Jk Rowling has revealed her first post-Harry Potter novel, titled 'The Casual Vacancy'. Aimed at adults, the book is described as a black comedy about a "town at war" - it will go on sale in September 2012.
Rowling's new publisher Little Brown revealed the news on its website, saying The Casual Vacancy is "blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising". Announcing the novel back in February, Rowling claimed the book would be "very different" to the Harry Potter series that has made her a multi-millionaire, saying, "The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry's success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher. I am delighted to have a second publishing home in Little, Brown, and a publishing team that will be a great partner in this new phase of my writing life" Some critics are surprised by the amount of plot-detail Rowling has revealed in advance of The Casual Vacancy's release - given that she gave so little away about the Potter series. Little Brown says the new book will be set in a town named Pagford, which is left in shock after 40-year-old Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly. The empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes "the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen".
Little Brown will no doubt be hoping The Casual Vacancy will recreate some of the success of the Harry Potter series. Rowling's books have sold more than 450 million copies since the first instalment in 1997.