J.K. Rowling’s Detective Drama Rides High With Sixth Season—Seventh Arrives in 2026
While J.K. Rowling’s name remains locked to the magic of Harry Potter, her hard-hitting detective series Cormoran Strike—penned under Robert Galbraith and adapted by the BBC—quietly thrives beyond the spotlight.
Pretty much everyone still links the name J.K. Rowling with Harry Potter. That shadow is never going away, no matter what. But here’s something a lot of people overlook: Rowling's been running another series in plain sight, and it's got nothing to do with wizards or castles. Since 2013, she's been quietly cranking out detective novels under the name Robert Galbraith—books that have pulled in a steady following, and that the BBC turned into a TV show called Strike.
If you haven’t been tracking it, here’s the short version: the books are the Cormoran Strike mysteries, and each novel ends up as a season of the show. Nothing flashy; just a long-running crime drama that's quietly stacked up six seasons so far. You'd be forgiven for not knowing it's still going, but it is—and there's more on the way.
Strike in a Nutshell
- TV Title: Strike
- Based On: The Cormoran Strike novels by J.K. Rowling (as Robert Galbraith)
- First Aired: 2017
- Total Seasons So Far: 6
- Main Cast: Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger
- Home Channel: BBC One
- Streaming (US): HBO Max
Right now, they’re shooting scenes for the next season, which adapts “The Running Grave.” If you see cameras rolling around Norwich and Cromer (yes, out in Norfolk), that’s them. Expect it right around Christmas, if the BBC sticks to the usual schedule.
Rowling’s Got a Long Game Here
Now, if anyone’s wondering if Rowling’s committed to this, the answer is a loud yes. Not only is the TV series still rolling forward, but the books are too. She’s writing future volumes while the current ones are airing. We’re not looking at a show trying to catch up with half-finished source material—far from it.
She actually summed it up perfectly herself on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter):
'It’s strange and wonderful to watch Strike #6 while sitting with your laptop and working on the plan of Strike #9.'
According to Rowling, she even warned Tom Burke (who plays Strike) at the very beginning that she had “at least another 10 books” planned. So if this sounds like the kind of series that’s just going to quietly run for a decade or more, well… that’s exactly what’s happening. Don’t expect a neat ending any time soon.
'The Running Grave' Shakes Things Up
Most of Strike’s cases keep things tight in London. With “The Running Grave,” though, the story packs its bags for Norfolk. That’s reflected in the filming too—you might spot the cast around Norwich’s market, the Royal Arcade, or up on the coast.
This isn’t just set-dressing. This time, the case is about a fringe religious cult called the Universal Humanitarian Church, accused of some genuinely dark stuff. The plot hinges on Robin (Holliday Grainger) going undercover inside the cult, operating solo and in disguise for extended stretches. If you’re watching this season and wondering why Strike and Robin seem so disconnected—that’s basically the point. Robin’s storyline is front and center, and the stakes are heavier than usual.
The new setting isn’t for show either. “The Running Grave” shifts the show’s mood into something a little more claustrophobic and insular, and Robin gets a chance to steer the story instead of just being the sidekick. It feels more ambitious—a sign the show’s not scared of changing gears six seasons in.
Whether you’re just here for another classic UK detective drama, or you actually want to see Rowling work outside the wizarding world, Strike is... kind of quietly worth your time.
Have you read the books or kept up with the series? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments.