What was the title of J.K. Rowling’s first published novel for adults under her own name?

The Casual Vacancy was J.K. Rowling’s first published novel for adults under her own name.

Published in 2012, The Casual Vacancy is a standalone novel set in the fictional English town of Pagford. Its plot begins after the sudden death of Barry Fairbrother, a parish councillor, creates a vacant seat on the local council. The resulting political struggle exposes tensions involving class, poverty, addiction, and family life.

The book marked a clear change from the young-adult fantasy setting of Harry Potter. It contains no magic and is written as contemporary social fiction for adult readers. Little, Brown published it in the United Kingdom, the United States, and other markets.

The Casual Vacancy is sometimes confused with Rowling’s later crime novels, which were published under the Robert Galbraith name. It is also distinct from her children’s works The Ickabog and The Christmas Pig.