Which adult novel did J.K. Rowling publish in 2012?

J.K. Rowling published The Casual Vacancy in 2012.

The book was Rowling’s first novel for adults after the Harry Potter series. It is set in the fictional English town of Pagford and begins with the sudden death of Barry Fairbrother, a member of the local parish council. The resulting vacancy exposes conflicts involving class, politics, poverty, and family life.

The novel is not part of the wizarding world and contains no magic. That distinguishes it from Rowling’s later Fantastic Beasts screenplays and from her children’s fiction. It was published under her own name rather than the Robert Galbraith pseudonym used for the Cormoran Strike crime series.

The Casual Vacancy was adapted into a BBC television miniseries in 2015. Its adult social setting and darker themes marked a clear change from Rowling’s earlier work.