What pen name did J.K. Rowling use when publishing the crime novel The Cuckoo’s Calling?

J.K. Rowling used the pen name Robert Galbraith when publishing The Cuckoo’s Calling in 2013.

The novel introduced private detective Cormoran Strike and his temporary secretary, Robin Ellacott. It was initially presented as the work of an unknown former military investigator, and its authorship was not publicly associated with Rowling at first.

The pseudonym was revealed after a Sunday Times investigation identified Rowling as the author. Rowling said the name allowed her to publish without the immediate expectations attached to her Harry Potter fame. Robert was chosen partly in homage to Robert F. Kennedy, while Galbraith was connected to the name Ella Galbraith, which Rowling had reportedly encountered in her family history.

The revelation caused a sharp rise in sales. Rowling continued the series under the Galbraith name, although later editions and publicity openly identify her as the author. The series is also known as the Cormoran Strike series.