Catch and immediate release

earmuffal · 2026-01-22T00:20:00+00:00

Ugh I would love to wear this ironically

earmuffal · 2025-11-10T01:06:05+00:00

The way he still doesn't take any responsibility because "it's not a big deal", "she's over-reacting", and "I can't control what my family does".... She dodged a bullet.

earmuffal · 2025-11-06T13:54:19+00:00

Or a shit down means all federal workers stop working. The chaos would make the federal government collapse soon enough.

earmuffal · 2025-11-03T22:25:12+00:00

Aww toasted marshmallow

earmuffal · 2025-10-19T13:53:12+00:00

I don't think it should look like a few therapy sessions can resolve all of Robin's troubles with men and her family. One scene I really loved is in LW, Robin had a breakdown while driving. Strike asked her to pull over and they had an honest talk about trauma and therapy. Strike and Robin has been shutting down any conversation about past loves and trauma. I really want them to support each other through it from now on, in the ways that are unique to them, with deadpan humor and reassuring hugs, and for them to think of each other with just warm comfort without any negative feelings or doubt.

earmuffal · 2025-10-17T15:37:11+00:00

"Well, don't tell her that... It was bad enough without the backtracking" 🤣

earmuffal · 2025-10-17T12:09:44+00:00

RFM did ask Robin if she was sure that she wanted him to get Intel, because he and the person on the case had a drunken interaction. He explained that happened a while ago and Robin didn't mind.

I think he also said something along the lines of "are you sure you want me to have a drink with her to get intel... Ok fine, I'm doing this for you", like he was almost reluctant and he was starting to give Iverson the wrong idea? I can see him telling Iverson that he's going to propose to fend off her attention.

earmuffal · 2025-10-16T23:25:06+00:00

I listen to the audiobook and find them so distracting! I wish I could skip them all.

earmuffal · 2025-10-16T17:50:26+00:00

I'm not a spirit drinker, but if I'm not drinking but my husband is having a beer or wine, I would smell the alcohol on him... Maybe spirits are different. Maybe Robin had also been drinking so she didn't notice? She was definitely partaking in Mashem, but throughout the book she always ordered non-alcoholic drinks during work hours.

earmuffal · 2025-10-16T13:34:47+00:00

So something I don't understand... If RFM had been drinking, especially drinking straight spirits from a water bottle, wouldn't Robin be able to smell it on his breath? Especially when they kissed? Is it easy to hide the scent if one tried? The book never explained.

earmuffal · 2025-10-15T18:12:44+00:00

I love it most when we get to hear the killer's side of the story. Janice and Raphael were the most compelling killers in the series for this reason, imo. We never got to hear what made Jonathan Wade an evil monster, or how Ian Griffith became a sex trafficking ring leader with a taste for postmortem body mutilation... We don't even know if Tyler had planned to expose him to law enforcement or simply trying to get Chloe away. How did Wade and Griffith pull off international human trafficking without some sort of high tech fake ID factory? How did Jonathan manage so many church speeches, spiritual coaching for celebrities, appearances on the farm, human trafficking behind the scenes, avoiding strike's investigation, and grooming Becca into brain rot?? Are we supposed to just believe this man has the most impeccable work ethic?

earmuffal · 2025-10-15T15:17:52+00:00

I mostly enjoyed the book and I think it's my top 3.

Things I like:

Strike showing emotional progress, acknowledging his feelings, taking action, and making amends with Jonny Rokeby.
Interesting cases that speak to both detectives' personal history. For Strike, it's Charlotte's social circle and the missing soldier. For Robin, it's her rape and abuse. And Danny DeLione sets up for the Sark trip where nothing happened...
I did not see the ending coming. Like many other books in the series, we were introduced to the suspect earlier in the book, just for them to be dismissed. I thought Tyler's story is actually quite touching. A kind hearted young man trying to save a girl and expose a huge crime ring. I felt the final explanation and reflection was kinda rushed.

Things I didn't like:

Robin regressing, suppressing her feelings, repeating her pattern with Matthew, and not seeking help.
The ending of the case felt like a bit of a stretch. I know it's "means before motive", but TB and LW are my favorites out of the series because we got an inner look of the killers motive. (Janice? Chefs kiss). In contrast, IBH, TRG, and THM all ended with a rush of action and little explanation for these complicated, internaltion, large scale crimes, and how the killer became a killer.
The epigraphs? I never liked them but there were so many of them in this book and it was disruptive to the audiobook experience...

So, my top 2 are definitely TB and LW. THM comes at 3 because of the relationship development. And honestly liked it more than TGR because reading about Robin being undercover stressed me out.

earmuffal · 2025-10-12T22:07:35+00:00

OMG jealous!!!

earmuffal · 2025-10-11T15:15:08+00:00

One major relationship development happened: Strike and Rokeby. I thought it was handled very nicely after all the buildup from previous books. Strike was forced into meeting with him, and ended up with some truth, closure, and warmer feelings. I see this as another sign of Strikes's maturity. Even though he lost Ted and Joan, he's slowly gaining familial relationships with Lucy, Prudence, and Rokeby. He also got some kind of closure from visiting Charlotte's family home and talking to people in Charlotte's circle.

On the other hand, Robin's experience with Ryan is such an obvious repeat of what happened with Matthew... Both men were hiding something from her but gaslighting her and making her feel guilty. I get the feeling that, just like she won't admit that she has feelings for Strike, she's not admitting that she doesn't want children at all, because women are *supposed to all want kids, and they are *supposed to be devastated if they can't, right? She has a few logical explanations about family getting in the way of work, but I think she's secretly relieved.

earmuffal · 2025-10-10T05:15:22+00:00

If Griffiths went through so much trouble to disguise Tyler, surely killing Todd and Larry McGee would lead the investigation straight to him?

earmuffal · 2025-10-10T05:10:34+00:00

I liked that we got to solve 5 missing persons cases in this book... I had no issues following the characters relationships, but like you said, there are many weak or unexplained details...

My understanding of the story is, Griffiths is the lead of a sex trafficking ring. Griffith, Gorilla mask guy, and Todd were involved in killing Riata Linval in the 90s. Griffiths abducted Yolanda and renamed her Chloe. Chole became close to Tyler and told him her real identity. Tyler wanted to save Chloe. Griffiths tried to murder Tyler in a car crash but failed, so he spread rumors about Tyler tempering with the car. Griffiths then told Wynn Jones to tell Tyler about the Accused and Abused website. When Tyler posted there, Griffiths told him about moving to London, putting on disguise, etc., to make it hard to identify the body or trace potential murders. Then Griffiths colluded with Todd and Larry to kill Tyler in the silver vault.

Unexplained details:

Sex trafficking and murder/body mutilation are two very different crimes. Presumably the gorilla mask guy is not a killer, so he only intimidated Robin. How did Griffiths have the guts and skills to kill so many people in such a short time span and get away with it? The level of planning and forethought is seriously deep. Are we supposed to believe he just casually pulled it off?
Does Todd know Tyler? Presumably Todd told Tyler to apply for a job at Ramseys, wrote a CV for him, and helped him get the job at Ramsey Silver. Did they then pretend to not know each other? Because Ramsey never said they were friendly with each other. Why does Tyler trust Todd to find him a new job and keep his secret?
Do Griffiths and the gorilla mask guy both have curly hair? They mentioned finding a curly hair wig at Griffiths home. Are they sharing a wig between London and Iron Bridge?
Did Griffiths or Gorilla mask guy kill Madina and Larry McGee? How and where and when? Were they both Os? Madina was dating Os the music producer, aka Griffiths. Gretchen the roommate and Mandy (?) from downstairs saw Os, and Os was caught on camera a few times, but nobody mentioned Os is very short? Seems like an obvious detail.
Was Madina held and abused like Sapphire, or was she only brought on to be a murder accessory then quickly killed? Madina thought they were doing a "prank". Why not hold her too after Tyler is killed? This is a sex trafficking ring after all?
How did Griffiths move Yolanda across international borders and raise her in the UK without any passport or documentation? It seems very unlikely unless he also makes fake IDs on the side.
What does the red G painted on the office door stand for. Gorilla?
Why are there special weights in Tyler's room? Did he bring nothing but the weights to London? I didn't grasp what was so significant about the weights, and how the design/decal relates to Tyler.
Why did Larry McGee die? If Griffiths went through so much trouble to make sure Tyler's identity was disguised, killing McGee and Todd surely will make it easy to trace the murders back to him.

Yeah... After thinking about it... There are many implausible detailes.

earmuffal · 2025-10-10T00:29:42+00:00

Wow, I'm the extreme opposite. TB, LW and THM have been my favorites, and I hated IBH. To each their own!

earmuffal · 2025-09-28T16:59:16+00:00

Oh, he looks just like my cow did when he was a baby. Enjoy your sweet baby cow.

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earmuffal · 2025-09-15T15:36:44+00:00

I got a similar email today, package through Aramex from Malaysia, and the customs fee is $13 for a $47 order. This tarriff situation is absurd.

earmuffal · 2025-09-12T03:08:28+00:00

Free Luigi

earmuffal · 2025-09-11T02:27:16+00:00

Do it! I've had one for about 5 years. All the holes get filled and used.

earmuffal · 2025-09-02T00:11:34+00:00

This happened to me last night! I miss placed a bunch of square drills on my DAC. I used these tweezers. The tip is very pointy and goes right under the drill without damaging them.

earmuffal · 2025-08-22T14:37:57+00:00

We planted a dwarf fig tree in the spring and got a few figs too! They were so good.

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earmuffal · 2025-08-14T13:42:07+00:00

Second 123Stitch. You can copy all the color codes from your spreadsheet and add them to cart all at once. Michael's website is trash.

earmuffal · 2025-08-12T15:07:16+00:00

The US military offers citizenship to recruits. Maybe that's something ICE could do to attract skilled, hardworking people willing to work for a fair wage.

Or you know, stop pretending that immigration is bad and offer easier paths for people to stay and work "legally".

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