What is the title of J.K. Rowling’s first published novel outside the Harry Potter series?

J.K. Rowling’s first published novel outside the Harry Potter series was The Casual Vacancy. The adult novel was published in 2012 by Little, Brown and Company.

Set in the fictional English town of Pagford, the story begins after the unexpected death of parish councillor Barry Fairbrother. Its plot explores local politics, class, family conflict, addiction, and social divisions. Unlike Harry Potter, it is realistic fiction and is aimed at adults.

The book is distinct from Rowling’s later crime novels, which she published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The Casual Vacancy was also adapted as a three-part BBC television drama in 2015. Its title refers to an unfilled elected council seat, a political term that drives the novel’s opening conflict.