| Date | Chapter | What happens |
| 5th November 2010 | Owen Quine is murdered. | |
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| Monday 15th November 2010 | Chapters 1-5 | Strike meets Dominic Culpepper at the Smithfield Café on Long Lane after a night of work. Strike sacks William Baker as a client and takes on Leonora Quine. |
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| Tuesday 16th November 2010 | Chapters 6 and 7 | Strike goes to Exmouth Market, Crossfire Publishing, to meet Christian Fisher. |
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| Wednesday 17th November 2010 | Chapters 8 and 9 | Strike goes to meet Elizabeth Tassel. Strike tails Mrs Brocklehurst. Strike goes to Kathryn Kent’s flat. England-France friendly at Wembley. |
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| Thursday 18th November 2010 | Chapter 10 | Strike and Matthew meet for the first time at 6:30 p.m. in The Kings Arms |
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| Friday 19th November 2010 | Chapters 11-13 | Matthew goes to have drinks with work colleagues. Robin leaves at five. Strike meets Nina Lascelles at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese for drinks before they go to the Roper Chard party. |
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| Saturday 20th November 2010 | Chapters 14 and 15 | Strike goes to a jewellers as part of one of his cases. He watches the Arsenal vs Spurs match and reads a bit of Bombyx Mori. That evening, he takes Nina with him to his birthday dinner at Lucy’s. He sleeps with Nina. |
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| Sunday 21st November 2010 | Chapters 16 and 17 | Strike wakes up in Nina’s bed. It’s Charlotte’s birthday. He goes to Talgarth Road and finds Quine’s body. Strike ends up at New Scotland Yard. Robin sleeps on the sofa that night after arguing with Matthew. |
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| Monday 22nd November 2010 | Chapters 18-20 | Robin leaves early for work. Strike finishes reading Bombyx Mori and photocopies the manuscript for Anstis. Robin gets a call from Matthew saying his mother has died. Robin leaves work. Strike eats Singapore noodles. |
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| Tuesday 23rd November 2010 | Chapters 21-23 | It’s Strike’s 36th birthday. Strike talks to Anstis on the phone. Journalists are outside his office. He goes to see Leonora. Later he meets Robin at the Cambridge, where they have kind of a birthday lunch. He goes to Anstis’ house that evening for dinner. |
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| Wednesday 24th November 2010 | Chapters 23-26 | Strike buys Tatler magazine and reads about Charlotte. Robin arrives and they go to check out the houses of all the suspects. Later, they meet at the Albion for lunch. |
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| Thursday 25th November 2010 | Chapter 27 | It’s a snowy day in Britain. Strike meets Liz Tassel at Pescatori for lunch. Robin offers to drive him to Devon the next day. |
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| Friday 26th November 2010 | Chapters 28-30 | Strike and Robin drive to Devon to see Daniel Chard at his home. On the way back, they stop at Tiverton Services and have lunch at Burger King, where the immortal words “…cheer the fuck up and eat your burger” are spoken. Robin catches the sleeper train to Masham from King’s Cross. |
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| Saturday 27th November 2010 | Chapters 31-34 | Mrs Cunliffe’s funeral. Strike almost gets attacked by his mysterious stalker. Strike calls Al, who’s in New York. That evening, Robin’s brothers go to the Bay Horse, and Robin and Linda watch Michael Fancourt’s televised interview. |
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| Sunday 28th November 2010 | Robin and Matthew return to London. | |
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| Monday 29th November 2010 | Chapters 35-37 | Caroline Ingles comes to the office to see Strike. Robin goes to Bridlington Bookshop. Strike goes to Simpson’s-in-the-Strand to have lunch with Jerry Waldegrave. Strike drags Pippa Midgley up to the office after she tries to stab him. |
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| Tuesday 30th November 2010 | Chapter 38 | Strike tails Mrs Brocklehurst and later talks to Dave Polworth on the phone. |
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| Wednesday 1st December 2010 | Chapter 39 | Leonora is arrested. Strike goes to see her. |
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| Thursday 2nd December 2010 | Chapter 40 | Mrs Brocklehurst’s boss turns up at the office at around midday. Charlotte sends Strike a text that reads: “It was yours.” Strike goes to the River Café and meets Al to see if he can get any information from Loulou the waitress. Strike figures out who the killer is. |
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| Friday 3rd December 2010 | Chapter 41 | Strike pores over Quine’s file. |
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| Saturday 4th December 2010 | Robin and Matthew spend most of the weekend discussing her job. Charlotte marries Jago Ross. | |
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| Sunday 5th December 2010 | ||
| Monday 6th December 2010 | Chapters 42-44 | Strike goes to Hamleys, leaving Robin a note saying he knows who killed Quine. Charlotte emails Strike a wedding photo. Strike and Robin go and see Orlando. Strike meets Michael Fancourt at the Groucho Club. |
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| Tuesday 7th December 2010 | Chapter 45 | Strike and Robin go to Kathryn Kent’s. |
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| Monday 13th December 2010 | Chapters 45 and 46 | Strike is visited by the boyfriend and boss of Mrs Brocklehurst. Dave Polworth rings up to say he has the goods. |
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| Thursday 16th December 2010 | Chapters 47-49 | Chelsea Arts Club. Killer is caught. |
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| Thursday 23rd December 2010 | Chapter 50 | Strike goes to Robin’s house and gives her a Christmas present. |
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| Saturday 25th December 2010 | Strike is at St Mawes for Christmas. |
