The Cuckoo's Calling

Much of the novel is told through interviews and conversations as Strike conducts his investigation. Is this an effective way to tell a detective story? How does this format work and/or how does it fail?

Does Strike’s view of his injury and prosthetic leg change throughout the book? If so, in what ways? What is the significance of Strike’s prosthetic leg, and how does it affect Strike’s character development and his interactions with others? Provide textual evidence to support your description.

Because the novel is mostly told through interviews, there is often conflicting information given about different characters. Pick three characters and outline how others describe them versus how they appear to Strike.

Although Strike is a man and the novel is mostly told through a third-person close perspective focused on him, most of the novel’s characters are women. Pick three women in the novel and compare them. What do they do to propel, or stall, the plot and investigation? How are they portrayed?

Many characters in this novel live with substance use disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Describe how these manifest in the novel. How do the characters talk about substance use and mental health? Some characters do not talk about mental health; include that in your answer and explain its significance.

Red herrings are clues that are meant to be misleading or distracting. What red herrings are in The Cuckoo’s Calling, and who do they incriminate as suspects?

Pick two of the romantic partnerships present in the novel (Robin and Matthew, Strike and Charlotte, Lula and Evan, etc.). Compare the relationships and describe the healthy and unhealthy aspects of each. Support your answer with evidence from the text.

This novel takes place in modern-day London. Would the novel’s plot be effective in any other time period? What would have been different?