J.K. Rowling publicly confirmed that she was Robert Galbraith in 2013.
The disclosure followed the April 2013 publication of The Cuckoo’s Calling. A language analysis commissioned by The Sunday Times suggested that the book’s prose resembled Rowling’s writing. The newspaper contacted Rowling’s literary agency, and the agency confirmed the truth in July 2013.
Rowling had intended the pseudonym to let her publish a crime novel without the immediate commercial pressure associated with Harry Potter. The revelation produced a dramatic increase in interest and sales, while also prompting debate about whether the book had been reviewed differently if the author’s identity were known.
She continued using the Galbraith name for the Cormoran Strike series. The series’ authorship is no longer secret, but the pseudonym remains the credited author name on the books.