What was J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults called?

J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults was called The Casual Vacancy.

Little, Brown published The Casual Vacancy on 27 September 2012. Unlike the Harry Potter series, it is a contemporary novel about residents of Pagford, a fictional English town. The story begins after the sudden death of parish councillor Barry Fairbrother, whose vacant council seat intensifies local political and social conflict.

The book explores class, addiction, family tension, poverty, and community politics. Its subject matter and tone marked a deliberate departure from Rowling’s children’s fantasy work, although the novel retained her interest in institutions, social divisions, and the effects of adult decisions on young people.

The title refers to an empty seat on a local council. It is not part of the Harry Potter universe, and it should not be confused with Rowling’s later crime novels, which she wrote under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.