What was J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults, published after the Harry Potter series began?

J.K. Rowling’s first adult novel was The Casual Vacancy.

Little, Brown published The Casual Vacancy in 2012, after the publication of the seven Harry Potter novels. It is set in the fictional English town of Pagford and begins with the unexpected death of parish councillor Barry Fairbrother.

The novel examines class, local politics, family conflict and social inequality. Its subject matter and tone differ sharply from Rowling’s children’s fantasy, although both works focus on communities and the pressures placed on individuals.

The book was adapted into a three-part BBC television drama in 2015. It should not be confused with The Cuckoo’s Calling, the first novel in Rowling’s Cormoran Strike crime series.