J.K. Rowling’s authorship of The Cuckoo’s Calling became public in 2013.
The crime novel was published in April 2013 under the name Robert Galbraith. It introduces Cormoran Strike, a private detective investigating the death of model Lula Landry in London. The novel received positive reviews before the identity behind the pseudonym was reported.
The revelation occurred in July 2013, when a linguistic analysis suggested that Rowling had written the book. Rowling’s lawyers confirmed the connection, and she publicly acknowledged that Robert Galbraith was her pen name.
This event is distinct from the book’s publication: both happened in 2013, but the book appeared months before the author’s identity was disclosed. The revelation also caused a major increase in sales. Rowling continued the series under the Galbraith name, allowing the detective novels to retain a separate branding from her fantasy work.