J.K. Rowling Reveals Title and Release Date of First Post–Harry Potter Book

Best-selling author gears up to publish her first adult-themed novel, five years after retiring her boy wizard's wand

By Alexis L. Loinaz Apr 12, 2012 9:24 PMTags
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Harry Potter's adventures may be over, but author J.K. Rowling isn't finished casting her literary spell.

One of the most successful authors of all time sent fans into a tizzy when she announced in February that she'll be penning an adult-themed novel—her first literary effort since retiring her boy wizard's wand in 2007.

Rowling didn't reveal much then, but now we've got juicy new deets about the book's title, storyline and when we can expect it to drop…

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First up, the title: The Casual Vacancy.

Intriguing! Sounds deceptively nondescript, but with just the right curio quotient thrown in.

So what's it about? Here's a brief synopsis provided by Rowling's publisher, Little, Brown:

"When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen."

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Hmmm…students, teachers, councils, ancient abbeys, battles—sounds like awfully familiar turf for Rowling, who earlier today tweeted a link to her brand-spankin'-new author website.

So when can you get your paws on Rowling's new tome?

Set your alarms for Sept. 27, 2012. And get those lawn chairs ready for what will likely be a bum-rush campout.