Author: Robert Galbraith
Genre: Mystery
Published on: October 20, 2015 by Mulholland Books
When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman's severed leg.
Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible--and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.
With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them...
Career of Evil is the third in the highly acclaimed series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A fiendishly clever mystery with unexpected twists around every corner, it is also a gripping story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.
After reading The Cuckoo’s Calling, I thought it was good enough that I bought the next two books right away. This one is the third entry. Yeah, Cormoran Strike is a trilogy now. I wonder if Career of Evil will be the last book. The characters are really good, but I’m still not a huge fan. Robin Ellacott is the exception. I’d totally read a series about her. She's one of those supporting characters that pretty much steals the show.
Career of Evil sees protagonist Cormoran Strike through his biggest case yet. After solving two murders, he’s become quite a celebrated private eye in London. Strike’s office has been getting steady business. It must be said that Robin Ellacott is in great part responsible for this success. She’s become more than a simple assistant since she began working for Strike. Robin was quite useful in the previous case, where her excellent driving skills made a big difference. It helps that Robin loves her job. Whether she's investigating or assisting an investigator, she enjoys it.
Robin is about to be in the spotlight big-time, and not in good circumstances. Someone mails a ghastly package to Strike’s office, addressed to Robin. She's appalled when she sees what the box contains. Robin and Strike call the police right away. The latter doesn’t seem too surprised by the unusual package. Almost right off the bat, Strike can name three people who would mail him such a thing. One slight complication is that Strike isn't on very good terms with the Met Police. His success in the previous cases gave them the impression that Strike showed them up. DI Eric Wardle is one of the few who has no hard feelings about Strike, though. The latter telles Wardle about his three suspects, but lets slip a fourth name that the inspector latches on to.
A bad guy targeting Robin couldn’t have come at a worse time. She’s about to marry Matthew Cunliffe, her fiancé of about nine years. Matthew is an interesting character. He’s never had a very prominent role, and that doesn’t change in Career of Evil. This was odd for such an important person in Robin’s life. Matthew loves Robin but isn’t fond that she works for Strike. The job is dangerous and Strike pays her a pittance. Matthew wishes Robin had taken a job that paid much better. He’s had a hard time accepting that Robin loves investigative work.
Robin’s and Strike’s relationship evolves in this book. When it becomes clear that the big bad is targeting Robin, it puts Strike on edge. He’s grown very fond of her. Robin also keeps impressing Strike with her creativity and quick thinking. She single-handedly uncovers a few leads that get them closer to catching their guy. At some points, it appears that Strike and Robin are attracted to each other. Strike is determined to keep things professional, though. And Robin is, of course, getting married. Frankly, Robin would lose a little of my respect if she dumped Matthew just to rebound with Strike. Their friendship should not be broken.
Career of Evil takes place in London in the summer of 2011. Due to this, the author includes a few real-world events. The most prominent of them is the Prince William and Kate Middleton royal wedding. Naturally, it draws Robin’s interest because she’s getting married as well. Other than that, the royal wedding is just a background event. It doesn’t influence any of the events in the book.
The big bad does turn out to be one of Strike’s three suspects. There are a few chapters written in his point of view. You can’t miss them because they have titles (none of the Cormoran Strike novels have titles for any of their regular chapters). I found it fun trying to deduce who the killer was. He’s an evil guy who hates women, for some reason. The man enjoys hunting for victims at night and slashing them up. It’s also suggested that he lives with a woman. He keeps referring to her as “It,” which grated on my nerves. This is a living person the guy is talking about, someone with a soul and feelings. To him, women have no more worth than animals.
As the third Cormoran Strike novel, Career of Evil is the best entry yet. The series keeps on improving with each new book. Galbraith once again shows rather than tells (as we see Strike and Robin actively investigate instead of just hearing about what they did after they're done). The main villain is cunning and dangerous. While I liked reading Career of Evil, this series still isn't my favorite among the detective fiction genre. I'm not sure exactly why. They're still not a waste of time, though. Career of Evil had enough thrills and an engaging character in Robin. I would certainly recommend it if you're a fan of crime thrillers, especially those set in England.
My rating: ★★★★
4 stars - Definitely enjoyed it!
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