What pen name did J.K. Rowling use when publishing her first Cormoran Strike novel?

J.K. Rowling used the pen name Robert Galbraith when publishing her first Cormoran Strike novel.

The book, The Cuckoo’s Calling, appeared in 2013 and introduced private investigator Cormoran Strike and his partner Robin Ellacott. Rowling chose a male pseudonym partly to let the crime novels stand on their own, separate from expectations surrounding the Harry Potter books.

The name was not intended to identify another real novelist. “Robert” was associated with writers Rowling admired, while “Galbraith” was taken from a name she encountered in connection with British military history. The author’s identity was later revealed publicly.

After the revelation, later Strike novels continued to be credited to Robert Galbraith. The series has expanded into several novels and a television adaptation, but Galbraith remains the credited author name on the books.