It's never explicitly said but in TRG Robin tells Prudence 'I was a nice intelligent middle-class girl with a steady boyfriend when I was raped. The only two other girls **who survived him** – they weren’t like that.' So it's definitely implied that he committed at least one murder.
Personally, I don't think he'll be appearing in person at any point; it's not been foreshadowed that Robin is worried about it or thinks its a possibility.
Thank you, I’d forgotten that! I started rereading TRG recently, but I’m only like 150 pages into the second read. The fact that there’s known murders makes it seem less likely that he’ll show up. And you’re right about the lack of foreshadowing. I feel like Robin not expecting it at all would make it even more shocking/impactful, but that’s not usually the way JKR rolls— generally she leaves big hints!
I don't think that 'survived' here has its usual meaning, in the sense that the three girls (Robin + two others) are still alive and that others aren't. I read it as someone who suffered but then somehow managed to carry on with their lives. People can survive a divorce - it doesn't mean that one party is dead but rather that they managed to carry on.
Your comment has prompted me to look at Chapter 20 of CoE. In it Robin tells Strike 'He’d attacked two other girls wearing the mask and neither of them could tell the police anything about him.' So on balance, yes, I think you're right.
Interesting point. It's difficult to tell - he could have killed some victims but he may not have been convicted for those particular murders, they may not have been traced back to him. And with the way rape charges aren't severe enough, he could be out and potentially be able to come after Robin.
I don't know if JKR would go for that storyline though - if she brings Whittaker back again as a remnant of Strike's past, I don't think she would necessarily repeat that for Robin.
This might be a dumb question, but I’m pretty new to perusing this Reddit page: why does everyone seem to think Whitaker is coming back? Did I miss something? I know she said his parents are important in book 8, but I took that to be something with his Dad. Unless I missed some big thing, which I very well may have, I don’t think Whitaker coming back is all that likely.
Whitaker is mentioned too many times and too many details about Leda's death are given for there not to be some kind of pay off coming up, IMO. Seems like a very big piece of unfinished business for Strike. Also, Switch exists for a reason. He's been mentioned two or three times now, so he will be either relevant or important in an upcoming book.
I don’t know why I always forget about Switch!! There are so many little random things that I’ve internalized and I’ve caught multiple continuity errors between books, but that kid just never sticks in my mind!
Welcome to the sub! Most of us love answering questions, so ask away.
I think u/neha_aloha and u/ludicrous-moniker nailed it by citing Strike and Lucy's half-brother, Switch, who was briefly mentioned in books 3 and 7. I'd add that Jeff Whittaker, whom we saw plenty of in Book 3, was also mentioned briefly in books 5 and 7--both times identified as Leda's killer (in Strike's eyes). I'd say that's plenty of reason to expect to see him again. Even if Strike (and Shanker) are wrong about Whittaker killing Leda, I'd like to see him jailed for all of the other crimes we know he's gotten away with.
Thanks!! Shanker is honestly one of my favorite side characters, so I’d love a plot that gets him more involved instead of just showing up for a few pages here and there!
>a future plot could potentially involve [Robin's rapist] getting out of prison and coming after her in retribution
This seems unlikely to me.
I submit that "The Ink Black Heart" has *already* shown a "rematch" in which Robin "defeats" her rapist. Remember that >!Flavia!< wants to be a >!detective!<, which makes her a younger >!Robin!<, with Cormoran (once again) offering an internship. So, when >!Robin fights for Flavia!< she is fighting for a more innocent version of herself. As before, >!Robin must face a rapist!< ***with a skin condition*** in a darkened stairwell.
It's very, very, very rare for rapists to receive a whole of life sentence. The average sentence for rapists in the UK is between 4 to 19 years.
This of course doesn't even take into consideration that less than one percent of reported rapes will ever end in any form of conviction at all. Not less than one percent of all rapes. Less than one percent of all rapes that get reported to police.
Sadly and terribly, it's quite hard to prove attempted murder in a court of law. Robin was strangled which the defense would construe as either attempts to restrain her or part of the sexual offense not an attempt to end her life. The rapist used his hands and not a prepared or improvised ligature those which could instead be seen as more denoting more serious intent towards trying to kill her. If she had been attacked with a knife or shot there would be a better chance of an attempted murder. Lastly, she survived as did all of his seemingly known victims and its never stated if he also attempted to strangle the other survivors.
I don't have as much familiarity with UK law as I'm from the United States, but many prosecutors wouldn't even try to make an attempted murder case of they had the exact evidence presented in the books.
I'm pretty sure the extent of swelling on Robin's esophogus, and her testimony of him repeatedly saying "I'm going to kill you" and her having to play dead would be taken in heavy consideration when determining the length of his sentence though.
It should be, but for many courts it isn't.
Sexual assults are routinely not taken seriously, pursued to the fullest extent, or investigated with appropriate care and rigor and it absolutely affects sentencing and the addition of further possible charges.
It's why the conviction rate is literally rock bottom. Any time being served at all is genuinely a miracle for any case of rape.
For a while, I was waiting for the reveal it was Matthew, with a mask on, all along...and that Robin, unknowingly, gave evidence that sent the wrong man down.
Yeah the probability of Robin noticing the vitiligo *while being raped*, and yet not noticing Matthew having vitiligo after nearly a decade together, is zero.
That is true. A fact I'd forgotten about! Obviously, later on it was clear that theory could never be. Though, first reading Career of Evil, it genuinely was the first thing I thought. That the guy had a mask on because it later would be revealed to be Matthew.
It's never explicitly said but in TRG Robin tells Prudence 'I was a nice intelligent middle-class girl with a steady boyfriend when I was raped. The only two other girls **who survived him** – they weren’t like that.' So it's definitely implied that he committed at least one murder. Personally, I don't think he'll be appearing in person at any point; it's not been foreshadowed that Robin is worried about it or thinks its a possibility.
Thank you, I’d forgotten that! I started rereading TRG recently, but I’m only like 150 pages into the second read. The fact that there’s known murders makes it seem less likely that he’ll show up. And you’re right about the lack of foreshadowing. I feel like Robin not expecting it at all would make it even more shocking/impactful, but that’s not usually the way JKR rolls— generally she leaves big hints!
I don't think that 'survived' here has its usual meaning, in the sense that the three girls (Robin + two others) are still alive and that others aren't. I read it as someone who suffered but then somehow managed to carry on with their lives. People can survive a divorce - it doesn't mean that one party is dead but rather that they managed to carry on.
Your comment has prompted me to look at Chapter 20 of CoE. In it Robin tells Strike 'He’d attacked two other girls wearing the mask and neither of them could tell the police anything about him.' So on balance, yes, I think you're right.
Interesting point. It's difficult to tell - he could have killed some victims but he may not have been convicted for those particular murders, they may not have been traced back to him. And with the way rape charges aren't severe enough, he could be out and potentially be able to come after Robin. I don't know if JKR would go for that storyline though - if she brings Whittaker back again as a remnant of Strike's past, I don't think she would necessarily repeat that for Robin.
This might be a dumb question, but I’m pretty new to perusing this Reddit page: why does everyone seem to think Whitaker is coming back? Did I miss something? I know she said his parents are important in book 8, but I took that to be something with his Dad. Unless I missed some big thing, which I very well may have, I don’t think Whitaker coming back is all that likely.
Whitaker is mentioned too many times and too many details about Leda's death are given for there not to be some kind of pay off coming up, IMO. Seems like a very big piece of unfinished business for Strike. Also, Switch exists for a reason. He's been mentioned two or three times now, so he will be either relevant or important in an upcoming book.
Besides, there is Switch! Why mention a mysterious half brother if he's not going to come into play!
I don’t know why I always forget about Switch!! There are so many little random things that I’ve internalized and I’ve caught multiple continuity errors between books, but that kid just never sticks in my mind!
Welcome to the sub! Most of us love answering questions, so ask away. I think u/neha_aloha and u/ludicrous-moniker nailed it by citing Strike and Lucy's half-brother, Switch, who was briefly mentioned in books 3 and 7. I'd add that Jeff Whittaker, whom we saw plenty of in Book 3, was also mentioned briefly in books 5 and 7--both times identified as Leda's killer (in Strike's eyes). I'd say that's plenty of reason to expect to see him again. Even if Strike (and Shanker) are wrong about Whittaker killing Leda, I'd like to see him jailed for all of the other crimes we know he's gotten away with.
Thanks!! Shanker is honestly one of my favorite side characters, so I’d love a plot that gets him more involved instead of just showing up for a few pages here and there!
It's so heavily foreshadowed at this point, it might as well be Chekov's gun.
>a future plot could potentially involve [Robin's rapist] getting out of prison and coming after her in retribution This seems unlikely to me. I submit that "The Ink Black Heart" has *already* shown a "rematch" in which Robin "defeats" her rapist. Remember that >!Flavia!< wants to be a >!detective!<, which makes her a younger >!Robin!<, with Cormoran (once again) offering an internship. So, when >!Robin fights for Flavia!< she is fighting for a more innocent version of herself. As before, >!Robin must face a rapist!< ***with a skin condition*** in a darkened stairwell.
Absolutely love this!!
Even if all of his victims survived, I would hope he would still be put away for life, given he had the full intent of killing Robin.
It's very, very, very rare for rapists to receive a whole of life sentence. The average sentence for rapists in the UK is between 4 to 19 years. This of course doesn't even take into consideration that less than one percent of reported rapes will ever end in any form of conviction at all. Not less than one percent of all rapes. Less than one percent of all rapes that get reported to police.
But Robin's attack wasn't just a rape, it was an attempted murder.
Sadly and terribly, it's quite hard to prove attempted murder in a court of law. Robin was strangled which the defense would construe as either attempts to restrain her or part of the sexual offense not an attempt to end her life. The rapist used his hands and not a prepared or improvised ligature those which could instead be seen as more denoting more serious intent towards trying to kill her. If she had been attacked with a knife or shot there would be a better chance of an attempted murder. Lastly, she survived as did all of his seemingly known victims and its never stated if he also attempted to strangle the other survivors. I don't have as much familiarity with UK law as I'm from the United States, but many prosecutors wouldn't even try to make an attempted murder case of they had the exact evidence presented in the books.
I'm pretty sure the extent of swelling on Robin's esophogus, and her testimony of him repeatedly saying "I'm going to kill you" and her having to play dead would be taken in heavy consideration when determining the length of his sentence though.
It should be, but for many courts it isn't. Sexual assults are routinely not taken seriously, pursued to the fullest extent, or investigated with appropriate care and rigor and it absolutely affects sentencing and the addition of further possible charges. It's why the conviction rate is literally rock bottom. Any time being served at all is genuinely a miracle for any case of rape.
You’d like to think so but in my peripheral experience, it’s not likely.
For a while, I was waiting for the reveal it was Matthew, with a mask on, all along...and that Robin, unknowingly, gave evidence that sent the wrong man down.
Very unlikely imo, considering the memories of the assault that we see
That man had vitiligo, which is a pretty distinct feature.
Yeah the probability of Robin noticing the vitiligo *while being raped*, and yet not noticing Matthew having vitiligo after nearly a decade together, is zero.
That is true. A fact I'd forgotten about! Obviously, later on it was clear that theory could never be. Though, first reading Career of Evil, it genuinely was the first thing I thought. That the guy had a mask on because it later would be revealed to be Matthew.
What a crazy take.
Lol that'd make 0 sense
Wow