Strike and Robin first meet Angela Darwish in chapter 12 of The Ink Black Heart. She is described as a petite and neat woman with black hair.

She accompanies DCI Ryan Murphy to the detectives’ office to get a statement from Robin about Edie Ledwell’s visit to the agency.

Darwish remains silent for much of this meeting, but her first contribution to the conversation is her explaining, in a high, clear voice, what the word “anomie” means – “a lack of the usual ethical or social standards.”

Strike tells Robin after this first encounter that he suspects Darwish must be MI5, since she asked if Anomie ever attacked Edie online for her political beliefs. She also seemed to have an interest in Wally Cardew, the ex-voice of Drek in the cartoon. We later find out that Cardew is associated with The Halvening, a terrorist cult responsible for the murders of famous women, which explains her interest in him.

Later, in chapter 72, Angela is present on Denmark Street after a certain event occurs.

After their visit to Cambridge, Strike and Robin are questioned by Darwish in a police station.

At the very end of the book, Darwish again visits Strike to talk about the Anomie case.