Strike’s hopes of an afternoon spent in the office with Robin are dashed when Shanker calls him, asking to meet in a pub called The Falcon.

It takes Strike forty minutes to reach Clapham Junction station from Denmark Street.

‘The area had become progressively more upmarket over Strike’s lifetime; he remembered Clapham Junction when it had been home to pawn shops and dodgy garages turning over stolen cars. Now there was a Waitrose, wine bars and brisk professionals bustling homewards to houses worth well over a million pounds’ (Chapter 21).

‘Strike entered to find polished wood, a stained-glass chandelier and freshly upholstered leather benches’ (Chapter 21).

Shanker is there waiting for him, and Strike buys himself a pint and sits down.  Strike asks how he’s doing and asks after Angel, his step-daughter. 

Shanker dispenses some wisdom about women and jewellery, which Strike evidently remembers, before they move on to talking about what Shanker knows about the potential identity of the body in the silver vault.

They talk for some time, and Strike buys them each another pint.  Their meeting ends when Shanker’s tattooed business associate arrives, and Strike, having had an idea, heads to Wild Court.

If you’re in the area and are also a Harry Potter fan, just up the road from The Falcon is Severus Road, which J.K. Rowling said must have been the inspiration for the name Severus (Snape) in Harry Potter, since she lived in Clapham.

Find The Falcon on the map below.