A richly layered detective novel by Robert Galbraith and the fifth installment in the acclaimed Cormoran Strike series.

Private investigator Cormoran Strike is hired by Anna Phipps, whose mother, Dr. Margot Bamborough, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1974. Although nearly 40 years have passed and the case has long gone cold, Anna refuses to believe the truth is forever lost.

Together with his investigative partner Robin Ellacott, Strike reopens the decades-old mystery. Their investigation leads them through forgotten police files, witness interviews, private diaries, and hidden family secrets. As they dig deeper, they uncover links to a notorious serial killer, astrological symbolism, fractured relationships, and long-buried lies. Every new clue complicates the case, revealing that the disappearance was far more intricate than anyone had imagined.

Alongside the investigation, the novel explores the evolving personal and professional relationship between Strike and Robin. Both face family pressures, emotional conflicts, and difficult choices that add depth to the story without overshadowing the central mystery.

Meticulously plotted and filled with red herrings, Troubled Blood is widely regarded as one of the finest entries in the series, offering a classic detective mystery with modern psychological depth.