The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith (Book 6)
Under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, J.K. Rowling writes mysteries that have more in common with Dickens than DeMille. With intricate plotting and multiple deftly drawn characters, the latest Galbraith crime novel explores the themes of betrayal, vengeance, and passion, as well as contemporary issues such as obsessive fandom, social media addiction, and neo-Nazism. And like those 19thC novels, The Ink Black Heart is LONG, 1021 pages!
Edie Ledwell and her partner, Josh Blay, are the creators of a wildly popular cartoon called The Ink Black Heart set in a graveyard. The cartoon spawned a fan generated game called Drek’s Game.
As the novel opens, Ledwell asks private detective Robin Ellacott to trace her vicious on-line stalker who goes by the pseudonym Anomie. Although sympathetic, Robin refers Ledwell to an agency that specializes in cybercrime. A few days later, Ledwell is killed.
Robin and her business partner, Cormoran Strike, are approached by Ledell’s agent to uncover the identity of the mystery stalker, now a possible murder suspect. This involves a deep dive into gaming and freaky fandom, a subject that we can assume J. K. Rowling is intimately acquainted.
Hampering the detective’s investigation and adding to confusion of the reader is that there are many, many characters/players all of whom use different pseudonyms depending on the platform. (I started keeping a list.) Tracking tweets, responses to the tweets, group chats, private chats, website interviews, and in-person interviews, Robin and Cormoran battle a powerful yet unseen opponent.
And as a bonus, there is the ongoing will-they-won’t-they between the partners.
Easily 500 pages too long, but enjoyable because Rowling is just that good.
- The Cuckoo’s Calling
- The Silkworm
- Career of Evil
- Lethal White
- Troubled White
- The Running Grave