5+ Addictive Mystery Novels Like Cormoran Strike

Looking for the enchanting mystery novel series to start after finishing The Running Grave, the most recent installment in the Cormoran Strike series from J.K. Rowling's crime-writing alter ego, Robert Galbraith? Here are 5 books like Cormoran Strike...you need to read.

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If you like Robert Galbraith....you're probably wondering what to read after The Running Grave

Tom Burke as Cormoran Strike in the HBO tv adaptation

If you've been following the blog for any period of time, and certainly after you're done even reading this article..., you'll know that I'm a massive fan of the Cormoran Strike book series from Robert Galbraith/ J.K. Rowling, particularly of private detective Cormoran Strike himself. New releases consistently top the New York Times bestseller list, and with good reason.

I'm an avid consumer of British murder mystery content and, book after book, JK Rowling has certainly earned herself a well-deserved place in the pantheon of great British mystery writers. As Rowling herself pointed out in an interview, her work on the Harry Potter books prepared her well for writing murder mysteries, as each of Harry's school years was essentially a little self-contained mystery within the ambit of the larger over-arching plot lines.

Since Cuckoo's Calling came out in 2013, I've been avidly awaiting the next installments, and devouring them when they arrive. Though the way it happened was abhorrent (obviously, I'm never going to speak out against attorney-client-privilege!), I'll be forever grateful for the series of slip-ups that lead to J.K. being unmasked as the author of the Strike series, and leading to me looking them up!

What are the Strike books by Robert Galbraith about?

Having recently left the Royal Military Police to become a Private Investigator, Cormoran Strike's fledging agency takes on its greatest asset in the form of an unwanted temp, Robin Ellacott, on the same day Strike splits from his gorgeous and intriguingly troubled fiancee, Charlotte Campbell. Strike quickly realizes that Robin has the makings of an investigator, though their personal lives are going to take some...sorting out ("a lot of aptitude for the job...but you're getting married to a guy who hates you doing it.") 

Over the collection of seven books in the series, Strike and Robin stun London, and gain fame and, at least somewhat more, fortune, by solving a long list of cases, from cold cases to serial killers, each with its own, standalone (good) mystery, as their personal relationship...well, obviously I'm not going to give anything away!

The Cormoran Strike Books in Order

Cuckoo's Calling
The Silkworm
Career of Evil
Lethal White
Troubled Blood
Ink Black Heart
The Running Grave

Do I need to read the Strike series
in order?

Yes. A huge part of the attraction to this series is the chemistry between the main characters, Strike and Robin, starting in the first book, not to mention  the tertiary, non-mystery based subplots. If you skip any books in the series, you will miss major plot points.

The Cormoran Strike Books Ranked
​from Best to Worst

Lethal White
Career of Evil
The Running Grave
Cuckoo's Calling
Troubled Blood
Ink Black Heart
The Silkworm

When's the next Strike book coming out?

While we do not yet have a release date, all signs point to the next book in the Strike series, The Hallmarked Man, coming out in 2024. As with the previous two books, JK Rowling has announced the title and some info in early spring. Both previous books came out the following Fall. Fingers crossed!

available now...

Just in case you missed it, The Running Grave hit shelves (and Audible) on September 26, 2023. Weighing-in at 961 pages, be prepared for yet another engrossing mystery, focused on the inner workings of a celebrity-backed 'cult,' the Universal Humanitarian Church. The Audible audiobook version is, of course, handled by the unmatched Robert Glenister as the narrator.

Strike series audiobooks,
​read by Robert Glenister

On that note, if, by some bizarre chance, you've managed to fall in love with Strike and Robin by *haven't* listen to Robert Glenister reading the series on Audible, I'd highly recommend it. I promise you'll experience the entire series in a whole new light.

Mystery Series like the Cormoran Strike Books:

I've rounded up a few book series recommendations that remind me a lot of Strike, some for the will-they-won't-they, some for the intricate nature of the murder mysteries themselves, and some for the depth of their supporting characters (one of my favorite parts about Strike).

Dublin Murder Squad Series, Tana French

There's no book I've read as similar to the Strike Series as the first in the Tana French series, In the Woods. Talk about a will-they-won't-they...and a cold case...*sigh*

The rest of French's series following in the wake of In the Woods is absolutely addictive. I promise you won't regret starting it. French weaves through various cases handled by the fictional "Dublin Murder Squad" (Faithful Place is my favorite), tying just a few characters across books. Don't get too attached to any specific character. They don't all show up in book after book. 

The stories read much like a traditional piece of literature, and the solves are less "puzzle-like" than a traditional Christie-style cozy mystery, but as an avid consumer of these books, I found it a refreshing change.

And, if you're a fan of In the Woods, check out the TV adaptation, Dublin Murders, staring someone who you may recognize as the ever charming and handsome D.I. Eric Wardell from the Strike series.

Jackson Brodie series, by Kate Atkinson

The Jackson Brodie series, starting with Case Histories, is darker and less comical than Strike. Brodie is an outwardly tough Yorkshireman, solving intense mysteries with a Strike-like broodishness that belies a softer interior. My favorite in the series is One Good Turn, which is set in Edinburgh.

And if you're a fan of Jackson Brodie, check out the TV adaptation, staring Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy).

Gemma Woodstock series, Sarah Bailey

The Dark Lake, set in Australia, tells the story of the modern murder of a local high-school-alumna-turned-teacher who had recently returned to her hometown. Her earlier relationship with one of the police on the case, and the main character of the novel, is rolled out against the backdrop of Gemma Woodstock's increasingly complex life, not to mention relationship with her handsome, British detective partner.

​There are 3 books in the Gemma Woodstock series.

Rebus Series, Ian Rankin

Rebus is one of the classic British detectives, and I'm sure he's an influence on Rowling's creation of Strike, particularly since she and Ian Rankin are chummy on social media. Explore Edinburgh through Rebus's eyes, starting with Knots and Crosses.

Unsurprisingly, there's a TV adaptation, staring Ken Stott as the eponymous detective, Rebus.

Mr. Mercedes, Stephen King

The minute I finished Cuckoo's Calling, my husband recommended Mr. Mercedes, the Bill Hodges series by Stephen King. 

Hodges is a similar-to-Strike tough guy, and you get a little of the will-they-won't-they, though not as drawn out as the still-continuing Strike-and-Robin saga. It's a three-book series. And, of course, there's a TV adaptation, staring Brendan Gleeson, Mr. Mercedes.

Cherringham Series,
​Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

A series of short stories (we're well past 30 at this point), Matthew Costello and Neil Richards are a trans-Atlantic writing duo who've created Cherringham, a gripping series of takes involving the unexpected crime-solving duo of Jack (retired NYC detective) and Sarah (web developer mum who moved home to the Cotswolds after her London divorce). A bit of the will-they-won't-they, a lot of interesting mysteries, and if you're interested in audiobooks, narration by Neil Dudgeon- DCI John Barnaby himself.

Three Pines, Inspector Gamache novels by Louise Penny

Canadian author Louise Penny has written a plethora of mystery (18 at last count) novels centering on the enchanting small town of Three Pines and the beloved Inspector Gamache. I still think about the ending of the first novel, Still Life, as one of the best mystery solutions that I never saw coming. His works don't necessarily contain the same characters, but they are interesting, accessible, certainly mysterious.

Anything by Harlan Coben

I first ran across Harlan Coben when I watched one of his series, Safe, on Netflix (interestingly, so many of Coben's works have been adapted for Netflix/he has written them for TV, that he now has a section on Netflix, The Harlan Coben Collection). Coben's novels have the reputation of being an "airport read," which he is. But that doesn't mean his books are any less interesting.

Extra Credit: The Casual Vacancy

The only non-Harry-Potter and non-Strike adult novel that J.K. Rowling has ever penned, The Casual Vacancy isn't strictly a mystery, but it is an excellent book, as an extremely critical examination of village life in small-town England. After a "casual vacancy" is created on the parish council by the untimely death of one of its members, the village slowly devours itself in a mire of competition, greed, self-interest, and a bit of lust for good measure. There is a TV adaptation of The Casual Vacancy in which dedicated C.B. Strike fans will recognize several familiar faces from the later series.

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope you find a great mystery novel to fill the time until the next Strike novel comes out! Put your suggestions for books like Cormoran Strike in the comments below!

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