Who is the detective introduced in J.K. Rowling’s novel The Cuckoo’s Calling?

Cormoran Strike is the detective introduced in J.K. Rowling’s novel The Cuckoo’s Calling.

Strike is a former military investigator who works as a private detective in London. The novel begins when model Lula Landry dies, and her brother hires Strike to investigate whether her death was really suicide. Strike’s temporary secretary, Robin Ellacott, becomes an important character in the series.

Rowling writes the novels under the name Robert Galbraith. The subsequent books broaden Strike’s cases and develop his professional partnership with Robin. The character is distinct from Harry Potter’s investigative role: Strike’s stories are contemporary crime novels for adults, without magic or a fantasy setting.