The Silkworm

Second in the Cormoran Strike series by "Robert Galbraith" (really J K Rowling), The Silkworm continues the adventures of the rough and ready detective and his assistant, Robin.

I really enjoyed the audiobook - and it certainly helped my daily step count as I was eager to get out and about in order to find out what happened next.

Two things annoyed me about it, though.

Firstly, the development of the relationships between the various characters - there was quite a bit of misunderstanding due to lack of communication, which always annoys me (however realistic it might be) and I'm still firmly of the opinion that Robin deserves much better than her dick of a fiance, but still.

Secondly, and more importantly, there was a whole section towards the end where the two main characters knew who'd done the murder and were making and implementing plans to catch them, where the reader was kept entirely in the dark as to their thoughts and actions.  I like to find things out with the characters, not have the characters make oblique references to things and have it all take place off the page, to be recounted later once all is revealed.  It's not only annoying, but it feels like lazy writing.

Still, I did really enjoy this overall (not least because it was the same narrator as last time and he's really good) so I'll definitely listen to more as and when they come out.

Archipelago...

...is a restaurant I came across recently on Cleveland Street in London.

I was randomly wandering around in the area of my office at lunchtime and spotted it.  The menu outside looked interesting to I popped in for a lunch of mini crocodile burgers and yummy african sausages.

Then, when we were trying to find somewhere to meet up with a few of Dave's friends this week, I suggested it and so we had dinner there tonight.

The dinner menu was more extensive, more exotic and considerably more expensive.  However, it was well worth it, as the food was truly excellent - though the service left rather a lot to be desired.

When the waitress came to take our orders, I asked for the python starter (very meaty, and delicious) and then asked for the kangaroo main course.  The waitress looked down her nose at me and said, "It only comes medium rare."  That kind of put me off as I like my meat well done and she confirmed that they wouldn't cook it differently.  So, I perused the menu again and asked for the alpaca.  She looked down her nose at me again, and said, "That's very spicy."  So, since I didn't want to take a chance that it would be unpalatable, I glanced down the menu again and eventually decided upon the massaman chicken curry.  At which point, she criticised me for making the "safe and boring" choice.  I have to say this really annoyed me!  I was the customer and she had deliberately put me off two other choices and then suggested something else on the menu was a bad choice to make - what the hell?!

Anyway, the chicken was spectacular, so I'm glad I ordered it in the end.

The vodka, kahlua, espresso cocktail I had went some way to mellowing me out again, and so I ordered the chocolate-covered locusts for dessert ("That'll show her I'm not boring!!") and they weren't at all bad.  A bit crunchy, but certainly edible.  Dave's caramel mealworms, on the other hand, were incredibly yummy.

So, a good experience all round, on the food front - just goes to show that it's nice to pay a bit more for something a little out of the ordinary every once in a while!