How Rowling's Secret Came Undone

If you thought the unmasking of JK Rowling as mystery writer "Robert Galbraith" was part of some carefully crafted marketing scheme, think again. The truth is much more simple, reports the Independent. It seems that one of the partners at the British law firm Russells gossiped to his wife's best friend, and she then tweeted the secret. Russells has apologized publicly and profusely to its billionaire client, explaining that partner Chris Gossage had trusted the secret-spiller "implicitly."

Rowling doesn't sound very forgiving, however, notes AP. "To say that I am disappointed is an understatement," she said in a statement. "I had assumed that I could expect total confidentiality from Russells, a reputable professional firm, and I feel very angry that my trust turned out to be misplaced." On the other hand, The Cuckoo's Calling became an instant best-seller because of the revelation. (More JK Rowling stories.)