Cormoran Strike is J.K. Rowling’s detective character who served in the British Army before becoming an investigator.
Strike is the central character of Rowling’s crime novels published under the name Robert Galbraith. He is a private investigator based in London and is introduced in The Cuckoo’s Calling. Before opening his detective agency, he served in the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police.
Strike’s military service is part of his investigative skill set and personal history. He loses part of one leg after an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan, an injury that affects his mobility and daily life throughout the series. The books treat this as an ongoing practical reality rather than a temporary plot detail.
He is often paired with Robin Ellacott, whose role develops from temporary secretary into a trusted investigative partner. Strike should not be confused with unrelated literary detectives such as Jack Reacher or Harry Hole; those characters were created by Lee Child and Jo Nesbø, respectively.