The Cuckoo's Calling: Mysterious & Magnificent

I was cautiously optimistic upon hearing that JK Rowling had released a crime novel entitled The Cuckoo's Calling under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith. A contemporary murder mystery is a long way from Hogwarts, but the Potter books had their fair share of murder and mayhem, and Rowling was unparalleled in her ability to create tantalizingly complex and compelling mysteries around her characters' back stories. So I'm glad to report that Rowling has delivered an exquisite mystery novel that will keep you guessing till the final pages.

The novel follows Cormoran Strike, a film noir-ish private detective who is struggling to keep his business afloat. He served in the Special Intelligence Branch of the Royal Military Police, but left his distinguished career after he lost a leg in Afghanistan. Now he is down to one last client and has just broken up with his fiancée, rendering him homeless. He has a constant stream of temps to do secretarial work around the office, and one day, Robin Ellacott walks in. She is a newly-engaged, cheerful woman who has always had a secret fascination with mysteries and private detectives. Initially appalled that he will have to pay a new temp, Strike discovers Robin has a great deal of intelligence and initiative, which comes in handy when he suddenly gets a new case.

The case involves Lula Landry, a supermodel who jumped to her death from her balcony a few months ago. Strike's client is Lula's brother, John Bristow, who is convinced that his sister did not commit suicide, but was murdered. Strike thinks John is grasping at straws, but his resolve weakens when John offers to pay a sizable chunk of money for the investigation. Thus begins an engaging story that involves multiple shady characters, dark deeds, and shocking revelations. Throughout, you'll be treated to Rowling's characteristic wit and sly satire that is used to describe people from every social sphere in a variety of unseemly situations.

The Cuckoo's Calling reads like a modern twist on an Agatha Christie novel. Cormoran Strike and Robin make an excellent team, and the story is full of red herrings and twists that keep you fervently turning the pages. Rowling has already promised more a sequel, and if she can continue to deliver stories this compelling, she will have another hit series under her belt. If you're looking for a murder mystery that is both modern yet steeped in the grand old-fashioned tradition of the private detective novel, The Cuckoo's Calling is what you seek.