Book Notices | Lethal White by Robert Galbraith

Robert Galbraith, Lethal White

Amazon   This is the fourth book in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling). I really enjoyed the first three, and I continue to enjoy the relationship between Strike—Rowling's one-legged private eye—and his associate Robin. But holy Christ this book was long. Too long. The first three books in the series were less than 500 pages each (464, 464, 497). This one was 657 pages long, and I think that's the main problem. Had it been 200 pages shorter, I would have liked it a lot more. Maybe I'm unusual, but for me, the mystery in a book like this isn't the main attraction. It's the scaffolding that supports what I really want to read about, the unfolding relationship between the principals. In this case, there was a whole lot of scaffolding, and I couldn't bring myself to care about the mystery at all or any of the minor characters (with their cute little aristocratic names and horse obsessions). I made it through the book only because I care about Strike and Robin, but I think this installment may be my last. I was in a bookstore just yesterday and I happened to see Lethal White on the shelf next to the next book in the series, Troubled Blood. Guess what! That one is—maybe you should sit down for this—945 pages! I can't do it.