The Hallmarked Man Part 7: Spoilers in Chapter 1-92.

Finally, I am seeing more about what I love about this series. Strike underwent a bit of transformation on Sark. His pursuit of Robin that he began planning in this book has, until now, been all about what he wants. For the first time, he considered what was good for Robin, and, for her sake,  passed up his golden opportunity. That is actually the Strike Robin (and book fans) fell in love with.  Hopefully, Strike and Robin will be able to return to this lovely island in season in the future....  it sounds like a lovely honeymoon destination. 

Soooooo satisfying to see Robin assert her authority as a partner in the agency and give Kim the dressing down she deserves. It's nice to see that, in addition to being an obnoxious personality, she's likely not a very good investigator. 

I wonder how many Harry Potter fans caught the pun in Chapter 82:  "This is getting grim," when Strike is talking about the "black monster" of a dog. In case anyone does not believe this is intentional, there is another pun on the name of the "Barking" district of London, and Strike also says that "We're supposed to be able to work magic." In case we have reason to hate Plug more, he feeds a couple of puppies to the beast.  I was reminded of how the hateful brother Tom drowned Nan's kittens in Maid of the Silver Sea. 

So, the possibility of either Reata or Jolanda, more likely Jolanda, still being alive has been raised  Jolanda would be about 24 now, if she is alive. Cosima seems to be closest in age to her. Sapphire is clearly too young, despite the fact that the "blue" and "violet" names are a good match. 

C'mon, Galbraith, of all the details about Strike's past we want to know, how his nose got broken was low on the list. We could have guessed boxing was involved. 

Strike tells the real-life story of the mine collapse that inspired the one that killed Old Tom in MoSS. But, I was disappointed to see them travel by tractor instead of by horse cart. 

RFM is pretty clueless about what should be discussed by phone call or text and when is appropriate to have those discussions. But his messages about Robin's emotional distance are spot on.  

Much relief to replace Kim Cochran with Wardle. I'm delighted to see Strike resist her attempts to entice him--  Half of me wonders if she made up the suicide story and scratched her own face; in any case, the nude was clearly no accident. I'll be referring to her henceforth as the Kimphomaniac.  

The fact the Murphy's water bottle contained booze did not come as a surprise to many. I was among the many that hope Robin would leave Ryan because she realized she did not love him, not because he did something, but I am certainly thankful this put a halt on the cohabitation and hopeful it will end the relationship entirely. 

I think Marco Ricci's age of "fortyish" is wong.  Though younger than Luca, I thought he was at least a teen at the time Margot Bamborough disappeared (old enough to participate in crimes) 42 years ago, which would make him at least mid-fifties. He also had a grandchild at the time of TB

Connections to even-numbered books: 

• Finally, Robin buys Strike a collapsible walking stick!!!  I noticed there was no memory of the forgotten stick as "the one Robin had previously bought for him, so perhaps some editor has finally been alerted to this multi-book error.  As detailed here: Strike bought the first cane for himself in The Silkworm, then made erroneous references to Robin buying it for him in both Lethal White and The Ink Black Heart, This follows the pattern of his knee always hurting him worse in the even-numbered books. 
• At least, the next time he remembers Robin buying him a stick, he will be right, 
• While Strike snores regularly, the other times he has fallen asleep sitting up and drooling were in The Silkworm (Ch 4, on the couch in the office), at the wedding speeches (Lethal White) and on the train to St. Mawes (Troubled Blood). 
• This is the fourth even-numbered book where Strike or Robin enters a secondary residence of the victim and finds his body. (Quine, Chiswell, Morehouse).  I nominate Jeff Whittaker for this part in Book 10. 

The Silkworm:

• The Pescatori, where Strike dined with Liz Tassel, had a rowing boat over the bar, while the Bel Air pub had a bar made of a rowing boat. 
• Picture of Jonny Rokeby in a pub. 

Lethal White:

• Man on plan assumed Strike is Robin's husband; doctor in hospital assumed Robin was Strike's wife and Jack's mother. Neither corrected the error. 
• The talk over spaghetti in Sark reminded me more of the breakdown on the verge than any other of the great Strellacott moments to date, with her breaking down crying after a phone communication for a reason that is initially not apparent to Strike, and him offering the comfort she needs--- without the romantic overtures she doesn't need at that moment. 
• The Bel Air pub reminds Strike of the Victory. 
• Other than the fact she did not decide to end the relationship immediately and saying she loves him, the discovery of Ryan's booze played out much like the discovery of Sarah's earring:  Robin does some methodical fact-finding, packs her bag, confronts the culprit, who cries, and then leaves. 

The Ink Black Heart: 

• Robin cooks for Strike as they spend the night in a residence, in separate rooms in second beds. 

Connections to #5 books

 Troubled Blood:

• Cooking and grinding up bones before burying them was also a trademark of Dennis Creed. 
• An over-tired Strike fell asleep when Robin was talking to him on the plane here and in the car ride from Cornwall in TB. 
• Strike has difficulty boarding and exiting a ferry because of his prosthesis. 
• Picture of Jonny Rokeby at a pub. 
• Strike sustains a face injury, similar to the black eyes Robin got. 
• Robin tells Strike about her uncertainty about having children, using very similar language to what she said to him on Whiskey Night. 
• A Ricci is encountered.