What is the name of J.K. Rowling’s second novel for adults?

J.K. Rowling’s second novel for adults was The Cuckoo’s Calling.

The statement counts Rowling’s adult novels in publication order. The Casual Vacancy, published in 2012 under her own name, was her first adult novel. The Cuckoo’s Calling followed in 2013 under the pen name Robert Galbraith and began the Cormoran Strike detective series.

This question is often confusing because The Cuckoo’s Calling was marketed as a debut novel by Galbraith before Rowling’s authorship became known. Once the pseudonym was revealed, the book was understood as Rowling’s second adult novel, even though its credited author remained Robert Galbraith.

The book centers on the investigation into the death of model Lula Landry. It introduced both Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, whose professional relationship develops across subsequent novels. The series later included The Silkworm, Career of Evil, Lethal White, Troubled Blood, The Ink Black Heart, and The Running Grave.