as the end was not disappointing after sticking with the less enthralling parts.

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annaavian's review

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

As someone who has read all of J.K. Rowling's young adult books and enjoyed them immensely, I was looking forward to checking out her Cormoran Strike series. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. This novel was downright boring.

The story follows an ex-army investigator, Cormoran Strike, as he tries to solve the case of a troubled model who ends up dead in her apartment. The story drags on, with page after page of long-winded conversations between characters. The plot moves at a snail's pace, and there is no real suspense or mystery to keep the reader hooked. If you're looking for a gripping thriller or a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat, look elsewhere.

In addition to the lack of excitement, I also found the book to be unnecessarily detailed and at times even redundant. The author uses an overwhelming amount of detail to describe every aspect of the characters' appearances and surroundings, to the point where it becomes almost exhausting to read. I kept feeling like I was being fed more information than I needed or cared about.

Furthermore, the majority of the characters are one-dimensional and lack depth. Strike is a stereotypical tough-guy detective who is a bit of a grump, but he lacks any real character development or nuance. The other characters are similarly lacklustre, with little to differentiate them from one another.

Despite giving this book a shot and hoping to like it, I couldn't push past the monotony and dullness to find any real entertainment value. If you're looking for a good murder mystery, you're better off looking elsewhere.

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