Jayson’s Reviews > The Hallmarked Man > Status Update

- Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind, but I doubt anything will come along of sufficient impact or sway to rocket-blast this into the next tier.
- Also, the crime plot itself is just too sophisticated and well-crafted—albeit notably pizzazz-deficient—to sink this to 2-stars. To me, a 2-star rating means a book can't be recommended in good conscience to anyone, and so the intricacy of the plot alone keeps it above water, notwithstanding my dissatisfaction with how the characters are written.
- Now, given that I also assign a (Canadian scale) percentage and letter grade, the only question is where within that 3-star spectrum this ultimately lands.
- Bottomline, if you're going to dare to write a 900-page novel, you've got to bring it. This doesn't come close to justifying its length.
(2) Interesting how Murphy brought Robin home chicken Madras. It's the same takeaway Strike brought Wardle when they had their curry night.
- I'm guessing that it must be Robin's usual takeaway or curry of choice, which would explain why both Strike and Murphy ordered it: because they're both used to getting it for Robin.
- Alternatively, it could just be ubiquitous in the UK, like pepperoni or Hawaiian pizza in America.
- I wouldn't know myself, it's not a dish I've ever seen on any menu, and Indian places are everywhere in my neck of the woods—I've been to a ton.
(3) "[Murphy's] eyes fell on the open water bottle Robin had positioned on the coffee table in front of her.
'What's that doing there?'
'It spilled,' said Robin. 'In your sport's bag.'
'What were you doing rummaging in my—'
'It leaked out onto the floor,' said Robin. 'I was mopping it up when I realized what it was.'"
- Ooh... checkmate! I love that Murphy's first instinct after playing dumb was to try to turn the tables and find a way to blame Robin. Yeah, that totally wouldn't make things worse. When you're stuck in a hole, stop digging!
- Wait, they call it a "sports bag" in the UK? Even when you're just working out and not playing sports at all?
- Ah, yes, the hypocrisy—even irony—considering Murphy's been imploring her to be more honest with him the whole book.
(4) The irony of Robin accusing Strike of hiding personal drama (which, as I’ve explained, isn’t actually hiding; see 2025/09/25 commentary, point 2)—whereas Murphy hid his alcoholism in plain sight!
- Flaunted it even! Drinking from his water bottle in front of Robin and everyone all the time!
(5) "A group of five youths stood vaping a short distance away from where Strike had parked, all eyeing the BMW speculatively. Two youths were white, two brown and the last one black."
- Well, on the bright side, they're a multiracial street gang: no prejudice there. Any crimes would at least rep diversity.
(6) Strike stumbles upon two murdered and mutilated bodies in a locked flat, and is subsequently arrested; though he ends up turning it to his favor: "Strike was tired, hungry, his leg was throbbing and he'd been forced to leave his BMW in Harlesden. Nevertheless, he felt he'd come through the night on the profit side of the ledger."
- Essentially, he uses his interrogation to find out what the police know about the case, dangles what they don't know as a bargaining chip, and uses the fact they're being recorded to say things the police wouldn't want recorded. He gets let off with a warning for breaking-and-entering.
- Reminds me of all those times Batman would intentionally get himself locked up in Arkham Asylum to get information from supervillains. Though, getting arrested in this case was more of a happy accident.
- All-in-all, a much better evening than Murphy had. Rotting corpses notwithstanding.
- Speaking of Murphy, Strike finally meets Iverson, the lady cop Murphy drunkenly groped and who wants to steal him away from Robin: "If forced to give an opinion, Strike would have called this woman prettyish."
- Prediction: Murphy and Iverson eventually get together by the end of the book—Murphy needs some rebound affection, assuming Robin leaves him, and Iverson's within arm's reach.
(7) "At five a.m., Robin, who'd barely slept, decided that there was no point staying in bed, and got up to make herself coffee."
- What?! Robin knows how to make coffee? Well, there's that mystery solved.
- So, why is she so excited when people make her coffee at the office? Possibly she only knows how to make instant; I see no mention of a coffee maker.
(8) "Could she leave Murphy now, at what was clearly one of the lowest points of his life? ... She thought about Kim's ex, who'd killed himself after Kim dumped him. She seemed to see, again, the beautiful face of Charlotte Campbell, viewed through bloody bathwater."
- Well, it's not as if Kim was too torn up, she was all over Strike—lucid enough to bring up nudes on her phone—the night she found out her ex died.
- I swear, if Robin gets back with Murphy long-term, suicide prevention notwithstanding, I may just throw this hardcover across the room!
- This book's in its final few hundred pages (nearing conclusion by cinder block standards) and I need Robin to have a clean break with Murphy so there's enough time for Strike to recognize the opportunity and decide to pounce!
- Murphy's what you'd call "an unflushable."
(9) Strike: "I can't find anything online, but the library might have old stuff on file."
- Ah, good 'ol physical research. Only natural that Strike would think of it when digital means failed him. Typical Gen-X reflex.
- It compensates for his being unaware and illiterate when it comes to Instagram.
(10) "'I'm not leaving you,' she began, and tears started in Murphy's eyes; he reached out and grabbed her hand, but Robin pulled it away. 'But we can't pretend everything's fine and normal, Ryan, because it really isn't. I can't move in with you until we've rebuilt some trust.'"
- Anyone else notice the rejection of hand-holding? Yup, no hand-holding for Murphy, yet Robin can't stop thinking about when Strike held her hand in Sark.
- Wait, so moving in with Murphy is still on the table? I can understand not leaving the guy now, for the sake of caution against potential self-harm, but that's giving him a goal to better himself for, and I want a clean break!
-Is it too much to ask for him to have a rebound fling with Kim or Iverson and get caught red-handed?
(11) In waiting to ambush Cosima outside Dino's, Robin notices a man watching her from inside a Honda: "He had thick greying hair and an unusually small nose, which resembled a button mushroom in the middle of a large, square face."
- It's interesting to note that of all the people Robin's spotted watching her—the man behind her at Harrods, bandana mechanic, and gorilla mask—this is the first one she's seen the face of.
- Prediction: The man with the mushroom nose is unrelated to the others, simply for the fact you can see his face. Obviously, he doesn't care if he's photographed or identified. Possibly he's from that rival detective firm or some cop they don't know.