The Curious Case of the Christmas Murders

This blog post is a catch-up on three murder mysteries which were on over Christmas and New Year.

First of all, the one we'd all been looking forward to the most...

Sherlock (**)

Victorian Sherlock - still considering that moustache...

I can offer you two alternative ways of look at this - either it is an artistic failure, or some kind of folly.

Failure:  

I was deeply dismayed when I realised they were making a Victorian Sherlock. The original Sherlock Series (1&2) were interesting, bright, and original precisely because they didn't have the Victorian feel of other versions of Conan Doyle's books. The modernity is the twist, so to remove that simply means it loses its twist! I am a huge fan of everything nineteenth century, especially nineteenth century London, so by all rights I should have been delighted, but I was already worried that the writers were scraping the barrel for ideas. Unfortunately, this was largely correct.

Oh dear. Any of you who are on Twitter will have realised that the vast majority of Sherlock fans were immensely disappointed by this vamped up, yet confused offering from Messrs. Gatiss and Moffat.  I don't have a TV licence so patiently waited until I could legally download the episode, which meant an hour and a half of people live-tweeting their annoyance. One of my friends commented that the writers had lifted lines from the first episode of Sherlock into this one. I was a bit less assiduous when I was watching it but I had a similar sense that I'd already seen it.

There have been a number of more cogent reviews than I can offer, detailing where it is that Moffat is going wrong. It has been suggested that he is playing too much to his fan base. I suspect that the huge pressure on him to produce something brilliant every time is part of the issue (this applies as much to Doctor Who by the way). Perhaps he's exhausted. Perhaps he just needs a really good editor to tell him to work on his plots?  Watching the previous series of Sherlock (3) I concluded that Stephen Moffat just needed a nice cup of tea, a chance to calm down, and maybe a tough editor. He could yet learn a great deal from the classic murder mystery writers such as Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers and Margery Allingham. Their work is dramatic but doesn't leave the viewer/reader bewildered and exhausted, trying to keep up. (And then there were none is a good case of the slow burn, especially the first episode. See below).

Folly:  

The problem is that at least some of the hardcore fans did love it. I think it is fair to say that it only worked if taken as some sort of fantasy project. In other words, the New Year Special bore approximately the same relationship that nineteenth century follies do to real castles.

As a child I was always incredibly disappointed when I was promised a castle (Blaise Castle for example, in Bristol) and then discovered that it was 'only a folly'. I always wanted to go to a 'real' castle. (I could have done with a Tardis, in retrospect). However, if you treat the folly for what it is, it is  both an interesting piece of British history and quite a jolly place to visit. As an adult, I'm probably as interested in the strange Gothic fantasies of the nineteenth century as I am in the original medieval castles.

Blaise Castle. Picture from Wikipedia.

As a folly, the Victorian Sherlock almost works. The viewer knows what 'real' Victorian Sherlock was like, and we can laugh at the little in-jokes, and enjoy the Gothic appeal of the New Year Special.

However, even taking this into account, it was hardly the best of episodes... We all hope it will make a little more sense at some point when the next series appears. I hope Stephen Moffat invests in a box of Yorkshire tea and a friendly, but tough, editor.

And then there were none (***)

This was a three-part series just after Christmas. The premise is simple and implied in the title. 10 strangers arrive on a small island, and one by one are killed off.  I won't put any spoilers in this in case you haven't watched it, but it was superbly acted, very dramatic, and scared the living daylights out of me! If you like being scared I highly recommend it. As someone who has watched murder mysteries and read them from the age of 10, I am not normally this scared of a television programme, but this was both a true thriller and a true horror.

Arriving on Soldier Island - all looking smartly dressed and - importantly - still alive here!

A great cast, including Charles Dance.

My main concern (the reason why this has only got 3 stars in my rating) is that it was overly gory for my taste. Do viewers really need to see all the bodies and blood? I am worried that series like Game of Thrones (in which Charles Dance also appears) have rather dulled our senses and now we expect this kind of gore at all times. The storyline is quite sufficiently dramatic as it is without adding to the drama in this way.  

I probably wasn't the only person to find this a bit much for my nerves. Many fans of ITV's versions of Miss Marple and Poirot would have found this very different, even difficult to watch. It is necessary to add the caveat that in Agatha Christie the darkest side of humans is ever present, and occasionally her books can be quite grim. However, to a large degree the presence of the detectives makes them much more 'cosy'. The lack of positive characters in this for me made it a much gloomier affair, but perhaps it struck the right tone for just after Christmas! Overall, very well done though, just don't blame me if you get nightmares.

Dickensian (****)

Unlike the other series in this post, I didn't even know this was going to be on television until the first episode had already aired, and I was initially very cynical about it, thinking that it wouldn't really work. I love Dickens. I read many of his novels as a teenager but in the last two years have decided to plough through the others, after reading Simon Callow's brilliant theatrical biography of him (which I highly recommend.) Since then I am excited by all things Dickens. 

The series is in half-hour episodes, and is, as you'd expect, fairly light-hearted, although there are some serious undertones/themes throughout. The premise is that Bob Marley, Scrooge's partner from A Christmas Carol, has been murdered. The rest of the characters are all derived from either A Christmas Carol or other Dickens novels. This series captures the essence of the Victorian period much better than the Sherlock episode, and is very cleverly done indeed. It features some great performances, including Stephen Rea as the detective (who is also starring in the BBC version of Tolstoi's War and Peace), Omid Djalili and Anton Lesser, who makes a very good Fagin. Perfect winter time viewing. The soundtrack is rather a pastiche (think Hans Zimmer's Sherlock Holmes crossed with David Arnold's Sherlock, the soundtrack to Ripper Street, I'm sure there was some Inspector Montalbano chucked in), but otherwise I don't have a bad word to say about it! I'm not sure what someone who has never read Dickens would make of it, but I think it would still be very enjoyable if you didn't get the references. A bonkers mash-up! 

Career of Evil

Career of Evil

(and a note on The Silkworm)

Since the last time I reviewed one of Robert Galbraith's novels, a couple of things have happened. I've now been working in publishing for a year, so I've had an insight into the other perspective, how books get made. Also, I started following J K Rowling on Twitter...  https://twitter.com/jk_rowling
Some of what follows may relate to that. By the way you can read my review of The Cuckoo's Calling here: http://murderwithatwist.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-cuckoos-calling-j-k-rowling-strikes.html  By the way, the 'twist' in this one is probably the way that the writer outlines who the suspects are very clearly at the beginning, and another 'twist' is the way the novel uses the perspective of the murderer (see below).

It amazes me how few people have read them

Each of these books have arrived just in time for various reasons. The first book arrived  in the middle of a strange and emotionally tough time in my life, when I was just about to finish my PhD thesis and need a distraction. The second arrived just in time for me to take on the first holiday I'd had for 4 years, a trip to Moscow in summer 2014. Unfortunately, this meant that as it was such a heavy book I actually left it in the flat in Moscow I was staying in. This makes me feel a bit guilty, since I ended up lending my copy of The Cuckoo's Calling to lots of people. I was happy to spread the love of this book (it amazes me how few people read the novel when it came out, especially Harry Potter fans, who I've had to win over to the detective genre) and also made me feel less guilty about buying it since I rarely buy new books these days. The third one arrived as the nights were drawing in and I'd been feeling rather glum and stressed out.

The Silk Worm 

I apologise profusely for not reviewing The Silk Worm, the previous offering in this series. It was a brilliant read. Ghoulish in places. For me the most interesting thing was how the writing was more confident than the first series, and the setting of the book (again in London) struck me, as I have been to so many of the places mentioned, including Smithfield's (the London meat market pictured on the cover).

(By the way, the idea of a butcher is by no means irrelevant to the storyline). The other thing I enjoyed was the fact it was set in the literary/publishing world, which must be one the author is familiar with.

A real masterpiece with some serious themes

This third volume, Career of Evil, is, in many ways, a real masterpiece, cleverly interweaving the relationships of the main characters and their character development (in some ways the main plot of the book) with the story of the hunt for a terrible criminal, and the narrative partially written from his point of view. For me, J K Rowling was always best as when her books were adventures and thrillers. Readers of the Harry Potter series will recognise parts of the narrative arc of this book quite well, whilst admitting that the use of the murderer's point of view is very different than any of her previous series.

Rowling said both on Twitter and in interviews that researching/writing this book gave her nightmares.  I found it very chilling. The author has has really delved into the psyche of not one, but several criminals in order to write this, and respect is owing for the amount of hard graft she must have done to achieve this.
She also said that this was the book she enjoyed writing the most in her whole career. I can't say for certain if this was the book I've most enjoyed reading (It has been some time since I read the Harry Potter series) but it is an incredibly good book. My only tiny complaint is that she's a bit over obsessed with epigraphs, but I suppose she can get away with that!

There's a lot I could add here about the role of women and in her writing - which has really come out strongly in these novels in a way it doesn't in the Harry Potter series, but I'll leave that to other critics. I also don't want to spoil the novel for those who haven't yet read it, but there's a lot in it about violence and abusive behaviour towards women and vulnerable people which I think she handles with incredible tact.

Some points of interest

On a note more related to the theme of detective fiction, Rowling noted in an interview in 2014 how much she liked the work of Margery Allingham (who inspired the name of this blog and the pseudonym I write under), it seems likely that The Tiger in the Smoke (also a crime thriller partially written from the murderer's point of view) may have influenced Career of Evil. It's also worth noting that Allingham's Hide My Eyes also features this perspective. (If you haven't read these books, do!) For more of this interview, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-28381658

From the point of view of J K Rowling's biographer, its worth noting that this book is the first time she describes her beloved Edinburgh in fictional writing, and very beautifully, I might add. One wonders if she considered setting the novels in Scotland. J K Rowling's Twitter appearances, apart from addressing the subject of Harry Potter spin-offs and rugby, relate to the question of Scotland's independence. There's no doubt from reading this novel that she is very fond of Scotland.

Having said that, I love the use of London settings, of the use of small details which remind me of familiar places, like Denmark Street, or Sloane Square.


One thing that puzzles me (and I haven't found any explanation in any interviews she has done), is why Career of Evil is set in 2011, which I presume can't be the year it was written. I'd love to know the answer if anyone knows! One of the attacks by the murderer is set to the backdrop of the Royal Wedding, which is rather cleverly done.

PS. 3 is a lucky number? 

Another thing that struck me was that perhaps for her, 3 is a lucky number. I consider Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to be one of her best novels. The cover for that is also purple I might add!

There's a lot more I could say but I hope you all read them and that she writes another one soon!

And good news! As stated in the edition I bought, there is going to be a television series made soon.

Interviews/reviews

• Radio 2 Book Club - Simon May interviews J K Rowling.

"2002 was the last time we met I think - how's it been in the last fifteen years?"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p036z28f

• Interview with NPR (quoted elsewhere).

"To be honest, it's the guitar hook. I'm a real sucker for guitars," laughs Galbraith — otherwise known as J.K Rowling. "I've had a crush on many, many a guitarist."

http://www.npr.org/2015/11/02/452916567/j-k-rowling-explores-the-perils-of-fame-in-career-of-evil

• Review of Career of Evil in the Guardian. I don't entirely agree but it is more of a traditional review than mine... 

'If Georges Simenon is a simple, perfect kitchen stool and Agatha Christie a sensible wingbacked chair, then Robert Galbraith is a vast, overstuffed sofa, complete with dog hair and something unmentionable behind the cushions.'

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/21/career-of-evil-by-robert-galbraith-review

Sherlock Holmes Prom

Yesterday I went to the enjoyable Sherlock Holmes Prom. As usual I queued for a gallery Promming ticket, which is just £5. I have to say that this is a wonderful way to hear music, since you can stand, wander around, sit or even lie down as you wish, and many people choose to read, draw, or knit. (In previous years I've taken knitting and patchwork).

You can listen to the whole thing on iPlayer here:

Part I:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b065wxfg

Part II:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0663l7z

Mark Gatiss did a lovely job of voicing Conan Doyle and some of his characters. Excerpts were carefully chosen by the organisers, who attempted to provide context and explanations for the pieces chosen. For a Prom, there was quite a bit of talking. A bit more of Gatiss' own ideas might have been interesting, but I suppose they wanted to keep to the music rather than treating it like a convention.

Courtesy of the Telegraph.

Music from Hans Zimmer's soundtracks was used, although I think not to their full effect, as they had been re-arranged. I love Hans Zimmer's soundtrack to both of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes films. However, the pieces from the Jeremy Brett series were great. Quite a bit was also made of the fact that Holmes was a violinist, and the Paganini piece was wonderful! The violinist was in an appropriately Victorian costume, as well.

They also made quite a lot of the Irene Adler/opera connection, something passed over in the Sherlock series. The pieces chosen were very beautiful. 

Of course, most of the audience were there to hear pieces from Sherlock, which were a fitting close. David Arnold and Michael Price have done a great job of bringing the new series to life with their themes and soundtrack. When I heard it live, I realised that it has a fairground ride quality, which is quite interesting.

During the performance there were some wonderful archive pictures including stills and film posters. This was interesting because it showed you Sherlock's many incarnations. I'd somehow missed this one:

Overall I'd give this 5* although I wish I'd gone for the arena tickets as it wasn't as busy as I'd thought, as then it would have been easier to hear the talking bits. Either that, or maybe the Proms team could prepare subtitles...

I haven't blogged for ages, and am hugely apologetic for this. I've fallen behind with reading and with watching television. However, I'm hoping to do a blog on the new Robert Galbraith book in November and may well get round to a blog before that. I'm currently reading Boris Akunin so might do a little blog on that.

A Tale of Two Sherlocks

 I confess it, I love Sherlock Holmes! In all his guises. (The same is true, I might add, of Doctor Who and James Bond, two of my other favourite things). I love the original stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, which I read as a teenager,

(picture taken of the statue in Baker Street by me)

 the bizarre yet endearing Soviet Sherlock Holmes,

(thanks to the Internet for this pic)

the 1980s Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes now oft-repeated on ITV 3 (fans of Sherlock should note mousachio’d Watson – it is tradition!)

(thanks to the Internet for this pic)

the recent adaptation of Sherlock Holmes for the silver screen with Jude Law and Robert Downey Junior and a delectable Hans Zimmer soundtrack (more below)

last but not least, I love the BBC Sherlock. When this first came out I was a little bit annoyed, because I had loved the film version which was released slightly before and thought the BBC had sunk so low as to copy the concept. This was not helped by the fact that David Arnold’s soundtrack (particularly at first) had similar rhythms and sounds to Hans Zimmer’s. But I have warmed to it. 

I even quite like The Mentalist, which has streaks of Sherlock Holmes charm, though it isn’t as good as the above.

I don’t see liking Sherlock Holmes therefore as an either/or thing. I have heard a great deal of indifferent and critical reactions to the Sherlock Holmes films. I enjoy them because, accurate to the books or not, they evoke the nineteenth century charm of the originals, and although Robert Downey Junior’s portrayal is not how I imagined Sherlock Holmes from reading the books (the Brett version is far closer) they are fun. Really fun. I like the rogueish charm of Robert Downey Junior’s Sherlock, the twinkle in his eye, his insouciance, and his bromance with Jude Law’s Watson. (I quite like Jude Law in this role. Partly because he is British). Friends of mine will know that I like the nineteenth century. I enjoy spotting and photographing London’s architecture and although not a diehard Steampunk person, I find these films full of The Smoke for which London was so aptly nicknamed… For similar reasons, I am a fan of BBC’s Ripper Street which, after 2 interesting series, is going to be axed. [ed. it returned to Amazon since this blog was first published]

Also, let's be clear on this point, I am a massive fan of Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack. I listen to it a lot…

As for Sherlock? They are even more different from the books. At first, I did not like the insistence on including contemporary trends, such as hashtags and text messages, mainly because I think they try to hard to keep it hip or cool,  (or whatever the word is these days) and the idea of Sherlock texting his nemesis Moriarty just lacks a certain charm! I don’t swoon when Benedict Cumberbatch shakes his dark locks or swoops around in that coat, but he brings to the role something of the coldness of, say Brett’s portrayal, combined with some of Downey Junior’s charm. I think he and Martin Freeman are brilliant actors without which the drama would not work as well. Again, the dynamic between the two is amazing. Some people might argue that Sherlock is ridiculous (anyone who saw the Doctor Who 50^th Anniversary Special and Christmas Special might see the fingerprints of Moffat here). However, for me this is enjoyable because it is funny and entertaining. Without any spoilers, Sherlock’s meetings with Watson in the episode just aired were extremely funny.

I love the  London setting too. There is some great stuff on the Internet about this, so I won’t repeat it, but for more, see this article on Timeout.

http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2014/01/02/the-london-underground-according-to-sherlock/

What is it that I like about Sherlock/Holmes? What do other people like about him? Like Doctor Who and James Bond, but for slightly different reasons, he is impossible. His survival is pretty unlikely, and he is a genius (in his own way) who fights for good. A real hero. He provides a sense of continuity that we are all looking for. This level of genius and heroism is reassuring to modern audiences, perhaps because so many of our historical heroes have been deconstructed, and so few people believe in saints any more. Perhaps Sherlock reminds us of the ‘impossible’ in other people. After all, we all know people whose habits infuriate us, or people whose intensely rational approach is extremely annoying.

I find it immensely reassuring that Doyle produced this figure of genius, who is irritatingly intelligent and rational, and two teams have recently brought to the screen this character without making him seem smaller or less sharp. But they use this sense of his impossible to humorous and entertaining effect. Isn’t Sherlock/Holmes annoying? Annoying but endearing.

Long live Sherlock Holmes!  

So, can you teach an old dog new tricks?

To be honest, I have always been prematurely middle aged. For example, yesterday I spent a very nice evening in watching Inspector Montalbano (see previous post), drinking sherry and knitting. Really, all I need is a cat (or 3) and my middle-aged mad cat lady persona would be complete.

A few of my friends have made fun of me in the past for my love of murder mysteries, either seen as quintessentially female (oh, my Mum loves that programme*) or quintessentially English. It seems to come with the territory of cardigans. (In reality, I own very few cardigans!). One of the programmes which seems to particularly inspire this kind of response is New Tricks, the long running BBC drama.

This colourful image shows the original cast.

I feel like I should explain why I like it so much. I like it because it balances at times heavy storylines with a lightheartedness that comes only with experience. This isn't a programme which belittles murder or its victims, and it is not a comedy or a spoof of a real crime drama. However, you can expect to laugh when you watch it. Both at the main characters, and with them. Like all good detectives, they have plenty of foibles,  occasionally bend the rules, and battle with bureaucratic superiors, but they have a central moral core that is reassuring and heart-warming.

The original cast (see above) featured a strong but also attractive female detective (the splendid Amanda Redman) who leads a motley bunch of retired police officers (who are still civilians) in reopening cold cases. This is no Waking the Dead by the way, as episodes are an hour long and tend not to run to dramatic two-parters.

My favourite character was always Brian (played by Alun Armstrong), who is an occasionally depressive ex-alcoholic with a photographic memory and a long suffering wife. Another undoubtedly brilliant character was Gerry, the womaniser with three ex-wives. The interaction between the main characters and their strong sense of morals and teamwork created an unforgettable chemistry. Even when James Bolam left the series, and was replaced, the characters remained strong. 

Like a lot of British detective series, New Tricks has maintained a stellar cast. All the main characters are played  by brilliant actors. I once read a Radio Times piece about the series, and the actors (at the time) said they enjoyed filming it so much they intended to continue to do so until they stopped having fun. I think this shows. [Ed. The last series ended in 2015, by which time many of the actors had left, a sign that they lived up to their comments. At least we have many good series to watch on repeat!]

The most recent series saw the departure of several main characters. *No spoilers* but this was done in a decent way which made sense within the series. 

I love the way that the series uses London locations, including a pub with a view of the Thames. 

(I won't bore you with my love of spotting locations. I could go on...) 

However, the thing that for me has sustained the series since 2003 isn't the initial premise, the great acting and mixture of comedy and drama but a device which is coincidentally inherent in the title of the series, and in this blog's title, too.

The series has remained fresh because each drama takes place in a new setting. There have been episodes set in zoos, libraries, museums, courier companies, the art world, the House of Parliament, Epping Forest, London allotments, universities and every imaginable other setting connected to London. Somehow this adds a freshness to a series which is already bouncing with life, and doesn't make it absurd. I get the impression that these series are very well researched, and the setting and milieu are pretty important to the plotlines, rather than just background. In a strange way, New Tricks is a homage to the genre of detective writing as a whole. 

You can teach an old dog new tricks. These are definitely Murders with a Twist. So if you haven't watched any of them, give them a go. 

*yes, my Mum loved this programme too!

A Taste of Sicily: Inspector Montalbano

**** An enjoyable read, colourful with touches of humour

As promised, my thoughts on Inspector Montalbano...

You may have already seen the television series (Series 1 and 2 aired on BBC4 in the last few years, starring the estimable Luca Zingaretti ...).

If so, Salvo Montalbano will need no introduction. To be honest though, this series probably didn't get as many viewers as it might have done, due to its BBC4 slot, the place reserved for foreign language viewing. I'm not sure of the viewing figures, but I haven't seen a craze for Italian shirts and jackets to match that for Scandinavian knitwear after the The Killing, Wallander etc. Shame because it is a great television series. 

Why do I like it? Well, the way I describe it to the uninitiated is: imagine a good-looking Inspector Morse, not roving among Oxford's dreaming spires, but Sicily's rolling sunbaked hills and swimming in its blue seas; rubbing shoulders not with Oxford academia, but with the Italian police and the mafia; and instead of drinking beer in Oxfordshire's fine pubs, he eats baby octopus in the house of his colleague. As a television series these are nice, feature length dramas with an occasionally bad-tempered, but loveable detective with strong morals, and some wonderful sidekicks and other characters (though there's no consistent Watson or Lewis figure, he develops  an unlikely sidekick in a leggy Swedish blonde in some of the episodes, in others he has different confidantes.).

Like Morse the series displays the full range of human motivations for murder, passion, jealousy, money, honour.  These are good mysteries of the police procedural type. 

Fans of the series will recall his long-distance relationship with the enigmatic, chimerical Livia. But his passion for food and the surroundings of Sicily is perhaps the main reason why I like the television series. It's Inspector Morse on holiday! Exactly what the British viewer needs! 

So I decided to give one of Andea Camilleri's novels a go.

I am afraid, as the picture above shows, I am unable to comment on the Italian. I get the impression that the translation is good: it is not too laboured, but clear enough so that some Italian idioms or Sicilian phrases come across, and there are some notes in the back if you want to read them. (My Italian speaking friend tells me that the series doesn't always translate the idiomatic Italian well, especially Catarella's speech. It works all the same). Unlike the television series, we see less of the Sicilian landscape, but one can imagine it all the same. Food, I am pleased to say, plays a big role. This is a nice touch in a detective series, reminding us that however ghoulish or tragic the murder, life (and its pleasures) goes on. As for the plot of this novel, it was complicated, but ultimately satisfying. It is not a very long book and would make a good holiday read, and is a lighter read than my previous post (our friend Robert Galbraith) in the sense that there is less effort put into characterisation or descriptions of the setting, but the setting and characters are lively and realistic. 

So as a Murder with a Twist goes, I'd give this 4 stars and recommend it to others. A fun, cosy read. Though do catch up on the TV series if you can't be bothered to read them!  

Not sure what will be my next post but watch this space...  and now for a nice bowl of pasta! 

The Cuckoo's Calling : J K Rowling Strikes Again

The Cuckoo's Calling by J.K. Rowling (writing under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith)

***** Highly recommended, but could do with a little polish.

My relationship with J K Rowling is complicated. I wasn't really one of the Potter generation. When her books came out in 1997 I was already reading Inspector Morse and Brother Cadfael. I didn't get round to reading any Potter until later. I read the third Harry Potter in paperback, stealing it off my brother, whose interest in the novel waned as mine grew. I still stand by the fact that Book 3 is a good read for plot, even if you don't particularly like Harry Potter. Then I bought and read the others.

I do like the Harry Potter books but I always read them with a critical eye. What I love about them is her characters, particularly the adult characters, such as Syrius Black and Professor Lupin. Her plots are another feature I enjoyed. However, even as a semi-fan I found the fifth book overwritten and parts of the seventh tedious, and was in no way surprised by the plot twist *NO SPOILERS! I PROMISED NO SPOILERS!* involving a certain character in Book 7. Still, as I said, I find them readable and enjoyable, though not necessarily something I would teach in schools or force my children to read (if I had any). She is a good synthesiser, picking up ideas from elsewhere and putting them in her own work without exactly plagiarising, although I know some people prefer Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. (I do!). We all know she is a classicist, because she sneaks in classical references. Her style isn't great, I admit. But she is good with names. All the characters have what in Russian literature is called 'talking names', i.e. the names conjure up something about the character. A feature also found in Dickens.

Brilliant cover art by Sian Wilson on the left with (I presume) the paperback cover on the right, courtesy of the internet.

However ... back when I read Book 3, I saw in it something in it of the mystery or detective genre. I paid no interest to The Casual Vacancy (her first post-Potter novel) when it was published, but when I heard that she had written a detective novel I was intrigued. I had thought she could make a good writer of detective novels.
I ordered the hardback from Amazon but at the time I was reading PD James (see previous blog post). I was rather disappointed by that, and somewhat amused that I could read the novice detective writer back to back with Rowling - a fact which pretty much inspired me to start this blog.

The truth is - I am unashamed to admit - I loved it.

Hold on before the anti-Rowling people and nay-sayers start crying out. Yes, I have some criticisms. There are these somewhat bizarre epigraphs, which don't seem very necessary (but do remind me of the erudition of, say, Inspector Morse, and also, strangely enough, of Pushkin). I think this is a clue that here is someone who wrote children's books, but now wants to prove that she is a grown-up.

Evidence found elsewhere in the occasional use of very long, obscure words for no particular reason. The novel is a bit long - but here's the thing - I really didn't mind. Here is a detective novel you can get your teeth into. The reason why this works is because, unlike the Harry Potter books, it isn't just plot driven - although it has a very strong plot - but character driven. It is genuinely one of the deeper detective novels I have read, allowing the author to display her sensitivity to the complexity of human relationships and emotions that she didn't really allow herself to in the Harry Potter novels. I adore the main detective who is flawed yet loveable, and his sidekick (who you cannot help but love from the moment she appears).  All the other characters stepped off the page, as they might do from the pen of Margery Allingham (my favourite crime writer). There is a slight lack of polish, for example bits of it could be cut slightly, but we are talking a page or two, not 20% of it, like Tolstoi. Let's face it, Tolstoi and Dostoevskii got away with it!

What else did I love about it? The setting in London is nicely done. Our detective Cormoran Strike drinks Doom Bar in a pub near Tottenham Court Road (although he does seem overly obsessed with Doom Bar, which gets some free advertising), pops into University of London Union to use the showers, and eats near the Serpentine in Hyde Park. And although I don't know any of the type of people  J K Rowling describes, I get the impression she has described them really well.

Signs that this was written by J K Rowling and not some Robert Galbraith bloke - yes quite a few. Particularly the epigraphs, and the names. And her tendency to use Tottenham Court Road in her novels! I could go on, but anyway that little mystery is thoroughly solved so there's not much point in going over that ground now.

Unlike PD James, she doesn't fall into the trap of the deus ex machina type of ending where you couldn't have feasibly guessed who done it or why. The plotting is complex with all the twists and turns you want, but all the suspects are clearly drawn, just as in Agatha Christie. It is a classic locked-room mystery, by the way. And all this is pulled off with confidence. The reasons why the murderer killed are clear and the ending is satisfying.

You may disagree with me, but personally I think J K Rowling might just have found her new calling.

I would highly recommend this novel, and not just to Potter fans, and I am looking forward very much to Cormoran Strike's next outing.
If you don't agree, let me know - I haven't met any one else who has read it - and if you want to borrow it, give me a shout!

Next up - a bit of Sicily, anyone?