Cormoran Strike’s 8th novel The Hallmarked Man: All the clues so far

According to internet sleuths, Joanne’s X (Twitter) header images could have plenty to do with the show. One location is Ironbridge, a historic site in Shropshire. The author shared a photo of the Iron Bridge crossing the River Severn, which fans think has a connection to the novel.

She also changed the photo to Wild Court, a street behind Freemasons’ Hall in London, which has sparked theories that there will be a Freemasonry plot in the new novel.

However, perhaps most intriguing is her trip to Sark, a small island in the Channel Islands.

Revealing that she had visited the island while researching the novel, she posted: “Thank you, Sark. You and your people are wonderful, and I’m leaving with a very appropriate souvenir, given the title of #Strike8: #TheHallmarkedMan.”

After a fan contemplated that the novel would be set there, Joanne replied: “Not the whole thing. But a few chapters.”

The novel will be released on 2 September, and a recently shared literary reference from James Elroy Flecker also had fans speculating that it was involved in the book somehow. It read:

“We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go

Always a little further; it may be

Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow,

Across that angry or that glimmering sea.”

We’re certainly intrigued!

The author has also teased plenty of plot details, particularly regarding a specific foreshadowed moment. Referring to the book, she wrote:

“I’m getting there. Just finished a very satisfying chapter indeed. There’s nothing like writing an encounter you’ve foreshadowed for years.”

She also joked about a writing victory, explaining: “Just typed ‘manoeuvre’ correctly on the first attempt, without even thinking about it. There are no worlds left to conquer.”

After a fan quizzed her on the achievement, she revealed that the sentence came “VERY close to the end” of the novel.