Streaming crowds pick the worst possible time to propel a J.K. Rowling crime thriller back onto the Top 10

via BBC

As you’ll no doubt be aware given the recent release of Hogwarts Legacy, J.K. Rowling has been all over the headlines once again as her reputation continues to take a battering from all sides. Experiencing a surge in popularity at exactly the wrong moment, episodic crime thriller Strike has decided to launch an offensive on the streaming ranks.

Per FlixPatrol, the episodic adaptations of the Cormoran Strike literary series has rocketed into the HBO Max Top 10 in 22 countries around the world, including a fourth-place berth in the United States. Perhaps the latest controversies are generating buzz, but then again, there might be a lot of people who don’t have a clue Rowling is even involved.

All six of the books have been penned and released under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith, and while the Harry Potter scribe is listed as an executive producer on the project, it’s ol’ Robert who gets credited as the inspiration behind the stories. There are five volumes comprising 15 installments so far, and there could well be more on the way if it keeps drawing in eyeballs like this.

Tom Burke stars in the title role, a war veteran turned private detective who works out of a cramped London office. Carrying wounds that are both physical and psychological in nature, his background makes him a useful asset when it comes to crimes that leave the police utterly stumped.

Reviews have generally been strong from beginning to end, even if the Rowling connection might put people off Strike from the beginning.