Galbraith, Robert. (a.k.a. J.K Rowling). The Cuckoo's Calling, Sphere, London, 2013. (Pages 450)

Rating: 8/10

The Cuckoo's calling is a delightful book whether you know who Robert Galbraith is or not. It had sold only 1500 copies, before a publishing agent unethically and illegally leaked on twitter that Robert Galbraith was a literary transgender who had earlier written a series called Harry Potter. Once the news was leaked, the book began selling in millions. (ThisCNN report offers this and another story about the bizarre world of book publishing.)

If you keep aside this pseudonym tale and evaluate the book objectively, it's a real pleasure to read it. The book creates a strong new Private Detective, Cormoran Strike, not a superman but fairly human, someone who has lost part of his leg in the Afghan war. There is also Robin Venetia Ellacott, a 25 year old intelligent girl who assists him. The author is not shy to use 'f' language and other profanities. (Maybe that's why Rowling took a male pseudonym). This, I suppose, is inevitable for a book where events happen in 2010. Other than the swearing bit, the novel is a classical British detective- mystery-whodunit drama. A cocktail of Sherlock Holmes, Perry Mason and Agatha Christie.

The novel is written chronologically, in a straight-line, every new chapter begins where the earlier one ended. No parallel plots, no cross-cutting, no jump from one city to another. It's becoming difficult to find a modern novel so completely devoid of gimmicks. That I think is one of the major strengths of Cuckoo's calling.  

Superfluous to say the language is fluent, at times almost Wodehousian. Although not too often, you meet a few delightful metaphors. Characterization of the key characters is excellent.

I am deliberately not saying anything about the story. One should not reveal anything in a crime fiction book. (Unless the book is bad, in which case you may reveal everything so as to discourage anyone from reading it.)

It is obvious J.K. Rowling doesn't need to write for money. Her writing this series is an extraordinary example of what is meant by the 'writing urge.' She has gifted a new detective to the readers. May she produce more books with Cormoran Strike than she did with Harry Potter.

Verdict: If you are fan of crime fiction, a must read. If you like Cormoran Strike, potentially you will be able to read many more of his cases.

*****