What is the name of the 2012 adult novel written by J.K. Rowling?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s 2012 adult novel.

Published by Little, Brown and Company on 27 September 2012, it was Rowling’s first novel for adults after the completion of the Harry Potter series. The story is set in the fictional English village of Pagford and begins with the sudden death of Barry Fairbrother, a member of the local parish council.

The “casual vacancy” in the title is a real British political term for an unfilled seat on a local council or other elected body. The novel uses that vacancy to expose conflicts involving class, poverty, addiction, family, and local politics.

The book is not a fantasy novel and is unrelated to Hogwarts or the wizarding world. It was later adapted as a three-part BBC television drama in 2015. Rowling’s later adult fiction includes the Cormoran Strike books, which she publishes under the name Robert Galbraith.