The story follows private detectives Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott as they investigate the murder of Edie Ledwell, co-creator of a popular YouTube cartoon titled The Ink Black Heart . Before her death, Edie visited their agency begging for help to unmask "Anomie," an anonymous online figure leading a relentless campaign of harassment against her. Edie and her co-creator, Josh Blay, are eventually attacked in Highgate Cemetery; Edie is killed, and Josh is left paralyzed.
: The narrative explores the possessiveness and entitlement of superfans, specifically those involved in "Drek’s Game," an online multiplayer game built around the cartoon's lore. The Ink Black Heart
: Author J.K. Rowling describes the central theme as "anomie," a state of lacking social or moral norms, which she views as a "modern malaise". The story follows private detectives Cormoran Strike and