The Casual Vacancy

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The Casual Vacancy is a novel written by British author J. K. Rowling, published worldwide by the Little, Brown Book Group on 27 September 2012. It was Rowling's first publication since the Harry Potter series, her first novel apart from that series, and her first for adult readership. The novel is set in a suburban West Country town called Pagford and begins with the death of beloved parish councillor Barry Fairbrother. Consequently, a seat on the council is vacant and a conflict ensues before the election for his successor takes place. Factions develop, particularly concerning whether to dissociate with a local council estate, 'the Fields', with which Barry supported an alliance. However, those running for a place soon find their darkest secrets revealed on the Parish Council online forum, ruining their campaign and leaving the election in turmoil. Major themes in the novel are class, politics, and social issues such as drugs, prostitution and rape. The novel was the fastest-selling in...

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