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Robin is the BEST.

That's my whole review. TEAM ROBIN FOREVER.

Well, I suppose I can expound a little further. One thing I particularly liked was Galbraith's treatment of "victimhood." This is a book about a serial killer so there's a lot of murder victims, first of all, but nearly every main character in this book is either the victim of a crime at some point or -- strange as it may seem -- is desperately wishing to be a victim. And by populating the novel with victims (and wannabe victims), Galbraith shows that being a victim of the crime is not necessarily a defining characteristic, and nor should it be, yet it can leave a mark.

We love, of course, Robin and Strike, both of whom have been on the receiving end of terrible crimes and acts of violence, both of whom carry the scars of those tragedies, both of whom rose above "victimhood" to pursue something more noble. But contrast those victims with Kelsey and Tempest, who desperately want to be amputees and are looking for anyone who will grant that wish. Contrast yet again with Stephanie, a victim of domestic abuse who doesn't run away even when given the chance. And contrast once more with the sister in Barrow, who is willing to overlook decades of psychosexual abuse for a pension payout. Each of those people is dealing with victimhood uniquely and each perspective adds depth and thematic focus to Career of Evil.

Career of Evil can be gruesome as we watch the many horrible things that men do to women play out. However, I think that because the women in this book are written as individuals, each with her own unique motivations and reactions, this book avoids falling into the misogynistic trap we so often see, where rape and violence against women is portrayed as prurient and titillating.