I remember Galbraith saying once that Charlotte's death was originally planned for Book 8. That may explain why there is so much focus on her family and her history--- I really wish we could move on from her. This additional backstory about Charlotte would have been more interesting when she was alive.
A lot of people predicted a major row with Linda and Robin, and it certainly happened. I'm not sure anything was resolved, though. Nor did we see if they reconciled. Finally, I think Linda is re-writing history a bit. In CoE she seemed to, if anything, be encouraging Robin to stay with the Flobberworm.
Well, my prediction of a Christmas from hell certainly came through in spades. We can see another indication of Strike and Robin's compatibility and she recalls the whiskeys with Strike. Drinking with Strike when she's stressed out helps; drinking without him does not.
Nice to see Matthew looking not-so-well: overweight, grey, smoking, while Robin's with a Paul Newman lookalike. He doesn't seem thrilled about another baby, either.
Trivia: Rowntree was named after the local Yorkshire chocolate company; Betty is likely named for the Harrogate bake shop.
The scene of Robin opening her Christmas gift and thanking Strike across the miles was worth the annoyances that have, thus far, made this my least favorite of the series to date.
Connections to even-numbered books:
- With the exception of the Masonic orb, the Robin and the Land Rover, all the charms on the bracelet that relate to cases come from the books predicted by Double Wedding Band: the Houses of Parliament (4), Skegness (5), sheep (6, conversation at the Ritz), Libra (also 5). I guess this is a partial effect of the more horrific nature of the mysteries of the other books: severed legs and gutted corpses don't make for very whimsical charms. But we should also remember that the Land Rover was introduced in Book 2 when Linda picked Robin up at the train station for Mrs. Cunliffe's funeral.
- Robin makes a gift of Cornish food to Strike and he is touched.
- Strike goes to a party he dreads at Lucy's. Of all the people from Strike's past to turn up, Marguerite was last on my list. She once again gets a hungry gleam in her eye at the prospect of Strike.
- We learned Robin's local was the Bay Horse in LW and get to visit it here.
- Strike recalls the horse race trip with Charlotte, Valentine and Sacha.
- Linda's "You don't have children, you don't understand" is exactly what she said to Strike at the wedding reception.
- Robin's birthday sweater selected by Jenny makes a reappearance.
- Murphy gets Robin opal earrings to match the necklace given to her on her 30th.
- Both Strike and Robin have terrible Christmases, but this time it is Robin who throws up in a toilet; Strike gets away with just having his shoes splattered. Robin gets even drunker than she did when texting Saul Morris.
- In the meantime, Kim is behaving like Saul by sending Strike inappropriate texts. She doesn't g as far as sending an actual nude but....
- After the dinner party row over porn in TB, Strike has to spend a day researching it. We even get a "some women like porn" echo of Courtney, from Marguerite, of all people. Toss-up as to who is the more annoying dinner guest.
- Lucy told Strike that Luke had told all his friends Strike would be at his birthday party. He shows off Strike to a couple of friends at Lucy's Christmas party.
- Strike's experiences in the bathroom at the Christmas party echo Robin's at Flick's.
- Tabloid newspaper now printing outright lies stories about out hero.
- Robin suggests Strike speak to another journalist to get the truth out there. This is like Hermione suggesting Harry give an interview to Rita Skeeter.
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