What is the name of J.K. Rowling's first published crime novel featuring detective Cormoran Strike?
Answer
The Cuckoo's Calling
J.K. Rowling's first published crime novel featuring detective Cormoran Strike is The Cuckoo's Calling.
The novel was published in April 2013 under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Its protagonist, Cormoran Strike, is a private investigator and former military policeman who examines the apparent suicide of supermodel Lula Landry. Robin Ellacott, initially hired as Strike's temporary secretary, becomes an important partner in the investigation.
The book attracted considerable attention after the Sunday Times revealed that Rowling was its author. Rowling said using a pseudonym allowed her to publish without the expectations surrounding a new book by the author of Harry Potter. The revelation caused a sharp rise in sales and made the novel's authorship part of its publishing history.
The Cormoran Strike series continued with The Silkworm, Career of Evil, Lethal White, Troubled Blood, The Ink Black Heart, and The Running Grave. A television adaptation, C.B. Strike, later brought the detective to British television.