JK Rowling's latest blockbuster novel 'Troubled Blood' is set in Cornwall

She is one of the most famous and successful authors in the world – and JK Rowling’s latest blockbuster turns the spotlight directly onto Cornwall.

The Harry Potter author’s latest novel written under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith – Troubled Blood – was published this week.

It is the latest in a series of novels following the adventures of private detectives Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott.

From the start of the series Strike’s backstory has included the fact that he spent a large part of his childhood in Cornwall, growing up with an aunt and uncle in St Mawes.

While the early books highlighted his taste for Cornish ale Doom Bar and how he would visit the area to see his relatives and schoolfriends the action remained mainly in London.

However Troubled Blood – the fifth Strike book – opens in Cornwall with Strike drinking in The Victory Inn in St Mawes with his schoolfriend Dave Polworth.

There Galbraith even touches on Cornish nationalism mentioning Polworth’s passion for his Cornish roots and Mebyon Kernow.

The early chapters of the 900-plus page novel also see Strike and Robin visiting Falmouth where they go to The Moor and have coffee in the Palacio Lounge.

Palacio Lounge manager Charlotte said she had no idea that her workplace had been included in a book by Rowling.

She said: “That is amazing, it’s news to me. The staff will be really interested as we have a lot of Harry Potter fans here.

“We do have a lot of Harry Potter fans and students come here as well and we have Harry Potter quizzes – although we can’t do that at the moment due to coronavirus.

“A lot of our staff will be amazed to know that we are included in one of her books.”

Charlotte said she had no idea whether Rowling had visited the Lounge for research for the book which contains an accurate description of the venue  although, admittedly, this could be done using photos which can be found on the internet.

With the previous four novels all having been adapted for TV and shown on the BBC – the fourth story Lethal White recently finished on BBC1 – it is likely that Troubled Blood will also soon appear on screen.

It remains to be seen whether it will stick to the plot of the novel and we can expect to see St Mawes and Falmouth used as locations.

Strike fans have been keen to visit the locations mentioned by Galbraith in the novels and have been taking photos at The Victory Inn and at St Mawes.

The latest book sees the private detective on the trail of a cold case from 1974 of a doctor who went missing and may have been the victim of a serial killer. The “will they won’t they” relationship between Strike and Robin also continues.

Troubled Blood is out now in hardback.