The Hallmarked Man is a crime fiction novel written by the British author J. K. Rowling, and published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.[1] Released on 2 September 2025, it is the eighth book in the Cormoran Strike series of detective fiction novels, following The Running Grave. As with previous books in the series, it features the protagonists Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott solving a murder case involving Freemasonry and trafficking.
While Robin Ellacott is recovering from surgery following an ectopic pregnancy, the agency is hired by Decima Mullins to investigate a case involving a body that was found in the vault of Ramsay Silver, a shop specialising in Masonic silverware. Definitive dentification of the body is difficult due to the extent of the mutilation it has suffered. The body is also marked with the Cross of Salem, a symbol of the leadership of Freemasonry. The police believe that the body belongs to Jason Knowles, a convicted robber who was posing as William Wright. However, Mullins thinks it is the body of Rupert Fleetwood, her missing boyfriend and the father of her newborn son. She dismisses the possibility that Fleetwood is alive and has simply left her, and Strike reluctantly takes on the case hoping that it will provide opportunities to spend time with Robin.
Robin's boyfriend Ryan Murphy disapproves of the agency taking on the case, but agrees to get them information from internal sources in the Metropolitan Police based on the premise that they are only searching for Fleetwood, not investigating the murder. This reveals that Niall Semple and Tyler Powell, two other missing men, could also fit the profile of the victim. Malcom Truman, the DCI who investigated the case, is a freemason and has been suspended for making unauthorised press statements. A fourth possible victim is revealed when the agency receives an anonymous letter encoded with a pigpen cipher saying that the body belonged to "Dangerous" Dick Delion, a former porn star. Strike passes fresh information that they dig up about Wright to the police through Eric Wardle.
The investigation reveals several suspicious inconsistencies and coincidences. The security arrangements at the silver shop are extremely poor. The Gibson's Auction House employee who delivered the stolen silver was fired and subsequently died of a heart ailment. Members of Rupert Fleetwood's social circle believe that Fleetwood is alive and well in New York after he paid off a drug dealer by selling a silver nef that he stole from the Longcasters. Ralph Lawrence, who Strike suspects is with MI5, attempts to warn against looking into Niall Semple. The agency receives a series of threatening phone calls, which Strike initially believes is from members of Knowles' family. However, Shanker states that the body belongs to neither Knowles nor Fleetwood, and that a powerful freemason is behind the execution. Robin is attacked and threatened in Harrods by someone who knows of her identity as "Witness G" in the trial of her rapist.
At a charity event, Strike runs into Nina Lascelles, who still holds a grudge after the events of The Silkworm. She informs her cousin Dominic Culpepper, a tabloid journalist, that Kim Cochran has taken a photo showing Culpepper's wife having an affair with the wife of a client. Culpepper responds by writing a series of hit pieces portraying Strike as someone who abuses women. The pieces also feature Lord Oliver Branfoot criticising the private investigation profession in general. Culpepper publishes a fictional interview with a sex worker named "Candy" who Strike purportedly used as a honeytrap and then coerced into sex. Strike responds by leaving a threatening message for Culpepper, but he is persuaded by Robin to respond to the allegations via Fergus Robertson of The Telegraph. Jonny Rokeby, Strike's estranged father, offers to provide his own lawyers and the funding necessary to take legal action.
When Strike returns to the office after Christmas, the front door has been defaced with a painted letter "G" which features on the Square and Compasses, a symbol of Freemasonry. Niall Semple's wife Jade had initially believed that the body might be that of her husband, but she abruptly changes her mind. Strike manages to persuade her to meet with him, although she has been warned against it.
A music producer named Calvin Osgood had his identity stolen by a curly haired man. William Wright had emailed the impostor from the computer at Ramsay Silver before he died. The curly haired man and a female accomplice are seen removing items from Wright's apartment after his death. The female resembles Sofia Medina, a student who was found dead on North Wessex Downs. Her roommate Gretchen Schiff tells Robin that Sofia met the man on OnlyFans while looking for a rich sugar daddy, and that he also has nude photos of Gretchen.
Secondary plots explore the various romantic entanglements of the protagonists. Robin's growing relationship with Murphy causes Strike to engineer situations where he can express his feelings for her, but these are repeatedly foiled by other events. Murphy is shown to be insecure about Robin's closeness to Strike, and is sensitive about his sobriety. Robin vacillates about telling Murphy about her infertility resulting from the Chlamydia she contracted from her rapist. Robin starts to question her feelings for Strike after he chooses a deeply personal Christmas present for her. Strike repeatedly rejects romantic overtures from Kim Cochran. Kim and Ilsa independently inform Strike that Farah Nawabi has been hired by Andrew Honbold, QC to investigate whether Bijou Watkins' child is his or Strike's. The scandals surrounding Strike cause tension among families and friends.
Characters
Main
Cormoran Strike: An ex-SIB investigator who runs a private detective agency.
Robin Ellacott: A partner in the detective agency alongside Strike.
Secondary characters
People of interest
Decima Mullins (nee Longcaster): Client of the Strike Detective Agency, Valentine Longcaster's sister, step sister of Strike's late ex-fiancée Charlotte Campbell.
Rupert Fleetwood: Father of Decima Mullins' child and the man she claims was the body in the silver vault; cousin of Sacha Legard.
Pamela Bullen-Driscoll: Owner of the Bullen & Co. silver firm, Kenneth Ramsay's sister-in-law
Jim Todd: Cleaner at Ramsay Silver
Jade Semple: Wife of Niall Semple, a missing veteran
Dilys Powell: Tyler Powell's grandmother
Albie Simpson-White: A friend of Rupert Fleetwood, employee at Harrods and former employee of the Longcasters' establishment
Lord Oliver Branfoot: A peer and media personality
The Strike and Ellacott Detective Agency
Sam Barclay: A Glaswegian private investigator, a sub-contractor
Kim Cochran: A former police detective, a new sub-contractor
Dev Shah: A sub-contractor
Midge Greenstreet: A sub-contractor
Pat Chauncey: Office manager
Friends and family
Lucy Fantoni: Strike's half-sister
Shanker: A career criminal, Strike's childhood friend
Linda and Michael Ellacott: Robin's parents
Jonathan, Stephen, and Martin Ellacott: Robin's brothers
Jonny Rokeby: Rock star, Strike's estranged father
Nick and Ilsa Herbert: Strike's school friends
Law enforcement
Ryan Murphy: A CID detective, Robin's boyfriend
Eric Wardle: A detective with the Metropolitan Police
Ralph Lawrence: Possibly an MI5 operative, acquaintance of Angela Darwish from The Ink Black Heart
Other characters
Nina Lascelles: A former fling of Strike from The Silkworm; cousin to the journalist Dominic Culpepper
Calvin Osgood: Music producer, victim of identity theft
Diana Boadu: An employee of Gibson's Auction House
Charlie Carter: An employee of Gibson's Auction House
Fergus Robertson: A reporter with The Telegraph
Matthew Cunliffe: Robin's ex-husband
Sarah Shadlock: Matthew's affair partner and current wife
Bijou Watkins: A former girlfriend of Strike's from The Running Grave
Marguerite: An acquaintance from The Silkworm whom Lucy had attempted to set up Strike on a date with
Gretchen Schiff: Sofia Medina's roommate
Development
Background
Freemasonry, Masonic symbols like the Square and Compass, and the letter G are prominently featured in the plot.
Rowling announced the title of the book through X on 15 March 2024.[2] Public speculation about the setting and plot of the novel grew due to images and posts on Rowling's X account. These included Iron Bridge, Wild Court (a street behind Freemasons' Hall in London), the island of Sark in the Channel Islands, Crieff in Scotland and the Savoy Hotel in London.
Rowling partly confirmed these speculations when she said that a few chapters would be set on Sark during an interview.[3] She also teased a few plot details, revealing that she had written about an encounter that had been foreshadowed for years. On 17 December 2024, Rowling announced that she had finished writing the novel.
The involvement of the Masons was further hinted at when the cover, which was leaked through Apple books on 23 May 2025, featured Freemasons' Hall. Retail listings later revealed the inclusion of a new character called Decima Mullins and confirmed the involvement of Freemasonry. Rowling revealed in an interview that Masonic concepts like the Pigpen Cipher would be plot points.
The novel has hardback, paperback, eBook and audiobook editions. The audiobook is narrated by Robert Glenister, who also narrated all the previous books in the series.[4] The cover art was created by Duncan Spilling, who has designed the covers for all the books in the series.[5]
Early copies of the hardcover edition started going out on 27 August.[6] The book was released to the public on 2 September.
Reception
Press reception was largely positive, with critics describing the book as another strong entry in the series.[7] Particular praise was given to the construction and handling of multiple intertwining plot lines while still remaining emotionally engaging.[8] Some points of criticism were the cliffhanger ending and the lack of resolution for the romantic tension between the protagonists.[9]
Sequel
On 16 December 2024, Rowling revealed that she was already making plans for the ninth book in the series. Rowling has previously stated that she intends to end the series after ten books.[10]
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