Wulf's Book Reviews

The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith My rating: 4 of 5 stars A thrilling yet tangled chase through secrets, ethics, and emotional turmoil. This eighth instalment of the Cormoran Strike & Robin series doesn’t quite reach the brilliance of its predecessors. The primary case Strike & Robin are investigating is very convoluted and complicated. At some points I actually had to search for and go back to earlier parts to remember the connections. As such, this novel was somewhat more challenging to read. It was nevertheless worth it: It was suspenseful, interesting, and - despite the complexity - believable and very, very engaging. Much room is given to the relationship between Robin and Strike, and countless were the times when I wanted to grab one of them and shake them and shout at them to finally talk to each other. (I confess to loudly yelling at my Kobo to that effect.) Coming from the previous novel’s ending, I had hoped for, but did not expect, big developments - which m...

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly My rating: 5 of 5 stars Michael Connelly's “ The Lincoln Lawyer ” is probably the most convincing legal thriller I’ve ever read. Mickey Haller’s world comes alive on the pages - his “office” the back seat of a Lincoln, his (sometimes questionable) clients, and his approach which is an exquisite mix of street-smart savvy, courtroom elegance, and hard-earned cynicism. Each twist lands, every setback ratchets up the tension, and Mickey’s voice carries the narrative with wit, weariness, and surprising vulnerability. He is far from the “white-knight” lawyer - constantly dancing on the edge between pragmatism and principle - but it is the flashes of conscience and dry humour that give Haller real depth. » My greatest fear had been realized, realized for two years but I hadn’t known it. Not until now. I had been presented with innocence but I had not seen it or grasped it. Instead, I had thrown it into the maw of the machine like everything else. N...