“He had expected death, but not this. A carcass: trussed, stinking and rotting, empty and gutted, lying on the floor instead of hanging from a metal hook where surely it belonged. But what looked like a slaughtered pig wore human clothing.”
This is the second book in a series. This review contains no spoilers for The Cuckoo’s Calling, aside from giving away the survival of one character.
The Silkworm, by Robert Galbraith
#2 in the Cormoran Strike series
Mulholland Books, June 2014
literary mystery
455 pages (hardcover)
When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, she just thinks he has gone off by himself for a few days – as he has done before – and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.
But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine’s disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel is published, it will ruin lives – so there are a lot of people who might want to silence him.
And when Quine is found brutally murdered in bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before…
The Silkworm is another slow-moving mystery from J.K. Rowling, writing as Robert Galbraith. It would be impossible to write a review without comparing it to The Cuckoo’s Calling, so I’m not even going to try.
In the first Cormoran Strike book, I loved the journey, but wasn’t impressed with the destination. The best part of the book, to me, was the atmosphere it created. I felt like I was there in London.
And maybe it’s because spring rain says “London” to me more clearly than winter snow, but I was missing that atmosphere this time around. Those familiar with the area might well disagree, but I almost felt like the story could have taken place anywhere.
The story itself, though, was great. Who doesn’t love books about books? And when one of those books leads to a murder, even better. I really enjoyed the complicated relationships between all these industry professionals… though I sometimes had a hard time remembering who was who.
Despite that, I really enjoyed the slow build and ultimate conclusion of this one. Unlike The Cuckoo’s Calling, which left me unsatisfied, I could really believe in the way this one turned out.
It’s really hard to say which of the two books is better. Based on my current ratings, The Silkworm wins, but I have a feeling The Cuckoo’s Calling would get bumped up to 4 stars if I re-read it. Both books have their strengths, and I can’t wait to read what Galbraith has for us next.
Does The Silkworm sound like something you’d pick up? Have you read any of J.K. Rowling’s adult novels?
Cheap Thrills 
I have read The Cuckoo’s Calling, and was a bit disappointed, because I enjoyed The Casual Vacancy soo so much! The Cuckoo’s Calling was a bit lenghty to me. And I didn’t like the end. After finishing it, I thought I wouldn’t want to read the Silkworm immediately. After reading your review, though, I might pickt it up soon maybe, but not in this year anymore I guess :D
I didn’t care for the end of The Cuckoo’s Calling either, but I really enjoyed the majority of the book, so I still came away feeling like it was a good one. I think The Casual Vacancy was probably objectively better, but there was very little I could invest in, beyond the writing itself. (Though it’s to Rowling’s credit, because I think had that story and those characters come from any other author, I probably would have DNF’d it.) Thanks for stopping by!
I haven’t read the first book, but I made sure to read your review because I’m curious to know if the second one was good. I’m not sure if these books are for me though, but it’s interesting to see JK Rowling write something so different. I really admire her as an author, and I’m glad you enjoyed these books for the most part!
She really is great. Did you read The Casual Vacancy? That’s the book that really made me realize how talented she is. Not only can she bring a fantasy world and all its many characters to life, she can do the same thing with the real world. It’s still really tough for me to say I liked the book… but whether or not I personally enjoyed it, I can say without a doubt that it was very good.
I’m number approximately 8 zillion on the library wait list for this one. I liked The Cuckoo’s Calling though, despite my trepidation toward thrillers. I’m excited for The Silkworm, and 4 stars is indeed high praise from you!
I think they’re very low-key, not so much about the thrill… which makes them great for non-thriller fans. (And I love that you know how I feel about my 4-star books. Those 5-star books are so rare, sometimes I almost feel like I’m just rating out of 4.)
I loved both of these books and can’t wait for the next!
Me neither. I’ll pretty much read anything she writes.