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  • The Ink Black Heart

  • Cormoran Strike, Book 6
  • By: Robert Galbraith
  • Narrated by: Robert Glenister
  • Length: 32 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (8,150 ratings)
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The Ink Black Heart cover art

The Ink Black Heart

By: Robert Galbraith
Narrated by: Robert Glenister
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Summary

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, JULY 2023

When frantic, dishevelled Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn't know quite what to make of the situation. The co-creator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure who goes by the pseudonym of Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie's true identity.

Robin decides that the agency can't help with this - and thinks nothing more of it until a few days later, when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart.

Robin and her business partner Cormoran Strike become drawn into the quest to uncover Anomie's true identity. But with a complex web of online aliases, business interests and family conflicts to navigate, Strike and Robin find themselves embroiled in a case that stretches their powers of deduction to the limits - and which threatens them in new and horrifying ways . . .

A gripping, fiendishly clever mystery, The Ink Black Heart is a true tour-de-force.

©2022 J.K. Rowling (P)2022 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

'A superlative piece of crime fiction' SUNDAY TIMES

'There can be no denying [Galbraith's] considerable talents as a crime writer' GUARDIAN'

'Fans will be as entranced as ever' DAILY MAIL

What listeners say about The Ink Black Heart

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

SO disappointing plus update

I've had this book in my pre orders for ages, and was SO looking forward to it. I have listened to a quarter of the book today, and it is just annoying. There is an overwhelming amount of Twitter and YouTube conversations read out, maybe I am too old for this idea, I find badly written texts and conversations such as these so difficult to follow. I will try to read more and maybe I can get 'into' the story, but so far I am not enjoying it, and am sorely disappointed.
Well I did stick with this book until the bitter end, it didn't really improve! Maybe this is personal for me as I absolutely hate the current trend towards social media, and the pages of text read out, not making sense, continued until the end.

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188 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Robert Glenister Deserves a Medal

Simply for sticking in there and reading through the endless monotonous ‘game channel’ forum chats. I’m 3 hours in and I think the only way I’m going to be able to finish if it carries on in this fashion is if I get paid just like he was.
Maybe this reads better from the book but sadly it makes for a tiresome and difficult listen. I’ll give it another hour and then decide if that’s all I can take. You’ve been warned.

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116 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Pros and Cons

I can understand the complaints and frustrations of the other reviewers regarding the long passages of chat room dialog. It is hard to listen to and for this reason, I think that overall, this is a book that is probably better read than listened to.

On the plus side, the narration by Robert Glenister is fantastic as always. And regarding the subject matter, I think it’s an important topic and it’s good to see it addressed in this way.

Without a doubt, over the past few years we have all become aware of the dark side and toxic nature of social media platforms. Anonymity used as a shield to hide behind and lob insults and bullying at anyone whose opinion isn’t shared.

JK Rowling is a fantastic, imaginative writer, not afraid to speak her mind and the Strike series, so far, has been brilliant. I’m going to listen to the end and then I’m going to go out, buy the book and read that from start to finish.

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98 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

I am not the first to say but the Twitter / chatroom dialogue is agony. I can't tolerate it and returned the book. I've been looking forward to this for months so I'm disappointed but it doesn't translate.

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74 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant - Stick with it!

The story is brilliant, it has the murder mystery, who dunit aspect but mixed with the relevance of today's world with the whole trolling online and keyboard warriors. it shows how toxic online culture can be to people and how these 'trolls' get off on ruining other's lives.
Yes the online dialogue can be hard to follow at first but this is how things are now in the world and I praise JK for bringing this to her novel. Plus it has the humour we all love with the Strike novels and the love woes of Strike and Robin.
Stick with it people!! Remember a lot of people young and old commit suicide or commit crimes due to online bulling or comments, this novel is keeping up with the times!

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56 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Awful

Agree with person in front- annoying twitter instant messaging conversations that are awfully dull read out loud

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55 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love it

I am reading the book as well as listening to it and the twitter and in game conversations are a lot easier to follow when you read them. I think the plot is great and has kept me hooked from the start. Don’t want to give anything away as I’ve almost finished it but part three onwards is where it really gets going.

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49 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

So disappointed

Like others have said the message chat is monotonous and hard to listen too. I was looking forward to this book and have loved the series so far. Maybe easier to read than listen too? I didn’t even get half way through the book and couldn’t listen anymore.

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49 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Give this book a nudge

Mind numbingly boring with the text message conversations. Not enjoying this book at all!

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45 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Difficult to follow

As others have said, struggling to follow the chat room messages which take up a large portion of the book so far. Have had to relisten to sections multiple times and I still feel as if I am missing key details. Very monotonous and disappointing as I was really looking forward to this book

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44 people found this helpful