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The Silkworm
(Cormoran Strike #2)
by
Private investigator Cormoran Strike returns in a new mystery from Robert Galbraith, author of the #1 international bestseller The Cuckoo's Calling.
When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days—as he has done before—and she wants Strike to find ...more
When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days—as he has done before—and she wants Strike to find ...more
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Hardcover, First North American Edition, 456 pages
Published
June 24th 2014
by Mulholland Books
(first published June 19th 2014)
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Start your review of The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike, #2)

(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Wherein there are many meals, and nearly every important chat occurs in a restaurant, pub, or over tea and biscuits.
Notes: Wherein there are many meals, and nearly every important chat occurs in a restaurant, pub, or over tea and biscuits.

Welcome back to 12 Bar Cafe.. to Cormoran Strike's.


Welcome back in London,and to actually Being Strike.

I still see him as "Hugh Jackman" :),with some hair style to match, & Emma Watson as his adorable blonde, smart secretary, Robin.

And Welcome to The Case of the Manuscript of..

..Bombyx Mori


Welcome back in London,and to actually Being Strike.

I still see him as "Hugh Jackman" :),with some hair style to match, & Emma Watson as his adorable blonde, smart secretary, Robin.

And Welcome to The Case of the Manuscript of..

..Bombyx Mori
“..writers are a savage breed, Mr. Strike. If you want life-long friendship and selfless camaraderie, join the army and learn to kill. If you want a lifetime of temporary alliances with peers who will glory...more

Wicked brilliant!
( Yes ;) Pun intended! )
HERE COMES CORMORAN & ROBIN AGAIN!
If you are respectably active on the reading community, it will be no surprise that this "Robert Galbraith" is really the mega-famous writer J.K. Rowling, author of the ultra-mega-famous book series of Harry Potter. Why bother on making up the pseudonym when it was revealed after like two weeks when the first novel of this different series got out, that's a mystery to me! (Yes, another pun intended :P ).
Evidently ...more
HERE COMES CORMORAN & ROBIN AGAIN!
If you are respectably active on the reading community, it will be no surprise that this "Robert Galbraith" is really the mega-famous writer J.K. Rowling, author of the ultra-mega-famous book series of Harry Potter. Why bother on making up the pseudonym when it was revealed after like two weeks when the first novel of this different series got out, that's a mystery to me! (Yes, another pun intended :P ).
Evidently ...more

J.K Rowling releases a novel under a pseudonym? Then announces that said novels sequel is already written and will be released in 2014??
This is how I imagine she looks right now.

Edit Feb 2014: We have a name, release date AND a synopsis?!?! Bloody hell! ...more
This is how I imagine she looks right now.

Edit Feb 2014: We have a name, release date AND a synopsis?!?! Bloody hell! ...more

2.5 stars - Spoilers
Disappointing, it wasn't awful but it wasn't good either. It was all rather predictable and generic, I wouldn't have minded the cliches and obviousness of it all if the main characters (Strike and Robin) had stood out in some way. Sadly, they didn't. I didn't care about either of them… I actually kind of hated both.
-I wasn't a fan of the writing, there were a number of times where I came across sentences that didn't flow very well. Some of the more 'difficult' words seemed t ...more
Disappointing, it wasn't awful but it wasn't good either. It was all rather predictable and generic, I wouldn't have minded the cliches and obviousness of it all if the main characters (Strike and Robin) had stood out in some way. Sadly, they didn't. I didn't care about either of them… I actually kind of hated both.
-I wasn't a fan of the writing, there were a number of times where I came across sentences that didn't flow very well. Some of the more 'difficult' words seemed t ...more

"...Writers are a savage breed, Mr. Strike. If you want life-long friendship and selfless camaraderie, join the army and learn to kill. If you want a lifetime of temporary alliances with peers who will glory in your every failure, write novels."And just like that, J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith takes on the familiar to her world of writing and publishing, bringing to light the petty conflicts, backstabbing attitudes, hurtful gossips and inflated egos. The bared claws an ...more

As much as I enjoyed the first Strike book this second venture was rather a let down. What we have in "The Silkworm" are alternating chapters of the main character lamenting about the pain he is suffering from his injured leg, and his assistant Robin suffering from angst about her relationship with her soon to be husband. These concepts were rather new and interesting in the first installment, but have grown weary and tiresome being constantly replayed in this second. The pair travel from bar to
...more

The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2), Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling
The Silkworm is a 2014 crime fiction novel by J. K. Rowling, published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. It is the second novel in the Cormoran Strike series of detective novels and was followed by Career of Evil in 2015.
Several months after solving the Lula Landry case and seeing a sharp improvement in business, Cormoran Strike is tasked by Leonora Quine with locating her novelist husband Owen.
Owen, a former lite ...more
The Silkworm is a 2014 crime fiction novel by J. K. Rowling, published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. It is the second novel in the Cormoran Strike series of detective novels and was followed by Career of Evil in 2015.
Several months after solving the Lula Landry case and seeing a sharp improvement in business, Cormoran Strike is tasked by Leonora Quine with locating her novelist husband Owen.
Owen, a former lite ...more

The Silkworm is the tenth J.K. Rowling novel I’ve read. I believe that after ten often gargantuan novels I can make fairly accurate generalizations about her writing. And it saddens me to say that she keeps making the same mistakes.
Most glaring is her treatment of female characters. In the Cormoran Strike mystery series, we have another female character of much greater intrigue shunted to the side in favor of a male protagonist, aka Hermione Granger Syndrome. Robin is Strike’s young personal ass ...more
Most glaring is her treatment of female characters. In the Cormoran Strike mystery series, we have another female character of much greater intrigue shunted to the side in favor of a male protagonist, aka Hermione Granger Syndrome. Robin is Strike’s young personal ass ...more

4.5* When I finished The Silkworm two weeks ago I was planning to give it 4* for reasons that I will discuss later. I decided to upgrade my rating when I went to visit my mum and I saw the novel on the nightstand, halfway read. “It’s really good, isn’t it”, I asked her with excitement in my voice. I realized then that I enjoyed this more than I did other mysteries so why not give it full recognition.
J.K. Rowling (also known as Robert Galbraith) can do no wrong. She is a brilliant story teller a ...more
J.K. Rowling (also known as Robert Galbraith) can do no wrong. She is a brilliant story teller a ...more

I love a good detective story and Galbraith really delivered on this one. Either she is a master of the red herring or I am an incurably gullible old sod because I was firmly convinced I knew who it was for two thirds of the book, only to have it turn out to be someone I never even considered suspecting. There were several twists that were surprising and intriguing. She plays with the concept of the manor house mystery by staging a convenient party for all of the suspects to attend where the det
...more

Nov 10, 2013
Ingzi Yan
added it
How did the people rate a book not yet published? I am confused.

Reading J.K. Rowling’s writing for adult audiences reminds me irresistibly of bumping into grade-school teachers on the street. There’s the obvious comparison, of course, which is not having to pretend that sex and crass language don’t exist anymore, realizing your former educator is an actual human being, an experience, for some, that can feel surreal. If you’re really lucky, of course, you make friends with your old teacher, have coffee together. You start to view them complexly. Now that you’
...more

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I read this book MONTHS ago and never got around to writing a review . . .
Thanks for the reminder. Now that all of my friends are reading/have already read Book #3 I figured it was time to get off my butt.
The Silkworm is the follow up to “Robert Galbraith’s” bestseller The Cuckoo’s Calling. The difference this time around is everyone knows the author is really J.K. Rowling. The leading male, Cormoran Strike, is a little different ...more
I read this book MONTHS ago and never got around to writing a review . . .

Thanks for the reminder. Now that all of my friends are reading/have already read Book #3 I figured it was time to get off my butt.
The Silkworm is the follow up to “Robert Galbraith’s” bestseller The Cuckoo’s Calling. The difference this time around is everyone knows the author is really J.K. Rowling. The leading male, Cormoran Strike, is a little different ...more

Jun 18, 2014
Lazaros
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
mystery fans
I remember being in a trance after reading the first book in the series. And now I am again at the same emotional state. I don't know what makes J.K. Rowling's books so charming to the eye and mind but when you start a book of hers you get lost in it. The main characters, Cormoran and Robin, they're both incredibly well-structured. I'd also like to add that there's quite a lot of character development, something rarely seen in detective novels, or at least that's my opinion. Cormoran weans off C
...more

Re-read February 2018: Okay, so now having finished my first re-read of this book, I am so tempted to up the rating to five stars. A large portion of that desire comes from listening to the audio this time around. There’s something really satisfying about Robert Glenister’s voice narrating this story; it most definitely increased my enjoyment.
Another part is that this just feels like the ideal murder mystery to me right now. It was exactly what I was craving, plus some. I love all the clues and ...more
Another part is that this just feels like the ideal murder mystery to me right now. It was exactly what I was craving, plus some. I love all the clues and ...more

An author decides to put out a tell all book bashing some of his fellow authors and even some of the women in his life. His wife then contacts my lovely Strike to help her find him. I'd have left his arse gone but what do I know? Strike ends up finding his dead body and decides to stay on the case.
I love Strike and Robin. This team is just so much fun to read about. I keep wanting them to hook up but then I don't want them to either. I remember that ruined several other great relationships and I ...more
I love Strike and Robin. This team is just so much fun to read about. I keep wanting them to hook up but then I don't want them to either. I remember that ruined several other great relationships and I ...more

Did I never review this book?

Let it be known, here and now, that I loved The Silkworm. It was a risque mystery; taut and intriguing.
This may, in fact, be my favorite of the series thus far. Looking forward to the 5th installment.
...more

Let it be known, here and now, that I loved The Silkworm. It was a risque mystery; taut and intriguing.
This may, in fact, be my favorite of the series thus far. Looking forward to the 5th installment.


I enjoyed this more that The Cuckoo's Calling. I think that Galbraith/Rowling is getting better at this type of writing. I remember reading somewhere that it was easy to tell that it was Rowling because her style came through - but I cannot see any similarities between this and Harry Potter at all.
I will say, though, that the first two Strike books use a similar formula. All the players are laid out at the beginning and then Strike goes through meeting with each of them throughout the book. In e ...more
I will say, though, that the first two Strike books use a similar formula. All the players are laid out at the beginning and then Strike goes through meeting with each of them throughout the book. In e ...more

Jan 09, 2014
Jonetta
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery-suspense-thriller,
audiobook
Cormoran Strike's business is now better than afloat following his last high-profile case. When the wife of a missing writer asks for his help to find him, Strike opts to take the case even though he probably won't get a fee from the seemingly down and out woman. What appears to be a cut-and-dried investigation turns into something much more.
I enjoyed this so much I hated seeing it end. There's nothing ordinary about the writing, the story slowly unfolding while expertly crafting vivid character ...more
I enjoyed this so much I hated seeing it end. There's nothing ordinary about the writing, the story slowly unfolding while expertly crafting vivid character ...more

3.5 stars
This is the second book in the mystery series that begins with The Cuckoo's Calling.

Private detective Cormoran Strike - an Army veteran who lost a leg in the Afghanistan war - is hired to find eccentric writer Owen Quine. Quine walked out after a dispute with his agent and hasn't been home for two weeks. Before long Strike finds Quine's rotting body - trussed, disemboweled, and burnt with acid.

Quine was an unpopular guy who had recently written a book maligning almost everyone in his o ...more

Imaginery Conversation that must have happened between J.K Rowling & her Publisher after Submitting the First Cut of this Book:
Publisher: Good God Rowling, What is this ? You have summed up the whole. Novel in Just 150 pages ??
JK : Yes, wanted it to be fast paced & Thrilling.
Publisher: ROwling if you want money to be Rolling, you ought to atleast make this a 450 pages book. Less pages mean less pricing range means less profit Sweety.
JK : So how the hell should I increase your fucking pages ? ...more
Publisher: Good God Rowling, What is this ? You have summed up the whole. Novel in Just 150 pages ??
JK : Yes, wanted it to be fast paced & Thrilling.
Publisher: ROwling if you want money to be Rolling, you ought to atleast make this a 450 pages book. Less pages mean less pricing range means less profit Sweety.
JK : So how the hell should I increase your fucking pages ? ...more

Good slow mystery is probably my favorite thing to read. The author knows about the publishing industry. Any famous author most know about it, the good, the bad and the ugly. And oh my God this story was an ugly succeed. The book is not your normal mystery novel. It has no action at all, tons of dialogs and inner thoughts, but I love these characters with their positive and negative attitudes. Plotting and creating not perfect personalities are some of the strongest virtues of this author and we
...more

Update 21/09/14:
Rating: 4,25 stars.
My overall thoughts on The Silkworm were similar to those I had about The Cuckoo's Calling. It started out pretty slow-paced (the course of the investigation requiring many descriptive parts) and for a while there was a lot of random-sounding information, but once it picked up and I started connecting dots and making predictions (all of which turned out to be wrong; I royally suck at solving mysteries) I was totally HOOKED.
The mystery was very intriguing (a mi ...more
Rating: 4,25 stars.
My overall thoughts on The Silkworm were similar to those I had about The Cuckoo's Calling. It started out pretty slow-paced (the course of the investigation requiring many descriptive parts) and for a while there was a lot of random-sounding information, but once it picked up and I started connecting dots and making predictions (all of which turned out to be wrong; I royally suck at solving mysteries) I was totally HOOKED.
The mystery was very intriguing (a mi ...more

Jul 06, 2014
Margitte
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
crime-novel,
detective-story,
reviewed,
drama,
fiction,
suspense,
thriller,
british-author,
british-novels,
2015-read
"Ha, ha, ha, thou entanglest thyself in thine own work like a silkworm, John Webster" ~ The White DevilOwen Quine was the man. He was the author who thought a day was wasted if he hadn't made his readers gag at least twice, according to Jerry.
Owen Quine's books was simply gory and disgusting. His final book was a tribute to the equally gory and disgusting people in the publishing world, disguised as six prominent characters in the plot. Appropriate names, describing their secrets, was ascri ...more

I think I probably enjoyed this even more than I did The Cuckoo's Calling because now I know and like the characters, especially Cormoran and Robin, and I love the interactions and dialogue between them all. The English setting of the book made me a little homesick for the land of my birth! I know Yorkshire and Cornwall very well so as the action moved from London to Masham to St. Mawes I was in my element. As well as all this The Silkworm is a great story, full of intriguing twists and turns an
...more

Genuinely liked this book even more than the Cuckoo's Calling, which is saying something. Loved the initial dive into the main character's personal lives, loved the central mystery in this one, and honestly can't wait to keep reading this series. I am so pleasantly surprised and can't believe I waited this long to read them.
Joe and I have been listening to these books together on our commute and it's been the perfect series for both of us to enjoy, and puzzle around who we think is behind the mu ...more
Joe and I have been listening to these books together on our commute and it's been the perfect series for both of us to enjoy, and puzzle around who we think is behind the mu ...more

4.5★s
Private Detective Cormoran Strike is back in The Silkworm, 2nd in the series by Robert Galbraith, with an intriguing and dark crime, which involves an author, a manuscript and a brutal murder.
Strike was hired by the wife of the author when he went missing – she just wanted him found. But the involved deception of his disappearance was more than it seemed. The manuscript was libelous and should have been burned instead of seeing the light of day; was that what the strange and convoluted circ ...more
Private Detective Cormoran Strike is back in The Silkworm, 2nd in the series by Robert Galbraith, with an intriguing and dark crime, which involves an author, a manuscript and a brutal murder.
Strike was hired by the wife of the author when he went missing – she just wanted him found. But the involved deception of his disappearance was more than it seemed. The manuscript was libelous and should have been burned instead of seeing the light of day; was that what the strange and convoluted circ ...more

There are some things that I think this series has really got going for it. It totally has that old school detective story vibe going for it along with engaging characters and settings even the plots are really pretty good. This reminds me a little of a T.V. series though where the detectives solve a case an episode.
But will this story be for you? Well I guess that depends on a few things. There is something about Robert Galbraith’s (aka J. K. Rowling) that will forever feel a little bit like c ...more
But will this story be for you? Well I guess that depends on a few things. There is something about Robert Galbraith’s (aka J. K. Rowling) that will forever feel a little bit like c ...more

Nov 26, 2018
Andrew Smith
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Andrew by:
Autumn
I’ve somehow contrived to dip into this series randomly and although the stories themselves are stand-alone I do feel that I've missed out a little on the relationship development between London based Private Investigator Cameron Strike and his female assistant, Robin. And there’s probably a few other carry-over elements I've managed to side-step, so it’s back to book two to fill in the gaps.
In this episode we are thrown deep into the competitive (and back-stabbing) literary world. Yes, this is ...more
In this episode we are thrown deep into the competitive (and back-stabbing) literary world. Yes, this is ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Play Book Tag: [Unofficial Trim]The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith - 4 stars | 1 | 11 | Jan 18, 2021 04:19PM | |
Play Book Tag: The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith - 5 Stars | 6 | 17 | Jan 12, 2021 03:25PM | |
Play Book Tag: The Silkworm / Robert Galbraith. 3 stars | 1 | 16 | Nov 22, 2020 08:46PM | |
better way to filter looking for a book | 1 | 13 | Aug 07, 2019 02:24PM | |
Anyone currently reading this book? | 7 | 60 | Jun 10, 2019 11:26PM |
This is a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series and The Casual Vacancy, a novel for adults.
NOTE: There is more than one author with this name on Goodreads.
Robert Galbraith - Marine Biologist
Rowling was born to Anne Rowling (née Volant) and Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) north ...more
NOTE: There is more than one author with this name on Goodreads.
Robert Galbraith - Marine Biologist
Rowling was born to Anne Rowling (née Volant) and Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) north ...more
Other books in the series
Cormoran Strike
(5 books)
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—
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“...writers are a savage breed, Mr. Strike. If you want life-long friendship and selfless camaraderie, join the army and learn to kill. If you want a lifetime of temporary alliances with peers who will glory in your every failure, write novels.”
—
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