The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-read, Chapters 113-115: The Westminster attack and the associated trauma for both our detectives.

In Chapter 113, Strike and Robin catch up in the office and make some major advancements in the case. It's Friday, March 17 (St. Patrick's Day) but there is no mention of it.  Too bad Strike didn't suggest a lunch outing to an Irish pub. 

Robin left Martin asleep on the sofa bed in the sitting room the following morning and headed for the office. There was something she wanted to say to Strike face to face, so she forced herself to drive into town, checking her rear-view mirror constantly, and feeling shaky and exposed during the short walk to Denmark Street.

Robin arrives to Pat's news that Travolta the fish has died, then joins Wardle and Strike in the inner office. Strike fills her in on the confrontation with Plug & Associates the previous night, which resulted in Plug's arrest and his son being transferred to the custody of his great-uncle but with Dev Shah getting stabbed in the thigh.  But, turns out that is only part of Dev's current issues with the job. He's been listening to KFC and not only arguing with Strike about the ethics of Decima Mullins' case, but also speculating Strike has sexually harassed Kim. This is not the week to ask him to fill out an employee satisfaction review. Strike is convinced Shah's going to jump the S & E ship for Navabi's, so Wardle offers to set him straight about KFC's past shenanigans at the Met.

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-read, Chapters 110-112: Confronting the Tarantula and welcoming a prodigal brother.

I really love the opening to Chapter 110: 

The large, twisted trees lining the road and the stretches of prime farmland were like a landscape seen in a half-forgotten dream. Strike tried to take consolation from the magnificent indifference of nature to all human concerns, but the strategy was so ineffective it was almost a relief to turn up the side road leading to Heberley, and focus his mind on what needed to be done.

Fresh off the epic showdown with Lord Branfoot and the Kimphomaniac, Strike now travels to back to Yorkshire to confront a much older enemy, the woman who was a major factor in Charlotte's terrible childhood and the reason, as he says, "she was never going to make old bones." 

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-read, Chapters 107-109: Really, really enjoying that.

"Seated at a small round table beside the 
marble fireplace, framed botanical prints
on the wall behind her."

The readjustment of Robin’s work schedule would have made it extremely difficult to cover the agency’s current jobs, had they not resolved Two-Times.

Chapter 107 picks up on Friday, March 10th. With Robin on restricted duty, the agency isn't taking on any new clients. Wardle has some background on Wade King and his profile does not fit one of Branfoot's ex-con henchmen, but King, like the late Jim Todd, was a former long distance truck driver. Strike, in the meantime, remains convinced Robin has accepted RFM's marriage proposal and is rehearsing a convincing congratulations, without much success. 

Charlotte Campbell's Troubled Life and Troubled Family: a comprehensive timeline.

As much as I had hoped Charlotte would be dead, buried and pretty much out of the story after her suicide in The Running Grave, her family played a prominent role in The Hallmarked Man. As a result, some more details about her life and family were provided, enough that it seemed wise to compile what we know about her history in one place. I played with trying to insert her into the extensive timeline I have compiled of Cormoran Strike, much as I have some key events in Matthew's life included in Robin's, but a lot of the dates were just too imprecise.  

So, I decided create a timeline with as comprehensive a list as I could about all we know about Charlotte Campbell's life prior to the start of Cuckoo's Calling. Some inconsistencies and contradictions are also noted. None of this is set in stone. I employed Occam's razor, assuming the simplest explanation is the correct one. For instance, Sir Anthony could have kept a portrait of his ex around and set fire to it when Charlotte was older, or the "Daddy" Charlotte said caused the fire could have been one of her stepfathers. I am assuming the simpler explanation: "Daddy" is Sir Anthony and this happened at the time of his and Tara's break-up.

For clarification on Charlotte's actions during the series, I suggest the detailed book timelines on the Strikefans page. 

As usual, a careful look at the timeline gives us some insights not only into Charlotte, but into other characters as well. Enjoy this look at Charlotte's life; you'll probably find it more fun than she did. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-Read, Chapters 105-106: "There's a bunch of stuff you don't know..."

Yes, they actually make
these door knockers.

Cormoran Strike, desperate to stop Culpepper's exposè on his affair with Bijou, is forced  to do the one thing he hoped never to do: seek out help from his father, Jonny Rokeby.  Note that Rokeby's middle name, Leonard, is another pointer to a lions in this book, as is the name of his drummer and childhood friend, Leo. 

Chapter 105 tops many people's lists of favorite part of The Hallmarked Man.  For me, the Spaghetti on Sark narrowly edges this out for the top spot, but it certainly comes close. The alienation Strike feels from his rock star father is evident at the very beginning. 

The townhouse outside which Strike arrived half an hour later was tall and white, with columns either side of the glossy black front door. When he got close enough to see it, he saw that instead of the standard lion’s head, the brass door knocker was in the shape of an electric guitar. Strike chose to ring the bell.

I think all of us, Strike included, were surprised at how nice Rokeby was, enough that Strike agrees to meet him for another beer sometime in the future. He has a lawyer on speed-dial that is apparently quite used to squashing lying journalists like beetles and is willing to go to work instantly for Strike with no retainer, contract or agreement of payment. I had earlier stated that one goal of this re-read is to look for connections between Cuckoo's Calling and The Hallmarked Man, which are predicted by double-leapfrog patterns but not by the Double Wedding Band model. It has long been my position that the power and privilege of wealth and fame are the Strike series equivalent to magic* in the Harry Potter world, and that Strike, like Harry, is caught between the "magical" community to which his father (and Charlotte) belong, and the more mundane world of his mother's family. Here, we see another example of that power, where a single phone call can magically make all of Strike's tabloid troubles disappear. 

While waiting for the lawyer to call back, Strike and his father have a chance to drink some no-alcohol beers and enjoy some delicious sandwiches, courtesy of Tala, the housekeeper. More importantly. they have their first conversation in 24 years, and Strike does indeed learn some new information, though more about Leda and her relationship with Rokeby than about "all her fuckin' men." I have a couple of lists compiled for this chapter: first, the parts that really tugged at the heartstrings and supplied us with at least some of the "stuff" Strike has never known and second, some signs that make me worry that Rokeby may never get that second beer with his eldest son. So, I'll start with 10 good reasons to love this chapter. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-Read., Chapters 101-104; An Eventful Monday.

As is typical during the last 10-15% of a Strike book, the action starts to pick up considerably. Case in point is this Monday, March 7th. We've already had Strike heading out early to avoid Robin, Strike and Robin snapping at each other on the phone and the restoration of Cormoranda to the main fish tank. Before the day is over, Strike will have traveled to Hereford, Yeovil and back to London, spoken to three different people about the case, heard from Fergus Robertson about Culpepper's latest screed and been forced to have his first meeting with Jonny Rokeby in 24 years. Robin, for her part, will watch Plug, drive to interview Faber Whitehead, fight off an attacker in the car and have a lengthy visit to the police station. This is a very full day. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-read, Chapters 99-100: Potential in-laws and a tiny, sparkling shackle.

Dammit, it's just not fair. Ted and Joan would have made delightful boyfriend's parents/potential in-laws, but they died before Robin could even meet them. Instead, she's gotten stuck with first the Cunliffes and now the Murphys: a persnickety mother and a loud-mouthed lush of a father. Plus, most likely horrible aunts, too. We all remember Auntie Sue from the wedding; if Strike and Robin are going to solve a Yorkshire murder next book, I continue to nominate her for the victim. Although we haven't met Mrs. Murphy's sister, she presumably knew were coming to stay with her and didn't warn RFM, so I don't think much of her, either. 

But, I must say, I like the opening sentence of Chapter 99:

Several things happened in quick succession the following morning to thoroughly destabilise Robin.

This could be the epigraph for the entire book.