Career of Evil

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of mental illness, graphic violence, emotional abuse, and sexual violence.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Discuss your impressions of the novel’s tone and subject matter. Did Career of Evil feel darker or more disturbing than the preceding books of the series, The Cuckoo’s Calling and The Silkworm? Did you think the depiction of violence was overly graphic or entirely appropriate for the plot?

2. Discuss what you liked most and least about Career of Evil.

3. What questions or feelings stayed with you after finishing the novel? Did you find the book’s conclusion satisfying?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. During the novel, Strike and Robin are forced to reckon with past trauma. Have you ever had to confront a challenging aspect of your own history, or felt defined by a past event?

2. While the novel portrays extreme hatred of women through the killer’s perspectives and actions, Robin also experiences everyday sexism in her day-to-day life, from unwanted sexual advances to Matthew’s belittlement of her. Did Robin’s experiences and subsequent anger resonate with you?

3. Robin struggles to balance her professional aspirations with Matthew’s expectations. Have you ever had to choose between your goals and someone else’s comfort? If so, how did you handle it?

4. Galbraith presents London as an inequitable city characterized by a stark distinction between the rich and the poor. Did this concur with your own perception or experience of the United Kingdom’s capital city?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel delves into the theme of violence against women and girls, both physical and psychological. How does the book reflect ongoing cultural conversations about toxic masculinity and misogyny?

2. How does the book critique the role of the media in depicting serial killers and their victims?

3. How does Galbraith handle depicting the mental health ramifications of amputation and mental illness such as body integrity identity disorder? Do you feel that the author deals with these topics sensitively?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The third-person narrative alternates between Strike, Robin, and the unidentified killer. How do the multiple perspectives affect the reader’s experience? Discuss the techniques Galbraith uses to conceal the killer’s identity while conveying his viewpoint.

2. The revelation of more of Robin’s backstory gives her character further depth in Career of Evil. How does her development reflect the themes of autonomy, trauma, and identity?

3. The dynamics of control, power, and vulnerability are explored through many of the characters’ relationships. Identify these interactions and discuss how they play out through the novel.

4. How does the motif of amputation and dismemberment contribute to the novel’s broader themes and concerns?

5. Which conventions of the detective fiction genre does Career of Evil use? How does Galbraith update and modernize these classic tropes?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you’re Robin or Strike. What would you have done differently in the investigation? What would your approach to the case look like?

2. If you were to write a short story inspired by Career of Evil, what subplot or character would you focus on and why?

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