Taking an interbook break: and a special announcement.

I had tremendous fun with the real-time re-read of The Hallmarked Man, and picked up a lot of great comments, new subscribers and new insights in the process. Though it didn't move THM out of last place for me, I did gain a new appreciation of the mental health challenges that both out protagonists have been facing. 

I've been pondering my next blogging steps and concluded that I need to take a break from regular blogging for a time. I am working on a post on all the Cupid and Psyche pointers that were seen in THM, and puzzling over why so many of them point at Strike rather than Robin, but I clearly need some time to compose something coherent out of those natterings. I had thought of doing a read-through through C.S. Lewis's Til We Have Faces, but I see from the headlines that Nick and John are already discussing that at hogwartsprofessor and those two know collectively more about the Inklings than I ever will.* And, while I am eager to do another read-through of Career of Evil, one of the books that I did not re-read in preparation for THM, but which turned out to have multiple connections, I am not quite up to plunging into my second-least-favorite book of the series after so many weeks poring over THM. 

That, plus the multiple work, travel, non-blogging writing projects and family obligations currently on my plate, means I am going to step away from regular blogging for the next few months, and possibly through the summer. I'll continue to keep an eye on social media for any new Evangeline hints, and comment if something amazing like the charm bracelet arises. But, my life will change in a major way in early August, when I become a grandmother for the first time, so it seems wise to deprioritize blogging and focus on other aspects of my life, for now. 

I'll be back when I have time to say more.  Thank you, dear readers, for taking the Hallmarked Express with me for the last six months. 

*Note, I have neither read the posts nor watched their videos. so I can't say anything about what the discussion is like. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-Time Re-read Wrap-up: Was it better this time through? Yes, but it's still the worst in the series, and here's why.

A recent Reddit poll ranked The Hallmarked Man last of the eight Strike books, and, if I recall correctly, it wasn't a particularly close vote. A lot of THM fans insist, it's better when you re-read, and I think that is absolutely true. Then again, that's true of all of the Strike series, and RG/JKR's other works as well. Part of the huge success of the Harry Potter series can be attributed to the details uncovered as kids and adults read them again and again. One reason I think the Strike books will never hit that level of popularity is that they are marketed squarely in the mystery category. Many adults do not read whodunnits more than once, since the thrill for them is gone once you know whodunnit. 

I've read or listened to the earlier Strike books dozens of times. I've lost track of how many times I've re-read THM, but, given that I read each section at least 2-3 times when doing a detailed blog-through like the one I have just completed, it must be six or seven by now. Did THM improve on re-reading?  Yes, absolutely. Did it, for me, lift itself out of last place? No, it didn't.  For this summary I have re-read not the book but all of my detailed blog posts, from the Advent Adventure to the Real-time Re-read, for the purposes of summarizing what changed for me and what didn't. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-read Finale, Chapters 126-127: A margarine tub and--- some broccoli?

The Hallmarked Man closed on April 7th, 2017. I am closing my in-depth re-read exactly nine years later. It's been a great ride and I am thankful to all who have followed since the start of The Hallmarked Man Advent Adventure back in early December. 

My plan is to review the last two chapters here. Then, later in the week, I'll post a round-up on how my impressions changed with the re-read, and where I think The Hallmarked Man stacks up in relationship to the rest of the series 

“In a way," said Decima Mullins, "I feel as though he did die.”

Thus begins Chapter 126, possibly the saddest closing wrap-up in the series. We already know the sad endings to two of the Wright candidates, with Semple's suicide and Powell's brutal murder. We see Decima here, wishing she'd never have found out the truth about her son't parentage and still clearly having strong feelings and desire for the man that she can never have. The best they can hope for is a platonic relationship as they strive to raise their child together and debate for the next dozen years or so whether it would be better or worse for him to know the truth about his parentage. The only comfort Strike can give her is the knowledge that her persistence in pursuing the case revealed the truth about both Semple and Powell, and, perhaps more importantly, rescued Sapphire Neagle from a terrible fate. Strike and Robin, naturally, promise never to reveal the secret about the incest and fortunately, mouthy subcontractors like KFC never found out. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-Time Re-read, Chapters 124-125: From burial to bougainvillea.

"Engraved with the regimen's winged dagger badge"

I must say, I really love Chapter 124, the first in the Epilogue. Eleven days have passed since the way-overblown confrontation with the sliced-off ear and the bottle of whiskey. Not only do we see Strike actually behaving sensibly here, but we get perhaps the best glimpse so far in the series as to what he must have been like as a soldier. 

Eleven days after Ian Griffiths and friends had been taken into custody, and Strike and Sapphire Neagle had been driven by ambulance to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, Strike donned his only black suit in his attic flat, and drove, again, to Hereford.

We learn that Strike had correctly deduced that Niall Semple had committed suicide by jumping off the Regents' Park Bridge, with a weighted-down briefcase shackled to his wrist. His widow, Jade, has invited Strike to attend the funeral, and Strike feels he should do this, rather than accompany Robin on her trip to "tidy away the last fragment of the silver vault case." 

Strike and Robin Timelines updated after the re-read of The Hallmarked Man

 

Last January, I did a quick update of the Strike and Robin Pre- and Inter-book Timelines I have maintained for several years. Now that I am nearly done with The Hallmarked Man Real-time re-read, I have again updated both documents. 

The new Strike timeline is available here. 

The new Robin timeline is available here. 

Along with those I have a new timeline of Charlotte Campbell's life pre-Cuckoo's Calling. set up as a blog post. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-Read, Chapters 121-123: An over-the-top confrontation for an over-the-top crime.

It's the evening of Thursday, March 21, and Strike has returned to Ironbridge. Fasten your seatbelts for three intense and rather gruesome chapters. 

Night had fallen by the time Strike decided it was safe for him to re-enter the small town that had seemed so quaintly beautiful by daylight.

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-Read, Chapters 116-120: Visual ambiguities, Chekhov's priest and a series of interrupted phone calls.

The Hallmarked Man is winding down, which means the chapters get shorter and the pacing gets faster. In Chapter 116, it's the evening of the terrorist attack. 

Robin was at home, alone. Night had fallen, her curtains were closed, her door double-locked, her alarm on, and the dining room chair was still propped beneath the handle of the front door.

Fortunately, her anxiety is lifted by a call from Midge, who shows that listening to a recorded interview is the next best thing to being there. We learn first that Wright was kind enough to help the Mohamed family with their daughter's wheelchair. Even better, Robin's speculations about the weights were right on the money. 

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. 

Which Came First, the Title or the Song? Could the Cocteau Twins hit have inspired Sleep Tight Evangeline?

An anonymous reader on an earlier post (who is welcome to message me if they want me to credit them!) pointed out another "Evangeline" song, this one by the Scottish group the Cocteau Twins, that was a big hit in Portugal in 1993, when JKR lived there.  At the risk of being unpatriotic, the song is much more to my taste than The Whiskey Shambles' "Sleep Tight, Evangeline"

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-read, Chapters 96-98: Terrible Dino, lying Robin and a possible justification for taking on Mrs. Two-times as a client.

Chapter 96 picks up the next day (Tuesday, Feb 28th) with the news of the murders.

News of the murders of Jim Todd and his mother hit the London Evening Standard the following day. To Strike’s relief, his presence at the scene wasn’t mentioned.

 RFM and Robin finally meet again on this same day; she (ugh!) agrees not to leave him but the house-hunting is on hold pending the "rebuilding of trust." Interestingly, RFM may well be lying even in the midst of this reconciliation talk.

The Hallmarked Man Real-Time Re-Read, Chapters 93-95: Sleepless in London and a full English breakfast.

I love the Strike-messing-with-the-Met chapters (see also Books 2, 4 and 6) and the Chapter 93 interrogation is no exception. 

Strike’s professional life had more often seen him as interrogator rather than interrogated, but in recent years he’d found himself on the uncomfortable end of a police interview far more often than he’d have liked. 

"Oo's grassed?" said Shanker furiously: Are seeds for a Sleep Tight, Evangeline plotline being planted at Barnaby's ?

One of the relatively successful guesses I made prior to The Hallmarked Man was that the Arsehole Cricketer case would really enrage Dominic Culpepper, which would result in retaliatory journalism that would necessitate Strike making contact with his father. True, I thought the scandalous story would involve Leda, not Bijou, (perhaps trying to implicate Rokeby, Strike or both in her death) and that Rokeby and Strike would have to team up because they both had a reason to block publication, but I was still close.  During this most recent re-read, I am seeing what could be hints for a future plotline, one that I think could bring disaster, or even tragedy, to everyone's favorite career-criminal-with-a-heart-of-gold, Shanker. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-read: Chapters 89-92: Vodka-soaked gym clothes, crushed cars and two dead bodies.

Chapter 89 takes us back to Robin and Murphy, who make up over the weekend. 

Robin felt as though she’d been away from London for a fortnight, instead of the forty-eight hours that had actually passed. 

She meets RFM at an Italian* place for dinner Saturday night, and spends the night at his flat. On Sunday evening, as Robin is preparing for her Facetime with Wynn Jones, he decides to "do an hour at the gym" and leaves with his bag and infamous water bottle.  He has barely exited when Strike calls. 

The Hallmarked Man Real-time Re-Read, Chapter 88: Where Strike doesn't stumble.

As I mentioned in yeserday's post, Chapter 87 is my favorite in the book.  But, Chapter 88 comes close to being the perfect follow-up, largely because of how and why we get rid of the Kimphomaniac. 

The injury to Strike’s face looked even worse the following morning, the swelling slightly diminished but livid blue bruises dappling his skin. His face continued to ache and he chose not to shave, for fear of reopening the gash left by the spade.

Before heading back to the ferry, he and Robin walked a little way along La Coupée, which lay just beyond the Old Forge: a high, narrow isthmus connecting the main island from Little Sark. 

Like Robin's black eyes in Troubled Blood, Strike's injury looks worse the next day. And, as sorry as I was not to see them cross La Coupée on horseback, I was happy, as in Skegness, to at least let them see a windy view of the sea together.