Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Spoilers welcome topic for part 4 chapters 58 to 84 of Robert Galbraith's The Ink Black Heart.

I just start the summaries of part 4.

ch 58 - Paperwhite and Morehouse discuss the attack on Vilepechora.
ch 59 - Strike spends time with Madeline, but he is too anxious to enjoy it. He leaves as soon as possible.
ch 60 - Robin's moving day. Her father can't help her as ennounced becaus of a heart attack, so she to do it on herself. At the new flat Strike is expecting her to help carrying her stuff. He concludes that Vilepechora is an anagramm of Oliver Peach, sun of a former candidate for the London Mayor.
ch 61 - Robin's identity is in the open. Anomie and Hartella discuss the consequences. In another private chat, Morehouse and Paperwhite feel threatened by Anomie after the murder attack on Vilepechora. They plan to contact Robin, whom they correctly suppose to be tracking Anomie.
ch 62 - When arriving at the hospital where they plan to interview Josh, they find Kea and her mother quarrelling with Katya for the right to see him. Not being let through, Kea hands Katya a letter for Josh. Katya tries to destroy that, but Robin retrieves it from the bin. More insight in the toxic circumstances of the Upcott family by intelligent little Flavia.
ch 63 - Strike and Robin interview Josh. He is quite miserable and blames Edie's death on himself for not blocking all contact with anomie and for believing in the "Edie = Anomie" dossier.
ch 64 - Strike meets Grant Ledwell, who feels not thoroughly informed about the ongoing of the case, though he is not a paying client. Talk about Edie's funeral and the perspectives of the Ink Black Heart movie. In Grant's opinion, Josh is benefitting from Edie's death.
ch 65 - Many of the suspects could be ruled out, Strike wonders whether they missed some important aspects. While preparing for her next class at North grove, Robin ("Buffypaws") is asked by Anomie to become a moderator of Drek's game. She visits Highgate Cemetery, happens to meet Pez there.

Spoilers Chapter 60 and thanks for the part 4 summaries Sybotes!
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This chapter warmed my heart when Robin, having earlier felt Strike was obliviously to her moving day, and with the issues she encountered involved with working around it, was having such an emotional day alone after her father’s emergency heart stent surgery. Strike showing up the way he did was much needed. The two partners are simply great together and I like how JKR weaves this narrative around the case work.

Spoiler ch 60

Does anybody think that pen that Strike took from Madeline's desk will become important. I noticed when he inadvertently put it in his pocket, and he uses it again when he is trying to puzzle the anagram "Vilepechora" out. Maybe good for some more rant when she is drunk once more. Does she have it from an inheritance? Or from Charlotte?


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Oh and no spoiler here anymore:
But isn't Charlotte the most evil character in the Strike series? She is just evil for the heck of it without gaining the slightest advantage for herself! All those murderers we encountered do it for money, obeying their perversion or whatever. But Charlotte - that is really "A Career of Evil". (Ok on second thought - the killer in CoE is worse, I must concede.)

Sybotes: agreed! It is no spoiler to say Charlotte is at the top of the heap for "most evil person" in the Strike series.
SPOILER for Chapter 60
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I also thought the reference to Strike's taking Madeline's ink pen by mistake was intentional and wondered where it would show back up. We do have another Strike girlfriend who has the potential to become disgruntled with him., and one who is being egged on by Charlotte apparently.
Sybotes wrote: "Spoiler ch 60

Does anybody think that pen that Strike took from Madeline's desk will become important. I noticed when he inadvertently put it in his pocket, and he uses it again when he is trying ..."

Sybotes, since you are reading / working on the part four summaries, I will try to get some part five summaries up later today / tomorrow.

Ok, but I am slow ...
SPOILER ch 66-72
ch 66 - Today's lesson at North Grove having been cancelled, Robin agrees to have a drink with Pez. But he has an unexpected visitor, Philipp Ormand. While she waits, she meets Nils, then his son Bram who shows her Josh and Edie's room.
ch 67 - Robin as "Jessica" in the pub with Pez. To make him talk, she even accept some flirting and kisses.
ch 68 - Strike sits in a pub, drinking beer and playing "Drek's game" while Robin tries to see Zoe who, being ill, has not been at North Grove that day. She has a visitor: Tim Ashcroft who accuses her to try and blackmail him when he leaves in a rage.
ch 69 - In the mod's forum of Drek's game, a new moderator, BrokledDrek is welcomed. Anomie demands hard tasks from Hartella that seriously conflict with her job. But her support of "terrorists" gives him the opportunity to blackmail her.
ch 70 - Strike is in his office early, because his leg makes trouble. He follows a new track about Kea. Pat enters the office, opens the mail - a parcel bomb explodes. The office is damaged, but neither Strike nor Pat injured.
ch 71 - Robin arrives; police interviews Pat about the bomb.
ch 72 - Officer Murphy offers to drive Robin home. He tells her that they are about to arrest Philipp Ormand for killing Edie. Though there is some good evidence, Robin still doubts.

Sybotes Me too (I am also slow) I am savoring the reread necessary to summarize part five. This set of chapters made me very nervous!

SPOILERS
chapters 66-68
Robin was really on the edge here, and JKR left us dangling there too. (chapter 67 I think)
Sybotes wrote: "Ok, but I am slow ...
SPOILER ch 66- 69 "

SPOILER incl. ch 68

Ann wrote: This set of chapters made me very nervous!
Which do you mean, part 5 or those summarized by me?

Oh I liked that Pez chapter. Robin tests her limits and lets Strike hear the recording, haha! I wouldn't accept somebody else's tongue in my mouth for work, though.
...

I hope Paperwhite and Morehouse will appear in Strike's office soon as they had planned. I'd not like to grant Anomie more kills.

I more and more believe that all the right-terrorism-complex is a different case than the Edie murder. They are connected by Lord Drek and Vilepechora's "dossier", but they seem to have their own agenda, just using some harmless gullible gamers and cartoon followers.

Oh and a little note for Strike: Maybe he should hire Flavia in book 10 or something if her family doesn't destroy her completely. But that girl seems quite intelligent. I admired her for guessing Robin retrieved Kea's letter from the bin. Pity Robin had to lie.

Sybotes wrote: "I just start the summaries of part 4.

ch 58 - Paperwhite and Morehouse discuss the attack on Vilepechora.
ch 59 - Strike spends time with Madeline, but he is too anxious to enjoy it. He leaves as ..."

I had been feeling sorry for Katya- she has a horrible family, but seems OK. Then that hospital scenes. Why is she gatekeeping Josh in the hospital. That seems very weird.

Ann wrote: "Spoilers Chapter 60 and thanks for the part 4 summaries Sybotes!
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This chapter warmed my heart when Robin, having earlier felt Strike was obliviously to ..."

I was happy he was there for her, but he really needs to pay more attention to his health/physical issues. His stump should be cared for properly before he does anything else but sit/lay down.

Sybotes wrote: "Spoiler ch 60

Does anybody think that pen that Strike took from Madeline's desk will become important. I noticed when he inadvertently put it in his pocket, and he uses it again when he is trying ..."

Not just evil, but so oblivious to other people's response to what she does. She really thinks being beautiful is all she needs.

Sybotes wrote: "Ok, but I am slow ...
SPOILER ch 66- 69
ch 66 - Today's lesson at North Grove having been cancelled, Robin agrees to have a drink with Pez. But he has an unexpected visitor, Philipp Ormand. While s..."

The main thing that struck me in this section was how caring Strike and Pat are to each other, despite neither being verbally open with feelings.

Sybotes wrote: "Ok, but I am slow ...
SPOILER ch 66- 69
ch 66 - Today's lesson at North Grove having been cancelled, Robin agrees to have a drink with Pez. But he has an unexpected visitor, Philipp Ormand. While s..."
I am not sure about Ormand as the killer either. He's a creep but he had more to gain with Edie alive than dead.

Summaries ch 73 - 84
ch 73 - Mods' channel. Anomie announces privately to new moderator BorkledDrek that he will take over Morehous "in case he has an accident". - Morehouse and Paperwhite still intend to contact Robin soon even with the office bombed.
ch 74&75 - Strike accepts Robin's offer to spend the night in her flat. They discuss Ormond's soon arrest and Robins achievements the night before: Ashcroft had tried to contact many young girls on twitter as himself (speaker of The Worm) and PenOfJustice. Obviously 17 yo Zoe is actually becoming too old for his tastes. Furthermore, they find out Kea had been in contact to Inigo Upcott for years.
ch 76-78 - Strike and Robin follow Inigo and his son Gus to a second home the Upcotts have at the seashore. Inigo is upset about them following all the way, but finally talks about his contact with Kea. who he claims had contacted his website to get medical advice. He suspects Yasmin to be Anomie. Leaving, Gus tells them that Kea was not the only woman with whom Inigo had contact.
Police inform Robin that her house had been surveilled and photographed by a known Halvening.
ch 79 - Strike suggests to stay in the little town of Whitstable. He gets calls from Madeline, they are breaking up.
ch 80 - Robin finds out a lot when Strike takes a nap: Moderator Fiendy1 = Penny Peacock (Twitter) = Rachel Ledwell who wants to quit Drek's game. Robin manages to contact Rachel and agrees an appointment in Leeds the following day.
ch 81 - Mods' channel. Paperwhite and Morehouse discuss Ormand's arresting. They think that they finally should meet in person. He interrupts the chat - someone at his door ... and never returns ...
ch 82 - Robin interviews Rachel Ledwell in Leeds. She learns how Rachel had encountered IBH and the game, first encounters with Anomie - and about Morehouse's identity: Vikas Bhardvaj, Indian astrophysician at Cambridge.
ch 83 - On the way back, they find out that Anomie had used a couple of similar flirting lines on Rachel and other girls - based on a dating counseling site of "Kosh". Midge interrupts their discussion: She has videos of Ross mistreating his daughters. This helps the agency, but probably not the poor girls.
ch 84 - On the way back from Leeds they try to find Vikas Bhadvaj. They find him dead in his room - with cut throat.

Now these chapters after the bomb are really pleasant in some way. They find out so many things, prove connections - I still a not sure if I grasped all information.
I like the professionality they work together. And that Hugh Jackson is out of the system, too. Thank God Corm dared asking!

Just to remember:
Who were all the voices in the cartoon, and why were the speakers sacked?
Worm - Ashcroft
Drek - Wally - sacked because of the Jew burning video
Harty - Josh himself
Paperwhite - forgot ...

Bonnie: I loved that tenderness too. Pat is gruff, and a strong figure, it was very sweet to see them lean on each other.

Bonnie wrote: "The main thing that struck me in this section was how caring Strike and Pat are to each other, despite neither being verbally open with feelings."

Sybotes wrote: "SPOILER ch 66- 69

So I am at the end of this long part 4.
So, sadly, Paperwhite and Morehouse have been waiting too long to contact Robin. Sad - the only decent persons in that books are murdered. Well, still hope on Rachel, Paperwhite, Zoe - and BrokledDrek.
So which of the moderators do we know yet?
Anomie - ??
Morehouse - Vikas Bhadvaj, murdered
Vilepechora, LordDrek - brothers, probably Halvening, sons of Ian Peach, London mayor candidate.
Hartella - Yasmin
Fiendy - Rachel Ledwell
Paperwhite - ??
BrokledDrek - ??

So open questions / things we are awaiting an answer.
-> What happened to Vielpechora / Oliver Peach? Is he still alive?
-> How exactly are the plot streams of Halvening and Anomie connected?
-> Were some of Kea's accusations of plagiarism sound?
-> What happend at that party at North Grove when Yasmin was overheard to tell "I am Anomie"?
-> Still: What about Madeline's pen?

These are some of the questions that come to my mind at this stage. Others? Die I miss something and some of them are already answered?

Sybotes: Very good summary of the still open questions and agreed that the murderer is taking out only the good characters. This segment was very sobering and a reminder we should not put off too long what we intend to do.

Sybotes: spoilers to the end of part four
From your questions
SPOILERS
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I am still not sure if Kea’s claim of plagiarism are accurate in this case and think JKR may have left it ambiguous on purpose. There are so many opinions on when an idea is your own and so many opportunities for more than one person to take a small nugget and broaden and grow it to be uniquely new.
Does that mean I think Kea did or did not deserve some credit or compensation; I am not sure.
The courts have had to decide on this sort of thing quite often. Music, art, ideas, etc. when a franchise gets this large the money and fame make for strong opinions wouldn’t they?

Sybotes:
Spoilers to the end of part four
SPOILERS
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I am of the opinion that the plots of the Halvening and Anomie are only loosely connected. Both are threats, not sure which is worse (both probably) It seems there was a lot going on at North Grove and Bram leaves me wondering still, a boy with a genius IQ and very little if any maturity or possible self-control.

Sybotes wrote: "So I am at the end of this long part 4.
....
So open questions / things we are awaiting an answer.
-> What happened to Vielpechora / Oliver Peach? Is he still alive?
-> How exactly are the plot streams of Halvening and Anomie connected?
-> Were some of Kea's accusations of plagiarism sound?
-> What happened at that party at North Grove when Yasmin was overheard to tell "I am Anomie"?
-> Still: What about Madeline's pen?."

Yes, and after 5 years of separation Charlotte believes in her bones that Strike wants to be with her. Delusional! I cringe whenever she shows up because she is an expert at stirring up trouble.

Bonnie wrote: "Not just evil, but so oblivious to other people's response to what she does. She really thinks being beautiful is all she needs.

.."

I am so impressed by your (Ann and Sybotes) summaries. If I had to reread to summarize I'd probably follow things more but as it is my head is whipping back and forth with all the characters and dialogue, online and real. I almost want to re-read it!

Carol: Thanks, and I know what you mean. I may just reread it someday when I have time. Doing the summaries was a good way to try to put it all together and Sybotes provided some great character lists and details to use to line everything up. It was a treat to do. A plot with this many 'herrings', (red and otherwise LOL ) is a good candidate for a re-read to catch what was missed.

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I am so impressed by your (Ann and Sybotes) summaries. If I had to reread to summarize I'd probably follow things more but as it is my head is whipping back and forth with all the characters and di..."

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I am so impressed by your (Ann and Sybotes) summaries. If I had to reread to summarize I'd probably follow things more but as it is my head is whipping back and forth with all the characters and di..."

Me too- and thankful as it keeps my head in the place I'm discussing.

I wish I had been able to chime in more in real time to when you all were posting but I started late and when I heard about the spoiler I avoided coming in until I was well into the book for fear the person would come back and re-post.

Carol: I would have done the same!

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I wish I had been able to chime in more in real time to when you all were posting but I started late and when I heard about the spoiler I avoided coming in until I was well into the book for fear t..."