J.K. Rowling unveils title of 1st adult novel

In this Thursday, July 7, 2011 photo, British author JK Rowling arrives in Trafalgar Square, in central London, for the World Premiere of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the last film in the series. Adult fans of J.K. Rowling can rejoice: She has a new novel coming, for grownups. The kids will have to wait and see. The author of the mega-selling “Harry Potter” series said Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 she has an agreement with Little, Brown in the United States and Britain to publish her first adult novel. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)

She may not be able to match the phenomenal success of the Harry Potter series, but J.K. Rowling has high hopes for The Casual Vacancy, her first novel for adults.

The title was announced Thursday by Little, Brown & Co., which said the novel will be set in a seemingly idyllic English town called Pagford.

It opens with the death of a popular man whose unexpected demise shocks the town, which is described as far more menacing than its pretty facade would indicate.

In reality Pagford is “a town at war” with rich people fighting the poor, parents battling their teenagers, and wives in conflict with their husbands.

The Casual Vacancy will be available worldwide as a hardcover and an e-book on Sept. 27.

The effort will mark Rowling’s first post-Potter effort. Her saga of the boy wizard became one of the most successful fictional series in history.

Next Up In News

Netflix looks to curb password sharing, considers ads

Aiming to predict COVID, future pandemics better, CDC opens infectious diseases forecasting center

Joliet farmers wrangle cows thrown from semitrailer after crash on Interstate 80

1 killed, 3 wounded in shootings Tuesday in Chicago

Obama relatives sue Milwaukee school alleging racial bias

Unmasked transit: Pritzker ends mask mandates in public transportation, airports