What is the name of J.K. Rowling’s first published adult novel?

J.K. Rowling’s first published adult novel was The Casual Vacancy. Little, Brown published it in 2012, making it her first novel after the completion of the Harry Potter series.

The story is set in the fictional English village of Pagford. It begins after the sudden death of parish councillor Barry Fairbrother, whose vacant seat exposes conflicts involving class, poverty, addiction, family relationships, and local politics.

The Casual Vacancy is separate from Rowling’s fantasy and crime writing. It is a contemporary social novel with an adult readership, and its tone differs sharply from the Harry Potter books. The Cuckoo’s Calling, published the following year, was also adult fiction, but it was released under the Robert Galbraith pseudonym.