If anyone thought 1000-page books would take an eon to read, they haven’t read Strike. I chomp these in a week or less because they are absorbing, addictive, the kind of work that sucks you in so completely for hours of brain-stimulating entertainment of intrigue, mystery, and romantic tension, sidelining your practical worries, and then spits you out the other end in a daze of euphoric satisfaction and renewed anticipation. 

 

The author unbiasedly presents a prejudiced and ornery detective on a long journey to personal reform via relationships he forges for his own good and the betterment of his growing agency. He’ll get there, we feel it, but he’s clinging on to a few lingering tendrils of discontent despite his better efforts to be a fair, kind, and healthy human being. And the tendrils continue to muck about with his relationships and prod him to self-destructive behaviour. He’s recovering from severe PTSD, so much of this is par for the course, but with a little help from his friends, he’ll make it. 

 

Same with Robin. And we have such hope. 

 

But then they dive into another case that seems like it’s going to be the breaking of them both—finally. And for the large middle of the story, I was fraught with tension and worry, hanging on every word, waiting for the rescue I knew had to be inevitable. Please. But maybe it wasn’t coming… 

 

Raises social issues, explores cult religious appeal, delves into the story’s current political context in the backdrop, but marches on at a steady thrilling pace until the resolution. 

 

On a personal note, I didn’t much like the outcome of this investigation, even if it made sense. And the large chunks of explanation dialogue were slightly over top like an epic fail of an Agatha Christie recipe for reveals. But not sure what other way the resolution might have been accomplished… it all became very criminal case procedural drama near the end. But only at the end. 

 

A high-octane adventure with a slow burn romance, mentally and physically engaging, with the promise for more to come. My favourite detective series of this time (though Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole were differently riveting and I highly recommend those to anyone who enjoys Strike).