Robin Venetia Ellacott was born on October 9, 1984. She started dating Matthew Cunliffe at the age of sixteen whilst attending the same secondary school. Robin studied psychology at university before dropping out for a reason unknown until revealed in Career of Evil. She moved to London with Matthew in February 2010 and started working for Temporary Solutions. The day after becoming engaged to Matthew, Robin begins temping for Cormoran Strike as his secretary/assistant.
Physical Description
“Robin was, by all standards, a pretty girl; tall and curvaceous with long strawberry-blonde hair that rippled as she strode.” – The Cuckoo’s Calling, Part 1, Chapter 1
Strike thinks Robin is “a very sexy woman” who “looked better curvier” (opinions that he keeps to himself).
Family Background
Robin has three brothers: Stephen, Martin and Jonathan.
Martin is unemployed and isn’t in school. He likes to joke and mess about. He calls Strike “Hopalong,” (a nickname Strike would probably get a kick out of). In Career of Evil, Martin bets on Ballabrigs in the Grand National and wins 500 pounds. He enjoys going to the Bay Horse pub in Masham with his brothers and friends.
Robin’s parents are called Linda and Michael Ellacott. Linda is described as looking like a plumper version of Robin.
Interests/Preferences
When it comes to beverages, Robin enjoys tea and wine.
As for food, Robin likes crisps (has three packets in The Tottenham in Career of Evil). She eats salad to keep in shape for the wedding. (Strikes thinks “she was becoming too thin” and “she looked better curvier” — again, opinions that he keeps to himself.)
Since she was a child, Robin’s career ambition had always been to become a detective/investigative profiler. Her brothers had laughed at her for saying she was going to catch robbers, so she kept the ambition secret after that.
Robin is a “petrol-head” and loves driving. After leaving university, she took a couple of advanced driving courses, as suggested by her father, to get her out of the house. Her skills are greatly appreciated by Strike who, since the fateful explosion on the road in Afghanistan, is afraid of anyone else driving him besides professional drivers.
The perfumes that Robin is known to have worn are mentioned in the fifth novel, Troubled Blood. You can read about the perfumes by following the link below.
Robin’s Homes
In The Cuckoo’s Calling, Robin and Matthew live in Clapham, an area of London south of the Thames. At this time, Matthew’s favourite gastro pub is The Windmill on the Common, which Robin and Matthew go to to meet some friends in The Cuckoo’s Calling, at the same time Strike is sat at The Blue Anchor in Hammersmith.
By Career of Evil, Robin and Matthew live in a flat located on Hastings Road in the west London area of Ealing. Hastings Road happens to run parallel right next to a street called Denmark Road.
In Lethal White, Robin and Matthew move to a rented house on Albury Street, Deptford. They host a house-warming party with Strike, Lorelei Bevan, Andy Hutchins, Sarah Shadlock, Tom Turvey, and Vanessa Ekwensi in attendance, along with many of Matthew’s friends.
In Troubled Blood, Robin is living in a flat in Earl’s Court with a live-in landlord, Max Priestwood and his dog Wolfgang. Robin gets along with Max, who is gay and also has an ex called Matthew. In Troubled Blood, Max hosts a dinner with Strike, which turns into a dinner party when Robin’s brother Jonathan and his two university friends join them. The dinner didn’t go too well.
In The Ink Black Heart, Robin moves out of Max’s flat in Earl’s Court and buys a flat on Blackhorse Road in Walthamstow, North London. On the day of the move, Stirke helps her unpack the Land Rover, and they both get fish and chips from Bonner’s Fish Bar.