Which 2012 novel was J.K. Rowling’s first book published after the Harry Potter series ended?

The Casual Vacancy was J.K. Rowling’s first book published after the Harry Potter series ended.

The novel was released in 2012, five years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows concluded the main series. It marked a deliberate change in audience and subject matter: instead of magic and school adventure, Rowling wrote about adult political and social tensions in a fictional English community.

The plot begins with the death of Barry Fairbrother, a parish councillor in Pagford. The resulting vacancy triggers a local election and brings hidden resentments involving class, poverty, addiction, and family life to the surface.

Rowling’s later books moved in different directions again. The Cuckoo’s Calling began her crime series under the Robert Galbraith name, while Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a screenplay connected to the wizarding world. Neither was her first post-series book.