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But the biggest news was that she had written another adult novel, but written under a pseudonym. The Cuckoo's Calling was published in the U.K. and the United States in April of this year under the name Robert Galbraith. In July, The Sunday Times (London) revealed Rowling as Robert Galbraith. The paper ran the story after receiving a tweet from a person who turned out to be a lawyer at a London law firm with his suspicion. The paper asked Rowling directly if she was Galbraith and she admitted that it was.
Rowling's intention was to see how well her book would do without her name being attached to it. The Cuckoo's Calling had actually received many very positive reviews from publications such as Publisher's Weekly and Booklist. However, the book only sold about 1,500 copies in the U.K. before she was outed. According to Publisher's Weekly it has now sold over 228,000 in the U.S. alone.
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So, I have to admit I wanted to read it once I heard it was written by Rowling. I've loved the Harry Potter books since I picked up the first one in 2000 while living in Germany. When it was announced that Rowling would write an adult novel I was excited but a little uncertain. And when The Casual Vacancy came out with mixed reviews I didn't rush right out to read it, although I knew that I still wanted to give it a try. I have since read it and enjoyed it a lot. It definitely read like a Rowling story.
The Cuckoo's Calling, however, did not. And that's not a bad thing! Rowling has written an intriguing mystery with a lot of potential for a continuing series. As the story opens, Cormoran Strike, private detective and wounded ex-soldier, is a bit of a mess. His long term girlfriend has just broken up with him, which means he has no where to live. Also, his business is close to failing due to lack of funds, he owes money on some loans and he's been paying for a secretary from a temporary service that he really can't afford. Strike finally thinks he's free of the temp service when another young woman shows up for a two week stint. At the same time an old childhood acquaintance shows up with a case for him. These two events turn out to be the best things that have happened to him in quite awhile.
John Bristow wants to hire Strike to investigate the apparent suicide of his adopted sister Lula Landry. Three months earlier, the London police declared Lula, a famous supermodel, had jumped to her death from her third floor balcony. Bristow believes she was murdered and is willing to pay a large sum of money to find the truth.
As Strike is learning the details from Bristow, Strike's new assistant, Robin, puts herself to good use. Robin turns out to be a reliable and intelligent woman who shows initiative, something none of Strike's earlier secretaries had done. She ends up helping him solve the case in ways he never could have imagined.
With Robin's help, Strike begins his investigation into the death of Lula Landry. She lived her life in the world of fashion and celebrity and there are many possible suspects among that group. The more Strike learns about the night Lula died, the more uncertain things seem to be. But Strike discovers some interesting information that leads to someone he did not suspect, which puts his life in danger.
As a fan of mysteries I found The Cuckoo's Calling to be far better than average. There is a limited amount of violence, but it does have a gritty, urban feel to it. And while the ending was a bit more tidy than it maybe needed to be, Rowling has created two very compelling and relatable characters in Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott. I look forward to reading more mysteries involving these two. I might never have read The Cuckoo's Calling if J.K. Rowling had not been exposed as the true author, but I'm kind of glad that she was!
-- Post by Tracy
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