C.B. Strike: Troubled Blood ~ Review

Earlier this year, C.B. Strike: Troubled Blood was released on BBC. I decided to do a reread of the fifth book in the Cormoran Strike series both in preparation of the show, and because when the book came out in 2020 it was, well, 2020 and I almost certainly wasn’t as focused on it as I should have been.

This year’s reread confirmed for me that Troubled Blood is one of the darkest books in the series, even more so than Career of Evil in my opinion. It’s also one of the most emotional for Cormoran as he faces an upheaval of his personal life unlike any before. The 900+ page book that takes place over the course of a year is a wild ride to say the least.

So, how did the series adaptation compare?

What I Loved

Casting

• Tom Burke and Holliday Granger are perfect as ever for their roles as Strike and Robin. Now there are new faces in the office including secretary Pat and sub-contractor Saul Morris. Although Morris wasn’t quite what I pictured, both did an excellent job of portraying the nuances that make their characters memorable
• Margot Bamborough looked nothing like I pictured and yet she played the role flawlessly. The entire cast who portrayed the office staff from the 1970s honestly made the series for me and I was happy to see they were in every episode

Settings

• Places visited in the book and featured in the series include London, St. Mawes, Falmouth, and various other areas of Britain. They were each exactly as described in the book. A particular scene in Cornwall was as breathtaking in the series as it was to read, and I think fans of the book will be especially appreciative of it

Handling of Sensitive Topics

• It would be impossible to compile a comprehensive list of sensitive topics covered in this book. Some appeared in the series adaption while others were left out. The ones that remained were handled with respect and done so as a means to further the story, not for shock factor. The ending in particular was handled very well in my opinion

What I Didn’t Love

I talked with others who read the book and then watched the series and we agreed that the sequence of events being out of order did not dilute the story as a whole and so…There was nothing I disliked about the series adaptation – surprise! 🙂

Final Thoughts

I watched it with someone who is familiar with the story, but hasn’t watched all the series or read the books. Here is their short review, which I really think says it all:

“Troubled Blood showed Robin’s growth as a detective and her battles through her emotions show a light of empowerment that is inspiring. Strike seems to break down, finally, which is what everyone needs to see since we all have powerful pasts that need to be addressed in order to continue in life.”

I had high hopes for this adaption and they were well exceeded. I look forward to future BBC adaptations of the Strike series.