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.