J.K. Rowling revealed that Robert Galbraith was her pseudonym in 2013.
Rowling published The Cuckoo’s Calling under the name Robert Galbraith in April 2013. The book was presented as the debut of a former Royal Military Police investigator turned crime writer. Rowling’s identity was disclosed in July 2013 after an analysis by The Sunday Times identified similarities between the novel and her known writing.
The revelation changed the book’s commercial performance almost immediately. Before the news, it had sold modestly; afterward, demand surged and the novel rose rapidly on bestseller lists. Rowling confirmed that she was the author and continued the detective series under the Galbraith name.
Robert Galbraith remains the credited author name on the Cormoran Strike novels. The pseudonym is distinct from Rowling’s initials, J.K., which she adopted for publishing Harry Potter. The initials were selected at her publisher’s suggestion because the market was thought to be more receptive to a gender-neutral author name.