Photo: Rex USA.The name Robert Galbraith might not ring any bells, but the name behind the pseudonym — JK Rowling — certainly does. The beloved author of the Harry Potter series is set to publish a second crime novel, titled The Silkworm, under her nom de plume on June 19, according to The Telegraph.
The forthcoming tome is a follow-up to her initial foray into crime fiction, The Cuckoo’s Calling, and will feature the first book's lead characters, private investigator Cormoran Strike and his assistant, Robin Ellacott. Rowling has a knack for creating dynamic duos (see: Harry and Ron), so we're sensing a longer thread here.
Rowling's position behind the pen name was accidentally leaked last spring, ending her hopes of publishing novels somewhat anonymously, as Robert Galbraith. Since The Silkworm focuses on the mystery of a murdered novelist, could it be that Rowling is channeling her grief over the loss of her alter ego? Okay, okay — maybe that's a stretch.
We can’t blame Rowling for wanting to escape the fame tied to her earlier works. After all, the bar is set pretty high after an author pens a series of world-changing best sellers. But, as much as we adored the inhabitants of Hogwarts, we wouldn’t mind a thrilling crime novel for those lazy summer afternoons ahead. Here's hoping that Rowling — er, Robert Galbraith — will have us covered again.
(The Telegraph)