Which J.K. Rowling novel follows a small English town after the death of Barry Fairbrother?

J.K. Rowling’s novel following the death of Barry Fairbrother is The Casual Vacancy. Published in 2012, it was Rowling’s first novel for adults after the Harry Potter series.

The story is set in the fictional English town of Pagford. Barry Fairbrother’s sudden death creates a vacancy on the local parish council, and the resulting election exposes conflicts involving class, poverty, addiction, family life, and local politics.

The book is not part of the wizarding world and contains no magic. That difference led to frequent comparisons with Harry Potter, but The Casual Vacancy is a contemporary social novel aimed at adult readers. The BBC adapted it as a three-part television drama, broadcast in 2015.