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Career of Evil

(Cormoran Strike #3)

Robert Galbraith,

J.K. Rowling

4.20 · Rating details · 175,530 ratings · 14,269 reviews

When Robin Ellacott opens an unexpected delivery, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman's severed leg. Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but just as alarmed. He suspects that four people from his past could be responsible -- and any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality. With the police focusing on the on ...more

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Paperback, 497 pages

Published April 19th 2016 by Little, Brown and Company (first published October 20th 2015)

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Oct 28, 2015 Jayson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: author-british, genre-crime, genre-mystery, 400-499-pp, genre-detective, read-in-2015

(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Wherein accents abound, people play pretend, men hurt women in many different ways, and Robin is really Batman.

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Feb 10, 2015 Ashley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: class-gender-race, mysteries, bloody-and-gross, not-quite-five-stars-but-sooo-close, manly-men-and-their-manparts, murder-most-foul, audiobooks

June 2018: This review is mostly going to be me responding to some of my own thoughts from my first review, with some extras thrown in; for example, how I was considering raising this to five stars because I loved Robert Glenister's narration so much. I love the dead tree versions of this book, but the audio adds another level. Highly recommend if you are so inclined. (I'm leaving my rating at 4.5, rounding down, for now, because of the ending. See below.)

Spoilery discussion of several plot poin ...more

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Nov 06, 2020 HERALD rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

CAREER OF EVIL...

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Feb 11, 2015 Mohammed Arabey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It's The One With All the Feelings..
A tense,thrill mystery interwoven with complicated emotions, kind of love..even Nostalgia.
No matter how you imaged Strike,

Here you'll get more into him, into his Feelings specially toward his precious engaged partner, Robin..his friends,-I bet you gonna Love Shanker-..

ِ..into his past, During his..

..Career of Evil.

& No matter whether you read the previous ones or not, you'll adore the Remarkable, excellent written, relation of Strike & Robin..

This wonderful u ...more

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Apr 05, 2015 Kaora added it · review of another edition

Shelves: good-mystery

You disappoint me JK Rowling.

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Jun 15, 2015 Alejandro rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, detective, horror, novel, military

Sadly, I felt it as a recoil in the book series.

BACKGROUND

I was quite excited to read this third novel in the Cormoran Strike book series, since I had enjoyed plenty enough, however I think that this third novel was like a retrogression in what the book series was able to accomplish and to develop so far.

The Cuckoo’s Calling was slow pacing, drifting to irrelevant sub-plots, over detailed filling scenes and repetitive situations, along with having more pages than necessary, BUT I was ada ...more

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Jul 10, 2016 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, fiction, 21th-century

Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3), Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling

Career of Evil is the third novel in the Cormoran Strike series, written by J. K. Rowling and published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. It is preceded by The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm; it will be followed by Lethal White. The novel was released on 22 October 2015 in the United Kingdom.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز دهم دسامبر سال 2016میلادی

عنوان: رد پای شیطان - کتاب سوم؛ نویسنده: جی.کی رولینگ (با نام مستعار راب Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3), Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling

Career of Evil is the third novel in the Cormoran Strike series, written by J. K. Rowling and published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. It is preceded by The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm; it will be followed by Lethal White. The novel was released on 22 October 2015 in the United Kingdom.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز دهم دسامبر سال 2016میلادی

عنوان: رد پای شیطان - کتاب سوم؛ نویسنده: جی.کی رولینگ (با نام مستعار رابرت گالبریت)؛ مترجم: ویدا اسلامیه؛ تهران، تندیس، 1395؛ در 742ص؛ شابک 9786001822148؛ موضوع: داستانهای کودکان و نوجوانان از نویسندگان انگلیسی - سده 21م

سری«کورمورن استرایک»، قرار است در هفت کتاب، منتشر شود، کتاب نخست این سری «آوای فاخته»؛ کتاب دوم «کرم ابریشم»؛ و کتاب سوم «رد پای شیطان»؛ است؛ بیشتر قسمت‌های این رمان، از منظر یک آدم‌کش زنجیره‌ ای، تصویر شده، و در این میان به موضوعاتی همچون «اختلال‌های روانی»، «جنایت»، و همانند آن هم پرداخته شده است

چکیده: دریافت یک بسته‌ ی مرموز، نقطه‌ ی آغاز داستان «رد پای شیطان» است؛ «رابین الاکوت» گیرنده‌ ی این بسته، پس از باز کردن آن، متوجه می‌شود، که پای قطع‌ شده‌ ی زنی، برایش فرستاده شده است؛ هنگامی که این خبر، به گوش کار‌آگاه خصوصی «کورمون استرایک» می‌رسد، احساس خطر می‌کند، و با یادآوری پرونده‌ های گذشته‌، برای حل معمای این قتل خشن و بی‌رحمانه، تلاش خویش بیشتر می‌کند؛ «استرایک» پس از دخالت پلیس در پرونده، تصمیم می‌گیرد خودش رد مظنونین را بگیرد، و به کاوش در دنیایی تاریک، و پیچیده‌، می‌پردازد، و در طول این پژوهش است، که درگیر رویدادهای هولناک دیگری، می‌شود؛

نقل نمونه متن: (آن شب، «رابین» به طرزی غیر عادی، هوشیار، و گوش به زنگ بود، و در واگن قطار، هر مردی را پیش خود، با مردی قد بلند مقایسه می‌کرد، که لباس چرم مشکی به تن داشت، و آن بسته‌ ی نفرت‌ انگیز را، به دستش داده بود؛ مرد آسیایی لاغر و جوانی، پس از سومین باری که چشم «رابین» به او افتاد، امیدوارانه لبخند زد؛ بعد از آن، «رابین» از صفحه‌ ی گوشی تلفنش، چشم برنداشت، و در مواقعی که آنتن‌دهی مناسب بود، در وبگاه «بی بی سی»، به جستجو پرداخت، زیرا او نیز همانند «استرایک»، نمی‌دانست، چه موقع خبر پای بریده، در بین خبرها پدیدار می‌شود

چهل دقیقه، پس از ترک محل کار، در مرکز خرید بزرگ «ویترز»، در نزدیکی ایستگاه خانه‌ شان بود؛ یخچال‌شان کمابیش خالی بود؛ «متیو» به خرید مواد غذایی علاقه‌ ای نداشت، و اگرچه در آخرین بگومگوشان، جز یک‌بار، منکر این موضوع شده بود؛ «رابین» اطمینان داشت که چون از نظر «متیو»، حقوق او، یک سوم درآمد خانواده را، شامل می‌شد، باید برای جبران آن، انجام کارهای پیش پا افتاده‌ ای را، به عهده می‌گرفت، که خودش به انجامشان، تمایلی نداشت

مردهای مجرد کت و شلوارپوش، سبد یا چرخ خریدشان را، پر از غذاهای آماده می‌کردند؛ زن‌های کارکشته، شتابان از کنارش می‌گذشتند، و بسته‌ ای پاستا برمی‌داشتند، که با آن می‌شد، به سرعت غذایی برای خانواده پخت؛ مادر جوانی، که بسیار خسته، به نظر می‌رسید، و نوزاد کوچکش، در کالسکه‌ اش گریه می‌کرد، و تمرکز نداشت، و همچون شب‌ پره‌ ی لرزانی، بین قفسه‌ ها می‌چرخید، فقط یک بسته هویج، در سبدش بود؛ «رابین» آهسته جلوی ردیف قفسه‌ ها، بالا و پایین می‌رفت، و به طرزی غیر عادی، با هر چیزی از جا می‌پرید؛ هیچ‌ کسی آن‌جا نبود، که شباهتی به مرد موتورسوار لباس چرمی، داشته باشد، هیچ کسی نبود که دور و برش سودای بریدن پایی را در سر بپروراند....؛ بریدن پایم...؛)؛ پایان نقل

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 22/09/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی ...more

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Oct 30, 2015 Lindsey Rey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, favorites, mystery

Best one in the series yet!

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May 25, 2015 Emily rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, detective-series

If the first two Cormoran Strike books can be summed up as "celebrity" and "publishing" respectively, then this book is "misogynistic violence," which is possibly my least favorite subject to read about.

This is a closed circle mystery in which Robin and Strike investigate a serial killer whose past is linked to Strike. Due to the fact that there are only four real suspects that are provided by Strike - and that the killer gets his own POV sections in which you see some of the murders happen - t If the first two Cormoran Strike books can be summed up as "celebrity" and "publishing" respectively, then this book is "misogynistic violence," which is possibly my least favorite subject to read about.

This is a closed circle mystery in which Robin and Strike investigate a serial killer whose past is linked to Strike. Due to the fact that there are only four real suspects that are provided by Strike - and that the killer gets his own POV sections in which you see some of the murders happen - this mystery isn't particularly interesting or fun to solve. The Strike/Robin relationship is further developed in this book, which is good because otherwise this would have been 400 pages of stakeouts interspersed with scenes of horrific assaults. In short, it's boring. J.K. Rowling can still propel me through a story, but I'm amazed that this particular story took so many pages to tell.

As a disclaimer before I keep writing: I understand that sexual violence is an extremely important topic to continue discussing openly, both to remove stigmatization of victims and because it's so prevalent: 1 in 5 American women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetimes. But I personally do not enjoy reading graphic depictions of sexual violence. (I'd rather read the discovery of the body of Owen Quine several times than read some of the descriptions in this book again.) And it's always hard to tell if its inclusion is titillating or not. If I didn't already trust J.K. Rowling as a writer, I probably would have abandoned this book near the halfway point.

My least favorite part about this book was the use of rape as a backstory. When a female character needs a life-altering turning point in her past that explains her decisions and current trajectory, rape gets slotted in as the most traumatic event possible. (view spoiler)

There is exploration of victimhood here, and what it means to be a victim. It comes up again when (view spoiler). And when Strike goes to see Hazel Furley, he thinks to himself that it's natural that the cops should have questioned her boyfriend Ray so intensely: "most women's rapists and killers were not strangers in masks who reached out of the dark space under the stairs. They were the father, the husband, the mother's or the sister's boyfriend ..."

But I believe that exploration is undercut by the frequent and extremely graphic scenes of rape, dismemberment, and assault. It's one thing to recognize the horror that these acts recur too frequently in the world, and to explore how resilience can play a part in moving on and not letting that experience define you. It's another to have a mother (Rhona Laing's mother, to be exact) explain that one of the suspects (view spoiler) - and that's not even close to the first-person scenes from the murderer's perspective, where he talks about women as objects who are better to him dead before killing them.

Does every book that involves sexual assault have to have an underlying moral or point? No, of course not. But if I am expected as the reader to make my way through these various scenes, there should be some sort of payoff. Given that this mystery is not interesting, novel, or fun to read, this book completely failed for me. ...more

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Aug 24, 2015 Alex rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Jesus, what a rollercoaster! I have been looking forward to this book for such a long time with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. What if this wasn't as good as the other two in the series? What if I had somehow built up the other two books in retrospect, leaving only disappointment in the third? Would I ever stop with the rhetorical questions and get on with the review?

Let me tell you: this was fucking good. Like REALLY GODDAMNED GOOD. Like I-stayed-up-way-past-my-bedtime-to-finish-th Jesus, what a rollercoaster! I have been looking forward to this book for such a long time with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. What if this wasn't as good as the other two in the series? What if I had somehow built up the other two books in retrospect, leaving only disappointment in the third? Would I ever stop with the rhetorical questions and get on with the review?

Let me tell you: this was fucking good. Like REALLY GODDAMNED GOOD. Like I-stayed-up-way-past-my-bedtime-to-finish-this good. The book starts off at a sprint and just keeps going, and I think this is my favourite out of all three of Robert Galbraith's books. There's something about the murder mystery in this book that I really, REALLY enjoyed. It wasn't as heavy with exposition as The Cuckoo's Calling (anyone else remember the paragraphs of dialogue from that book?), nor as outlandish as The Silkworm. This serial killer was creepy, realistic, sadistic, and the question of who he actually turns out to be is set up so well that I couldn't figure it out until the last third or so.

Speaking of the last third - OH MY GOD. SHIT GOES DOWN. I realise this isn't my most coherent review but I'm currently coming down from my Career of Evil-induced high. I was alternately laughing like a maniac, screaming at a book and jumping up and down in excitement. People thought I was possessed. Note to self: don't scream with all the windows open or the neighbours will think you're weird.

In terms of characters, Cormoran is back being his usual awesome self, and there are some great new characters introduced in this book (hi, Shanker!), but the real badass is Robin. I love her. She is so fucking awesome that I can hardly form coherent sentences. What a badass. What. A. Bad. Ass. She is the heart, soul, and central nervous system of these books, which took me a while to figure out, but now that I realise this I love and admire her as a character even more. She goes from strength to strength and I cannot wait to see how she develops in future books. I'm officially crushing majorly on her. WHAT A BADASS.

(view spoiler)

If you liked the other Cormoran Strike books, you will like this, or at least I assume you will. I loved it. I haven't had a book keep me up all night in a while, and this did that and more. It had my heart racing. It made my neighbours think I am some sort of super excitable psychopath who screams at poor inanimate books. And it reaffirmed my love for Robin, who is as great a female character in any book I've ever read.

*** UPDATE ***

Ok so I've had a few more days to think about this book, and there is one thing in particular that I really need to get off my chest. My family hasn't read this book yet, so I'm forced to unleash my feelings upon my fellow Goodreaders.

(view spoiler)

Ah I had to get that off my chest. It's all I've been thinking about since I finished the book. ...more

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Sep 23, 2015 Chelsea Humphrey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Once again, left with post-novel depression as Robert Galbraith has published another well-written Strike/Ellacott novel. Boy was this a wild ride! I have felt each book in this series has grabbed my attention more than the previous one and leaves me craving another.

Set in 2011 (one year after Robin has begun working for Cormoran Strike and during the time of the royal wedding), the story opens with the ramblings of a serial killer who's identity is a mystery to the reader. Robin Ellacott has b ...more

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Oct 10, 2017 Adina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british, mystery

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 2 weeks since my last review. I had two hectic weeks at work and home and had no time to read and even less to review. I hope to be able to catch up with my challenge and reviews in the following days.

Career of Evil is the third volume in Cormoran Strike series and in case you did not know, written by wonderful J.K. Rowling under the pen name of Robert Galbraith. If you haven’t read the other two books do not start with this one. They are to be read in order as the ...more

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Apr 28, 2015 Maxwell rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

Honestly, a bit perplexed by this one. The character development was spot on, even though I'm not necessarily a fan of where I think the relationship is going between Strike & Robin. And the mystery in the end left me kind of confused. But the writing is impeccable and diving into any of Rowling's books feels like going home. I just can't get enough of her stories. This is more like a 3.5 stars but I'll round it up to 4 because I still thoroughly enjoyed it. ...more

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May 20, 2016 Paromjit rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, crime-fiction, mystery

This is an intense, atmospheric and compelling addition to the Cormoran Strike series. Where it really excels is in characterisation with in depth backstories of Cormoran and his history with the three main suspects in this story and his relationship with Shanker, his offbeat and eccentric friend. Robin's traumatic history is revealed, as is the reason why working as a PI is so heartbreakingly important to her. She comes across as emotionally fragile, compassionate, tenacious and highly skilled This is an intense, atmospheric and compelling addition to the Cormoran Strike series. Where it really excels is in characterisation with in depth backstories of Cormoran and his history with the three main suspects in this story and his relationship with Shanker, his offbeat and eccentric friend. Robin's traumatic history is revealed, as is the reason why working as a PI is so heartbreakingly important to her. She comes across as emotionally fragile, compassionate, tenacious and highly skilled as a investigator. As for the three main suspects in the story, I think the author stood in front of the mirror, asking Who is the foulest of them all? I can see her having great fun creating the depraved, brutal, and ruthless monsters that are Whittaker, Laing and Brockbank. Those three are truly scraping the bottom of the barrel of human scum. In a well constructed story, we encounter the extreme mental health issues of people who would voluntarily amputate body parts, seek paralysis etc..

It all begins with Robin receiving a girl's leg in a parcel. This has significance for Cormoran and he identifies 4 suspects. The police focus on who Cormoran feels is the least likely suspect, so he and Robin investigate the others. There are references to Blue Oyster Cult songs and lyrics throughout which are connected to Strike's dead mother, Leda. The investigation takes Cormoran and Robin all round the country as more murders take place on what is a dangerous trail. It becomes abundantly clear that a clever and twisted killer wants to destroy Cormoran and killing Robin is a priority in his plan. Under the microscope is Cormoran and Robin's relationship as they get closer whilst Robin's wedding plans continue to gather pace. Her fiance, Matthew, is clearly a ghastly secondary character just waiting to be written out. Cormoran's relationship with the Police remains a minefield that he has to negotiate delicately whilst taking out insurance.

There is much mileage left in this ever improving and engaging series. It is tightly plotted to build the maximum level of tension and suspense with a fast paced narrative. I found it an entertaining, gripping and absorbing read. Cannot recommend it enough. Robert Galbraith is an assured and accomplished writer. I understand the BBC are going to film the series, I look forward to seeing what they make of this series!

...more

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Jan 23, 2015 Ricky rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: why-isn-t-this-a-bloody-movie-yet, read-this-if-it-kills-you, thrillers, crime-thrillers

Seeing the blurb for this book made me have this reaction:

Reading this book made me have this reaction:

In some ways, this book was less intense than the impossibly disgusting, Hannibal-level grossness of The Silkworm. On the other hand, Galbraith's third benefits from taking a look into the dark personal histories of both Strike and Robin - specifically, the fact that they both have violent crime in their pasts - because it helps us, the readers, know a little more about why they're in this line ...more

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Apr 28, 2017 Andrew Smith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A package delivered to a private investigator’s office in London contains the severed leg of a woman. Who sent this, and why? A note contained in the package that appears to be an extract from the lyrics of a song by the rock band the Blue Oyster Cult might offer a clue. The investigator, Cormoran Strike, is upset that his female partner was exposed to such a brutal discovery – for it was she the package was addressed to – but he thinks he can boil the list of perpetrators down to one of four me A package delivered to a private investigator’s office in London contains the severed leg of a woman. Who sent this, and why? A note contained in the package that appears to be an extract from the lyrics of a song by the rock band the Blue Oyster Cult might offer a clue. The investigator, Cormoran Strike, is upset that his female partner was exposed to such a brutal discovery – for it was she the package was addressed to – but he thinks he can boil the list of perpetrators down to one of four men. Strike’s observation that the leg is ‘not even my size’ heralds the discovery (for me) that he is missing a leg of his own. Interesting.

I was quickly to discover that this was a very well crafted thriller indeed. After rejecting one of his four suspects as unlikely, Strike decides to leave that one to the police while he’ll try to track down the three dark men from his past who he feels are most capable of and incentivised to carry out this atrocious act. And the three men are grim characters indeed. Each is brought to life via the telling a back story and each is more deliciously appalling than the last. If the story had one of these fellows haunting the background of the piece it would have been interesting, but three… well that’s a feast!

This is the third book the author has penned in this series, but as I haven’t read the first two I was somewhat concerned I’d suffer from that annoying tendency for there to be umpteen references I’d fail to grasp the significance of. I needn’t have worried. Galbraith (AKA J.K. Rowling, as I discovered to my utter surprise about half way through) deftly dealt with any relevant pre-story events by skilfully weaving the facts into the narrative. This is definitely a book that can be read as a stand-alone.

I listened to the tale on audio, brilliantly read by British actor Robert Glenister. He brought each of the characters to life and skillfully delivered all the required accents. Even his Cornish accent sounded spot-on. Cormoran and his partner, Robin Ellacott, are interestingly complex and have plenty going on in their own lives to flesh out the action. There’s good chemistry between them and I’m definitely keen to meet up with them again.

I found the pacing of the story to be just right and although the denouement didn’t provide the bombshell moment I’d been hoping for the whole thing was competently resolved come the end. I really felt at home with this tale. The tension was ever present and the hunt for the three grotesquely villainous bad guys was brilliantly handled. Who knew that the author of the Harry Potter books could also churn out top quality adult crime fiction too. ...more

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Oct 31, 2015 Helene Jeppesen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book was amazing, and despite its size of 500 pages I read it in merely two days. Robert Galbraith, aka J. K. Rowling, seems to be the only author that can make me truly interested in crime stories, because normally they bore me as well as frustrate me (I can never seem to guess who the murderer is).
Reading this third book in the Cormoran Strike series felt like coming home. I felt safe among some of my favourite characters, Robin and Strike, and because of them I read most of this book wi ...more

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Nov 05, 2015 Paula rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-authors, series, audio-book, published-2015, read-in-2015, crime, mystery

Career of Evil, the 3rd book in the Cormoran Strike series by J.K. Rowling is terrific and a favorite series of mine. This book did not disappoint. A little different in that Cormoran is not hired, but on a self-made journey with his partner, Robin Ellacott, to find a killer.

When a body part arrives for Robin at the office, the two of them set off to look at three men from Strike's past: his stepfather and two ex-soldiers, one a pedophile. Quite a gruesome trail is followed.

I really enjoyed the ...more

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Sep 21, 2015 Robin (Bridge Four) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: awesome-audio, buddy-read

Sale Alert: Kindle Daily Deal May 24, 2020 $4.99

3.5 Fish and Crisps Stars

I really do enjoy the gumshoe investigation stories that are The Cormoran Strike series. In this particular installment I enjoyed the actual case more than in the other two stories for a few reasons. One is that the nature of this case is more personal. It all begins right off when Robin is sent a leg in the mail. I don’t think it gets more personal than that and to our surprise Cormoran can think of about 4 people from hi Sale Alert: Kindle Daily Deal May 24, 2020 $4.99

3.5 Fish and Crisps Stars

I really do enjoy the gumshoe investigation stories that are The Cormoran Strike series. In this particular installment I enjoyed the actual case more than in the other two stories for a few reasons. One is that the nature of this case is more personal. It all begins right off when Robin is sent a leg in the mail. I don’t think it gets more personal than that and to our surprise Cormoran can think of about 4 people from his past capable of such an act. The other reason I liked this case a bit more is that we get some stuff from the PoV of the killer. When done correctly I love being in the mind of the bad guy it is a little tricky too much and it gets too uncomfortable, too little and there isn’t enough suspense added but in this I think it was done really well. I like seeing his/her perspective and thought process it made everything just that much creepier. In this story specifically it added to the suspense and danger I felt specifically for Robin but also for Cormoran.

I live for the interpersonal relationships in stories like these and while there were some developments it is still going a little slowly for my taste but I’m totally hooked and I’ll probably read the entire series just to see how it all works out. I loved getting a bit into Robin’s backstory and why she left University. I think her backstory explains a lot about the person she is today and why/how she and Matthew have been together for so long. I am also happy about a few of the developments between Strike and Robin. First and foremost they are good colleagues and work pretty well together most of the time. It is clear that each brings something to the business and Cormoran is seeing more and more what a benefit it is to have Robin in his life. But beyond that they are building a pretty strong friendship and even though there are some underlying feeling between them…not really addressed to each other they are at least starting to admit them to themselves.

I’m a little disappointed in the Robin/Matthew dynamic and how it played out. But it fit both of their characters still very well and while I’m pulling for a Robin/Cormoran HEA eventually it seems like it is going to take a long time to get there if at all. There are some pretty big issues that I saw between Matthew and Robin in this installment that make it seem like either one of them has to change a lot or it is never going to work out. Especially with it ending right where it did…I really wonder how the story will open in the next book.

I didn’t figure out who the killer really was until the last minute…like when the reveal was coming it all clicked into place. The reason that I’m only giving this a 3.5 have a little to do with pacing and a lot to do with Robin. Okay so I’m not sure if J.K. Rowling is brilliant in that she make you feel like the story is dragging a bit when they are having a lull in the case, because the characters are feeling the lull too or if it’s not on purpose at all. Either way there are times when everything just drags a bit. The other part is that Robin after the revelation of her past became a bit whiny. It was the first time that had happened and it really wasn’t becoming on her character. She never quite became TSTL (To Stupid To Live) but she did make some very rash decisions that led to some consequences in the story Robin wasn’t prepared to deal with.

Overall I enjoy the writing and the characters so I’ll definitely continue on with the series. I however didn’t realize that there are around 8-10ish books planned in this series and so the interpersonal ARCs might take a lot longer to play out than I initially anticipated. I just hope I don’t get bored with that aspect of the series.

One more time….Seriously THAT is where you ended it? Okay pretty brilliant but also, so soooo mean :P ...more

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Oct 21, 2015 shakespeareandspice rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Despite the fact that I love and adore Rowling for Harry Potter stories, I am disappointed to find, as an adult, how formulaic and simplistic her writing has become.

Career of Evil takes a darker turn to the first two novels in the Cormoran Strike series, and while I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this sudden change of atmosphere, the novel overall is a major disappointment. The likability of the series already hinges on the characters and the need to know what happens with them, but this b Despite the fact that I love and adore Rowling for Harry Potter stories, I am disappointed to find, as an adult, how formulaic and simplistic her writing has become.

Career of Evil takes a darker turn to the first two novels in the Cormoran Strike series, and while I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this sudden change of atmosphere, the novel overall is a major disappointment. The likability of the series already hinges on the characters and the need to know what happens with them, but this book is held up entirely by Robin and Strike’s drama. The mystery within the novel is actually more intense then the previous mysteries but it’s almost shoved into the corner amidst all the Strike-Robin drama.

Rowling excels at characterizations, she is an absolute master at it, but it’s a bit problematic for me when a “mystery” novel is based more on the characters and their drama then the actual mystery. It’s a bit too much to expect from a reader. And honestly, the drama itself just festers and causes so much angst that this book had me actually clenching my teeth in frustration.

Another aspect which seems typical of Rowling’s writing is info-dumping. While the novel is not at all difficult to read, and can be quite enjoyable at times, it’s tiresome when you are reading a 500 page novel and have to wait until the last 30-20% of it to understand everything that is going on. This is irritating, especially given that major portions of the novel just deal with Robin and Strike trying to avoid a conversation about their relationship.

Strike is a character I’ve never been able to get truly attached to, but that was not much of a concern seeing as how these are ultimately mystery novels and it doesn’t matter if I love him or not because he’s just a detective and all I cared about was that he did his job. Robin, however, is absolutely infuriating. I used to be able to sympathize with her but her character is so childish, filled with so much teenage anxiety that I couldn’t stand her halfway into the book. I had a hard time picturing her as an adult by the end, all I kept seeing was a 15 year old girl who had no clue what life was about. I felt bad for her, but ultimately just couldn’t care enough. It’s fairly easy for me to get attached to female characters but as this novel progressed, I felt myself pulling away from her.

Generally, I would say this novel would work better as TV series (since those allow for more stereotypical drama). As a mystery novel, this book is a disaster. ...more

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Oct 06, 2015 Matthew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, revenge, gr_awards_2015, audio, mystery, library

3.5 to 4 Stars

Enjoyable and creepy. Lots of shocking detail and action.

However, with all of the Cormoran Strike mysteries - I have always found that around 75% through the resolution it falls a bit flat. In each I was like, oh, here we are at the end and this is what happened. Okay, I guess . . .

I will keep reading this series because I enjoy the characters and the details, but I hope it the future to be surprised and excited by the ending.

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Aug 01, 2015 Phrynne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I always look forward to picking up a book by J.K. Rowling. From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone through to this current novel she has never put a foot wrong and I firmly believe she could write successfully in any genre. A truly talented author.
Career of Evil is the third in a series which hopefully will be a long one! The two main characters, Stryke and Robin, are wonderful and the trials and tribulations of their relationship are handled beautifully, to the point where this reader at le ...more

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Jan 03, 2016 Barbara rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-challenge, wom-2015-challenge

3.5 stars

This is the third book in Robert Galbraith's (aka J.K. Rowling) series about grizzled private detective Cormoran Strike, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan who lost his leg during the hostilities, and his pretty, strawberry blonde partner Robin Ellacott.

As the story opens Strike and Robin are working on a couple of cases and getting on with their private lives: Strike is dating beautiful (almost) divorcée Elin.

And Robin is planning her wedding to Matthew - a handsome but insensitive g ...more

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Oct 18, 2015 Kirsty rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Violent, hateful, misogynistic. And worst of all, boring.

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Feb 12, 2018 megs_bookrack rated it liked it · review of another edition

I am so torn with this one.

It was nowhere near as good as the first two books in the series, in my most humble of opinions.

Something about the entire thing just didn't sit right with me. The mystery element, what we were trying to solve, it wasn't intriguing.

My biggest take away was how much more we learned about Robin and Strike's backstory. That aspect, I did enjoy.

With this being said, however, I was disappointed with Robin in this one. Normally, I love her, but she seemed so whiney and I ...more

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Jul 19, 2017 Laurie Anderson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, best-of-the-best

JK Rowling continues to astonish me. First, of course, with her Harry Potter books she created a world to which I return over and over as a delighted and bedazzled reader. Her accomplishment with that series marks her as a once-in-a-generation storyteller.

But she also writes adult mystery/crime novels under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith. And they are very, very good, especially this one, her third that follows the adventures of private detective Cormoran Strike.

I'm astonished at and gratefu ...more

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Mar 11, 2019 Ayman Gomaa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mystery, j-k-rowling

English & Arabic Review :

"A twenty-first-century Jack the Ripper was stalking the streets of London "

What A series , it keep going darker more and more .

The Darkest one so far , the most thrilling , Serial killer , so exciting , breathtaking , great ending and more of Strike & Robin past too .
Can't ask for more , A complete novel .

The best one so far , that's what makes J.K.Rowling one of my fav authors , every new novel in the series is better than the previous one .

Back To Strike & Robin a English & Arabic Review :

"A twenty-first-century Jack the Ripper was stalking the streets of London "

What A series , it keep going darker more and more .

The Darkest one so far , the most thrilling , Serial killer , so exciting , breathtaking , great ending and more of Strike & Robin past too .
Can't ask for more , A complete novel .

The best one so far , that's what makes J.K.Rowling one of my fav authors , every new novel in the series is better than the previous one .

Back To Strike & Robin and their fascinating conversations and partnership .

Strike is a big deal now and " with more fame comes great dangerous " , when a severed leg comes to robin with a quote from song to Blue Oyster Cult , Strike suspect three people from his past hate his guts .

Robin in danger Now , strike and robin must work fast to discover the killer before he hurt robin , with a help of shanker strike's friend start the most twisting , thrilling and darkest case.

Strike's 3 suspects are :

Donald laing with series of violence .
Noel Brockbank a child abuser .
Jeff Whittaker strike's former stepfather .

All of them hate Strike with a history of violence , any one can be " The Shacklewell Ripper " .

J.K.Rowling made the craziest serial killer , so dark , so sadist makes u really so tense all the time , his chapters was weird made me so nervous but also show how the good partnership with it bad and good times can be , Strike nervous and afraid something happen to robin in the same time robin risk her self to save everyone <3 .

J.K.Rowling keep shine and shine with her special narrative and characters , one of my fav authors but i can't forgive her for the cliffhanger she made :( .
P.S : with lethal weapon published finally , now i can relief and be calm again .

and to Mathew : hope u will be a victim in the next part , i really hated u in this one .

Arabic Review :

الجزء الثالث يحتوى على الجريمة الاكثر سادية \ الاكثر ظلامى \ قاتل متسلسل \ لمحات من ماضى سترايك و روبين \ اثارة الى ابعد الحدود \ نهاية مثيرة\ ابداع سرد .
هل كان يمكن ان اطلب اكثر من ذلك فى رواية بوليسية !
بالطبع لا , رواية مكتملة انسى بيها خيبة " نيلوفر اسود " الاخيرة

الجزء الثالث الافضل بلا منازع فى السلسلة و ان كنت افضل نهاية الجزء الثانى اكثر و لكن بعيدا عن النهاية كان الجزء الاكتر تكاملا و تستطيع ان ترى بوضوح تطور اسلوب ج.ك.رولينج فى الجريمة و تشابه اسلوبها قليلا مع رائدة الرواية البوليسية اجاثا كريستى من حيث المشتبه بهم و تلاعبها بالقارئ لتجعلك كل فترة تشتبه فى احد دون الاخر حتى تفاجئك فى النهاية و لا تستطيع ان تمنع نفسك من احترام تفوقها عليك .

عودة مع سترايك و روبين و شراكتهم الممتعة و احاديثهم التى لا تشبع منها , بعد شهرة سترايك
مؤخرا بعد فك لغز قضية لولأ لندرى و اوين كوين , يصل طرد الى الطابق الثانى فى شارع دنمارك الى روبين لتفاجئ ب رجل امراة مقطوعة بها لتبدا احداث اللغز الجديد .

القاتل اراد ان يبعث رسالة الى سترايك ب ان روبين شريكته تحت انظاره من خلال رجل المقطوعة و جزء من اغنية ل فرقة موسيقية مفضلة لوالدة كورمورن , ليقلص كورمورن المشتبه بهم الى 3 اشخاص من ماضيه يكرهوه و يكنون له الحقد .

المشتبة بهم :
- دونالد لينج : قبض عليه سترايك بسبب تعذيبه زوجته و حكم عليه ب 16 سنة
- نويل بروكبانك : جندى سابق اتهمه سترايك بالتعدى الجنسى على ابنة زوجته و سبب له سترايك عاهة قديما عند التعدى عليه و خرج براءة
- جيف وايتاكر : زوج والدة سترايك السابق و سترايك واثق من انه قتل والدته و لكن لم يستطع اثبات التهمة عليه .

من مشتبه معروف بالعنف الى معتدى جنسى عل اطفال الى مدمن يعتدى عل النساء ثلاثة مشتبهين من ماضى سترايك , يطاردهم روبين و سترايك بمساعدة شانكر صديق سترايكر السئ متعدد الصفات و العلاقات المميز بحضوره قبل ان ينجح القاتل بالوصول الى روبين و قتلها .

تتسارع الاحداث و الهجوم عل النساء من القاتل و سقوط ضحايا من جاك السفاح القرن العشرين كما لقبه الاعلام مع اقتراب فرح روبين من ماثيو السمج .

رسمت ج.ك.رولينج قاتل سادى ظلامى ملئ بالكره جعلنى اخاف لاول مرة عل فقدان احد شخصياتى المفضلة .

لا داعى للكلام عن السرد و تطور الشخصيات و اسلوب ج.ك.رولينج , ف لنختصر الكلام
عالمييية و ستظل من كتابى المفضلين :) . ...more

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Jan 19, 2015 Ashley Marie rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: killer-thriller-night, wtf-did-i-just-read

I like to think of myself as a critical reader. As such, I'm mad at myself that it took me an article with in-text references to point out the racism and transphobia in this series. Rating adjusted, and original review under the spoiler tags.

(view spoiler) I like to think of myself as a critical reader. As such, I'm mad at myself that it took me an article with in-text references to point out the racism and transphobia in this series. Rating adjusted, and original review under the spoiler tags.

(view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 17, 2018 Brenda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, 2015-release, mystery, gift-from-gr-friend, crime, 5000-books, own-read

Book #3 in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) is another great episode which features Strike and his able assistant Robin Ellacott. It was when Robin received a strangely shaped package by courier – which she thought would be wedding paraphernalia for her upcoming nuptials with fiancé Matthew – and discovered a woman’s leg, that the business began to falter, and both Robin’s and Strike’s lives changed.

As Robin and Strike focused on finding the perpetrator, the polic ...more

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Jun 24, 2016 Warda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

OH MY WORD! ROWLING, GIMME THE NEXT BOOK!!!!

Epic cliffhanger. Cruel cliffhanger! This book was everything!!!! *major heart eyes*

This instalment was definitely my favourite out of three. The character development was excellent. We explored and delved a lot more deeper into the pasts of both Strike and Robin, which was quite dark, but you can't help but love these two! Individually, they're amazing. Together, they would be even more amazing. Make it happen, Rowling!

The plot was slightly creepy an ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What can you say about careersngr?	1	4	Jun 27, 2020 04:09AM
Goodreads Librari...: Request to add cover for Career of Evil audiobook	2	8	Apr 03, 2020 02:29PM
Play Book Tag: Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith - four stars	4	16	Oct 03, 2019 08:13AM
Speculate: How long before Robin and Matthew get a divorce?	135	2233	Jul 15, 2019 04:33PM
Booktastic Bookah...: December 2017-Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)	1	18	Dec 01, 2017 12:09PM
Play Book Tag: Career of Evil - Robert Galbraith - 4 stars	6	37	Apr 11, 2017 02:32PM

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About Robert Galbraith

Robert Galbraith

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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 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) northeast of Bristol. Her mother Anne was half-French and half-Scottish. Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964. They married on 14 March 1965. Her mother's maternal grandfather, Dugald Campbell, was born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War.

Rowling's sister Dianne was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old. The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four. She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More. Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories, which she would usually then read to her sister. She recalls that: "I can still remember me telling her a story in which she fell down a rabbit hole and was fed strawberries by the rabbit family inside it. Certainly the first story I ever wrote down (when I was five or six) was about a rabbit called Rabbit. He got the measles and was visited by his friends, including a giant bee called Miss Bee." At the age of nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales. When she was a young teenager, her great aunt, who Rowling said "taught classics and approved of a thirst for knowledge, even of a questionable kind," gave her a very old copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels. Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling subsequently read all of her books.

Rowling has said of her teenage years, in an interview with The New Yorker, "I wasn’t particularly happy. I think it’s a dreadful time of life." She had a difficult homelife; her mother was ill and she had a difficult relationship with her father (she is no longer on speaking terms with him). She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother had worked as a technician in the science department. Rowling said of her adolescence, "Hermione [a bookish, know-it-all Harry Potter character] is loosely based on me. She's a caricature of me when I was eleven, which I'm not particularly proud of." Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English." Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth owned a turquoise Ford Anglia, which she says inspired the one in her books.

...more

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Quotes from Career of Evil

“You could find beauty nearly anywhere if you stopped to look for it, but the battle to get through the days made it easy to forget that this totally cost-free luxury existed.” — 95 likes

“I do," said Robin in a ringing voice, looking straight into the eyes, not of her stony-faced new husband, but of the battered and bloodied man who had just sent her flowers crashing to the floor.” — 31 likes

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