The four-episode HBO Original limited series C.B. STRIKE: THE INK BLACK HEART debuted THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on HBO and is now available to stream on Max. This is the sixth story of the crime drama in co-production with BBC and based on J.K. Rowling’s best-selling crime novels written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The previous titles were THE CUCKOO’S CALLING, THE SILKWORM, CAREER OF EVIL, LETHEL WHITE, and TROUBLED BLOOD. The works began their life here in the States on Cinemax back in 2018 and have since moved to HBO.
The latest tale tells us that Cormoran B. Strike, played by Tom Burke and Robin Ellacott, played by Holliday Grainger, are hired to investigate a murder involving a creator of a cult TV cartoon and an anonymous online troll known as “Anomie.” With a complex web of online aliases, business interests and family conflicts to navigate, our heroic pair find themselves in a case that stretches them to their limit with the threat of this mysterious killer around every corner. Joining the leads are David Westhead, Christian McKay, Emma Fielding, Tupele Dorgu, James Nelson-Joyce, Ruth Sheen, Jack Greenlees, Natasha O’Keeffe, and Caitlin Innes Edwards.
All four installments of THE INK BLACK HEART were written by British screenwriter Tom Edge who penned the Judy Garland bio-pic Judy, and TV’s Lovesick and some of The Crown. Also, all four episodes were directed by Susan Tully, who directed for U.K telly including episodes from SECERT DIARY OF A CALL GIRL with Billie Piper (on Max) the British version of HBO’s GETTING ON, and previous C.B STRIKE episodes.
By the looks of the ending of the trailer above it appears that it could be Cormoran Strike’s last case. But it is likely not as there is one more novel out there that was just published in 2023 entitled “The Running Grave.” I don’t know the source material at all really, so don’t worry I can’t spoil anything for those who are on the case. Seek out C.B. STRIKE: THE INK BLACK HEART, Thursday nights at 9:00 pm ET through February 13 on HBO.
