If you have read Troubled Blood (latest Strike book)

[ScribblyGum]

Please can you tell me what the last line means. Two (? Russian) sounding names that make Strike smile.

I’ve listened to the audio book and can’t google the two names as I don’t know how to spell them and so can’t find out what it means.

Urgh.

She did this last book with the two stupid swans!

If you go back to the beginning when strike is chatting to polworth in the pub in Cornwall, polworth explains how he came to decide to take the plunge/settle down the characters are from Anna Karenina and I think the gist of it is that it’s better to take the plunge because it frees you from indecision. Those who don’t, can’t settle, can’t relax, can’t think of anything else.

I think!

I googled it, it's from anna karenina and is about marriage I think

“Out of his subconscious rose the names Mazankov and Krupov, and it was a second or two before he remembered where he’d heard them, why they sounded Cornish, and why he thought of them now. The corners of his mouth twitched, but as Robin didn’t see him smiling, he felt no compulsion to explain.“ have cut and pasted the last paragraph so you can see the names.

“You can only carry a weight and use your hands, if you strap the weight to your back. Marry, and you get the use of your hands back. Don’t marry, and you’ll never have your hands free for anything else. Look at Mazankov, at Krupov. They’ve ruined their careers for the sake of women.”
This is the bit at the beginning.

I’ve just finished it today, and didn’t understand that last line. I was on Kindle so pressed on the words for a wiki explanation but there was none. I meant to google and got distracted, so thanks for this thread OP.

It made me wonder whether strike has decided to move on from Charlotte, to try with robin or to stop resisting it at least. Acknowledging his feelings frees him at the same time? I don’t know, I’ve never read Anna karenina so I might be talking bollocks! Or wishful thinking...

Brilliant!

Thanks so much all. Mn is wonderful sometimes. The Polworth/Anna Karenina conversation.

One of the big disadvantages of audiobooks is you can’t flick back to reread stuff.

I must admit to owning both the Audible and Kindle versions of Trouble Blood for just that reason OP.
JKR uses so many quotes as introductions to chapters that I need to have the written text in front of me.

Did you enjoy it?
I loved it, planning to reread when DW and I have listened to it together.

Yes I enjoyed it very much. There were a lot of characters with corresponding rabbit holes of stories and I’m not sure I understood all of them by listening to the book but overall it was just lovely to be immersed in 31 hours of Strike and Robin again.

I’ve got a major book hangover today 🙁

I read half of it yesterday, it’s spellbinding. I feel book hungover too. I’ve actually downloaded the audio book as well to listen to today when I’m gardening, I get so excited by books I tend to read too quickly and inadvertently miss bits, and with this I don’t think you can miss bits, there is so much information and so many characters.

Absolutely loving it.

He’s remember the line for Anna Karenina and he thinks that some women are worth risking his all for - he’s ready to make a play for Robin (yay!)

I enjoyed it so much I had to slow myself down because I didn’t want to finish it. I love the care she takes with her characters. In some ways I would prefer it if R and C didn’t get together yet as the will they/ won’t they tension is part of the fun.

I really enjoyed Troubled Blood, and thought it was brilliant the way she created so many strands and then tied them all together at the end. There was one thing that puzzled me, though, which is the schoolgirl Amanda White who has a sighting of Margo. She stands by her story 40 years on. Although the other purported sightings are explained, that one isn't. Or was it? Did I miss it?

Amanda White wasn’t wrapped up, it must just be the woman trying to close the window as she said, and the schoolgirl being proud to stick to her story for 40 years but being wrong.

I was actually disappointed that Theo was explained, I thought some of the red herrings should just remain unknown 40 years later.

Just finished it and I’m glowing with appreciation! JkR is mistress of character and has a beautiful subtle grasp of human nature. I LOVE her intelligence and her humanity. Imagine her as a dinner party guest😍.

As someone mentioned above I almost don’t want Strike and Robin to get together because I love the erotic Tension between them. But then the opposite is true too... in think I can trust jkr to give me a version I will be happy with.
There was one part that didn’t add up for me though. Where R&S were interviewing the old lady who had been on the game, and she reported that her daughter was now an escort. The old lady would have been mid 40s When Margot disappeared, and her daughter currently in her 60s? Both ages seen quite old for turning tricks. But given that JKR is Queen of detail and I have meno brain, I imagine ive missed something that puts it all into perspective. Please enlighten me of you got it and I didn’t.

Thanks, Why - I did just wonder if I'd missed something.

Ohyes - I hadn't spotted that! Must go back and look again.

As someone who reads a fair amount of crime fiction, what I love about Troubled Blood is it's so complicated! There are so many storylines - Cormoran's ex being difficult, Robin's ex causing trouble about the divorce settlement, Cormoran's siblings trying to get him to attend a birthday party, Cormoran's aunt dying, all going alongside the main plot, which is in itself far more complicated than a standard crime novel. She's so clever the way she brings it all together.

Oh I didn't get that either but I'd forgotten about it! Thanks for the thread and explanations.

I loved it. I love Robin and Strike so much.
Some people complain about the book being too long but I want as much of them as possible.
I didn't want it to end but the ending with the donkey balloon and perfume made my heart happy.
I know he was ill but I was so cross with him when he got her the rubbish Christmas gift!

I listen to the audio books because the narration is great. Apart from the Ilsa/Isla thing which was, annoying this time.

What is everyone listening to now by the way? I have a credit but I have no idea what to listen to. I feel a bit lost now I've finished Troubled Blood!

Thanks for this thread, I was confused about this too! And also have the audio and kindle versions as love to listen when I'm doing stuff.
Have a huge book hangover, what should I read next?

I loved the book so much. So many side stories and characters.
I went into it thinking I would be disappointed if Strike and Robin didn’t get together but it was perfect in the end. Enough of a suggestion that it’s coming, but still enjoying the build up.
I was pleased to see the rather lovely looking Tom Burke mentioned in her acknowledgements. Hopefully this means he is on team JKR and not a woke idiot. I’m just waiting for DH to finish reading Lethal White so that we can watch the dramatisation.

I absolutely loved it. I've read all the Strike books & this is my absolute favourite. When I'd finished it I wanted to start again.

Can anyone help me out please?
I feel like there was an earlier reference to champagne at the Ritz but I can’t find it and I don’t know if I’m remembering correctly.

I LOVED the book! And for the first time, I guessed the murderer 😂🎉 I was very pleased

@Thehollyandtheirony it was when Strike elbowed Robin in the face. He asked what she wanted him to do, she required food and alcohol.
‘A takeaway?’

• ‘No I want to go to the Ritz!’

That’s the gist .

@rightontheedge

If you re download it on audible, they've fixed it and she's back to Ilsa.

Thank you @Followtheyellowsicktoad I was looking in all the wrong places!