The Silkworm

I usually don't read contemporary mystery/crime/thriller books, so it took me some time to really get into the book. Once into it, I happily shadowed Strike and Robin as they hunted down the culprit.

I haven't read the first Cormoran Strike book, The Cuckoo's Calling, but I don't think that necessarily took away from my reading experience. The characters were fleshed out and seemed real, and this is what kept me reading. Most the characters were definitely not likable, but I appreciated that Galbraith's writing made me ‘know' them and dislike them on so many levels. Some parts of the book were disturbing, and Galbraith successfully made me horrified and a little ill.

I appreciated that the relationship between Strike and Robin wasn't completely cliche, and Robin wasn't flat or unlikable. Strike had a keen insight into people, and that didn't exclude himself. I enjoyed his sense of self-awareness, or as Terry Pratchett would say, his second and third thoughts. While some parts of the novel seemed contrived, I feel like the latter half of the book made up for it. The Silkworm wasn't an excellent novel, but it was a good read. I hope my local library has the other books because I think they'll be worth the read.

While I think it might be a 3.5/5 for me, I don't think it deserves a 3 on Goodreads.
4/5 it is.