Synopsis
“When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg.
Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible — and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.
With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them….”
Career of Evil is the third book in the Cormoran Strike series by J.K. Rowling. It was published on 22nd October 2015 by Sphere Books, again under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
J.K. Rowling stated in an interview that writing the book literally gave her nightmares. She had researched how the minds of real-life serial killers worked, especially that of Ted Bundy, whom she roughly based the killer on.
She also said that despite having multiple projects going at once, she had never enjoyed writing a book so much.
Title and Inspiration
The title Career of Evil came from the Blue Öyster Cult song of the same name. The seventies rock band features heavily throughout the book. Here’s a link to an interesting article about Blue Öyster Cult and Career of Evil.
Below is the song Career of Evil by Blue Öyster Cult, with lyrics by Patti Smith.
Explore the Story
Read about The Cuckoo’s Calling (book 1)
Read about The Silkworm (book 2)
Read about Lethal White (book 4)