The Silkworm and Career of Evil

The Silkworm, 455 pages.
Career of Evil, 497 pages. both by Robert Galbraith.

Books two and three in the Cormoran Strike series. I listened to both of them again in anticipation of the release of the fourth volume, Lethal White. Which was great, by the way. I heartily recommend it and these two as well.

My reviews from years past:

J.K. Rowling's third book writing as Galbraith and it's the best one so far. At least as far as the thriller part of the book is concerned. While I enjoyed reading the first two, and enjoy the lack of progression in the relationship between Cormoran and his partner / secretary, Robin (it depends on who is describing their relationship, and on recent occurrences), this book has the best overall story.

Someone who knows Cormoran, and knows his mother's story, sends Cormoran a leg. It's a human leg and, forensics assures him, was recently attached to a living woman. The note accompanying the leg indicates that the sender wants to ruin Cormoran's life (though it's addressed to Robin), and it makes reference to the band Blue Oyster Cult, an obsession of Cormoran's late mother. The clues leave Strike with a list of four suspects, only one of whom can be eliminated in the first half of the novel. The author does a great job of keeping the suspense going all hte way until the end of the novel. A lot of fun, in a gruesome, body-part filled sort of way.

The second of the J. K. Rowling writing as Robert Galbrarith books featuring detective Comoran Strike, Robin, Matthew
Semi-failed novelist Owen Quine has gone missing and the author's wife hires Strike to try and find him. Quine's latest effort reportedly dished dirt on lots of people in the literary world so that is where Strike investigates. The mystery, though grisly, is satisfying and all of the characters work well. It is a good read.
The little discussions about how crazy authors, agents and publishers are, and the scene where Comoran is leafing through the tabloids, looking for mention of his ex-fiance, when he come across a story about Emma Watson make it fun too.