One of the
Hallmarked Man hints we have gotten from Twitter is that Dean Martin's "Silver Bells" will be significant, which, along with the hypothesized dates (late 2015 to at least February 2016) makes us think we will be celebrating Christmas with our favorite detectives in Book 8. I am really hoping it will be a happier holiday than we have seen before. In
The Silkworm, we saw the lead-up to Christmas, including Strike buying revenge gifts for his nephews and Timothy Anstis, and even decorated a tree with Kath and Pippa. Our heroes were heading off to presumably enjoyable holidays with their families in St. Mawes and Masham at the end, but we don't see the celebration itself. In
The Ink Black Heart, Christmas itself was glossed over, with Strike going to St. Mawes but Robin volunteering to stay in London. Though we get to see how they spend New Years, we don't see any Yuletide festivities of the team in London or learn what our heroes got each other for presents.
So far, the only time we have actually seen a Christmas Day is in Troubled Blood, and, frankly, it sucks for both of them, with Strike and Robin physically apart and both miserable for their own reasons. I was really hoping Robin would dump Ryan at the start of THM, and Christmas would see the start of them as a couple, but given the cover blurb, that seems unlikely. But, I am guessing that, as in TB, we'll see some sort of drama on the day itself. Maybe Murphy will surprise Robin with an engagement ring in her stocking? Perhaps Ted, who will likely be residing in a London care home, will spill some Strike, Nancarrow or Rokeby secret over a turkey dinner at Lucy's? At the very least, I hope Pat will be handing out tins of her famous fruitcake.
