Cormoran Strike is still reeling from the loss of a beloved uncle when he is summoned to meet a prospective client in Kent.

Decima Mullins is connected to the family of Strike’s late girlfriend, Charlotte. The meeting with Decima can be best summed up as uncomfortable, as she is very cagey in her demeanor. A body has been found in the vault of a silver shop, and Decima believes that the victim is her boyfriend, Rupert Fleetwood. The only problem is that the man has been identified as William Wright. Decima refuses to believe that Rupert would abandon her and their child and presses Strike to disprove her.

"Strike and Robin’s latest case manages to be as riveting as the chemistry between them, and the plot keeps readers enraptured until the enthralling conclusion."

As Strike adds another case to his agency’s bloated docket, his partner, Robin Ellacott, is temporarily sidelined as she recovers from a medical emergency. Robin had an ectopic pregnancy, and the loss of her baby has left her reticent. Still, she is keen on returning to work. When Strike fills her in on their latest job, she wonders why he would take it, considering the connections to his late ex’s family. The other concern has to do with challenging the findings of the police, especially as Robin’s beau, Ryan Murphy, is a policeman.

William was mutilated and had a symbolic marking on his body. The silver shop in which he was found was known for selling Masonic silverware and other related items. As Strike and Robin dive deeper into the case, they receive anonymous phone calls warning them to back off their current inquiry. In addition, Rupert might not be the only person who fits the bill for William. The other possible identifications for the victim are a former soldier with a traumatic brain injury and an adult film actor.

In addition to the frustrations of attempting to disprove the local police department, the Strike and Ellacott Detective Agency has come under press scrutiny due to a combination of past investigations and Strike’s complicated romantic life. Strike must fight for the preservation of his agency while trying to resolve a headscratcher of a case.

THE HALLMARKED MAN, the eighth entry in the Cormoran Strike series, is magnificent in both size and quality. It brings elements of mystery, suspense and conspiracy, along with intense drama, which makes for a well-rounded narrative. The story begins with Strike and Robin navigating their way through personal crises that have left indelible marks on them. They find solace in their jobs, yet there remains an underlying tension between them. The unresolved feelings they have had for each other is the elephant in the room, but Robert Galbraith (a pseudonym for J.K. Rowling) is subtle in dialing up the degree of anxiety.

Strike and Robin’s latest case manages to be as riveting as the chemistry between them, and the plot keeps readers enraptured until the enthralling conclusion. Galbraith continues to churn out unputdownable and impactful mysteries, and I already look forward to book #9.