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Published 21:24 IST, September 18th 2020

JK Rowling reveals Troubled Blood's controversial character inspired by real life killers

JK Rowling revealed on Galbraith blog that Troubled Blood's controversial character inspired by real life killers. She defended herself amid transphobia row.

Reported by: Anushka Pathania
null | Image: self

JK Rowling’s new book Troubled Blood under the pen name of Robert Galbraith stirred a lot of criticism after the release of an early review about the book. The review in the Telegraph questioned the morals of the book. After facing fierce backlash from netizens online, JK Rowling defended herself on the official website of Robert Galbraith.

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JK Rowling's Troubled Blood character inspired by real-life

In the blog, JK Rowling has explained that the character in the book has been inspired by real-life characters. The author further described that the characters were loosely based on real-life killers who were manipulators and fetishized and stole women’s clothing. Here is what she wrote in Robert Galbraith's blog:

A sadistic serial killer active in the 60s and 70s, who was loosely based on real life killers Jerry Brudos and Russell Williams – both master manipulators who took trophies from their victims.

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The blog also described the main themes in the book. Here is what it said:

Without giving much away, change, loss and absence are probably the biggest themes. The detective agency is investigating a cold case: the mysterious disappearance of a female doctor in 1974, which happens to be the year of Strike’s birth. The changing face of feminism and ideals and stereotypes of femininity are also examined through the cast of characters. The vanished doctor was an ardent feminist who once worked as a Bunny girl. The complexities of Dr Bamborough’s life are mirrored in Robin’s own, because she’s approaching thirty, going through a divorce and asking herself how she could ever reconcile a demanding and sometimes dangerous job with motherhood. Meanwhile the suspects in Dr Bamborough’s disappearance include a womanising patient who seems to have developed feelings for her, a passive-aggressive husband who wanted her to quit her job to become a full-time mother, and a sadistic serial killer active in the 60s and 70s, who was loosely based on real life killers Jerry Brudos and Russell Williams – both master manipulators who took trophies from their victims.

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Review that stirred criticism

The Telegraph critic Jake Kerridge described the plot and theme of the book by JK Rowling, as he questioned the morals of the book. The review went viral and stirred a storm on social media as numerous netizens got offended by JK Rowling’s stance on trans people. The review explained that JK Rowling's Troubled Blood is about an investigation into a cold case involving a "transvestite serial killer". The review further read that the moral of the book seems to be “never trust a man in a dress.”

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Image credits: Robert Galbraith Twitter and Shutterstock

Updated 21:24 IST, September 18th 2020

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