The Cuckoo's CallingThe Cuckoo's Calling
Score Modern
What it's about
After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator in London. He's down to one client, creditors are calling, and after a breakup he's living in his office. Then a new case, a celebrity death, could change everything.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 5 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It launched the Cormoran Strike series, written by J. K. Rowling under a pen name.
You'll love it if you liked
Lethal White
The Running Grave
The Thursday Murder ClubGood to know
It's the first Strike book and the place to start. It introduces his partner, Robin.
By the numbers
- Readers33 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller80 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #196 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #729 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1369 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Moving
More by Robert Galbraith
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Quick answers
Is The Cuckoo's Calling worth reading?
Yes. It spent 5 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,369 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Cuckoo's Calling about?
After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator in London. He's down to one client, creditors are calling, and after a breakup he's living in his office. Then a new case, a celebrity death, could change everything.
How long does it take to read The Cuckoo's Calling?
About 14 hours (561 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Cuckoo's Calling?
If you liked it, try Lethal White by Robert Galbraith, The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith or The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.