BotM 2016 - [April] The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith - Part 4 (Spoilers)

[Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod]

Part 4 Questions:

Section of book: 75-100% (Roughly Part 4 Chapter 10-End)

Notes:
- Each member is asked to end with a question for the next member. So your fifth question comes from the person above you.
- If the person above you forgets to pose a question then just pick a different one from above (make sure you indicate which one you're answering!)
- If some other question from above moves you then feel free to answer as many as you want. It is a discussion after all! ;)

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country?

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?

7. Will you continue reading the series?

8. Answer the question posed by the person above you!

I know there are more questions in this section - you can answer as many or as few as you choose :)

[Bana AZ]

I feel so embarrassed because I was wrong on so many points! Her biological family, Wilson, the will, and most especially John Bristow.

I'm glad Robin will continue to work there. It seems like it can't end any other way. I still hate Matthew though.

Yes, I will continue to read the series, but maybe next year.

My question: How do you feel about Lulu leaving all her money to Jonah? I mean, sure, they're blood relatives, but they never actually met yet.

[Anne Katrin]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
The ending certainly was a surprise. All of a sudden Strike just "knew" it was Bristow? Without any real clues? Just suspicions based on... on what exactly? I didn't like the ending at all. I felt forced. Strike just all of a sudden knew who was lying and who was totally trustworthy? Is he a psychic now? I think a lot of logic and well planned storytelling was sacrificed for this "surprise".

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
That doesn't make any sense at all. It was purely for the shock value of the story and totally unbelievable.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
Knowing the feeling of being stuck in a job that doesn't really make you happy just for the money I totally agree with everybody who follows her passion - so yeah, I think it is great, that she decides to do, what really interests her.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
I could, since I really liked Strike and Robin. But only if reviews indicate that part 2 is not everything I criticised all over again.

Ana A wrote: 8. How do you feel about Lulu leaving all her money to Jonah? I mean, sure, they're blood relatives, but they never actually met yet.
Yeah, I think it is strange that she leaves everything to a guy she has never even met. He could be a criminal or just another person trying make money of being related to her. Why would she trust him so much more than all her friends? If she wanted just to make sure that Bristow does not get anything in case of her dead, she could have left all her money to a charity or something.

My Question:
Tony knows Bristow murdered Charlie and obviously does not trust him - do you think it believable that despite this he lets Bristow work in his company and entrusted him with important clients?

[Katy]

Wow, I am so rubbish at guessing the twists in mystery books. John Bristow was the only character I thought was innocent! Psh, I thought this was a great book and I loved the final reveal. What a whirlwind.

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
I was very surprised, I couldn't believe it. For ages I thought that John Bristow was the guaranteed innocent because he had hired Strike and was the one that brought up the question of Lula being murdered. Completely floored me.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
He was nervous about Jonah, if Jonah went to the police it would cast a lot of doubt on the suicide theory. Bristow hoped to act first to remove any possibility of that happening.

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)?
I think it's a commentary on the highly consumerist throwaway culture of the super rich and famous. Money and fame comes with some very heavy prices and nowhere is this better illustrated than in this story. Lula had no privacy, she felt like she couldn't trust anyone around her, her adoptive family was also deeply dysfunctional and obsessed with her money. Even after her death, Lula's image and story was used by the media ruthlessly, in essence consuming her totally.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
How could she not?! A boring job versus an exciting employment working with Strike and occasionally working out in the field. She would have been nuts to give that up.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Definitely, I loved this book.

8. Ana A wrote: How do you feel about Lulu leaving all her money to Jonah? I mean, sure, they're blood relatives, but they never actually met yet.
I think Lula was highly disillusioned with her highly false lifestyle. She probably felt like she had no real connections with her adoptive family other than as a trophy on a shelf to replace the golden son that they had lost. It's no wonder she was desperate to find people who were blood related to her, something real. I am not surprised at all that as her last act of defiance against her toxic family, she left her fortune to her half-brother that she never met. Considering her fortune is all that family seemed to be interested in.

Why do you think Jonah never came forward when he saw Lula's death?

[Bec]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
I may or may not have spoiled it for myself by reading the questions in this tread before I had finished the book. Question 2 was a give away for me so I kinda knew how it was going to end before it did. I would have been surprised otherwise.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
I think he thought that he had done a good enough job of covering up himself and he thought that Strike wasn't that great a PI that he would get away with it.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?Tony seemed to have better intentions that I originally thought - his checking up on John was valid.


6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
Yes, life should be about enjoying what you are doing, not making money. I hope between them they get busy, she learns a lot and becomes more a PI in training and gets a pay rise. I don't think Matthew will agree and they will break up somewhere in the series.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Yes I think so. Not sure when I will fit the next one in though.

8. Tony knows Bristow murdered Charlie and obviously does not trust him - do you think it believable that despite this he lets Bristow work in his company and entrusted him with important clients?
Yes I think he wanted to keep a close eye on him and felt he could do that by keeping him close. I don't think he was going to kill someone (e.g. a client) just for the sake of it. Charlie and Lula's deaths were in John's best interests, whereas a client dying wouldn't necessarily have been so.

9. Why do you think Jonah never came forward when he saw Lula's death?
I think he was scared. He didn't know what had happened and didn't want to get involved.

My question - What dd Alison see in John? Why were they dating?

[Kathy]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
Yes, definitely. It occurred to me that Bristow could be a suspect just because of the way the author described him as not very attractive, always jumpy--just really as not an attractive character. But when he cried so much about his sister's death to Strike in the first interview, I believed he was sincere.

I think I'd have to re-read this book to see all the clues, now that I know who the killer is.


4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?

The Cuckoo was Lula, as she was called by Guy Some. Her calling was modeling, but Lula was also calling out to her adoptive family, her original family, her friends.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?
Tony Landry didn't seem quite so bad once we knew why he behaved the way he did.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
Definitely. I'd have been disappointed if she hadn't.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
I think so. I really like Strike as a character and enjoyed how Rowling revealed his past bit by bit. I'm sure there's more to learn about Strike. I'm hoping Robin will be developed a bit more as a character too in the next book.

8. What did Alison see in John? Why were they dating?
I think she didn't date many people and jumped at the chance when John "asked her to dinner." Plus she thought John was rich.

My question: Do you think Tony Landry ends up being more of a "good" person or a "bad" person now that we know the complexities of his life?

[Molly]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?

I was certain Tony had something to do with the murders. But I was wrong :) I first became suspicious of Bristow after we learned about the behavior of the cuckoo bird. I knew this information had to be important but I did not commit myself to the idea of Bristow being the killer. I knew he wasn't telling Strike the whole truth after seeing him with Tony, but I still didn't believe he was the mastermind.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?

I think Bristow wanted to remove any suspicion off of himself by bringing the case to Strike. He made a mistake thinking our PI wouldn't have the skills to find out the truth.

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?
I think the title refers to two characters. Since Lula's nickname was Cuckoo, the title can refer to her "calling," or destiny, to die in order to expose her brother's psychosis. The title could also refer to Bristow since his behavior reflects the actions of the cuckoo bird. His "calling" could refer to his desparate need to be the only child left for his mother to love.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?

Tony really surprised me. He actually had a good head on his shoulders. He knew Bristow was a bad seed and tried to keep an eye out for him since his sister and brother-in-law were in denial. I was totally wrong about him.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?

Yes! She enjoyed the job so much. How could she walk away?!

7. Will you continue reading the series?

I really want to read the next book!

8. Do you think Tony Landry ends up being more of a "good" person or a "bad" person now that we know the complexities of his life?

He is a not a bad person. I think he is a smart person who accepted the fact that Bristow was a psychopath and needed to be watched. I ended up liking his character.

My question: How do you think John Bristow's mother will react after finding out her son killed her other two children?

[Marta]

I finished it, and I liked it a lot. Traditional detective novel with goid twist at the end. The end was when I was comparing it to Harry Potter. Each HP novel is a mystery with a big reveal at the end - usually Dumbledore explaining everything to Harry. I think this novel was not a big stretch for her at all.

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
I was. I did think of Bristow as suspect, but the fact that he hired Strike cleared him. His concern for Lula also seemed genuine, and he had an alibi.

I did guess a few important things - like that there was a will and when Lula said she was leaving her money to her mother, she meant her black brother. Also, that Tansy was somewhere where she could hear the fight.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
I agree with Anne Kristen that this is the least believable part. However, in the context of the book, it is an excellent plot device. John is cleared from suspicion by the very fact that he hires Strike. Didn't O.J. hire people to find "the real killer"? He is a psycopath who already got away with murder twice. He probably thinks he is untouchable. He hires Strike because he is obviously down on his luck so he thinks he is not very good, and/or desperate for money, therefore will try to please his client and go for the runner. We could also imagine that he might be narcisstic and subconsciously wants someone to know he got away with murder, and hopes Strike will uncover what he did but cannot prove it. Maybe he just wanted to test what he can get away with. He was arrogant and thought he had an iron clad alibi.

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country?
I was surprised that almost everyone smoked and no one asked permission to do so. Is smoking still so prevailant in the UK?

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?
Well, John, obviously, also, Tony made a lot more sense - although he was still a jerk.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
Oh, this novel was written to set up a series where Robin and Strike are partners. It is a story of how they get together, and how Strike solves his breakout case, which will position him to get interesting contracts from the rich and famous in the future.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Probably. although not soon, since I have a lot on my TBR that I am actually planning to read.

8. How do you think Bristow's mother will react?
She will probably spend the rest of her days in a Valium induced coma so she does not feel the terrible guilt that she should have listened to Tony.

My question: what was your favorite part/characteristic of the book?
Mine were the character descriptions, and I really liked the scene when Robin so tactfully takes care of the drunken Strike.

[Nicole]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
I was definitely surprised. As I predicted in the first progress post...my prediction of the killer was way off haha. I was also surprised that the Conway Oates account had such a great importance. If Bristow wasn't caught embezzling from it, he might not have killed Lulu for her money.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
I think that Bristow hired a PI to make sure Jonah couldn't go to police later and blame Bristow. I think he was trying to "beat him to the chase" and put the blame on him. It sounds much more believable that Lulu's long lost half brother found her and begged for money & killed her when she wouldn't hand it over than her rich brother (or at least everyone thought he was rich).

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country?
I guess I didn't think she was trying to make a statement about it, but since this question is here, I'd say she was trying to show how isolating it be. With the amount of money you make even family can't be trusted, and you're constantly bombarded by paparazzi and fans. Even though they're surrounded by people and fans, they still feel depressed and lonely. You could see that with Lulu and Duffield, and that's probably why they they dated each other.

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?
I'm sure that J.K. Rowling looked into the meaning of the cuckoo bird, because she was always clever with her names in Harry Potter. But my thoughts: she was brought into the Bristow family after Charlie had died to "replace" him (for lack of a better word). Maybe her calling was to bring justice to Charlie's death.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?
Tony Landry definitely surprised me. The whole time I thought he was a huge jerk, and turns out he was trying to protect his sister the whole time.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
ABSOLUTELY! I'm super excited that she's going to stay with Strike. They seemed to be the perfect team. Okay, I need to bring up Matthew...I have mixed feelings about him. I think he was a jerk and Robin deserves someone better. I mean, after being together for 8 years, you'd think that he could see how happy she is working with Strike, and would support her. Maybe he'll be shown in a better light next book.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Definitely!

8. What was your favorite part/characteristic of the book?
I think my favorite part of the book had to be the interactions between Strike and Robin, they just seemed to work so well together.

My question: Do you think Tony ever suspected that John Bristow killed Lulu?

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
Nope- at the very beginning when Bristow discussed his brother's death I was like "oh, he's jealous and killed them both!" Although she did a good job at building everyone else up as suspects. i doubted my theory, although at 50% I looked at spoilers and saw I was right.
I'll say to the person who found it all solved too suddenly, Strike said before the 75% point that he had figured it all out and just needed some further proof.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
Didn't strike say? He thought Strike would be a pansy who would take the whole theory about the runner and find and accuse the other brother. I guess he didn't look so smart and successful in that walk-up, icky sounding office.

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country?
Clearly the media in the UK is particularly insane, but I think it;'s pretty universal But this book clearly had a line between the old rich and the famous rich

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?
I don't know, but it was weird it was the title but her nickname was used so little. Clearly JK was going for a bird theme

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?
Everyone did, in a way. Definitely Tony- he was right about everything but so worried about getting caught in the affair. And Strike surprised me at how good he was!

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
Well, it is the start of a series. I was happy, it always makes me sad when people are miserable in their jobs.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Oh yes! Maybe not right away, but I will

8. Do you think Tony ever suspected that John Bristow killed Lulu?
He must have. If I thought it, he must have with more knowledge. And I do wonder why he hadn't done more about it, as worried as he was about the affair coming off.

My question: Why did Strike decided to buy the dress for Robin. It was a Cavalli, really expensive. And I doubt he got paid for this case, his employer being in jail and all

[Emily]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?

Uh yeah I was surprised--I still don't entirely get how Cormoran worked all that stuff out!!

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?

I think he was hoping that Cormoran would find the will for him and then assume Jonah was guilty of the murder.

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country?

She's saying that wealthy people A) believe they can get away with anything they want and B) have an obsession with getting more money to the detriment of everything else.

I think in the US it would have been harder to solve the case because we don't have security cameras on every corner like they do in London.

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?

Because Lula was calling people all day is the most obvious reason. But isn't the cuckoo's call a sign of death? So Lula's frequent calling was an indication that death was coming.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?

John for one. Alison for another--I figured she was all bad. And Tony--I thought HE was the one who killed Charlie.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?

I get it, but I personally don't think I would have continued there. I think it's only going to lead to her and Matthew breaking up and then a romance between her and Cormoran.

7. Will you continue reading the series?

Eventually sure! Probably not any time soon though--so many books, so little time.

8. Why did Strike decided to buy the dress for Robin. It was a Cavalli, really expensive.

I think he did as a sign that he fancies her AND because he thought he'd never see her again. It was a symbol of the moment their relationship changed. Of course, like it said in the book, I think eventually he'll regret doing it because it'll just make the whole thing with Matthew more complicated.

Question: I still don't understand how he knew that John embezzled the money. How did he figure that out?

[Silvia]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised? Yes! I never imagined that end. I mean, when in the second part of the book we talked about honesty, I though the most honest was John :D I can't believed how wrong I was! And I thought also that Tony was a kind of monster... I got everything wrong!!!

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
Because John thought of himself as a genius that could manipulate the PI and guide him to to Jonah, to make Jonah pass for the murder; because who could think that a PI without clients and many debts could be so good and discover instead all the truth?!

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country? The media gets crazy with the rich and famous in almost anywhere in the world. But I think she could try to show how the can have familiar or self confidence problems.

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"? There is a poem at the beginning, which I don't understand, but it mentioned the Cuckoo's calling and somewhere I read it was a lament for those who die too young ... I thought it was a reference to Lula because one of her nickname was Cuckoo.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others? Ciara and Evan surprised me, because I really thought of them as suspects since the beginning, but whe talked, they were so honest, so helpful. Tony too, because he sounded so hideous and at the end, he was just worried for the family. And John, definitely John. I believed him!!!

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike? Yes, because if she left it was just for money. I mean, the PI office was a kind of a dream for her... why not to try a little bit more and see if that was really her thing.

7. Will you continue reading the series? Yes, eventually.

8. I still don't understand how he knew that John embezzled the money. How did he figure that out? I guess it was because everybody talked about how he always was asking for money to Lula, looking for ways to get money from her. Ciara, Somé and Evan told the same, and they were the persons whith whom Lula spent most of her time. So, if John was a person who look for money all the time, why not to think that he could take it from where he could do that easily

My question:
If Strike is so good as a PI, why was his business in so bad condictions before Lula's case? Bad Luck?

[Rachel]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
I was a little surprise that it went in that direction, but not too surprised. Although in all of my posts in earlier threads I suspected Deeby Macc among others, it did cross my mind that Bristow was responsible. It was one of those cases where it seemed so obvious that I didn't think it could possibly be the truth, but it also makes a lot of sense. No one else really had much motive.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
I thought it was explained in the end? He hired Strike because he was trying to frame Jonah for the death. The best way to ensure Jonah didn't get the money was to have him put away as a criminal, so even if the will was found it wouldn't matter.

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country?
I think she's saying that wealth and fame don't define someone's character. Rochelle, for example, was judged for being lower-class and homeless, yet she was the only person who reliably kept Lula's secrets and one of the few that Lula really trusted. Many of the wealthier characters were greedy and willing to stab each other in the back to get even more wealth or fame.

Also, that the culture of fame is a pretty scary one. Lula and Evan had no privacy at all, and never knew who they could trust. I don't know if it would have been the same in other cultures. In Canada/the US, there is a huge fame culture also, but I'm not sure if it's quite as crazy as it was in the book.

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?
I think someone said it best in the Part 3 thread, about the cuckoo and how it injects itself into a nest of other birds, and kills off the real children. I think it refers to Bristow if anything, not Lula. Her nickname was just a red herring.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?
Tony, who ended up reminding me quite a bit of Snape. He seemed like such an unlikable character but he still tried to watch over his nieces and nephews and keep them safe.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
I guess so, since it was obvious it was heading in that direction anyway. It's a job that she's really interested in, and seems to have quite the talent for.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Possibly, but I'm not in a rush.

8. If Strike is so good as a PI, why was his business in so bad conditions before Lula's case? Bad luck?
I got the impression that his business was suffering mostly because it was fairly new, after he had returned from Afghanistan. I can't imagine there is a ton of work for a private investigator at the best of times, but it would be even harder for a brand new one or someone who had been out of the game for a few years to pick up clients.

My question: What do you think of Lula as a character?. I personally found it a bit strange that someone so paranoid and suspicious of the people in her life would give all her money to someone she had never even met, especially after her biological mom spread stories about her to the press.

[Zaz]

Okay, can someone explains me the point of the book. Am I missing something here?

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
See my question above. The problem is not really the outcome, which is fine (motivations, etc), but the person. It doesn't make sense at all.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
No idea because the police had close the case. What the point in searching a murderer or proving it's not a suicide when the murderer doesn't risk to be found? He's masochist?

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?
Because if people answered the calls at the right time, Lula could avoid to died :p More seriously, it's probably related to Bristow because the first thing a baby cuckoo does is to push the eggs and other babies out of the nest.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?
Nop, I didn't like them and they felt too much cliché and ugly to surprise me.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
I think working with a detective could be fun and challenging and Strike is nice with her, so why not :)

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Noooooooo.

8. What do you think of Lula as a character?
I found her ok, but she seemed to overact a little too much (not sure you can discover what celebrity is only after becoming famous). She's probably the character who felt the more "normal" for me.

My question: if you murdered someone, would you keep his phone at home?

[Susan]

1 & 2 together: I agree that the end didn't really make sense, and I have no idea why Bristow hired Strike. The book was good until after Strike went to see Bristow's mother, but then it just rushed to an illogical conclusion. I saw an interview with Rowling years ago in which she mentioned writing the ends of books first. I don't know whether she does that all the time, but I suspect that's what happened here and why it doesn't seem to fit the rest of the book.

6. I like the combination of Strike and Robin as investigators.

Keep the phone? No, I'd pull the card and get rid of the phone. But even with that, her phone records would show the calls and texts.

My question: What could have improved the ending?

[Rachel]

I actually didn't find the ending too illogical, just sudden. I guess I prefer books where the reader can follow along with the clues and try to figure things out for themselves, instead of just a "big reveal" at the end. As I was reading, I actually got frustrated a few times because Strike would comment that he knew who it was or that he had found out something important, but we weren't given any information about what he found.

For me, the ending made sense because Bristow was the only character who really had a solid motive. I had trouble believing any of the other characters had a strong enough reason for killing her, except possibly Evan and even then it wouldn't be too much of a mystery.

[Michelle]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised? I was totally shocked. I definitely didn't see it coming. I think the clues supported the reveal but the motive for hiring a private detective, uh... what?

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator? This makes no sense to me. Why? It would be one thing if the police concluded it was a suicide but a shadow of suspicion fell on Bristow and he was pretending to try and clear his name or something but... no one was looking for a killer. He got away with murder free and clear and then paid someone to muddy the water. Yeah, he's a nut job but Rowling doesn't actually explore anything deeply significant about his psychology. The only reason I could think that someone would pay a private detective to investigate a murder they committed and got away with is if they were arrogant enough to think they left no trace and got off on the idea of outsmarting the police and a private investigator. I just don't think that fits with Bristow's personality. Tony Landry's, sure, but Bristow? No. He was so weaselly. It wasn't even a premeditated murder so it isn't as if he could say he worked out every fine detail and was daring someone to catch him. This part just doesn't add up to me.

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country? I don't think it would have mattered whether or not it was set in a different country. This stereotype about rich/famous people being self-involved, aloof, and haughty permeates all cultures and countries, I think.

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"? The fact that it was called The Cuckoo's Calling had me convinced that Guy was the killer for the longest time. He was the only one who called her Cuckoo and it seemed like that had to mean something to the plot. It really didn't though. The calling part, mmm... perhaps it is a reference to the fact that she felt called to find her place in the world, her background, her roots, her family. I don't think she ever really felt she belonged to the Bristow family.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others? Well, John did, of course. But I was surprised by Tony Landry also. I think he had greater affection for Lula than he was originally given credit for.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike? It's probably not a sound financial decision and I feel like the two of them are going to end up hooking up eventually in the series, but I secretly hoped she would stay because I like the dynamic between them.

7. Will you continue reading the series? Yes. I've already started on the second one in the series. The premise of this one isn't quite as enticing to me as the first but we'll see how it goes.

[Jody]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised?
I was surprised, yes.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
Well, as it was mentioned by Strike in the book, he's batshit crazy. But it still doesn't make any sense to me, unless he was hoping that Strike would end up "discovering" that Tony Landry did it, which would leave him as the sole heir to the mother's fortune. It still doesn't make any sense to me though.

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country?
I don't think it would have been any different in another country.

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?
I like the idea that another reader put forward about how the cuckoo is known for killing the other birds in the nest, but in the end John was the cuckoo. So I don't know.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?
John, obviously, and Tony. I thought Tony had killed Charlie, but it ended up being John.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
I'm all for following your passions, so yes. I think Matthew gets a bit of a bad rap though - realistically, given how shady & financially hopeless Strike appears to the casual observer, I would be a bit hesitant about my fiancee working for him too. It's all well & good to have a romantic idea about following your dreams, but the reality is that there are bills to pay and London isn't a cheap place to live. So I also don't blame him for wanting her to take a job with a bigger company with more security.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Probably not. I didn't care much for the characters, and the story was fairly lacklustre. I'm not a huge fan of mystery books either.

[Stacey]

1. What did you think of the ending/reveal? Were you surprised? Yes. I really thought Tansy had something to do with the murder.

2. Why do you think Bristow hired a private investigator?
To throw everyone off the "scent". He wanted to cover his tracks as much as possible, in case someone believed Lula was murdered. I think this was the most implausible detail of the book.

3. What did you think Rowling was saying about culture (related to the very rich and famous)? Would this have been different in another country?
That money doesn't buy integrity and character. Some of her commentary, good and bad, made me wonder if some of the bits about the rich and famous were lifted directly from Rowling's life and her rise to fame. It was fun to speculate which celebrities some of the characters like Guy Somé, Evan Duffield, Ciara Porter, Deeby Macc and Lula Landry may be based upon in real life. In developing countries, views on the rich and famous might differ, but for the superpower nations, it would likely be the same (although in America, even more tackiness and wackiness amongst the rich and famous would have ensued).

4. Why was the book called The Cuckoo's "Calling"?
Lula was nicknamed "Cuckoo" by Somé, so maybe her search to find her roots and what she ultimately left behind was her "calling".

5. Did any of the characters surprise you more than the others?
John and Tony, mainly, since Tony was portrayed as a villain from the start and John seemed to be the good guy. Also, Tandy, who I thought was somehow evil and involved with Lula's murder, but who turned out to be a victim herself.

6. Do you agree with Robin's decision to continue working for Strike?
I thought almost from the beginning that Robin was seeking adventure and developed a thing for Strike, even though he was a pathetic character in many ways. She seemed to care little about her salary, although Matthew's not happy about her decision. Robin's grateful acceptance of the lower salary Strikes offers her throughout the book is unbelievable, and, as another reader expressed, it's highly unrealistic in today's economy, especially living in a city as expensive as London. Unfortunately nowadays, offering employees lowered salaries (for double the workload) is commonly practiced by many shite employers the world over.

7. Will you continue reading the series?
Yes, I hope to, but more for Rowling's writing than the mystery/plot. I enjoyed the book and found many of her observations quite amusing.

8. My question from one of those posed above: Do you think Tony Landry ends up being more of a "good" person or a "bad" person now that we know the complexities of his life?
Tony became a better person to me in the end, as I viewed his leeriness of those around him in a more favorable light, once I read the ending. However, the fact that he was hostile to Lula throughout her life was horrible and pretty unfair. It also seems that if he was aware of Bristow's past evildoings related to Charlie, why didn't he advise The Met or Strike earlier on in their investigation of his misgivings towards his nephew?

9. My question: To what extent do you think Strike's view of Rokeby, his father, impact his views on the Lula Landry case?