What is the name of J.K. Rowling’s 2012 novel for adult readers?

J.K. Rowling’s 2012 novel for adult readers is The Casual Vacancy. It was her first published novel following the completion of the Harry Potter series.

The book is set in the fictional English town of Pagford, where the death of parish councillor Barry Fairbrother creates a vacant seat on the local council. The resulting political dispute exposes tensions involving class, poverty, addiction, and family life.

The Casual Vacancy is a contemporary social novel rather than a fantasy story. It was published by Little, Brown and Company in September 2012 and later adapted into a three-part BBC television drama. The novel’s title refers to the formal term for an unfilled elected position created by a councillor’s death.