Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac appreciation post (updated)

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 simultaneously, 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, and 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.

At the time of first writing this post in 2023, there are three books in the Cyrus and Evie series. I've read the three books twice since their publication and will continue to return to them. Honestly, they are that good! I've added to this post since then, with my review of book 4, published in 2024.

Good girl bad girl | Published July 2019

The investigation into the murder of a teen ice skating star in Good girl bad girl is complex and 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 two 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 characters.

 When she was good | Published July 2020

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

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.

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, and 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 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's 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.

A note of warning, though: 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 past - his 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 sensitively as possible given the subject matter and there is no doubt in my mind that he is an immensely skilled writer.

I hope there are more Cyrus and Evie stories to come. I'd love to seem them set on a more optimistic path for the future. Robotham could make a whole series out of Cyrus's forensic psychology work in a similar vein to the Joe O'Loughlin books. The dynamics of Cyrus and Evie's relationship are fascinating to read, as is the friendship between Joe and retired detective Vincent Ruiz in the other series. I'd be happy to keep reading about Cyrus, Evie and the cast of peripheral players in their lives.

Cyrus Haven rating books 1-3: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Post update March 2025: Added book 4, Storm child, to this review.

Storm child | Published June 2024 | Read February 2025

I eagerly awaited book 4 in the Cyrus and Evie series as I love these two characters and I was keen to see where Robotham was taking their story. It completely pains me to say, then, that book 4 is disappointing and most definitely the weakest in the series.

In each book of the series there is a crime that is interwoven with the Cyrus and Evie's character development. Cyrus is a forensic psychologist who consults with the Nottingham police. The crime in each book is important but is also provides for ongoing exploration of Cyrus and Evie's stories. The case is either linked to Evie's past or involves 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 schizophrenic brother murdered his family, helping him through that trauma. Lenny and Cyrus have been connected ever since.

In Storm child, 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.

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.

The story isn't as compelling as the other three books, either, and 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 as well. 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 but an imposter, as somehow the book doesn't fit with the others in the series as naturally as it should have.

I think now after four books that it is time to retire Evie's backstory and develop the series in another direction, perhaps around Cyrus's forensic psychology work and Evie's ongoing journey to independence and freedom from her past. 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, so let's hope if there is a book 5 it makes a return to the quality of the first three books.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐