I wish I hadn't known this was written by JK Rowling prior to reading it. It's impossible for me to know if it colored my opinion of the book. But it's out there, and was part of the reason it was moved to the top of my long "to read" list, so I guess it's of no consequence now.

The good: I liked Cormoran Strike. He met my expectation of a struggling, down-on-his-luck PI. I also enjoyed Robin, his accidental assistant. I am looking forward to seeing their partnership develop in future books and found I cared about both characters by the end. The plot, while a traditional mystery format, was tightly woven and took intricate turns. Well done.

The bad: I hated Cormoran's ex-girlfriend. I'm not sure the Rowling wanted or expected that response, but I would be happy if she never came up in another novel. This may be caused by the lack of true backstory around their relationship and perspective on why they both seemed so done at the time of the mystery, but she adds nothing to Cormoran's character for me. He can be a wounded soldier with a past without wasting time on her.

Overall, a good start to the series. I will read the next one when it comes out.