Publisher Little, Brown has finally peeled back the curtain a bit on JK Rowling's much-anticipated foray into adult literature, revealing the title and synopsis of her upcoming book. Entitled The Casual Vacancy, the book will be a "blackly comic, thought provoking, and constantly surprising" tale of political intrigue in the idyllic English countryside town of Pagford, the publisher said, according to The Bookseller.
The story begins when a Pagford parish council member dies unexpectedly. His empty seat "becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen," the publisher said. "Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?" The book will explore tensions between the rich and poor, young and old, and husbands and wives. "Pagford is not what it first seems," the statement hinted. The book will hit shelves September 27. (More JK Rowling stories.)