What was J.K. Rowling’s first published work for adults?

The Casual Vacancy was J.K. Rowling’s first published work for adults.

Published in 2012, The Casual Vacancy is a standalone novel set in the fictional English town of Pagford. Its story begins after the sudden death of a parish councillor and examines class, poverty, family conflict and local politics. Unlike the Harry Potter books, it is not fantasy and is aimed at an adult readership.

The novel’s title refers to an empty seat on a parish council, not to a vacant position at Hogwarts. That distinction helps explain why the book’s setting and concerns differ so sharply from Rowling’s earlier work. Rowling later wrote crime fiction under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, beginning with The Cuckoo’s Calling in 2013. The Casual Vacancy, however, was published under Rowling’s own name and came first in her post-Potter fiction career.