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!

I finished it today on Audible and absolutely loved it.
Definitely the best of the series so far. I didn't spot the killer but it was spoiled for me early on that the killer was a woman so I knew it wasn't Creed.

I don't really read much crime but I have really enjoyed this series.
There is such a huge amount of crime fiction around at the moment, it must be of variable quality. What would you recommend as a good quality crime read?

Bookwitch I found one of Chris Brookmyre's in a local free library, "Attack of the unsinkable rubber ducks" & I found it really entertaining. Hoping to find more by him, I'm usually a library user but not so much at the minute :(

I am bumping to ask - has anyone spotted the coincidences Strike mentions spotting after interviewing the Bayliss sisters? I've re-read & just don't see anything?

I think the coincidence is so many people having (stomach) illness and sickness

Yeah, I thought the coincidence was flu and out of date chicken aswell as poison. Iyswim?
Also just binged on all the books and now suffering a hangover. When is the next one out, does anyone know?

To the poster looking for more good crime fiction, Jackson Brodie books by Kate Atkinson?

I also thought the coincidence was all the people being ill, Gloria vomiting, his own ‘food poisoning’, Irene’s IBS, Wilma seeming drunk.
Also, Wilma’s daughters talking about how overworked social workers are made him question Claire’s call.

TY! I think you're probably right about the stomach complaints. I've read that JKR's working on the next one but I don't think there's been a release date.
Jackson Brodie's a good series too

I’ve read that Mazankov and Krupov are characters from Tolstoy’s Ana Karenina who have ruined there careers because of women. As he’s smiling about that🤞 for Robin and Strike romance

Jackson Brodie is a natural transition. I also like Jo Spain.

I loved this too, didn’t want it to finish. I did skim over the Faerie Queene quotes at the chapter beginnings after a while, they made my head hurt!

Bit different but I love the Michael Connolly ‘Harry Bosch’ books, really good.

Have loved all the Strike books but enjoyed this one the most. To say the book was so huge I just couldn't help storming through it in a couple of days. The power of a good story well written!

Newtoholland, you were asking about which other authors were worth reading.
Michael Robotham's books are intriguing particularly his 'Joseph O' Loughlin' series about a psychologist who helps the police.

I know this is a zombie thread from 2021, but I want to say thanks to the pps and big up to historic MNetters.

I have never read the Strike books, but started from the beginning a couple of months ago. They’re sooooooo good! I’ve just finished Troubled Blood - bloody brilliant - and was puzzled by Mazankov and Krupov refs in the final paragraph so I googled.

OF COURSE MN and this thread was one of the top helpful hits. Sigh, I love MN - not just a bastion protecting women’s hard won rights, but also number one on puzzling over these awesome books.

Hooray MN and hooray for JKR 🧡