Who is the central detective in J.K. Rowling’s Robert Galbraith crime novels?

Cormoran Strike is the central detective in J.K. Rowling’s Robert Galbraith crime novels.

Strike first appears in The Cuckoo’s Calling, published in 2013 under the Robert Galbraith pseudonym. He is a private investigator based in London and a former Special Investigation Branch investigator in the British Army. His military service left him with a serious leg injury, which is an important part of his character and daily life.

Robin Ellacott becomes his temporary secretary and then a key investigative partner. Their professional relationship develops across the series, while each mystery uses a separate case and cast of suspects. The series is distinct from Rowling’s Harry Potter books: it is contemporary detective fiction grounded in police work, evidence, interviews, and London settings.