The author of A Cuckoo’s Calling, a top selling book, isn’t who you think he is. In fact, he’s not even real.
Robert Galbraith is just another pseudonym for J.K. Rowling’s debut mystery novel.
It makes sense as to why this widely acclaimed author decided to adopt a pen name. The half-hearted reception for her first book after the Harry Potter series, A Casual Vacancy, may have been the reason for using a pseudonym. Obviously, no one wants to be told that their brainchild is a disappointment…
Rowling’s newest novel, The Cuckoo’s Calling, revolves around the murder of supermodel, Lula Landry (nickname: Cuckoo). Cormoran Strike, a private investigator, has suffered a string of bad breaks. To make his life more complicated, he is one-legged.
However, his fortune turns when he is hired to investigate Lula Landry’s supposed suicide by her half-brother. As the story unfolds, Cormoran Strike talks to many of Lula Landry’s friends and acquaintances. He soon realizes that the circumstances of her death are more mysterious than he had previously imagined.
This book was released in April 2013, but didn’t gain much popularity before the disclosure of the author’s true identity three months later. This saw the surge of The Cuckoo’s Calling from the 4709^th place to the number one spot of best-selling novels on Amazon.com. Even before Robert Galbraith was unmasked as the world’s most famous writer, the book received positive reviews.
This book is definitely worth reading as it is filled with plot twists and turns at every chapter. J.K. Rowling keeps you on an emotional rollercoaster ride as you discover more complex clues about Lula Landry’s mysterious death. Even though it’s J.K. Rowling’s first crime novel, I felt that the plot was well developed and written. Compared to other mystery books, A Cuckoo’s Calling truly brings out the strong emotions of the different characters, such that as a reader, you can sympathize with them.  If you enjoyed this book, you may want to keep your eyes peeled for a sequel that is expected to be published in 2014.
What’s more? Rowling will be making her screenwriting debut later this year. Her 2001 Harry Potter spin-off novel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is a story set in New York, seventy years before the famous wizard was born. I guess JK Rowling can’t use a pseudonym in this case then!