Clara’s Verdict
The fifth Cormoran Strike novel is the longest, the most intricate, and — in my view — the most accomplished. Troubled Blood runs to nearly thirty-two hours on audio, which sounds like a commitment and is one, but it is a commitment that repays every minute invested. Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling’s crime pseudonym) has built one of contemporary fiction’s most satisfying detective partnerships in Strike and Robin Ellacott, and this novel tests it — and them — more rigorously than any of its predecessors. The cold case at its centre is genuinely baffling, the period research is meticulous, and the emotional stakes are higher than ever.
Robert Glenister’s narration is, at this point, inseparable from the series. To listen to Strike is to hear Glenister’s voice — deep, sardonic, with the capacity for unexpected tenderness. I have reviewed over two thousand audiobooks and this remains one of the finest narrator-series pairings I know of.
About the Audiobook
Troubled Blood opens with Strike visiting his family in Cornwall, where he is approached by a woman seeking help locating her mother, Margot Bamborough — a GP who vanished in mysterious circumstances in 1974. A case forty years old, with leads so cold they’re practically geological. Strike takes it on anyway, and he and Robin proceed to excavate one of the most complex investigations of their careers.
The case draws them into a world of tarot cards, astrology, a suspected psychopathic serial killer operating in the same area at the same time, and a set of witnesses whose reliability varies enormously. Meanwhile, Robin is navigating a painful divorce, unwanted attention from a colleague, and her own carefully managed feelings about her business partner. The novel is shortlisted for the Audiobook of the Year Award at the British Book Awards — a recognition that feels entirely deserved. This is the fifth book in the Cormoran Strike series; new readers would do well to start at the beginning with The Cuckoo’s Calling, though the cold case structure makes this more accessible to newcomers than most of its predecessors.
The Narration
Robert Glenister is simply outstanding. Across thirty-one hours and fifty-one minutes he maintains absolute command of a cast that spans decades, genders, and social registers. His Strike is gruff and internally watchful; his Robin is increasingly assured; his period witnesses have a different quality of voice to the contemporary characters — a slight formality that places them correctly in time. The tarot-reading scenes, which could easily tip into the ridiculous, instead carry a genuine atmosphere of unease under Glenister’s management. This is one of those rare cases where the audiobook experience supersedes the printed page — not because the writing is lesser, but because Glenister adds a dimension that the text alone cannot provide.
What Readers Say
Troubled Blood carries a 4.6 rating from 76 reviews, which is notably consistent given the book’s controversial reception in some quarters. One reviewer described it as « another captivating, page-turner » and called it « possibly the best of the series yet, » praising the integration of astrology and tarot into what remains a rigorously plotted mystery. Another offered a substantial review praising « a painstaking evisceration of man’s inhumanity to woman, wrapped in a superb murder-mystery novel, » and noted that the extensive backstory for new readers never felt like padding. A more measured four-star review acknowledged the book as « a gripping mystery » that would benefit from editorial tightening. The book attracted some controversy on publication for reasons unrelated to its literary qualities; those reviews are best disregarded when assessing it as a work of fiction.
Who Should Listen?
For existing Strike series fans this is unmissable and represents the series at its mature peak. For newcomers to crime fiction, it provides an excellent introduction to the cold case sub-genre handled at the highest level of craft. The length is genuine, so approach this when you have a commute or a household routine that will let you sink into it properly. It is not background noise; it rewards full attention.
Listen to Troubled Blood on Audible UK — find it here.
