What is the name of J.K. Rowling’s 2012 novel about a small English town divided by a sudden death?

J.K. Rowling’s 2012 novel about a small English town divided by a sudden death is The Casual Vacancy. It was Rowling’s first novel published for adults after the Harry Potter series.

The story begins when Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly, leaving a vacancy on the local parish council in the fictional West Country town of Pagford. The resulting election exposes tensions involving class, poverty, addiction, local politics, and relationships between families.

The title refers to the political vacancy created by Fairbrother’s death, rather than to a vacant building or an informal opening. The novel was published by Little, Brown and Company in September 2012. It was later adapted as a three-part BBC television miniseries broadcast in 2015.