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The Cuckoo's Calling Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Cuckoo's Calling


Private detective Cormoran Strike is financially struggling, reduced to sleeping in his office after breaking up with his girlfriend. Then he is asked to investigate the headline-making death of supermodel Lula Landry. The dead woman's brother tells Strike he believes the death was not a suicide, as the police labeled it. A personal connection to the family of the dead woman, as well as his pressing debts, motivates Strike to accept the case against his better judgment. Strike delves into Lula's complicated web of relationships, including a friend met in rehab and a charming rock musician boyfriend. He is helped by his temp, Robin, who finds herself intrigued more by private detective work than by the respectable career she her fiance wants her to pursue.
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Best part of story, including ending: Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling. This book shares with her Harry Potter novels Rowling's ability to easily evoke a strong sense of place and to create sympathetic characters.

Best scene in story: The scene where Strike visits Lula Landry's flat offers several clues while still maintaining a tone of suspense and mystery.

Opinion about the main character: Strike's rueful thoughts about his own life imbue the book with a sense of humor, preventing it from becoming just another thriller involving "famous" characters.

The review of this Book prepared by J.A. Bowen a Level 2 American Robin scholar

Chapter Analysis of The Cuckoo's Calling

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Plot & Themes

Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases 10%Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 40%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 30%How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) 20% Tone of story    -   suspenseful (sophisticated fear) How difficult to spot villain?    -   Moderately Challenging Time/era of story:    -   2000+ (Present) Murder of certain profession?    -   models Kind of investigator    -   hard boiled/private eye Kid or adult book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Crime Thriller    -   Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown)    -   Yes

Main Character

Gender    -   Male Profession/status:    -   private investigator Ethnicity/Race    -   British

Setting

Europe    -   Yes European country:    -   England/UK

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog    -   significantly more descript than dialog

Books with storylines, themes & endings like The Cuckoo's Calling

Robert Galbraith Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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