This will be J.K. Rowling's first post-Potter effort, but she is steering away from the younger demographic that made her famous by penning an adult novel.
The book's title, "The Casual Vacancy," was announced on Thursday. The story centers around a small English town named Pagford. It opens with the sudden death of a popular man whose unexpected demise shocks the town. The battle for his seat on the local council sets off "the biggest war the town has yet seen," with rich people fighting poor, parents battling their teenagers, and wives in conflict with their husbands.
Rowling's new book is due out worldwide Sept. 27. The publisher said the 480-page novel will be sold as an e-book and audio download as well as in traditional hardback form.
The author's seven-volume saga about the adventures of a boy wizard became one of the most successful fictional series in history and led to a series of extremely popular films.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
