What pen name did J.K. Rowling use for her Cormoran Strike novels?

J.K. Rowling used the pen name Robert Galbraith for her Cormoran Strike novels.

The first Strike novel, The Cuckoo’s Calling, was published in 2013 and initially credited to Robert Galbraith. The name allowed Rowling to publish a crime novel without the immediate expectations attached to her Harry Potter fame.

Cormoran Strike is a private detective and former military investigator. The series is written with journalist Robin Ellacott as a major continuing character. Later novels include The Silkworm, Career of Evil, Lethal White, Troubled Blood, The Ink Black Heart, and The Running Grave.

The pseudonym was publicly revealed in 2013 after a linguistic analysis connected the writing to Rowling. “Robert” was partly inspired by Robert F. Kennedy, while “Galbraith” was chosen from a personal association, according to accounts of the name’s origin.