What was the name of J.K. Rowling’s 2012 adult novel about a council election?

The Casual Vacancy was J.K. Rowling’s 2012 adult novel about a council election. It was published on 27 September 2012 and was Rowling’s first novel for adults after the Harry Potter series.

The story is set in the fictional English town of Pagford. A vacancy on the local parish council triggers political and personal conflict among residents, while the novel also explores poverty, addiction, family tensions, and class divisions.

Unlike the Harry Potter books, The Casual Vacancy contains no magic and is not aimed primarily at children. Its publication marked a deliberate change in genre, audience, and subject matter.

The title refers to the empty council seat created at the center of the plot. It is sometimes confused with Rowling’s later crime novels, which were published under the Robert Galbraith name.