The Cuckoo's Calling

The Cuckoo’s Calling: A Cormoran Strike Novel is a murder mystery set in modern London, England. It follows war veteran Cormoran Strike and his new secretary, Robin Ellacott, as they try to uncover the true circumstances surrounding the death of a young model named Lula Landry (Bristow). The author, Robert Galbraith, is a pseudonym for J. K. Rowling, the famous novelist who wrote the Harry Potter series. Published in 2012, it was awarded the 2013 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category and became a best-seller once the author’s identity was discovered. BBC One developed a television adaptation called Strike that aired in 2017. The novel’s title refers to the murder victim, Lula, who was affectionately called “Cuckoo” by her friends. This is also a reference to the slang use of the word “cuckoo,” which is a derogatory term for those living with a mental health condition.

This guide uses the First North American Edition published in 2013.

Content Warning: This novel contains depictions of substance use disorders, violence, warzone-related trauma, racism, and emotional manipulation. Further, the novel references mental health conditions, suicide, sexual assault, and financial manipulation.

Plot Summary

Police and paparazzi swarm the scene of Lula’s death. A prominent model known to struggle with drug use and mental health conditions, Lula’s fall from her balcony is ruled a suicide. Three months later, Robin arrives at the office of her new temporary job placement and begins work for a private detective named Strike. Strike, a war veteran with a prosthetic leg, is grappling with his own emotional turmoil following his breakup with his fiancé Charlotte, a conflict that has rendered him homeless and financially destitute. Strike is visited by John Bristow, who hires him to solve the death of Lula, John’s adopted sister. Although the police and press believe that Lula died by suicide, John believes otherwise. Strike agrees to help him, partially because John was the adoptive brother of Strike’s late childhood friend Charlie.

Strike uses his contacts in the police department to get Lula’s case file, then reviews a packet of evidence from John. This includes images from CCTV footage showing two men running away from Lula’s apartment. Robin showcases her intellect and initiative on several occasions, finding information for Strike and arranging interviews. The two visit Lula’s apartment building and search for ways that killers could enter. Robin’s fiancé, Matthew, is increasingly dismissive of her and Strike’s efforts, believing Strike to be a fraud.

Strike interviews the security guard at Lula’s apartment, Derrick Wilson, to learn about the events of the apartment the day of her death. He also interviews her chauffer, Kieran. He learns that Lula visited her mother Yvette that morning following Yvette’s hysterectomy, and that the visit disturbed Lula. He also discovers that Lula wrote something on a piece of paper that disappeared during her visit at a prominent boutique. After his interviews, Strike tries to acclimate to living out of his office. He hunts down Lula’s friend Rochelle, who was with her at the boutique, but his initial efforts are fruitless.

Strike exchanges information with a police officer named Wardle in exchange for access to Lula’s case file. He meets with Tansy Bestigui, her sister Ursula May, and John. Tansy lived two floors below Lula and claimed to have heard an argument just before her fall. Although Strike identifies falsehoods in her story, he believes her overall claim. Strike analyzes the police case file and the DVD of CCTV footage from the night Lula died. Strike and Robin then travel to the boutique Lula and Rochelle visited the day of the murder, where Robin wins over the sales staff and learns about a phone call Lula made. Strike meets Tony, Lula and John’s uncle, for lunch and learns that he is highly critical of Yvette’s parenting style. He claims that Lula was adopted to suppress Yvette’s grief over the loss of her son Charlie. When John joins them for lunch, they talk more about the men’s alibis. John describes Lula’s desire to find her biological family, which was a point of contention within the family. John gives Lula’s computer to Strike.

Strike hires a man to examine Lula’s computer. Robin finds Rochelle’s outpatient psychiatric appointment information, allowing Strike to locate her. The two have lunch, during which Rochelle insists that she was one of the few people Lula could trust. She is distrustful of Strike but accepts his business card. Strike then interviews Guy Somé, Lula’s designer and friend. Guy is suspicious of Lula’s boyfriend, Evan Duffield, and arranges for Strike to meet two more of Lula’s friends, Ciara and Bryony. Before he tours Lula’s apartment building, Strike discovers that pictures were deleted off Lula’s computer after her death.

The next week, Strike interviews Lula’s biological mother, learning that Lula’s father was an African student. Charlotte calls Strike’s office and tells Robin she is engaged, making Robin share the news with Strike. Strike subsequently gets drunk, and Robin helps him avoid trouble. The next morning, Robin investigates something privately while Strike recovers from his hangover and goes to a fashion shoot with Guy, Bryony, and Ciara. Ciara talks to him about Lula, giving him details of their last afternoon together before inviting him to a night club to interview Evan. Evan takes them from the club to his apartment, where he outlines his deep love for and jealousy of Lula. He then tells Strike about an email he saw from Tansy, threatening her soon-to-be ex-husband for money or else she will reveal additional information about the night of Lula’s death. Strike spends the night with Ciara.

Strike receives a call that Rochelle’s body has been found in the river and is questioned by the same police assigned to Lula’s case, an interview that sours when Strike implies their incompetence. At Rochelle’s funeral, Strike questions John’s girlfriend, Alison, manipulating her into revealing information about Tony’s affair with Ursula. Strike tells John that he and Yvette are in danger because the same person who killed Lula murdered Rochelle. Strike interviews Yvette without John present. Because Yvette is dying of cancer, their conversation flows to discuss Lula and Charlie’s deaths, and Strike learns Tony accused John of killing Charlie decades earlier. Strike searches the house and finds Lula’s last will and testament hidden in the lining of a purse. It leaves her possessions to her half-brother, Jonah, who is serving in the British military.

Strike sends Robin home early and waits in his office. John arrives and Strike presents him with evidence that he is the murderer. John attacks Strike, but Robin intercedes and calls for help. Ten days later, Strike meets with Jonah and the two talk about Lula. Strike then returns to the office, where he gifts Robin an expensive dress. The two express that they enjoy working together and negotiate a salary so that Robin can stay. Strike leaves for a doctor’s appointment, attending to his injured amputation.