What is the title of J.K. Rowling’s 2012 novel set in the fictional town of Pagford?

J.K. Rowling’s 2012 novel set in the fictional town of Pagford is The Casual Vacancy.

Pagford is an invented English parish whose apparent calm is disrupted by a contested council seat. The vacancy arises after Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly, and the struggle to replace him exposes divisions between residents, families, and neighbouring communities. The story is not set in the wizarding world and contains no magical elements.

Rowling used the novel to explore adult subjects including political disagreement, social inequality, addiction, bullying, and strained parent-child relationships. Its publication was a major event because it was her first novel after the conclusion of the Harry Potter series.

The title is sometimes mistaken for one of Rowling’s later works for younger readers or for a book in her detective series. The Ickabog is a separate children’s fantasy novel, while The Running Grave belongs to the Cormoran Strike series. Pagford specifically identifies The Casual Vacancy.