J.K. Rowling 'The Cuckoo's Calling': 'Harry Potter' Writer Pens Secret Mystery

Culture

J.K. Rowling's most famous protagonist hid under an invisibility cloak for seven books. Penning her first crime novel, she decided to try one on herself.

Rowling was revealed Sunday to be the author of The Cuckoo's Calling, a thriller written under the moniker Robert Galbraith. Mulholland Books, Rowling's publisher, described Galbraith as a former military investigator on its website. We now know that he's as much of a hoax as those casted by Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Rowling said in a statement that being Galbraith was a "liberating experience," one that probably ameliorated the pressures faced by the richest female author in the world. With her original follow-up to the Harry Potter series, an adult novel called The Casual Vacancy, receiving mixed reviews, Rowling's new alias makes sense. When asked about a sequel to The Cuckoo's Calling, she said that "Robert fully intends to keep writing the series."

Though Rowling's novel didn't initially sell as well as her previous works did, she was able to see The Cuckoo's Calling enjoyed for what it was and not morphed into post-Potter hype. Since the author's true identity has been leaked, however, sales have increased by over 507,000% on Amazon.

What do you think of Rowling writing under a male pseudonym? Does this remind you of the Bronte sisters or does it come off as another gimmick? Sound off in the comments.