Rowling's new book

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Details of author's first novel since Potter revealed...

J.K. Rowling has revealed details of her first adult novel.

The Harry Potter author announced that her new novel, The Casual Vacancy, will be published on 27 September.

Rowling, who relaunched her official website for the announcement, had earlier tweeted that the book was "very different" to the Harry Potter novels.

Published by Little, Brown and Company, The Casual Vacancy has been described as a little English political thriller.

The book’s blurb reads:

"When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early 40s, 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. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?"

Speaking at the premiere of the final Potter film, Rowling revealed that she didn’t want to publish a new book until the film series was released.

She added:

"I’ve been writing hard ever since I finished writing [Harry Potter and the Deathly] Hallows, so I’ve got a lot of stuff. And I suppose it’s a question of deciding which comes out first."

The book will also be released as an e-book and unabridged audio download and CD on 27 September.