Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger are returning to our screens for Strike: The Ink Black Heart

​What’s in a name?

Well, when it comes to crime dramas, the answer could be quite a lot. Regular, long-running shows often feature the moniker of the main protagonist, such as Inspector Morse (and its offshoots, Lewis and Endeavour), Vera, McDonald & Dodds and, of course, Strike.

They’re the characters viewers want to see, the folk we tune in for time and time again, regardless of the case they’re investigating. But shouldn’t the last on that list change its title to Strike & Ellacott?

The series, which is based on the bestselling novels of JK Rowling/Robert Galbraith, started out with Cormoran Strike, played by Tom Burke, very much front and centre. The army veteran was the founder of his own private detective agency, which employed Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger), initially as a temporary secretary, until she proved her worth as an investigator as skilled as her then-boss.

“She’s (become) who she wants to be,” says Grainger of her alter ego. “Secretly, she’s always been interested in being a detective and investigating. Strike is almost allowing her to be who she always wanted to be. He kind of embodies a freedom and a sense of respect for herself.

“It’s an interesting dynamic that Strike and Robin have, built on a mutual respect for each other. It’s obvious that there’s some sort of attraction to begin with, and as the mutual respect grows so does the attraction.”

In the years since that first meeting, Robin has turned herself into Cormoran’s equal, so perhaps deserves to have her name in the show’s title. She’s provided much-needed help and assistance and, in some cases, put herself in the line of fire while leading the way.

That’s how we find her in The Ink Black Heart, which is based on the sixth novel to feature the duo. However, she may be about to make a big mistake…

The tale begins with Edie Ledwell, co-creator of The Ink Black Heart cartoon, appearing at Cormoran and Robin’s office. She wants to speak to the latter about the online persecution she’s been suffering at the hands of a mystery figure known only as Anomie.

Edie wants to know the villain’s true identity, but Robin doesn’t think it’s the kind of case she and her business partner should be pursuing – until Edie is found dead in Highgate Cemetery. The duo then throw themselves into the investigation, uncovering a tangled web of aliases, business interests and family conflicts – ironing it all out will be their biggest challenge yet.

It’s all very intriguing, but what many viewers really want to know is: are Cormoran and Robin getting any closer to a romance?

“Robin and Strike’s relationship has captured so many hearts and minds, mine included,” laughs Grainger. “JK Rowling has managed to create this brilliant ‘will they, won’t they’? ‘Should they, shouldn’t they’? And it’s as if the audience knows better than they do how much they love and respect each other. I think we’re all rooting for them.”

That’s absolutely true. And if they do end up together, well, maybe we’ll forget about the name change.