What was the name of J.K. Rowling’s debut adult novel published in 2012?

J.K. Rowling’s debut adult novel, published in 2012, was The Casual Vacancy. Little, Brown published the novel on 27 September 2012.

The book is set in the fictional English town of Pagford. Its plot begins with the sudden death of Barry Fairbrother, a member of the local parish council, creating a “casual vacancy” in the council. The resulting political contest exposes conflicts involving class, poverty, addiction, family life, and local government.

The novel was Rowling’s first published work after the seven Harry Potter books. It is not a fantasy novel and does not take place in the wizarding world. Its adult themes and contemporary setting marked a deliberate change in genre and audience.

The title’s legal phrase refers to an unfilled elected position caused by a vacancy during a term. Readers sometimes mistake the book for a crime novel because it begins with a death, but it is generally described as a social and political novel rather than a detective mystery.