What is the title of J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults outside fantasy?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults outside fantasy.

Published in 2012, The Casual Vacancy is a standalone novel set in the fictional English town of Pagford. Its plot begins after the sudden death of Barry Fairbrother, a parish councillor, creates an empty seat on the local council. The resulting election exposes conflicts involving class, poverty, addiction, family life, and local politics.

The novel was Rowling’s first published book after the seven Harry Potter novels. It is not part of the wizarding world and contains no magic. That distinction matters because Rowling later returned to fantasy with works connected to Harry Potter and wrote crime novels under the name Robert Galbraith.

The Casual Vacancy was published by Little, Brown and Company in the United Kingdom and the United States. It was also adapted into a three-part BBC television drama in 2015.