The Running Grave Chapter 70 (Chapter 72) Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Strike’s day is already difficult when Shanker calls to report that Jordan Reaney attempted suicide by overdose after a phone call from someone posing as his wife. While trailing a client (Toy Boy) at Selfridges, Strike receives a summons from Bijou, who reveals she is pregnant with Andrew Honbold’s child and pleads for Strike to convince Honbold that Strike did not bug his office. Later, Strike’s office manager Pat confesses she lied about her age (she is 67) and that fellow operative Littlejohn discovered the lie and is blackmailing her. Strike forgives Pat, buys her a drink, and decides to trace the call that drove Reaney to attempt suicide, suspecting a connection to the Chapman Farm case.
Key Events
- Shanker tells Strike that Jordan Reaney overdosed after a call from someone pretending to be his wife.
- Strike spends hours trailing Toy Boy and the client’s mother around Selfridges.
- Bijou meets Strike at a pub, announces her pregnancy (fathered by Andrew Honbold), and begs him to clear his name regarding the bugged office.
- Strike refuses to promise help but later considers the possibility that Patterson Inc might be involved.
- Pat confesses she is 67 and that Littlejohn has been blackmailing her to keep her secret; she caught him trying to photograph the Edensor file.
- Strike chooses not to fire Pat, acknowledging her value, and instead begins planning to deal with Littlejohn.
- Strike phones Shanker to arrange tracing the call to Reaney, offering a reward for information.
Character Development
Cormoran Strike: Overloaded and irritable, Strike still shows a capacity for mercy and strategic thinking. His decision to keep Pat despite her lie demonstrates that he prioritizes loyalty and competence over rigid rules. He also remains suspicious and calculating, already connecting Reaney’s fake-wife call to the wider investigation.
Pat: After months of hiding her age, Pat is forced to come clean when Littlejohn turns the secret into leverage. Her relief at Strike’s forgiveness—and her loyalty in alerting him to Littlejohn’s actions—underscores her dedication.
Littlejohn: Though off-page for most of the chapter, his blackmail of Pat and attempted theft of the Edensor file confirm he is a direct threat to the agency. His willingness to use Pat’s secret for personal gain shows him as morally bankrupt.
Bijou: Reappearing only to dump her problems on Strike, Bijou remains self-centered. Her pregnancy complicates the already tense relationship between Strike and Honbold.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Deception and Confession: Pat’s age lie and Littlejohn’s exploitation mirror the smaller deceptions within the case. Strike must decide whom to trust—and his acceptance of Pat’s confession suggests that honesty, when forced, can still be redeemed.
Surveillance and Vulnerability: Littlejohn’s attempt to photograph confidential files and the bugging of Honbold’s office both highlight how easily private information can be weaponized. Strike’s own surveillance of Toy Boy and the Reaney call-tracing reinforce the motif of watching and being watched.
Ageism: Pat’s fear of being fired because of her age is a concrete social commentary. Strike’s refusal to fire her challenges workplace age discrimination, but the chapter also shows how such prejudice can be used as a tool of blackmail.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter advances several plotlines: it solidifies Littlejohn as a mole inside the agency; it ties Reaney’s suicide attempt to a deliberately deceptive phone call, likely connected to the Chapman Farm case; and it deepens Strike’s personal and professional entanglements (Bijou’s pregnancy, Pat’s secret). The chapter also illustrates Strike’s growth as a manager—he forgives Pat when he could have dismissed her—while setting up a confrontation with Littlejohn that will have consequences for the rest of the narrative.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Strike decide not to fire Pat, even though she lied on her CV?
Strike values Pat’s competence and loyalty; he recognizes that ageism drove her to lie, and he trusts her more than he trusts Littlejohn. He also sees a distinction between Pat’s deception (motivated by necessity) and Littlejohn’s dishonesty (motivated by self-interest).
2. What new threat does Littlejohn represent to the agency?
Littlejohn has been blackmailing Pat to keep quiet about her age, and he attempted to photograph the confidential Edensor file. This shows he is willing to steal sensitive case information and will exploit any vulnerability he uncovers.
3. How does the fake phone call to Reaney connect to the larger investigation?
The caller posed as Reaney’s wife to trigger his overdose. Strike suspects this may be linked to the Drowned Prophet cult or other parties involved in the Chapman Farm case, making Reaney’s suicide attempt a potential murder attempt rather than a personal crisis.