J.K. Rowling published her 2012 novel The Casual Vacancy under her established author name, J.K. Rowling. It was her first novel for adults after the completion of the Harry Potter series.
The book is set in the fictional English town of Pagford. A vacancy on the local parish council triggers political and personal conflict, exposing tensions involving class, poverty, addiction, family life, and social responsibility. Its subject matter and tone differ sharply from Rowling’s fantasy work, although both use detailed communities and multiple character viewpoints.
The Casual Vacancy was published by Little, Brown and Company in the United Kingdom and the United States. It is sometimes confused with the Cormoran Strike books, which Rowling later wrote under the name Robert Galbraith. The distinction is straightforward: The Casual Vacancy carries Rowling’s name, while the Strike series began with a pseudonym.