The Running Grave Initial Read-Through: Complete!!! Total Spoilers. Analysis through Part 5. (Ch 1-77)

So, my vow to savor the experience lasted about two days.  Once I hit chapter 64 I pretty much couldn't stop.  I sat up most of the night reading, finally couldn't keep my eyes open any more, fell asleep about 7 and woke up this morning to finish it.  Wow is all I can say.  I am going to go through my own notes for the full book before listening to any podcasts, just so I can keep by own ideas in my head, but I can't wait to start discussion with other fans. 

Spoilers in Blue:  

The Running Grave Initial Read-Through, Part 5. Spoilers Through Chapter 58

 As always, spoilers in Blue.

The Running Grave Initial Read-Through: Part 4; Spoilers for Chapters 1-41

More analysis in my slow and steady read through.  Spoilers in Blue. 

The Running Grave Initial Read-Through: Part 3, Spoilers for Chapters 1-31.

Spoilers in BLUE, as always. 

The Running Grave Initial Read-Through, Part 2, Spoilers for Chapters 1-22

As always. SPOILERS in BLUE.  

The Running Grave Initial Read-Through Part 1: Spoilers for Chapters 1-16

 I started to listen to the audiobook as of 8 this morning, with a cup of Yorkshire tea and a slice of coffee-walnut cake to go with it, I went straight to chapter 11 to finish that up, but with plasns to backtrack and listen to Robert Glenister's brilliant narration from the start.  A reminder that all post headings will contain the chapters included in the spoiler warnings, and everything with any TRG spoilers will be written in Blue Text. Please no spoilers past Chapter 16 in the comments. 

Cormoran Strike Recipes: Which ones have you tried?

 "I like that one a whole lot about them German kids going out in the forest and coming to this house made out of all different kinds of candy and the witch. I like a story with something to eat in it."

"I’ll look for one," said Mick.

"But I’m getting kinda tired of candy," Bubber said. "See if you can’t bring me a story with something like a barbeque sandwich in it."

-Carson McCullers, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

If anyone has listened to the podcasts I've done about Harry Potter and food, you know that I am fond of recreating the foods from my favorite book series. From the lamb stew of The Hunger Games to the Dauntless Chocolate Cake of Divergent, I have enjoyed preparing foods inspired by the books while reading or re-reading. 

Cormoran Strike books pose a bit of a challenge, given that our heroes dine out so much. I don't have much confidence in my ability to make good fish 'n chips, Singapore noodles or lamb bhuna in my own kitchen.  

Still, there are some examples of home-cooked good in the series, so I am going to try a couple of new recipes in honor of The Running Grave publication this Tuesday. 

Cynthia Phipps' Coffee and Walnut Cake. I have never been particularly fond of nuts in cake, and I never managed to find any on a menu in last summer's UK trip but since this was Anna's favorite as a child, I figured I'd give it a try. I'm going to try this recipe, and trust the characterization as a "British classic."  I purchased "caster sugar" and stopped by a local coffeehouse for a double shot of expresso, so I hope this will be authentic. I also got some coffee ice cream to go with it in case it turns out a but dry. And, I've got authentic Betty's tea to wash it down with. 

Max's Beef Casserole.  It might seem perilous to attempt to emulate any aspect of the Valentine's Day Dinner Party from Hell, but the image of Wolfgang sitting forlornly in front of the oven, begging for a taste, won me over. Best I can tell, in the UK, "beef cassrole' is a beef stew cooked in the oven, which sounds better than the hot dishes (often made with a can of cream-of-something soup) that are often called casseroles in the US.  I'm trying this recipe from the BBC. It is served with a kale-mash potato side, which hasn't turned up in Strike yet, but probably should; it would be healthier than chips, anyway. 

Like a lot of Americans, I have a bias against fruitcake. But, Pat's confection has apparently impressed Strike. Robyn, a reader of one of my previous blog posts recommended Mary Berry's recipe as a good example of a British fruitcake, and the type Pat might very well make, so I may eventually try it. I am a big fan of the British Baking Show. I think I'll wait until closer to the Christmas season. 

As for drinks, I don't care for beer (even if Doom Bar was available here, which it isn't) or triple measures of neat whisky, which Strike and Robin seem to be downing quite a bit of over the last couple of books, so I will probably stick with coffee or creosote-colored tea.

Update:  I don't plan to make these anytime soon, since the coffee-walnut cake is enough for the week, but eventually I should try the DPFH desserts. 

Max's Cheesecake:  I love cheesecake, especially with sour cream topping. I like the idea of trying a "digestive biscuit" crust instead of the American graham cracker version. Max, as a BBC drama star, would probably seek out a recipe like this. 

Vegan (?) Lemon tart:  We never did get a definitive answer to Courtney's query about whether the lemon tart was vegan. Understandably, satisfying that particular guest's dietary needs wasn't a high priority for Robin under the circumstances. Still, if Courtney did get a bite of dessert that fateful night, it might have been something like this. 

Update 2:  

Lucy's Banana Bread Cake:  As my good friend Lana Whited pointed out, the confection Lucy serves her brother, sons and husband is alternately called banana bread or banana cake.  Is it an actual gaffe (such as the hot beverage Cynthia Phipps serves with her famous coffee-walnut cake magically transfiguring between coffee and tea) or something that bridges the gap? I'm going to go with the latter and try this recipe. 

Baba Graves' Victoria sponge cake: I'm in Chapter 42 of The Running Grave, which has, so far, been pretty devoid of good food. I don't think the UHC will be raising funds by cookbook sales anytime soon. But Strike got some good cake at Garvestone House and I think I'll try this recipe once my coffee-walnut cake is done. 

Mrs. Heaton's lemon drizzle cake:  Strike was pretty annoyed at the circus-like atmosphere ifor his interview at Casa Heaton, but the cake he got out of it at least soounded good. I'll assume it is something like this recipe from Mary Berry. 

Are there any other Strike-inspired recipes you have made or are interested in making?  If so, please share!

Psychogenic Spasms, Another Darcy, Mr. Massoumi, a Bonus Pedophile and the Killer Revealed: The Ink Black Heart Readalong Finale: Chapters 95-Coda (Part 8 of 8)

Anomie confronts Worm28 in the moderators' chat, tells her Hartella has left and demands to know whether she recognizes Strike's and Robin's pictures, insisting he plans to "Ledwell and Blay" them and also that Paperwhite will be disappearing. Meanwhile, the morning after the Mad-tantrum, Strike makes several routine case-based calls, while working up the nerve to call Robin and tell her he wants her to stay at the hotel and work on what she thinks is pointless Twitter-tracking, instead of tracking one of the many suspects that need watching. Please note that his leg was twitching both when he composed the email to her and in the follow-up phone call; a sure sign of the stress these communications are causing him. 

Once again, Robin backs down pretty quickly, as if she had forgotten the aftermath of their Mucky Ricci blow-up, where he agreed she would take the same risks he would. Again, I'll assume she gave in to be sure he would get the treatment he needs for his leg. 

Strike gets bad news in the hospital and is told to stay of his leg for four to six weeks, instead of his usual one. While he gets the prescription pain-killers he wanted. Strike is also diagnosed with psychogenic, stress-related muscle spasms, not only in his leg but also in his face. of course, he assures the doctor he was not under any more stress than usual, failing to mention Madeline, his confrontation with the Rosses, and the fact that he nearly got blown up in the office bombing. Don't London doctors watch the local news?

The Annotated Three Broomsticks: Re-Listening to the Predictions Podcast in the Light of the Preview, Part 2. Spoilers for The Running Grave Chapters 1-11

 I am continuing on my annotations of the spoiler-free Three Broomsticks Predictions Podcasts, time-stamping sections and commenting on them in light of the 11-chapter preview. I invite you to listen and read along, if you have read the preview or if you don't mind spoilers, which, as always, are written in BLUE. 

The Annotated Three Broomsticks: Re-Listening to the Predictions Podcast in the Light of the Preview, Part 1. Spoilers for The Running Grave Chapters 1-11

When I recorded the Three Broomsticks Podcast's Prediction Episode for The Running Grave, I was asked not to say anything about the 53-page preview that had, by then, been released.  I had to bite my tongue a few times. naturally.  As I was listening to the podcast today, I kept coming up with bits and pieces of the now 11-chapter preview; and things I would have loved to say.  So, I decided to go through and put together some time-stamped notes where I could add to or re-think predictions and other story elements in light of what we know now, from the preview. So, without further ado, SPOILERS in BLUE. Just be forewarned: Irvin predicts more deaths than Sybil Trelawney when off her anti-depressants. 

Rachel, Cambridge, the Charlie/Yasmin Stupidity Contest and a Madwoman's Swan Song: The Ink Black Heart Read-along: Chapters 82-94 (Part 7 of 8)

As is typical as we enter the last quarter of a Strike book. the pace picks up. Strike and Robin leave their nice seaside hotel for Leeds, eager to speak to Rachel Ledwell, aka Fiendy1. I am reminded here of their first CoE road-trip to Barrow-in-Furness, where Strike also skipped the full English breakfast and instead swiped a flask full of coffee and a pocketful of Danish from the breakfast buffet. At that time, Strike was concerned about saving money, given the threat the severed leg had posed to his business. Here, the issue for him is calories. The office bombing may be stressful, but no one seems to have the same worries about losing business because of it. 

Dev reports what he has learned from the Ross's nanny.  I must admit, I am curious to know what Charlotte has actually done to her children and step-children. The nanny states that neither Ross is fit to be a parent and the eldest stated on social media that her step-mother is as bad as her father. We know Charlotte has not hesitated to physically attack Strike; is it possible that she also physically abuses the children?

I must admit, I find this part a little puzzling:

His thoughts lingered on the way Robin had taken charge of this particular line of inquiry. If he was absolutely honest with himself, this was the first time he’d seen her as a true partner, an equal. She’d secured the interview through her own ingenuity, then taken charge of how the interview was to unfold, telling him, effectively, that he was surplus to requirements.

This seems a bit backwards to me.  He has been calling her "partner" since the end of The Silkworm, and in Troubled Blood. he left her in charge of the agency for long periods when he was tending to Joan in Cornwall. She secured the Jason and Tempest interviews on her own back in Lethal White, and arranged for the Creed interview on her own, taking the initiative to seek out governmental contacts via Izzy Chiswell and tracking down and interviewing Brian Tucker without consulting Strike. It seems to me that he was considering her an equal well before this. 

Strike Prediction Episode on the Three Broomsticks Podcast.

 

I was privileged several weeks ago to join Beatrice Groves and Nick Jeffery to record a predictions episode for The Running Grave, with particular emphasis on Harry Potter and how a deep reading of that series informs our understanding of the world of Strike and Robin.  No spoilers and no mention of anything in the preview, so should be safe for all readers. 

The episode dropped today and is available here.  Please tune in!  10 days to go!

Many thanks to Irvin Khaytman (who has exquisite taste in hats!) and Sophia Jenkins for the opportunity. 

Following Prudence's Book Recommendations: Book One . Spoilers for The Running Grave Preview, Chapters 1-11

The following is my take on one of the cult psychology texts mentioned in The Running Grave, and what we see echoed in the depiction of the UHC in the first 11 chapters.  Spoilers to follow, and are written in BLUE.  

Disclaimer:  I have a doctorate in psychology and taught it at the university level for 23 years. I am also a licensed behavior analyst, and thus have an academic background in the science of behavior change.  I am not, however, certified in either clinical or counseling psychology. 

The Awesomeness of Pat, Chicken Dinner, and "There's Someone at My Door." The Ink Black Heart Read-along, Chapters 71-81. (Part 6 of 8).

Since we left off with the explosion, I wanted to pick up with how totally awesome I thought Pat was in this part of the book. Not only do we get to see her think on her feet and respond promptly in a way that likely saved both her and Strike's lives, we get to learn a little more about her background. She mentioned that she had an uncle who died in a bombing at a pub in Woolwich in 1974*.  By my calculations, Pat would have been about 16 in 1974, a difficult age to experience death, particularly the senseless "wrong place at the wrong time" type of death that such terrorist attacks bring. 

I was also impressed by how professional she sounded on the phone. While most people would yell, panic-stricken, "we've been bombed!" Pat said, with remarkable calmness, "‘Strike Detective Agency here, Denmark Street. We’ve been sent an explosive device and it’s exploded." In addition:

• She quickly recognized hissing as a warning sign of a bomb
• She knew immediately to run and seek shelter behind Strike's heavy wooden door, not the one with the glass window that led to the landing.

This leads me to wonder if she has had some sort of training in emergency preparedness specifically for this situation. Perhaps instruction in how to recognize and respond to postal bombs was commonplace for someone who started a career as an office manager during the Troubles, just like US teachers have to be taught how to handle active shooter situations now?  In any case, this extraordinary competence, in juxtaposition with her other more mundane concerns like losing her e-cigarette and her freshly cleaned coat getting dirty, really have me cheering for her. As the CID officer said, "Well, if everyone had your powers of observation and quick reactions, Mrs Chauncey, our jobs would be a hell of a lot easier."

It is also good to see Strike realize what an asset he has in her; can you imagine what would have happened if a temp like CoE's Denise had been opening the mail? His concern for her seems to be enough, at least for now, to squelch his own trauma reaction, which, given his own bombing in the Army, we would expect to be a concern. Remember, in Cuckoo's Calling, he had a flashback to the IED triggered by flashbulbs from paparazzi cameras.

Safe Places to Discuss the Elusive 11-chapter The Running Grave Preview? List them here. Spoilers for Chapters 1-11.

The Running Grave preview releases have been odd, to be sure. First, on August 9th, almost two months before publication, an Amazon preview of six chapters showed up, only to be revoked a couple of days later.  Then, on September 7th. a 11- chapter preview appeared, and again, vanished quickly. While there are certainly screen-shot copies floating around on fan groups, many people in many parts of the world did not get a chance to read it, and so a lot of social media sites and podcasts are keeping quiet about the contents, for now, in deference to those readers. Indeed, many of the Serious Strikers I know are staying off social media right now, not wanting to see spoilers for parts they haven't read or,, worse, have their experience ruined by internet Anomies determined to spoil others' fun. 

Spoilers ahead. 

Philodendrons, Flavia, Hugh Jackass, Highgate and Kaboom!: The Ink Black Heart Read-along: Ch. 58-70 (Part 5 of 8)

    

Part Four opens with a long and, in retrospect, very sad moderator's chat between Paperwhite and Morehouse. Morehouse has become convinced that Anomie was the attacker on Vilepechora, and is quite worried that he stabbed Edie and Josh. He is worried both for his own safety and, once Paperwhite tells him that Anomie knows her identity, for hers, too. We see Anomie at his manipulative best here, as Paperwhite convinces Morehouse to stay with the game and "keep Anomie sweet" while they work out a plan.

After giving a statement to the police after the attempted murder in the Tube, Strike has a date night with Madeline. but is too distracted to engage emotionally with her. He notes that Red Soles' tattoo was a Viking rune called algiz, and that the Al Gizzard twitter account has been deleted. In the morning, Strike takes calls from Dev Shah, who has captured some video of Jago Ross assaulting his daughter. and Katya, who reports that Josh Blay is well enough to be interviewed. 

Strike can't stand being around the Madwoman any more, so he lies about Dev's wife breaking her wrist in order to get away from her. After calling Robin to tell her about the hospital appointment to see Josh, he finds her upset by the news that her father has had a heart attack, and trying to complete her move alone. In a reversal of what she did for him in LW when Jack was in the hospital, he shows up to assist her, bearing groceries and a philodendron plant that is definitely not flowers. Philodendron, which means "tree hugger," can have a variety of symbolic meanings, from health and abundance to renewal and kindness to, yes, love and appreciation. Robin is as delighted and touched to see him in front of her building as he was to see her framed in the hospital ward door. 

Robin’s emotions hadn’t caught up and she was still struggling not to cry when she turned at long last into Blackhorse Road.Only when she turned into the parking area beside the block containing her new flat did she spot Strike standing beside the main door, a potted plant in one hand and a full bag of Tesco’s shopping in the other. The sight was so incongruous, yet so welcome, that Robin gave a little gasp of laughter, which turned immediately into a sob. 

Queen City Mischief and Magic: A Must for Virginia Magic Lovers

 

Magic lovers in the vicinity of Staunton, VA should get their robes and wands ready for the 8th Annual Queen City Mischief and Magic Festival.  Staunton is one of the most beautiful small towns in the USA and for one weekend each September, it transforms into a magical village, complete with dragons, mermaids, owls and butterbrew. I have been involved with festival planning since the inception in 2016, but this year I am celebrating my first year as Professor Emerita and attending as a plain old guest, along wth a few young friends. 

I've given some Cormoran Strike talks at the festival in years past. but I am taking a break from academic programming this year. Still, if any Farting Sofa Fans are planning to drop by, drop me a private email. I'm happy to pack a flask of creosote-colored Betty's tea and some coffee-walnut cake to share. 

The Neuroscience of Brown-Séquard Syndrome: is Katya Inhibiting Josh's Recovery?

Given that my doctoral training is in neuroscience, I am always delighted when some neurological condition turns up in a book. For a detective series written by a non-scientist, the Cormoran Strike books have been an amazingly rich source, with phantom limb syndrome, BIID, and even a brief mention of Capgras syndrome.  

So it was exciting to see that Brown-Séquard syndrome was featured in The Ink Black Heart.  But how accurate is it?  Does it alone account for the symptoms Josh Blay has? And how do you wind up paralyzed on one side and without feeling on the other, anyway?

First, yes, Brown-Séquard syndrome is a thing, though is is very rare, happening in less that 4% of all spinal cord injuries. It was first described by Charles Éduoard Brown-Séquard in 1850. Brown-Sequard, a figured well-known in my own sub-field of hormones and behavior,  had highs and lows in his career. He is often remembered for some now-discredited self-experiments he performed late in life, claiming that an extract from animal testicles that he self-administered increased his physical strength, mental acuity and the length of his urine stream. However, he would perhaps be more fairly remembered for two earlier contributions. First, his work with the adrenal glands provided some of the first evidence for the existence of hormones: a tremendously important discovery that help launch the field of endocrinology. Second, his research on spinal cord anatomy showed that different modalities are carried by different tracts in the cord, and led to the description of the syndrome that now bears his name. 

Brown-Séquard syndrome produces its odd collection of symptoms because it involves a hemisection of the spinal cord: in other words, a cut through half of it. The first thing to understand is that different parts of the cord carry different sensory and motor signals. Fibers that carry motor commands from brain to muscle travel in the lateral corticospinal tract (see blue on picture to the left). Fibers that carry pain and temperature signals from skin to brain travel in the spinothalamic tract (red). And fibers that carry information about vibration, pressure and limb position (which is very important for reaching for objects, walking, etc) are carried in the posterior column (green). 

Book launch for new Star Wars volume tomorrow!

 My good friends and Potter scholars Emily Strand and Amy Sturgis are presenting on their new edited volume: Star Wars: Essays on a Galaxy Far, Far Away at an online book launch tomorrow.  I'll be there and I hope those of you who appreciate fantasy and pop-culture scholarship will also tune in. 

May the Force Be With You!

Master List of The Running Grave errors: Please list any you spot! Spoilers.

 For years, I helped compile and archive continuity, factual, anachronistic or logical errors that crop up in the Strike books.  I'm going t continue that on this new site for The Running Grave.  This is a task that takes a village, so I invite anyone who spies something off to comment, or sent me a private email. Please document your contribution: refer to the previous book or historical event that creates the inconsistency.

Gaffes can be minor, for example, Strike telling his TIBH doctor that his leg was blown off six or seven years ago when it was actually eight, or Robin spying a book in the North Grove bathroom that would not be published for several more years. Sometimes they are major, such as Robin remembering she has only been to two funerals in her life, and forgetting Mrs. Cunliffe's. And sometimes they are oft-repeated, like Strike's referring to his collapsible walking stick as the one Robin bought him when, in The Silkworm, he bought it for himself in a Boots. 

Superstrikers also sometimes see the errors corrected in later editions. 

So, without further ado, let's start the The Running Grave list.  For now, everything will be considered a spoiler and written in BLUE. 

Sixth and Finally-We-Really-Mean-It Final Look at The Running Grave Preview: Spoilers for September 7th release: Chapters 9-11.

 We are back with what I can only assume is the final preview of The Running Grave before its September 26th publication date. Spoilers in BLUE. 

Fifth (and Post-Final?): Look at The Running Grave Preview: Spoilers for September 7th Release: Chapters 7 and 8.

 Wooo-hoo! More preview today!  I'll cover chapters 7 and 8.  As before: Spoilers in BLUE. 

Confrontation in the Gents, RIP Wolfgang, Attacking Cockatoos and Darth Vader: The Ink Black Heart Read-along: Ch. 42-57, (Part 4 of 8)

We are halfway through The Ink Black Heart, and therefore barely two weeks from The Running Grave. 

Strike tracks Wally and Thurisaz to the Ship and Shovell pub, where they meet with an unknown man in a corduroy jacket for what Strike deduces is a recruitment meeting for the Brotherhood of Ultima Thule. After viewing Robin's video, he recognizes Phillip Ormand as the driver of the CBS car that picked up Yasmin. Strike also makes an seemingly random choice that has major consequences when he chooses to tease Robin a bit by not telling her Leeds United has Peacocks as a nickname. Think about it, if Robin had figured out who "Penny Peacock" was a day or so earlier, she might have been able to meet Rachel sooner, and Vikas might not have died. 

Unfortunately,  Strike buggers his leg but good today, first tripping over a tourist's handbag  then by throwing a punch at Thurisaz, who confronted Strike in the gents. As the injured Strike grabs a cab home just in time to escape the Big Rune Guy, Nutley, eager to share his brilliant idea to take notes while on surveillance, gives Strike a report on what sounds like an very personal conversation between Inigo and a woman much younger than Katya.  

Back at Denmark Street, the team is not happy, given that Strike's need to trail Jago Ross and his incapacitation has the agency with more work than they can possibly handle. Strike is concerned enough about the encounter with the Brother of Ultima Thule and possible Halvening Agent to call Ryan Murphy, who fortunately is able to confirm that Strike was not identified. Two notable character moments in this scene:  First, Strike, who right now does not know Murphy has any romantic interest in Robin, appears to be quite friendly towards the guy, as friendly as we've seen him with any Met cop to date. Second, Pat is, for the first time, defending Strike against complaining subcontractors 

This line also jumped out at me on the re-read: "'Darling child' is quite intimate language to use to a mentee," said Strike".  Yeah, but it's even odder for a grown man to be using that term for his lover. I mean, unless you're Tim Ashcroft. 

Robin's election day is disrupted by the very sad death of Wolfgang. Again, it was a bit disappointing not to get a nice friendship moment from Max, after the care and support Robin gave during this difficult time. It was also disturbing to hear that Ilsa, at 16 weeks, was only now telling Nick about the pregnancy, and that the announcement triggered a "massive row" in addition to the celebration of their miracle child one might expect under the circumstances. I am still worried something is going to go wrong in Casa Herbert in the next book. 

Who Accuses Whom in the Anomie Mystery?

In my Ink Black Heart Re-Read, it struck me how many people are sure they know who Anomie is. I finally decided to map it out. 

In short:

• Inigo thinks it's Yasmin
• Yasmin thinks it's Inigo.
• Tim thinks it's Rachel. 
• Katya thinks it's Kea.
• Kea and Wally think it's Pez
• And Pez thinks it's Wally. 

Quite a spiderweb!  

Did I miss anyone? 

Gateshead Exes, Champagne Buttons, German Shepherd #3 and the First Art Class: The Ink Black Heart Read-Along: Ch 25-41. (Part 3 of 8)

Today's section starts off with Charlotte's attempt to hire Strike to dig up dirt on Jago. When he turns her down, she retaliates by spilling the beans about his relationship with Madeline to Robin. And, as Ilsa will tell us, Ms. Campbell-Ross knows exactly what she was doing. When showing her out, Strike smells her Shalimar perfume and "hates the fact that he recognized it." We can rest assured he doesn't feel that way about the scent he bought for Robin. Interesting tibit: the dominant scent of Shalimar is vanilla, which is similar to one of Robin's final two birthday choices--- the one Strike didn't choose. 

The best line of the chapter belongs to Pat:

"She isn’t mentally unstable, though, Pat," said Robin, trying to sound casual, even amused. "Not a Gateshead."

"She is,’"said the office manager in the low croak that passed for her whisper. "I’ve read the papers."

Robin's recognition of the shock and distress she feels upon learning her partner has a girlfriend forces her to face the fact that she is, after all, in love with Strike. Thankfully, she will be able to have a girl-to-girl talk with Ilsa within a few hours, but, in the meantime, she gets the call from Ryan Murphy, and, with impeccable timing, what she assumes is a routine professional exchange of information call turns out to be an offer of a date. The "most romantically inept woman in London" is going to need that champagne button tonight. 

And, hidden in the midst of of Murphy's call is the brief mention of the "out-of-control Alsatian (aka German Shepherd) that will be an important clue later. Interestingly, this is the third mention of this specific dog breed in the series. 

1. Former battered woman Rona Laing (CoE) found safety with her policeman husband and the German Shepherds they bred. 
2. Former battered woman Gloria Conti's (TB) husband walked through her study with a tail-wagging German Shepherd. 
3. But, the IBH out-of-control Alsation* turns up just after the murder, when the abusive and "raging" Phillip Ormand was tracking Edie to Highgate. 

Strike has a quick meet-up with Dev Shah to explain that the agency needs to start surveillance on Jago, and explains why. I was impressed by how upfront Dev was about his concerns and asking for assurance that this isn't an underhanded Mitch Patterson move before he agrees. 

*same breed, "Alsation" is the name the British adopted durine WWII to avoid the "German" part. 

London Travelogue Part 4: Bob Bob Ricard

Our UK trip this summer was a belated 30th anniversary celebration. given the actual anniversary was in 2020, so, on our last night in London, we decided to splurge on a fancy dinner in honor of what was now our 33rd anniversary. Of course, there was one restaurant that topped my list: the site of Robin and Ilsa's heart-to-heart, Bob Bob Ricard. 

We had a delicious, albeit expensive meal. Robin must be making a better salary now if she can not only by a London flat but also dine here. 

Ilsa had chosen tonight’s venue, Bob Bob Ricard, because she’d never been there and always wanted to go: a British-Russian restaurant. 

"They were shown downstairs into a basement room that combined high Victorian opulence with the atmosphere of a nightclub: dramatically lit, with red and gold decor, a floor decorated like a backgammon board." 

Deciphering More Screen Names, Four Men in a Pub, One Delusional Parrot-Girl and..(insert Jaws theme here)... Charlotte! The Ink Black Heart Read-along, Ch. 13-24, (Part 2 of 8)

 

Chapter 13 picks up with Strike visiting Madeline's, and wishing he had picked up that Chinatown takeaway after all. I quite like the interactions with Henry, much more so than the ones with Madeline. Strike has, finally, accepted the role of "mum's boyfriend" and does it quite well, simply treating Henry as he would have wanted to be treated at that age (which was, of course, the year Whittaker arrived at the squat). He is smart enough to realize that it is not realistic for a teenager to be thrilled about a new man in his mother's life. 

As with the Twitter feed, there are a few recognizable names and terms among the viewers of Wally Cardew's Youtube show, which are scrolling by too fast for Strike to read, even if he had been familiar with the characters.

• ArkeTheShadow, who writes "it's OK to celebrate when bad people die" and "Ledwell was a thief and a liar" is presumably Kea Niven, aka RealPaperwhite, with "Arke" as a syllable-reversed "Kea," and "The Shadow" as the opposite of a paper-white ghost. 
• TheFiend, with her "what won't you guys do for views you pos" is Rachel Ledwell,  who, in the last moderators' chat, stormed out in disgust about Anomie's gloating over numbers. 
• Two people invite Wally to check out the Brotherhood of Ultima Thule: TommyEngland14 and the soon-to-be familiar algizzard. Two others have the 88 Brotherhood indicator in their screen names, as Strike does notice and will helpfully recall later.  
• An unknown PokerFac£ asks crudely if Wally has had relations with Kea Niven. 
• The answer, turns out, will be yes. 
• Finally, Lepine's Disciple turns up again, claiming to have killed Edie. 

Seeing Robin alone in Max's flat, crying over Edie and Josh's first video, was touching but depressing, as we know Robin is both feeling bad about not taking the case and remembering the time she and Matthew were smitten in the same way. I wish Max had been there to offer some comfort and friendship. He seemed like a nice person and a potential good friend for Robin in the last book; I was disappointed by the way he largely vanished in this one. As for Hugh Jacks:

1. What was Katie thinking, handing over Robin's address? She may be demoted from "favorite cousin." 
2. Why would he think that dog-drooling is in any way appealing?
3. It is amusing that both our heroes have now gotten dog-themed cards for people they would prefer never to hear from again. 

Part Two picks up a month later with indicators that all is not "fine" with Strike and the Madwoman (yaaaaay!) and that Strike is still toying with the idea of meeting his half-sister Prudence. The lengthy article on the Halvening introduces that organization and their claim to be responsible for Edie's death. Meanwhile, Robin is tailing Groomer and Legs to an art museum, which gives an opportunity to explain the Christian significance of the pelican that will turn up on Edie's favorite grave. Robin is obviously excited at the prospect of paid work for a case in which she is still intensely interested.