The cover art for Harry Potter author JK Rowling's new novel, The Casual Vacancy, has finally been revealed.

Designed by Mario J Pulice, the striking Casual Vacancy cover (below) features illustration and hand lettering by Joel Holland, reports Digitalspy.co.uk.

JK Rowling’s first novel since the Harry Potter series, The Casual Vacancy is a black comedy about warring factions in an idyllic English town.

Set in the picturesque town of Pagford, left in shock when its parish councillor Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early 40s. The battle for Barry’s empty seat signals the start of an election - hence the ballot box cross on the cover - “fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations”, reveals the book’s publishers Little Brown Book Group. “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.”

ABOVE: A sleepy English town is torn apart in The Casual Vacancy

Running at a substantial 500 pages, The Casual Vacancy is due to be published by Little Brown Book Group on September 27, and will aim to make the most of Rowling’s considerable readership with hardback (£20), e-book (£11.99) and audio book (£20) versions. We can’t wait.

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Picture credit: Rex