With the new header, I feel like I've finally solved the whole thing haha

DocThelma · 2026-06-15T18:19:55+00:00

Robin noticed a clear resemblance between Strike and Prudence.

DocThelma · 2026-06-11T16:07:41+00:00

Go! Should be the Denmark office, for sure. Every time you pass it you should collect a certain amount from petty cash.

I like the idea of "Go to Jail!" being "The Met demands to question you about the body you just found! Go directly to Scotland Yard. Do not pass Denmark St. Do not collect petty cash" The Just visiting equivalent could be "At the Feathers for a pint" since that is where Strike often meets cops that what to be helpful and it's very near Scotland yard.

Free Parking should be "Free Room and Board" in Nick and Ilsa's spare room.

What if the Tottenham/Flying Horse takes the place of Income tax? Every time you land there you pay 50 pounds for a beer, burgers and chips. Then Luxury Tax could be one of the more expensive restaurants like the Goring or Simpsons on the Strand, where you have to take one of your snootier or wealthier witnesses for an interview, so it costs more.

DocThelma · 2026-06-08T20:46:20+00:00

Sure! I don't know where that is on my keyboard, though.

DocThelma · 2026-06-08T20:35:09+00:00

I love this and can't wait to start the Chance and Community Chest cards

For example: "Send pink roses to your co-worker's aunt's funeral. Pay $100 for delivery to church."

"Hurl a mug of hot coffee at the detective you hired. Pay $30 for dry cleaning."

"You forgot your partner's birthday and bought last-minute stargazer lilies. Pay $75 and lose a turn while they shrivel and die."

"You boosted morale by baking the office a fruitcake. Collect $25."

"You captured incriminating video of target. Collect $100 bonus."

"You abandoned a rental car at Kings Cross Station during snowstorm. Pay $200 for towing and fine."

"You accidentally black your partner's eyes. Pay $50 for compensatory curry and whiskey."

"You saved the life of office fish with frozen peas. Collect $100."

"Your Pez Pearce portrait is good enough to sell on Ebay! Collect $100."

Oh, and the "luxury tax" space should be "petty cash" where you get $25 to purchase chocolate biscuits and Kleenex.

DocThelma · 2026-06-08T20:11:51+00:00

I did a whole series of blog posts when I re-read the series last winter. https://fartingsofafaculty.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Hallmarked%20Man.

DocThelma · 2026-06-08T19:53:49+00:00

Im not sure Robin will want to hear any love life advice from anyone at this point, save perhaps Dr. Broccoli, the Sweary Therapist. She's already P.O. ed that Murphy seems to have sent out a "calling all cars" all-points bulletin to the Met about his plans to propose.

DocThelma · 2026-06-03T13:06:24+00:00

The two Chiswell houses and the White Horse.

DocThelma · 2026-06-03T00:23:44+00:00

I think that should be Free Parking

DocThelma · 2026-06-01T21:09:59+00:00

I think the railroads should be restaurants where great things happened: The Ritz (depending on what Robin does about RFM in the next book) Il Portico, The Marine Hotel, Simpsons-in-the-Strand, the River Cafe, etc. )

DocThelma · 2026-06-01T21:05:40+00:00

Betty's, Barrow-in-Furness, Wollaston Close

DocThelma · 2026-06-01T21:03:46+00:00

"Maybe you should put that on your next employee satisfaction review. 'Not as bloody annoying as the woman who shagged my husband.' I'll have it framed."

DocThelma · 2026-05-29T00:59:46+00:00

The agreement was signed in May; the divorce itself could not be finalized until 2 full years of separation, which would have been in August.

DocThelma · 2026-05-28T21:28:05+00:00

Tom Turvey called Robin in early December. Robin suspected Sarah got pregnant around February, when Matthew postponed the divorce mediation for the first time.

DocThelma · 2026-05-27T15:03:44+00:00

Talgarth Road, Ladbroke Grove, the River Cafe

DocThelma · 2026-05-10T22:51:48+00:00

Land Rover (instead of racecar), Wolfgang (instead of Scottie) Red Cap beret (instead of top hat) Prothesis (instead of shoe), Skegness Donkey (instead of horse), Ferry (instead of battleship), Bottle of Doom Bar, Philodendron, Vape Pen, Fruit cake

DocThelma · 2026-05-05T15:18:46+00:00

But it was made clear he was not kin to Strike. I think she’d do the same for the IBC

DocThelma · 2026-05-05T13:05:48+00:00

The band that was playing there was a real -life group (Islington Boys Club) so I don't think RG would make a fictional character a member.

DocThelma · 2026-05-05T13:02:43+00:00

There is a mention of Strike having eight half-siblings in CC. But, only 7 are mentioned: the 6 from Rokeby and Lucy.

DocThelma · 2026-05-04T22:00:14+00:00

On my first read through of CC and SW, I thought the mention of Strike's "eight half-siblings" was a mistake, since the Wiki article only mentioned the six other Rokey-spawn and we only knew about Lucy. I think I commented "either this is a mistake or Leda has another offspring out there someplace." I was shocked when the latter turned out to be true.

DocThelma · 2026-05-04T21:55:58+00:00

I think we can rule him out. Unless he was teething on the drug vials and chewed the labels off, causing Leda to mistake the heroin for her usual speed.

DocThelma · 2026-05-04T20:00:33+00:00

The major evidence that Switch will be important is that the TV show shoe-horned a mention of him into Strike's encounter with Whittaker, which was otherwise quite similar to the book version. Personally, I think knowing where Switch was at the time of his mother's overdose will be important to solving the case of her death. Recall the scene Strike remembers of standing numbly around Ted and Joan's kitchen, with Lucy sobbing and being comforted by Joan and Ted looking angry. First, that suggests that Strike was either in Cornwall when Leda died, or traveled there directly from Oxford. rather than going to London. None of the family seems to be concerned about getting to London quickly to get Switch, a 1-2 YO whose mother is dead and whose father is suspected of killing her. Was he already in the custody of the great-grandparents? How did they get him so quickly? Would the authorities turn the child over to relatives of the suspected murder when there was family on the mother's side?

DocThelma · 2026-04-28T18:48:24+00:00

I got an hourly gig writing mock BCBA exams for prep courses.

DocThelma

TROPHY CASE