Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac appreciation post

A little bit of background📃

I'd already read most of Michael Robotham's novels by the time the Cyrus Haven series came out. I love his standalone novels and the Joe O'Loughlin/Vincent Ruiz stories. There is something about the author's writing that draws me in and makes me feel comfortable from the first page. Robotham nicely balances characterisation with tense plotting and disturbing crimes, revealing thoughtful insights into human behaviour. I would count Michael Robotham as one of my favourite authors. He is Australian, but all bar one of his books to date are set in the UK. They definitely have that gritty, authentic British feel that I love.

Now I have two more intriguing characters to explore. There's forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven, who dedicates himself to the care of others while still dealing with a horrific childhood trauma. He meets Evie Cormac, a young woman rescued from a period of unimaginable abuse who is learning to live in the world again. Together they form a unique bond that characterises the novels. Cyrus is my new literary crush, with his elaborate back tattoos, kind heart, and ongoing survivor's guilt. Cyrus and Evie are inseparably linked by childhood trauma and their attempts to recover from their experiences and move ahead with life.

In each book there is a crime that is interwoven with the Cyrus and Evie's character development. The crimes are important to the narrative, but they mostly service to support the ongoing exploration of Cyrus and Evie's stories. The cases are either linked to Evie's past or involve Evie in some way. Cyrus partners with long-time friend, Detective Inspector Lenny Pavel, a kick-ass character I love. Lenny was a young police officer when Cyrus's family was murdered, helping him through that trauma. Lenny and Cyrus have been connected ever since.

A word of warning, the books are very dark and disturbing. Both Cyrus and Evie's traumas are explored in some detail. In each book we learn more about Evie's story, and it makes for a tough read. Robotham does not shy away from Cyrus and Evie's experiences, but they are handled sensitively and with such depth that I feel like I know them both. They are unique and compelling characters and I have loved being part of their worlds.

I've updated my original post on the series. As of writing, there are four books - published between 2019 and 2024 - and it looks like that might be it. If Robotham has indeed finished the series, I will be sad to see it end. Cyrus and Evie are amongst my all-time favourite book characters. I've given a brief description of each of the first three books and then a summary of my thoughts. I had more to say about Book 4. Read on to see why...

Good girl bad girl | Published July 2019

My thoughts on the book💭

The investigation into the murder of a teen ice skating star in Good girl bad girl is complex. I didn't guess whodunit until right near the end. The crime is unrelated to Evie's story and takes something of a backseat, as complex as it is, to introducing Evie and her disturbing past. We also get to know Cyrus, the sole survivor of the massacre of his family at the hands of his schizophrenic brother, Elias. After multiple reads of Good girl bad girl I can honestly say it's one of the most unique books I have read in the psychological thriller genre. Both Evie and Cyrus's stories will stay with me for a long time. I give full credit to Robotham for their vivid and fascinating characterisation.

 When she was good | Published July 2020

My thoughts on the book💭

When she was good links Evie's abuse as a child to the apparent suicide of an ex-detective who is responsible for the capture of a notorious paedophile. There's a lot more grim detail of Evie's abuse, the murder of her protector, and the involvement of high-ranking public figures in a paedophile ring. The suicide that opens the book is tied to Cyrus's attempts to help Evie escape the ongoing pursuit of the paedophile ring from which she escaped and put a stop to their horrific crimes. The novel also brings Sasha into the picture, the young police officer who found Evie hiding an abandoned house when she was young and who then goes into hiding after Evie's discovery. By the close of the first two novels the reader has been presented with a comprehensive picture of Cyrus and Evie's backstories and their unusual relationship is cemented.

Lying beside you | Published June 2022

My thoughts on the book💭

Lying beside you seems like a straight-up murder case that Cyrus works on with the Nottingham police in his capacity as a forensic psychologist. As the story unfolds, Evie becomes involved and the case is cleverly interwoven into Cyrus and Evie's home life. The book also delves deeper into Cyrus's relationship with his brother. Elias is on day release from the high security psychiatric hospital where he has been living since he murdered his parents and twin sisters twenty years earlier. I loved the way Evie went into bat for the character in the novel whom she felt had been wrongly accused of a crime. He is such a well-drawn secondary character and I liked the way Robotham set up his friendship with Evie.

Cyrus Haven rating books 1-3: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Below is my review of Book 4, possibly the last in the series. I eagerly awaited the new book as I love Cyrus and Evie and I was keen to see where Robotham would take their story. It completely pains me to say, then, that Book 4 is disappointing and most definitely the weakest in the series.

Storm child | Published June 2024 | Read February 2025

The story📖

The heart of the story lies in people smuggling and the tragic drowning of 17 asylum seekers on a Lincolnshire beach. There is only one survivor - a teenage boy - and he tells police that the boat was deliberately rammed. Evie becomes entangled in the case as the illegal operation to bring people across the Channel is tied to the crossing she made with her mother and sister some fifteen years earlier.

My thoughts on the book💭

I'll always be there for Cyrus and Evie. What I liked about this book was that more of Evie's story is explained and the ending gave me some hope for Evie's future after all the terrible things she has endured.

The story isn't as compelling as the other three books, though. It is actually a little confusing at times. Cyrus and Evie feel like watered down versions of themselves, especially Evie, who seems to have lost her spark in Book 4. The alternating perspectives approach doesn't quite hit the mark, either. Cyrus and Evie's voices are hard to distinguish from each other in their chapters. Sadly, I would go as far as to say that Storm child feels like it isn't a Cyrus and Evie book at all. It feels like an imposter, as somehow the book doesn't fit with the others in the series as naturally as it should have.

I've seen reviewers' comments about Robotham's obvious political views on migration as a hindrance to their reading experience of Storm child. I didn't find this the case, but then I agree with his stance. I also didn't find the refugee issue too forced, as others have. That said, it does seem as if Robotham tries a bit too hard to shoehorn Evie's story into the migrant boat sinking for the purposes of revealing what happened to her. There is a lot to the unfolding story that doesn't feel as natural or authentic as the other books.

In sum📝

I like that the gaps left from the first three books are filled in Book 4 as now the picture feels complete. I was happy to find out what had happened to Evie's mother and sister and I can see where Robotham might take the series from here, based on the reveals at the end. It breaks my heart to give Book 4 such a low rating, but it just didn't connect with me like the other three books have.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Cyrus and Evie: In sum📝

The heart of this series comes from Robotham's vivid characterisation of Cyrus and Evie and their developing (and unusual) friendship. Cyrus is an intriguing character, having survived a tragic event in his childhood that left him deeply scarred yet sensitive and empathetic towards others. He seems to be the only person determined to help Evie heal from the abuse she suffered as a child. He is patient and kind to her even though she tests his limits. Cyrus and Evie form a strong and unique bond and the journey their relationship takes the reader on is fascinating to read.

Evie is also a complex and interesting character, with an uncanny ability to tell if a person is lying. She is learning to navigate the world while Cyrus helps her rediscover her past. Evie is forthright and mercurial, showing care for others yet often displaying highly anti-social behaviour. She seems hell bent on destroying the gains she makes as she struggles with past traumas, but there's also a gritty, snarky humour to her that I love.

I recommend reading the books in order. There is enough information in each one to stand alone, but it is a much better reading experience if you know more of the story from the first novel before you read the subsequent ones. The relationship between Cyrus and Evie is pivotal to the books, and I think it's important to see that relationship develop from the first novel. Each book reveals more of the characters and their backstories, providing new insights into their complexities and nuances.

To reiterate my word of warning: Evie's story is heartbreaking. The kidnapping and assault that she suffered as a small child is disturbing, as is the torture of her protector. Cyrus's brother's descent into schizophrenia that led him to murder their sisters and parents is also disturbing. The books are dark, and there are parts that are hard to read. Robotham does handle things as tenderly as possible given the subject matter. There is no doubt in my mind that he is an immensely skilled writer.

At the time of writing my original post, I had hoped for more Cyrus and Evie stories. I'd love to seem them set on a more optimistic path for the future. The dynamics of Cyrus and Evie's relationship are fascinating to read, as is the friendship between Joe and retired detective Vincent Ruiz in that series. I'd be happy to keep reading about Cyrus, Evie and the cast of peripheral players in their lives.

Now that I have read all four books, I think it is time to retire Evie's backstory and go in another direction. Perhaps a series around Cyrus's forensic psychology work and Evie's ongoing journey to independence and freedom from her past. I have seen Robotham comment on various social media platforms that this might be it for the series, so I may not get to see where Cyrus and Evie's story may have gone.