New Galbraith (aka Rowling) on its way

Here's a first look at the jacket for the new Cormoran Strike mystery by Robert Galbraith — aka J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame.

Career of Evil will be published by Little, Brown on Oct. 20, the publisher announced Thursday.

It's the third book in the best-selling series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott.

Here's the plot description from the publisher: "When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman's severed leg.

"Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible — and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

"With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them…"

The first book, The Cuckoo's Calling, became a best seller after Rowling was unmasked as Galbraith; it hit No. 1 on Paste BN's Best-Selling Books list in 2013. The second book, The Silkworm, hit No. 4 last year. It was just released in paperback.