The Cuckoo's Calling

In The Cuckoo’s Calling, Galbraith depicts a range of characters who are involved in different types of media. Models, actors, designers, musicians, and film directors populate the book, displaying various levels of readiness to help solve Lula’s murder. In ruminating on Lula’s death and exploring the relationships she had with the people around her, Galbraith emphasizes the consequences of fame.

Lula’s efforts to navigate the world before her death show some of the difficulties associated with fame. The paparazzi followed her compulsively, taking pictures of her and buying stories from those who knew her. While most of the people in her life considered this an unfortunate part of fame, Deeby Macc notes in an interview, “That’s what they do to success: they hunt you down, they tear you down. That’s what envy does, my friend. The motherfuckin’ press chased her out that window” (63). Of the celebrities who populate her life, Deeby is the only one who identifies the paparazzi as part of the problem. Because people are jealous of her fame and fortune, they want to learn information about Lula to the point that she gets no rest or peace from the constant media presence. Their obsession with her causes her to lose faith in her relationships, impacting her ability to relate with others.