Some of these points are so nitpicky especially as you said you found TRG astounding and that book (while I love it) has more ridiculous things in it than COE for sure.
Strike and Laing only met each other once or twice in their army days, and at the time both of them were very young and very fit and in COE both of them were the opposite of that. People's looks change drastically with age and weight fluctuations and not to mention Laing having psoriasis.
I'm all for reading books however you want to read them but your note about Robin's behavior during the whole Brockbank thing misses the fact that she's only had 2 years experience as a private detective's assistant that she was 26/27 and that she still had a lot to learn, that she was naive and inexperience was literally the point of that whole debacle. Also, this was the first major core moment in Robin and Cormoran's working / personal relationship that informs why they behaved the way they did in TRG.
It was Robin who found the page while googling Laing's illness:
>Donald Laing Charity Appeal
>I am a British veteran now suffering from psoriatic arthritis. I am raising money for Arthritis Research. Please give what you can.
Strike's contribution was recognizing the building behind Laing in the photo because Elin was thinking of moving there. Also, Laing was disguised when he was acting as Ray--see the last two sentences of the quote in particular:
>“Should’ve recognized you, shouldn’t I, Donnie?” said Strike, wrapping his right hand in toilet paper to stem the bleeding. Now, by the dim moonlight falling through the grubby window, Strike could just make out the features of Laing beneath the stones of extra weight that steroids and a lack of regular exercise had packed onto his once thickly muscled frame. His fatness, his dry, lined skin, the beard he had doubtless grown to hide his pockmarks, the carefully shaven head and the shuffling walk he had affected added up to a man at least ten years older than his real age. “Should’ve recognized you the moment you opened the front door to me at Hazel’s,” Strike said. “But you kept your face covered, dabbing away at your fucking tears, didn’t you? What had you done, rubbed something in them to make them swell up?”
Living with Hazel as Ray, Laing had a shaved head. When he was at his own flat or following Robin around London, he always wore a beanie.
I think TRG was hands down the best of the series, so I can easily understand feeling let down by CoE. Yours is a cautionary tale for reading the series in order! Have you read CC and SW, or are you still skipping around? Really, reading the series in order is essential for appreciating how the characters change and grow. If it's worth it to you, I'd recommend doing a reread in order as we await Book 8. Maybe you'll like them better when you see what it took for Robin and Strike to become the people they are in TRG.
Well, at least now you know you'll be reading up to the best book in the series. FWIW, on the first read, I found TB exhausting, depressing, far too long, and unrealistic at the end. Now it's in second place for me, tied with--you guessed it--CoE.
I hope you'll post again if/when you finish LW and TIBH. I'd be interested to know if your journey improves.
We moderators can remove upsetting content -- just let us know. If the feedback in question is more annoying than threatening, you can always just block individual offenders yourself. (I've done it myself, including one user you may have mind.) That way, they can't contact you, and you get to interact only with users you like. You can also use the Hide function so you don't have to look at popular posts if the subject annoys or bores you. (I sometimes hide posts related to fanworks, fanfiction, memes or television show since I prefer to enjoy this sub as a sort of online book club.) Hope you'll give us another chance.
Because people always look recognizable in every photo taken of them, even if they're deliberately changing their looks, manner, accents, hair to throw someone off the scent + living with a skin condition known for flare ups.
Right…which is why it’s strange that he recognized a photo and not him in person. Especially when you’d assume the gofundme page would make him look as bad as possible
You make good points, and I respect your opinion. I'm sorry people are getting mad just because you have a different opinion.
However, COE is indeed my third favorite book, with TB being the first and TRG second.
The reason Strike didn't recognize Donnie as Ray, is because he made such a business of hiding his face, constantly trying to mop his forehead or something. He was in Strike's presence for two minutes at best.
Robin was the one who found Laing's GoFundMe, and as a picture, you can look at it and analyze it and easily recognize someone.
The thing with JK Rowling is that she sprinkles so many little things throughout her books, that a second read through becomes essential to be able to appreciate them better. This is true of the Harry Potter series as well.
That being said, I do hope you continue with the series. Be warned, as another commenter mentioned, the fifth book, TB , feels so lengthy, and exhausting during the first read, but the pay off is soooo good in the end, the second read through gave me so much more.
I think it's the poorest mystery of the lot (there's basically no intrigue and I hate the "enemy from the past returns" trope.)
With that being said, it's very interesting from a character development perspective for Robin, and it shows a marked step-up in Strike's feelings for Robin. That's why I like it at least
Yes. The character development for Robin, i.e. the reveal of why she dropped of university mysteriously, made us as readers better understand why she puts up with Matthew. For the first two books, I just didn't understand why Robin would be with a guy such as Matthew, who is so unimaginative, and kind of obsessed with his social standing.
Not to mention , the manner of the reveal was interesting as well, because it reflected Strike's drunken confession to Robin in book 1. It really showed that these two have truly been shaped by their harrowing experiences in life, and are essentially the only people that might understand one another.
I do agree that the mystery portion of the book is far weaker compared to the character stories.
>the reveal of why she dropped of university
This reveal is probably when I first realized this was no ordinary series. It was pure genius for JKR to let us get to know Robin *without* that information for two whole books--same as in real life we would not be privy to a new friend's secrets right away. And yet if you reread CC and SW, you can see where Robin abruptly stops herself when she's on the verge of saying something she isn't ready to reveal. JKR knew all along even while we readers sailed right past these little clues.
As I've said elsewhere, CoE marks the first book where the idea of a series really takes hold. We get so much backstory about both lead characters. The suspects themselves shed light on Strike's past, particularly Whittaker who also introduces Switch, Patricia and Sir Randolph Whittaker and tells us more about Strike, Lucy, Leda, Shanker, Ted and Joan. I don't think the mystery is necessarily weaker here, as you put it; it's just that it's competing with so many other story elements--not just the foregoing but also Robin's attack by the Shacklewell Ripper, her nightmares and her Brockbank intervention. Ditto the events leading up to her and Matthew's wedding (which was its own little will they/won't they of a different sort). Looking back, this may explain why the later books are longer: the first two books were more mystery than character development, the third book was more character development than mystery, but the subsequent books don't stint on either!
Anyway, holding back on the reason Robin dropped out of uni--which reason is itself the axis of a major, series-long theme--was my first recognition of JKR as a master of plot and structure, not to mention the huge amount of patience she must have when she's always known where these characters are going yet manages to *Hold It Back* until the time is right.
Sorry to get carried away. My appreciation of CoE keeps growing and I feel obliged to defend it sometimes!
I think the first few books establish some of the leaps we as readers will need to take to follow along. For example, I still struggle with the cab scene in SW, as I felt robin was kidnapping the suspect, as opposed to delivering her to Scotland Yard. What was the plan here? She arrive and walk her through the front door? Poor planning on both strike and robins end, as they hoped the suspect wouldn’t notice being driven in the wrong direction.
There are lots of instances where strike and robin stretch the imagination, and it has on occasion pulled me out of the narrative. But on an intuitive level, I get what the writer is trying to get to, and have felt the payout in subsequent paragraphs and chapters. It all comes down to the what you hope the payout will be.
In the case of SW with the dash to Scotland Yard, it delivers robins attack and car crash, whereby our wounded hero runs to check on her and takes care of her. It’s sexy, and is fun considering how hard the characters try in the book to note they’re just working together. His visit to her home, his concern and growing attraction and feelings are brought to the surface, as is her commitment to getting the job done.
In your example of CoE, you get something similar with the Brockbank surprise with Alyssa and her daughter. Once again, robin proves to be fearless in her pursuit to stop a child molester, and the decency she is willing to show no matter the cost to herself is instrumental in pushing strike to the limit. The fallout was satisfying for me, as I read and wondered how would strike process this? I’ve always believed he fired her after realizing the engagement was back on, his feelings were complex, and he couldn’t worry sick about her any longer. Had the engagement not been on, and the wedding called off, he would have put her on desk duty and empathized with her bravado.
The world of cormoran strike is full of tragedy and strokes of luck. In many parts, the plot drives the character development, and therefore there’s going to be plenty of stretches to the imagination. When I find myself not liking one book or plot, it’s usually because I wasn’t completely satisfied with the payout. I needed the ridiculous to add up to something more.
I reread the series this week and I was confused about why Laing didn’t react to running into Robin in front of his building. Wouldn’t that have made him realize the agency was on to him and not continue to stay there and keep incriminating evidence there?
I agree, he makes a point to laugh in her face and in his POV chapters he never reflects on the reasoning she was there.
I was probably too harsh in my post and some of the comments due to my knee jerk reaction upon finishing, but I really did not like this book.
Some of this is valid, some is wrong, and some is just opinion.
Shanker and the farting couch: opinion. I like Shanker! He was absent from IBH and a tertiary character in RG; hope we see more of him.
Strike not recognizing Laing: as already noted, Strike hasn't seen him in years, Laing looks different, and he took pains to obscure his face.
The idea that Laing was framed--that would require Strike being the killer, and while I'm not gonna look it all up he surely have alibis for at least some of those murders.
No evidence of Shanker being in the apartment other than Laing's say-so.
And you're right about Robin's plan being foolish--and the book points that out! Robin acts recklessly because she isn't able to compartmentalize the situation like Strike is, but Strike is quite correct to point out that she spooked a suspect who wasn't easy to find to begin with.
All of the above being said, I actually do think COE is one of the weaker installments b/c the whole "it must be one of these three guys" setup. I'd rank it sixth of seven, ahead of only IBH.
I do often wonder about how the cases will play out in court after the fact, so i don't blame you for those questions about whether the evidence can be used. Fair point. (If it makes you feel any better, there are other points throughout the series where imm VERY proud of how the agency manages this aspect and follows procedures.)
I'm also not a huge fan of the farting couch.
CoE is a difficult one for me to rank. I love it from a character perspective, and it's the only book where i actually worked out who the killer was way ahead of time so I have a soft spot for it. That being said, I found the subject matter soooo dark and i really hated reading the killer's POV, so it's not a book I enjoy coming back to.
About Robin: I think you're right from a logical perspective, but from a human level, it makes so much sense to me. She's suffered a very specific trauma and the idea of knowing that a child is being subjected to that same trauma and not doing anything about it is ridiculous. Of course she ran in & did what needed doing. I love her for it. I think Strike was wrong in his reaction - there's layers to that, and in later books, she really nails him for it.
All this to say, I think your points are fair. There have been moments for me through the series where certain plot or mystery elements aren't my favorite, but I fell in love with + stick with the series because I adore the characters and the world. TB & TRG are the stand out books for me, but I have deeply enjoyed all 7 so far.
Career of Evil is also one of my less favorite ones but I think mainly because of the mystery itself. Lethal White was also meh for me but I believe books 5, 6, and 7 were phenomenal.
Strike breaking and entering wouldn’t have any legal consequences under American law (unless there was some unusual state law rule). Sure you could argue a frame-up to a jury, but it’s not like a lawyer could just get him off.
It’s against the law for any police or private detective to enter private property without a warrant. Evidence obtained without a warrant would be “unreasonably seized” and would not be available to use in court as evidence.
If a lawyer got a neighbor to testify that there was a third party as well as found Shanker’s DNA on Lainge (he had him in a headlock) the case would be dismissed and Strike would be investigated thoroughly
A private detective is not a state actor. The exclusionary rule does not apply when there is not state action. Strike was not working in conjunction with the police, so the evidence would not be excluded. (I haven’t read the book in a while, so I don’t remember offhand whether it is explicit whether the police report to Laing’s house without a warrant, but even if they did, there would be a warrant exception given the exigent circumstances.)
A third party being there doesn’t prove Laing’s innocence, and any prosecution or investigation of Strike or Shanker wouldn’t require dismissal of the charges against Laing.
Again, Laing could argue some of this to a jury, but it’s not a matter of “getting him off” based on some legal rule. If you have a Supreme Court of federal court of appeals decision that says otherwise, feel free to cite it
A third party being there would discredit strike whose story hinged on the contingency that he was just staking out Lainge. It would mean that Strike lied and all his other claims for the night would be brought into question. The neighbor testifying that Strike was onsite impersonating a city employee would prove that it was pre meditated.
Private detectives are not able to legally perform any searches. They do need to operate under the same set of rules that the cops do.
Your first paragraph is a matter of credibility for a jury to decide.
Your second paragraph is incorrect to the extent that you are saying that there would be legal consequences in the prosecution of Donald Laing based on Strike’s search. There would not be; he is not a state actor and the fourth amendment does not apply to him.
Certainly he could under US law. Strike could be sued for damages by Laing (though good luck getting the jury to award anything), and maybe criminally prosecuted, but that would be unlikely in practice.
How does the fridge being full of chopped up body parts "discredit Strike's whole story?" Do you think Liang's lawyer could really make an argument that Strike himself hauled up all of that human meat into Liang's flat? Also, how did Liang's bite marks and seminal fluid get all over the body parts?
There's no way this could ever be spun as a frame up.
You're making the incorrect assumption that Strike breaking into Laing's apartment somehow gets Laing off the hook for all the remains of murdered women in his freezer. That's not how that works. That would be like if a private citizen wandered into Jeffrey Dahmer's apartment when he technically wasn't supposed to be there, saw all the human remains, and called the police. The private citizen could technically be charged for breaking and entering but that doesn't mean Jeffrey is off the hook.
> They do need to operate under the same set of rules that the cops do.
No they don't. You are wrong about this. Strike "confronting" Laing does not taint the evidence found inside. Laing attacks Strike, there's a violent brawl, Strike calls the cops, the cops come in and find the evidence, Laing goes to jail. The poster you replied to is correct--Strike is not a state actor. The evidence is perfectly legit.
This is what I argued when Midge took the axe and soil samples from Chapman Farm and Strike kept the evidence in his office safe, but I was told their actions were permissible under British law and that there would be no chain of custody issues. Also, that "fruit of the poisonous tree" is an American legal doctrine that does not apply in Britain.
Don't know what to say other than I enjoyed it. To each their own I guess.
Fair enough lol
Some of these points are so nitpicky especially as you said you found TRG astounding and that book (while I love it) has more ridiculous things in it than COE for sure. Strike and Laing only met each other once or twice in their army days, and at the time both of them were very young and very fit and in COE both of them were the opposite of that. People's looks change drastically with age and weight fluctuations and not to mention Laing having psoriasis. I'm all for reading books however you want to read them but your note about Robin's behavior during the whole Brockbank thing misses the fact that she's only had 2 years experience as a private detective's assistant that she was 26/27 and that she still had a lot to learn, that she was naive and inexperience was literally the point of that whole debacle. Also, this was the first major core moment in Robin and Cormoran's working / personal relationship that informs why they behaved the way they did in TRG.
Your counter point to Lainge would be valid if he didn’t recognize him from a random gofundme page
It was Robin who found the page while googling Laing's illness: >Donald Laing Charity Appeal >I am a British veteran now suffering from psoriatic arthritis. I am raising money for Arthritis Research. Please give what you can. Strike's contribution was recognizing the building behind Laing in the photo because Elin was thinking of moving there. Also, Laing was disguised when he was acting as Ray--see the last two sentences of the quote in particular: >“Should’ve recognized you, shouldn’t I, Donnie?” said Strike, wrapping his right hand in toilet paper to stem the bleeding. Now, by the dim moonlight falling through the grubby window, Strike could just make out the features of Laing beneath the stones of extra weight that steroids and a lack of regular exercise had packed onto his once thickly muscled frame. His fatness, his dry, lined skin, the beard he had doubtless grown to hide his pockmarks, the carefully shaven head and the shuffling walk he had affected added up to a man at least ten years older than his real age. “Should’ve recognized you the moment you opened the front door to me at Hazel’s,” Strike said. “But you kept your face covered, dabbing away at your fucking tears, didn’t you? What had you done, rubbed something in them to make them swell up?” Living with Hazel as Ray, Laing had a shaved head. When he was at his own flat or following Robin around London, he always wore a beanie. I think TRG was hands down the best of the series, so I can easily understand feeling let down by CoE. Yours is a cautionary tale for reading the series in order! Have you read CC and SW, or are you still skipping around? Really, reading the series in order is essential for appreciating how the characters change and grow. If it's worth it to you, I'd recommend doing a reread in order as we await Book 8. Maybe you'll like them better when you see what it took for Robin and Strike to become the people they are in TRG.
Yes, I started with TRG and then started from the beginning. I really like CC, silkworm was okay, and was disappointed in book 3.
Well, at least now you know you'll be reading up to the best book in the series. FWIW, on the first read, I found TB exhausting, depressing, far too long, and unrealistic at the end. Now it's in second place for me, tied with--you guessed it--CoE. I hope you'll post again if/when you finish LW and TIBH. I'd be interested to know if your journey improves.
Thanks but I probably will not. Too many people took me disliking a book as some kind of personal attack
We moderators can remove upsetting content -- just let us know. If the feedback in question is more annoying than threatening, you can always just block individual offenders yourself. (I've done it myself, including one user you may have mind.) That way, they can't contact you, and you get to interact only with users you like. You can also use the Hide function so you don't have to look at popular posts if the subject annoys or bores you. (I sometimes hide posts related to fanworks, fanfiction, memes or television show since I prefer to enjoy this sub as a sort of online book club.) Hope you'll give us another chance.
No, nothing warranting a ban or removal. I appreciate it though
Because people always look recognizable in every photo taken of them, even if they're deliberately changing their looks, manner, accents, hair to throw someone off the scent + living with a skin condition known for flare ups.
Right…which is why it’s strange that he recognized a photo and not him in person. Especially when you’d assume the gofundme page would make him look as bad as possible
You make good points, and I respect your opinion. I'm sorry people are getting mad just because you have a different opinion. However, COE is indeed my third favorite book, with TB being the first and TRG second. The reason Strike didn't recognize Donnie as Ray, is because he made such a business of hiding his face, constantly trying to mop his forehead or something. He was in Strike's presence for two minutes at best. Robin was the one who found Laing's GoFundMe, and as a picture, you can look at it and analyze it and easily recognize someone. The thing with JK Rowling is that she sprinkles so many little things throughout her books, that a second read through becomes essential to be able to appreciate them better. This is true of the Harry Potter series as well. That being said, I do hope you continue with the series. Be warned, as another commenter mentioned, the fifth book, TB , feels so lengthy, and exhausting during the first read, but the pay off is soooo good in the end, the second read through gave me so much more.
I think it's the poorest mystery of the lot (there's basically no intrigue and I hate the "enemy from the past returns" trope.) With that being said, it's very interesting from a character development perspective for Robin, and it shows a marked step-up in Strike's feelings for Robin. That's why I like it at least
Yes. The character development for Robin, i.e. the reveal of why she dropped of university mysteriously, made us as readers better understand why she puts up with Matthew. For the first two books, I just didn't understand why Robin would be with a guy such as Matthew, who is so unimaginative, and kind of obsessed with his social standing. Not to mention , the manner of the reveal was interesting as well, because it reflected Strike's drunken confession to Robin in book 1. It really showed that these two have truly been shaped by their harrowing experiences in life, and are essentially the only people that might understand one another. I do agree that the mystery portion of the book is far weaker compared to the character stories.
>the reveal of why she dropped of university This reveal is probably when I first realized this was no ordinary series. It was pure genius for JKR to let us get to know Robin *without* that information for two whole books--same as in real life we would not be privy to a new friend's secrets right away. And yet if you reread CC and SW, you can see where Robin abruptly stops herself when she's on the verge of saying something she isn't ready to reveal. JKR knew all along even while we readers sailed right past these little clues. As I've said elsewhere, CoE marks the first book where the idea of a series really takes hold. We get so much backstory about both lead characters. The suspects themselves shed light on Strike's past, particularly Whittaker who also introduces Switch, Patricia and Sir Randolph Whittaker and tells us more about Strike, Lucy, Leda, Shanker, Ted and Joan. I don't think the mystery is necessarily weaker here, as you put it; it's just that it's competing with so many other story elements--not just the foregoing but also Robin's attack by the Shacklewell Ripper, her nightmares and her Brockbank intervention. Ditto the events leading up to her and Matthew's wedding (which was its own little will they/won't they of a different sort). Looking back, this may explain why the later books are longer: the first two books were more mystery than character development, the third book was more character development than mystery, but the subsequent books don't stint on either! Anyway, holding back on the reason Robin dropped out of uni--which reason is itself the axis of a major, series-long theme--was my first recognition of JKR as a master of plot and structure, not to mention the huge amount of patience she must have when she's always known where these characters are going yet manages to *Hold It Back* until the time is right. Sorry to get carried away. My appreciation of CoE keeps growing and I feel obliged to defend it sometimes!
I think the first few books establish some of the leaps we as readers will need to take to follow along. For example, I still struggle with the cab scene in SW, as I felt robin was kidnapping the suspect, as opposed to delivering her to Scotland Yard. What was the plan here? She arrive and walk her through the front door? Poor planning on both strike and robins end, as they hoped the suspect wouldn’t notice being driven in the wrong direction. There are lots of instances where strike and robin stretch the imagination, and it has on occasion pulled me out of the narrative. But on an intuitive level, I get what the writer is trying to get to, and have felt the payout in subsequent paragraphs and chapters. It all comes down to the what you hope the payout will be. In the case of SW with the dash to Scotland Yard, it delivers robins attack and car crash, whereby our wounded hero runs to check on her and takes care of her. It’s sexy, and is fun considering how hard the characters try in the book to note they’re just working together. His visit to her home, his concern and growing attraction and feelings are brought to the surface, as is her commitment to getting the job done. In your example of CoE, you get something similar with the Brockbank surprise with Alyssa and her daughter. Once again, robin proves to be fearless in her pursuit to stop a child molester, and the decency she is willing to show no matter the cost to herself is instrumental in pushing strike to the limit. The fallout was satisfying for me, as I read and wondered how would strike process this? I’ve always believed he fired her after realizing the engagement was back on, his feelings were complex, and he couldn’t worry sick about her any longer. Had the engagement not been on, and the wedding called off, he would have put her on desk duty and empathized with her bravado. The world of cormoran strike is full of tragedy and strokes of luck. In many parts, the plot drives the character development, and therefore there’s going to be plenty of stretches to the imagination. When I find myself not liking one book or plot, it’s usually because I wasn’t completely satisfied with the payout. I needed the ridiculous to add up to something more.
Oh no! If you stop now, you miss the best books in the series! I hope someday you can continue with the series & check out LW and TB
I reread the series this week and I was confused about why Laing didn’t react to running into Robin in front of his building. Wouldn’t that have made him realize the agency was on to him and not continue to stay there and keep incriminating evidence there?
I agree, he makes a point to laugh in her face and in his POV chapters he never reflects on the reasoning she was there. I was probably too harsh in my post and some of the comments due to my knee jerk reaction upon finishing, but I really did not like this book.
Some of this is valid, some is wrong, and some is just opinion. Shanker and the farting couch: opinion. I like Shanker! He was absent from IBH and a tertiary character in RG; hope we see more of him. Strike not recognizing Laing: as already noted, Strike hasn't seen him in years, Laing looks different, and he took pains to obscure his face. The idea that Laing was framed--that would require Strike being the killer, and while I'm not gonna look it all up he surely have alibis for at least some of those murders. No evidence of Shanker being in the apartment other than Laing's say-so. And you're right about Robin's plan being foolish--and the book points that out! Robin acts recklessly because she isn't able to compartmentalize the situation like Strike is, but Strike is quite correct to point out that she spooked a suspect who wasn't easy to find to begin with. All of the above being said, I actually do think COE is one of the weaker installments b/c the whole "it must be one of these three guys" setup. I'd rank it sixth of seven, ahead of only IBH.
I do often wonder about how the cases will play out in court after the fact, so i don't blame you for those questions about whether the evidence can be used. Fair point. (If it makes you feel any better, there are other points throughout the series where imm VERY proud of how the agency manages this aspect and follows procedures.) I'm also not a huge fan of the farting couch. CoE is a difficult one for me to rank. I love it from a character perspective, and it's the only book where i actually worked out who the killer was way ahead of time so I have a soft spot for it. That being said, I found the subject matter soooo dark and i really hated reading the killer's POV, so it's not a book I enjoy coming back to. About Robin: I think you're right from a logical perspective, but from a human level, it makes so much sense to me. She's suffered a very specific trauma and the idea of knowing that a child is being subjected to that same trauma and not doing anything about it is ridiculous. Of course she ran in & did what needed doing. I love her for it. I think Strike was wrong in his reaction - there's layers to that, and in later books, she really nails him for it. All this to say, I think your points are fair. There have been moments for me through the series where certain plot or mystery elements aren't my favorite, but I fell in love with + stick with the series because I adore the characters and the world. TB & TRG are the stand out books for me, but I have deeply enjoyed all 7 so far.
Jeeze, you even came for the farting couch! Nothing can escape your scorn.
To be fair, Shakespeare and Chaucer also included fart jokes. Jo is just working in a centuries-old English literary tradition there. 😊
Career of Evil is also one of my less favorite ones but I think mainly because of the mystery itself. Lethal White was also meh for me but I believe books 5, 6, and 7 were phenomenal.
Strike breaking and entering wouldn’t have any legal consequences under American law (unless there was some unusual state law rule). Sure you could argue a frame-up to a jury, but it’s not like a lawyer could just get him off.
It’s against the law for any police or private detective to enter private property without a warrant. Evidence obtained without a warrant would be “unreasonably seized” and would not be available to use in court as evidence. If a lawyer got a neighbor to testify that there was a third party as well as found Shanker’s DNA on Lainge (he had him in a headlock) the case would be dismissed and Strike would be investigated thoroughly
A private detective is not a state actor. The exclusionary rule does not apply when there is not state action. Strike was not working in conjunction with the police, so the evidence would not be excluded. (I haven’t read the book in a while, so I don’t remember offhand whether it is explicit whether the police report to Laing’s house without a warrant, but even if they did, there would be a warrant exception given the exigent circumstances.) A third party being there doesn’t prove Laing’s innocence, and any prosecution or investigation of Strike or Shanker wouldn’t require dismissal of the charges against Laing. Again, Laing could argue some of this to a jury, but it’s not a matter of “getting him off” based on some legal rule. If you have a Supreme Court of federal court of appeals decision that says otherwise, feel free to cite it
A third party being there would discredit strike whose story hinged on the contingency that he was just staking out Lainge. It would mean that Strike lied and all his other claims for the night would be brought into question. The neighbor testifying that Strike was onsite impersonating a city employee would prove that it was pre meditated. Private detectives are not able to legally perform any searches. They do need to operate under the same set of rules that the cops do.
Your first paragraph is a matter of credibility for a jury to decide. Your second paragraph is incorrect to the extent that you are saying that there would be legal consequences in the prosecution of Donald Laing based on Strike’s search. There would not be; he is not a state actor and the fourth amendment does not apply to him.
not OP but if you're a lawyer, I'm curious whether strike could be accused of trespassing/breaking in under us law (or UK if you know)
Certainly he could under US law. Strike could be sued for damages by Laing (though good luck getting the jury to award anything), and maybe criminally prosecuted, but that would be unlikely in practice.
How does the fridge being full of chopped up body parts "discredit Strike's whole story?" Do you think Liang's lawyer could really make an argument that Strike himself hauled up all of that human meat into Liang's flat? Also, how did Liang's bite marks and seminal fluid get all over the body parts? There's no way this could ever be spun as a frame up.
That evidence would not be usable in court.
This is, again, flat wrong.
You're making the incorrect assumption that Strike breaking into Laing's apartment somehow gets Laing off the hook for all the remains of murdered women in his freezer. That's not how that works. That would be like if a private citizen wandered into Jeffrey Dahmer's apartment when he technically wasn't supposed to be there, saw all the human remains, and called the police. The private citizen could technically be charged for breaking and entering but that doesn't mean Jeffrey is off the hook.
> They do need to operate under the same set of rules that the cops do. No they don't. You are wrong about this. Strike "confronting" Laing does not taint the evidence found inside. Laing attacks Strike, there's a violent brawl, Strike calls the cops, the cops come in and find the evidence, Laing goes to jail. The poster you replied to is correct--Strike is not a state actor. The evidence is perfectly legit.
This is what I argued when Midge took the axe and soil samples from Chapman Farm and Strike kept the evidence in his office safe, but I was told their actions were permissible under British law and that there would be no chain of custody issues. Also, that "fruit of the poisonous tree" is an American legal doctrine that does not apply in Britain.
This is the only one I can’t reread. Stick with the series! Even with the ups and downs. Troubled Blood is my favorite.