What is the name of J.K. Rowling’s detective in The Cuckoo’s Calling?

J.K. Rowling’s detective in The Cuckoo’s Calling is Cormoran Strike.

Cormoran Strike is a private investigator and a former member of the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police. He is introduced in The Cuckoo’s Calling, published in 2013 under Rowling’s pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

Strike investigates the death of Lula Landry, a famous model, after her brother questions the official conclusion that she died by suicide. Robin Ellacott becomes his temporary secretary and an important investigative partner. Their professional relationship continues throughout the series.

The character’s name is distinctive because Cormoran is associated with the Cornish giant Cormoran from folklore. Strike’s background, physical injuries, military experience, and financial difficulties give the series a different atmosphere from Rowling’s fantasy fiction. The Cormoran Strike novels have also been adapted for BBC television as Strike.