Strike: The Ink Black Heart - airs 16 Dec

[KiIIingMeDeftly]

Seems like we've been waiting ages for this but it'll finally be shown on BBC One on the 16th.

I don't think the book was as good as Troubled Blood or The Running Grave but I'm still looking forward to it. I wonder what they did with the numerous online chats that appear in it?

I can't remember who Wally was now. The sleazy chap with a penchant for much younger girlfriends? If so then yes, he's perfect. (Sorry Kevin!)

The YouTuber.

I think the online bits will be a lot more comprehensible in tv format than on the page. You could do a basic words on screen (probably with typey noises in background!), colour coded for each person, or could have voiceovers, which would have the advantage of different voices thus separating the characters (the user names all tended to blur into one for me).

Obviously the voiceovers couldn't be the actual voices of the characters when we meet them in 'real life' (because it would give the game away), so I would do a very obviously automated version, i.e. the way you can change your satnav or word read-out-loud to different accents and voices, but you can tell they are software and not 'real' humans. So you could distinguish between them but not who they are, if that makes sense? Including Robin's own avatar when she joins the game.

I went on a tour of Highgate cem earlier this year and the guide pointed out the parts that had been used for filming this only a few days before my visit, so looking forward to seeing that!

I’m looking forward to this having quite enjoyed the book, although it was much too long.

I’m pleasantly surprised that most of the cast are fairly or completely unknown, instead of the usual suspects being cast (e.g Keeley Hawes, Adeel Akhtar etc).

Hopefully it’ll all be on iPlayer on the 16th.

Even if it isn't, it's showing over consecutive days. So you won't have to wait too long between episodes!

It's rather ironic that for a book that's all about the online world the depiction of that world worked far better on the printed page than in a digital form!

I devoured the others, couldn’t get past the first few chapters on this one

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/strike-the-ink-black-heart-air-date-confirmed-bbc-one-newsupdate/

The consecutive days are split over two weeks, I think.

I agree. I think Running Grave is better. In fact, every time a new one comes out, I think it's better than the last one!

Ah, episodes 1 and 2 air on 16th and 17th December and 3 and 4 the following week.

I read it on my Kindle and although the text was small, I preferred the side-by-side presentation of the online chat. The whole thing was excellent and I hope that just 4 episodes can do it justice.

I think it depends what you want from them.

I struggle to name my favourite. The Running Grave was absolutely gripping and I love the character development.

But I agree with you that for a clever plot and the most compelling from the 'who done it' format Lethal White is top.

I love them all. They are like perfect little spherical balls of the story arc. I have listened to them multiple times and still enjoy them all over again.

One week to go!

All set to Sky Plus, thanks 😊

It's always interesting that everyone has a different favourite and least favourite Strike novel.

The Silkworm and Ink Black Heart are by far my favourites. Couldn't get on with Lethal White at all.

So looking forward to this adaptation. I adored JKR's depiction of a crazy fandom and felt it was probably rather cathartic for her! The book's ending was a bit rushed, but it's the only Strike mystery where I've guessed whodunnit correctly, so I'll forgive it 😄

The trailer is out

The book is an absolute work of genius especially on a re read when you know the identity of the mods and the twist with Paperwhite. I am intrigued as to how the TV show will manage it!

I think I need to reread the book before watching this. I really enjoyed it, but as with all the Strike novels I was slightly distracted by wondering which real life individuals had been the inspiration for the more gruesome characters. (I know the correct answer is that they were entirely products of the author's imagination, but she seemed to be having a lot of malicious fun with some of them.)

I loved the IBH & I feel its even better on the reread - there are LOTS of names as many characters have several - real/game/twitter etc so a lot to keep track of.

On the reread you can see how masterfully it is written, foreshadowed, all the many connections between the characters.

Strangely it works very well as an audio book so it you struggled with the read maybe give the audio book a go.

Clearly (see username) I am obsessed.

If you are up to date with the books and enjoy a reread you might want to check out the Strike & Ellacot Files podcast. They started with TB and have worked forward through IBH & TRG, gone back to cover Cuckoos Calling & are now on Silkworm. (Career of Evil and Lethal White will be covered in the furture - probably after they have reread The Hallmarked Man). Fantastic podcast by 3 superfans covering the books a few chapters at a time.

Hope it’s dropped early tomorrow.

Monday.

They're al up now. I enjoyed the first episode on the whole, but as with other adaptations of the books, this feels rushed. Robin has already gone undercover at the art class when in the book I think that doesn't happen until a third or the roughly half-way point.

No Madeleine yet so maybe she's not being featured in this.

It isn't my favourite... I love Troubled Blood and The Running Grave too much. I do think it's a masterpiece though and she is covering a really important topic that she's had direct experience of.

My friend also didn't finish the book despite loving the series in general. I think she was determined to dislike it though as its 'gamer chat' if that makes sense?

Looking forward to watching the adaptation although I know I'll be frustrated by how much detail is missed and the inevitable messing with the sequencing of the storyline.

I found it almost impossible to read on Kindle - my aging eyes couldn't read the messaging which couldn't be enlarged - what were they thinking? As a result I skipped most of the chatroom stuff though I struggled to the end.
I'm mostly only reading for Strike and Robin TBH.

you might enjoy it on audiobook.
Despite what you might think with all the chatrooms etc it works really well as an audiobook.