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SPOILER ALERT Hallmarked Man (Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott)

803 replies

Civilservant · 01/09/2025 13:44

Spoiler thread for posters who have read or listened to The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith (J K Rowling) and would like to discuss it!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
EverybodyLTB · 11/09/2025 15:18

Cattywillow · 11/09/2025 07:01

I love all the stairs/ steps. They symbolise progress, overcoming obstacles. Moving up signifies moving into the future, down to the past. Their first ever encounter is on the stairs. She is climbing up out of her past, he knocks her off her feet and she almost falls back down but he catches her, pulls her up to where he is, so she can join him in doing what they both love. When they hug on the steps at her wedding the steps even out their heights so they are eye to eye. This is when they come together as equal partners in the business and it’s also the moment they each realise they love one another. The steps outside the Ritz harks back to that because they are surrounded by flowers etc. they walk down them together and then almost kiss. Now we have her running down stairs, back to the past while he waits on the stairs. She needs to climb them (actually or
metaphorically) to meet him, but she’s not ready yet. She needs to make more progress. I’d love for it to finally happen at his flat, Robin climbing the stairs up to find him, making the effort.

The stairwell where she was raped suggests the bottom of the stairs. The past that she’s trying to climb out of.

Oh such a good observation, I was too busy thinking about Cupid and Psyche 😂 at the end of the C&P myth they are united as equals at the end of the trials and trauma, so maybe it ties in with that too?

SquareBubble · 11/09/2025 16:08

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 05/09/2025 16:38

Ugh, Robin was frustrating me in this one. She lies endlessly to Murphy and hates the thought of living with him, plus he clearly wants kids and she doesn’t really. At this stage I almost hope he dumps her. I can’t fathom a relationship where you get attacked twice and don’t tell your nearest and supposedly dearest.

I completely agree! Plus, Robin is too loyal to dump him, so Ryan will have to be the one to do it. Unfortunately, Ryan is controlling, manipulative, and insecure about everything (in other words, he won't do it either)... this is Matthew part two!

SquareBubble · 11/09/2025 16:22

Civilservant · 04/09/2025 10:12

I will be annoyed if the will-they-won’t-they is further dragged out for the whole of book 9 or beyond. Would be much better to have a messy break up soon, Ryan getting nasty, Robin and Cormoran having to address various issues between them etc.

Good writers should be able to write compelling, dramatic stuff about relationships well beyond the sexual tension and the main couple getting together. Haven’t seen that yet in this series, with any of the romantic relationships portrayed.

I mainly disliked the novel Wellbeing, but liked that it went deep on ups, downs and issues with a couple in a very long term relationship.

Agreed. It's time for the "will they/won't they" drama to end. JKR is a very good writer and can write interesting relationship stuff, where the relationship is actually working. You're supposed to marry your best friend!

I don't think I can take another 900 page book where they almost, but don't get together. This one took every ounce of self-control I had not to skip to the end.

BertieBotts · 11/09/2025 18:22

RoseAndGeranium · 09/09/2025 22:52

Ok, I have a question. Has anyone else ever been in a real life will-they-won't-they sort of situation and found themselves looking back on it with fresh eyes after reading these books?! I was in 'friendships' of this kind at least twice. One of those I think was mostly a question of timing. The other I eventually wrote off as him just not being very interested. But then one night in bed after reading one of these novels I found myself thinking about it and suddenly wondering about a few things that happened between us, and now I'm not so sure. It doesn't matter it was almost 20 years ago, I'm happily married, and so (as far as I know) is the man I was then in love with but for about an hour I felt weirdly sad about it. Which goes to show, I think, how well J K Rowling does it, and I just wondered if anyone else had had a similar experience.

Yes! Well, kind of. Everyone IRL knows this story so this is highly outing. I had a Saturday job aged 16 and one day, a boy I knew from school showed up. Through this job, over a couple of years we became friends and ALL the other staff in the shop constantly made jokes about how we just needed to get together already. I realised that I did have feelings for him, but I was worried that he was much more experienced than me and would want to do stuff (e.g. sex) that I'd not done/wasn't ready for, so I didn't make any moves, and didn't detect any from him.

One day a staff member was leaving and he left a card for everyone with messages including one for us saying something like - To the till monkeys - just shag already! I decided this was the only possible chance I could come clean while saving face, and said in a jokey tone "Oh alright, why don't we give it a go then?" to him. He laughed, assuming I was joking, and said he saw me like a sister. So I thought gutted... oh well, that's fair. Went out a few nights later and snogged someone highly unsuitable but incredibly hot, who I then had a very weird relationship with over the next year or so until I eventually realised that alcoholics make absolutely terrible boyfriends no matter how much you love them. Dumped him which triggered a huge depression. Got together with another alcoholic and then couldn't bring myself to dump him when I knew it wasn't going well, because I hadn't really given myself any time to recover from the previous relationship. Unfortunately, he was a Matthew, and while my previous bf was pretty useless as a BF, he was never in the slightest bit abusive or controlling. I got pregnant with the "Matthew" bf (which meant I further could not leave) but eventually, with the help of MN (yay!) extricated myself from that when DS1 was just over a year old.

Jo Rowling, at this point in my life BTW, was a massive inspiration to me. As well as my own mum who had been a single mum to me. They did it and I knew I could do it too.

Anyway, at some point in the next year or two I was online in the early hours of the morning because I had a toddler who was utterly determined to be nocturnal. I kept noticing the same name pop up on MSN (Or Skype or whatever it was by then) - it was always my friend I had been close to at 17/18, but lost touch with mainly, if I'm honest, to keep the controlling bf happy. He was working in a hotel as a night porter, with long stretches of nothing to do, so he'd sign into MSN on the front desk computer. We got chatting again, and after a while the subject came up - oh do you want to know a funny thing? I had SUCH a crush on you back then. (Fully believed at this time, that it was all ancient history). Except that he then said he wished he had known - because apparently he had also had a reciprocal crush. I have no idea what the "like a sister" comment was about, he can't remember, but apparently he hinted to me a few times, and I said something which equally gave him the impression I wasn't interested. This whole entire thing was weird, but I agreed to go on a "date" (at my house, watching DVDs probably) - which was TERRIBLE. Like, the most awkward, stilted thing ever. I didn't know the expression then but I definitely got the ick. I felt really awkward and bad about it. However we both really liked being back in touch and being friends, so we arranged to hang out again a few nights later, as friends, and somehow on that night - I think he was more relaxed, less "trying to be the perfect date" - all ick evaporated and I suddenly found him incredibly attractive so I jumped him Grin

20 years after the Saturday job, we are married, we moved abroad and have two extremely ginger children, my now-teenager is still nocturnal and greatly resents school for intruding upon this, I think it's just how he's wired probably. We are still friends and I think it's the best, which is totally why I'm rooting for Strike and Robin.

outofofficeagain · 11/09/2025 18:27

BertieBotts · 11/09/2025 18:22

Yes! Well, kind of. Everyone IRL knows this story so this is highly outing. I had a Saturday job aged 16 and one day, a boy I knew from school showed up. Through this job, over a couple of years we became friends and ALL the other staff in the shop constantly made jokes about how we just needed to get together already. I realised that I did have feelings for him, but I was worried that he was much more experienced than me and would want to do stuff (e.g. sex) that I'd not done/wasn't ready for, so I didn't make any moves, and didn't detect any from him.

One day a staff member was leaving and he left a card for everyone with messages including one for us saying something like - To the till monkeys - just shag already! I decided this was the only possible chance I could come clean while saving face, and said in a jokey tone "Oh alright, why don't we give it a go then?" to him. He laughed, assuming I was joking, and said he saw me like a sister. So I thought gutted... oh well, that's fair. Went out a few nights later and snogged someone highly unsuitable but incredibly hot, who I then had a very weird relationship with over the next year or so until I eventually realised that alcoholics make absolutely terrible boyfriends no matter how much you love them. Dumped him which triggered a huge depression. Got together with another alcoholic and then couldn't bring myself to dump him when I knew it wasn't going well, because I hadn't really given myself any time to recover from the previous relationship. Unfortunately, he was a Matthew, and while my previous bf was pretty useless as a BF, he was never in the slightest bit abusive or controlling. I got pregnant with the "Matthew" bf (which meant I further could not leave) but eventually, with the help of MN (yay!) extricated myself from that when DS1 was just over a year old.

Jo Rowling, at this point in my life BTW, was a massive inspiration to me. As well as my own mum who had been a single mum to me. They did it and I knew I could do it too.

Anyway, at some point in the next year or two I was online in the early hours of the morning because I had a toddler who was utterly determined to be nocturnal. I kept noticing the same name pop up on MSN (Or Skype or whatever it was by then) - it was always my friend I had been close to at 17/18, but lost touch with mainly, if I'm honest, to keep the controlling bf happy. He was working in a hotel as a night porter, with long stretches of nothing to do, so he'd sign into MSN on the front desk computer. We got chatting again, and after a while the subject came up - oh do you want to know a funny thing? I had SUCH a crush on you back then. (Fully believed at this time, that it was all ancient history). Except that he then said he wished he had known - because apparently he had also had a reciprocal crush. I have no idea what the "like a sister" comment was about, he can't remember, but apparently he hinted to me a few times, and I said something which equally gave him the impression I wasn't interested. This whole entire thing was weird, but I agreed to go on a "date" (at my house, watching DVDs probably) - which was TERRIBLE. Like, the most awkward, stilted thing ever. I didn't know the expression then but I definitely got the ick. I felt really awkward and bad about it. However we both really liked being back in touch and being friends, so we arranged to hang out again a few nights later, as friends, and somehow on that night - I think he was more relaxed, less "trying to be the perfect date" - all ick evaporated and I suddenly found him incredibly attractive so I jumped him Grin

20 years after the Saturday job, we are married, we moved abroad and have two extremely ginger children, my now-teenager is still nocturnal and greatly resents school for intruding upon this, I think it's just how he's wired probably. We are still friends and I think it's the best, which is totally why I'm rooting for Strike and Robin.

This has made my day 🥰

RoseAndGeranium · 12/09/2025 00:52

BertieBotts · 11/09/2025 18:22

Yes! Well, kind of. Everyone IRL knows this story so this is highly outing. I had a Saturday job aged 16 and one day, a boy I knew from school showed up. Through this job, over a couple of years we became friends and ALL the other staff in the shop constantly made jokes about how we just needed to get together already. I realised that I did have feelings for him, but I was worried that he was much more experienced than me and would want to do stuff (e.g. sex) that I'd not done/wasn't ready for, so I didn't make any moves, and didn't detect any from him.

One day a staff member was leaving and he left a card for everyone with messages including one for us saying something like - To the till monkeys - just shag already! I decided this was the only possible chance I could come clean while saving face, and said in a jokey tone "Oh alright, why don't we give it a go then?" to him. He laughed, assuming I was joking, and said he saw me like a sister. So I thought gutted... oh well, that's fair. Went out a few nights later and snogged someone highly unsuitable but incredibly hot, who I then had a very weird relationship with over the next year or so until I eventually realised that alcoholics make absolutely terrible boyfriends no matter how much you love them. Dumped him which triggered a huge depression. Got together with another alcoholic and then couldn't bring myself to dump him when I knew it wasn't going well, because I hadn't really given myself any time to recover from the previous relationship. Unfortunately, he was a Matthew, and while my previous bf was pretty useless as a BF, he was never in the slightest bit abusive or controlling. I got pregnant with the "Matthew" bf (which meant I further could not leave) but eventually, with the help of MN (yay!) extricated myself from that when DS1 was just over a year old.

Jo Rowling, at this point in my life BTW, was a massive inspiration to me. As well as my own mum who had been a single mum to me. They did it and I knew I could do it too.

Anyway, at some point in the next year or two I was online in the early hours of the morning because I had a toddler who was utterly determined to be nocturnal. I kept noticing the same name pop up on MSN (Or Skype or whatever it was by then) - it was always my friend I had been close to at 17/18, but lost touch with mainly, if I'm honest, to keep the controlling bf happy. He was working in a hotel as a night porter, with long stretches of nothing to do, so he'd sign into MSN on the front desk computer. We got chatting again, and after a while the subject came up - oh do you want to know a funny thing? I had SUCH a crush on you back then. (Fully believed at this time, that it was all ancient history). Except that he then said he wished he had known - because apparently he had also had a reciprocal crush. I have no idea what the "like a sister" comment was about, he can't remember, but apparently he hinted to me a few times, and I said something which equally gave him the impression I wasn't interested. This whole entire thing was weird, but I agreed to go on a "date" (at my house, watching DVDs probably) - which was TERRIBLE. Like, the most awkward, stilted thing ever. I didn't know the expression then but I definitely got the ick. I felt really awkward and bad about it. However we both really liked being back in touch and being friends, so we arranged to hang out again a few nights later, as friends, and somehow on that night - I think he was more relaxed, less "trying to be the perfect date" - all ick evaporated and I suddenly found him incredibly attractive so I jumped him Grin

20 years after the Saturday job, we are married, we moved abroad and have two extremely ginger children, my now-teenager is still nocturnal and greatly resents school for intruding upon this, I think it's just how he's wired probably. We are still friends and I think it's the best, which is totally why I'm rooting for Strike and Robin.

I love this story! So glad you and your Strike found your way back to each other.

Civilservant · 12/09/2025 10:30

Lovely story @BertieBotts

IME in my and now DCs’ generation, ‘feels like a sibling’ or ‘it’s platonic’ is something standard that people often say when quizzed about their feelings for someone by rude people, to shut them down and/or avoid embarrassment with the ‘friend’. sometimes true, of course, but often not!

OP posts:
Civilservant · 12/09/2025 10:32

Just reached the Rokeby/Strike scene - excellent! Great performance from Glenister too.

I wished to know what flavour(s) the sandwiches were, though, and whether there were any crisps on the side! Perhaps because I skipped breakfast today.

OP posts:
outofofficeagain · 12/09/2025 11:35

I immediately assumed some triple decker club sandwich with crisps on the side.

RobinEllacotStrike · 12/09/2025 12:03

I assumed baguette - ham, cheese, salad.
I'll focus more on my reread

RaspberryRipple2 · 12/09/2025 12:17

I thought it said a club sandwich - or was that also just what I pictured?!

CrocsNotDocs · 12/09/2025 12:36

There would have been pickles.

Dolphinnoises · 12/09/2025 12:45

They said triple decker but no word on the fillings. It would have to have been something requiring cooking as Rokeby was amazed Tala had whipped it up so quickly.

I liked how JKR used the shorthand of “his member of staff likes him” to make us realise Rokeby is a good guy

RobinEllacotStrike · 12/09/2025 13:05

whatever those sandwiches were we know they looked great being held in hairy backed hands. <small swoon>

RaspberryRipple2 · 12/09/2025 15:12

That’s right, it says triple decker and my mind has leapt to club 😂 unlikely to have been pickles though, that’s not a thing in the UK!

BertieBotts · 12/09/2025 15:48

Maybe Branston pickle! Wasn't it thinly sliced roast beef? Maybe there was mustard.

CrossPurposes · 12/09/2025 15:49

Two things - from late 2009 it has been impossible to sit on a Circle Line train going in circles (particularly clockwise) since then it has run from Edgware Road to Hammersmith in an anti clockwise direction, and I have always thought that Jonny Rokeby was based on Mick Jagger.

BertieBotts · 12/09/2025 16:08

CrossPurposes · 12/09/2025 15:49

Two things - from late 2009 it has been impossible to sit on a Circle Line train going in circles (particularly clockwise) since then it has run from Edgware Road to Hammersmith in an anti clockwise direction, and I have always thought that Jonny Rokeby was based on Mick Jagger.

I always thought this about Dumbledore's scar on his left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground. What happens when they change a route? Grin

CrossPurposes · 12/09/2025 17:03

BertieBotts · 12/09/2025 16:08

I always thought this about Dumbledore's scar on his left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground. What happens when they change a route? Grin

Magic can do anything!

RobinEllacotStrike · 12/09/2025 18:14

HELP NEEDED - does anyone have a Kindle copy who has 5 minutes to do a quick search for me please?

I have an animal lover friend who is really very sensitive to animal violence and also is a massive Strike fan. She's stopped reading having picked up on the dog story. I'm hoping to tell her which chapters have the dog fight and any other mentions of animal cruelty around the Plug storyline, and I'm going to sit down with the book in a minute and take a look. But I only have hardback & audible versions. Wishing I had kindle version so I could do a proper search.

Any help appreciated. 💐

SpuytenDuyvil · 12/09/2025 18:22

@RobinEllacotStrike I have the kindle version and I skipped over those parts. Can you give me a while to check? Or is it urgent?

RobinEllacotStrike · 12/09/2025 18:53

whatever you can do will be great 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🐶 @SpuytenDuyvil

I'm still "working" but I will take a look later this evening. Even if I find some I don't want to miss something so a kindle search will be much better whatever I do.

Its made me realise I read the Plug parts very "lightly" once it became clear about the animals. I kind of didn't want to fully focus on it IYKWIM. So I'm not that sure of the details to look for myself.

RunSlowTalkFast · 12/09/2025 21:43

900 odd pages and she's basically left us with the same cliffhanger as the last book, infuriating!

And I can't wait for the next one 😄

Anyone know when they'll start filming The Running Grave? I read they are meant to start autumn 2025 so soon hopefully!

Magi84 · 13/09/2025 08:49

RunSlowTalkFast · 12/09/2025 21:43

900 odd pages and she's basically left us with the same cliffhanger as the last book, infuriating!

And I can't wait for the next one 😄

Anyone know when they'll start filming The Running Grave? I read they are meant to start autumn 2025 so soon hopefully!

I agree about avidly waiting for next one. Here’s hoping it is not two years away. I also read that filming of TRG was due to start this month. Guess that one will surely not be crammed into four episodes. Masses of content.

Choccyp1g · 13/09/2025 09:16

And by the time Strike and Robin were on Sark and one of them noted that the pub’s lavatory doors read “Gentlemen/Hommes” and “Ladies/Femmes” I had a sinking feeling.

A reference to separate toilet facilities, based on sex in both languages?