What was J.K. Rowling’s pen name for publishing The Cuckoo’s Calling?

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

The novel appeared in April 2013 as a debut crime novel by Robert Galbraith. It introduced Cormoran Strike, a former military investigator working as a private detective, and Robin Ellacott, who becomes his temporary secretary.

The pseudonym was intended to let Rowling publish a different kind of fiction without immediate publicity based on her fame. The book initially received attention as a promising debut, and reviewers discussed its crime-writing style without knowing the author’s true identity.

Rowling’s authorship was exposed in July 2013. After the revelation, sales rose sharply, and later editions identified the book as part of Rowling’s Cormoran Strike series. The title should not be confused with The Casual Vacancy, which Rowling published under her own name in 2012.