Lethal White by Robert Galbraith a.k.a. J. K. Rowling

"Lethal White" by Robert Galbraith a.k.a. J. K. Rowling - Lengthy!

This book is published by Sphere in 2018 and has 656 pages. This is Book 4 of Cormoran Strike series. 

The book starts a day after previous book ends. Strike has fired Robin before the end of previous case. It's Robin's wedding to Matthew and Strike makes an appearance. A mentally ill youth tells Strike that he has seen a child strangled years ago. Minister for culture has a job for Strike. 

Why was Robin angry at Strike and livid at Matthew? Is Robin's wedding a happy wedding? Is there any substance in the claims of mentally ill youth? Will London Olympics be disturbed? What's bothering Minister for  Culture?

The story is little out of the way. Strike takes a case to find dirt on a possible blackmailer in hope that this will lead to unravelling of the case of kid's murder. The issue of money, rather the lack of it, is still plaguing Strike and his agency. His landlord has asked to vacate the office and accommodation. Things are grim. Then there is a death and the investigation morphs from blackmail to murder investigation.

Strike and Robin are attracted towards each other but don't admit it even to themselves. Robin is stuck in an unhappy marriage with Matthew. She gets anxiety attacks, after-effects of attack from previous book. Strike is in a relationship with a nice lady who he doesn't love. His amputated leg hurts. 

The story ambles along, keeping the audience interested enough to desist from abandoning the book. Eventually the explanation for kid's murder turns out anticlimactic. Too many suppositions are put forth purely based on deduction without proof. 

Every chapter starts with a quote of Henik Ibsen from Rosmersholm.

There are multiple mentions of 'Dodgy doc' case in this book that goes nowhere. There is also a mention of new case and a house with two swans on the door, at the end. Probably these things are background work for the next book. 

Overall, I think, JK Rowling's writings as Robert Galbraith are not as good as Harry Potter series. But Harry Potter Potter is an unparalleled legendary literary work, would it be correct to compare it with anything else? Even herself?

Why did I read this book? Author. 

What I didn't like? Length. Kid's murder. 

What did I like? Deduction.

Read if you have read the series, otherwise give it a miss.