The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

When Barry Fairbrother dies suddenly, his vacated seat on the town council becomes an issue in the small town of Pagford. Rowling’s first adult book is very adult in language, themes and situations. The story deals not only with petty politics, but also troubled relationships, class struggles, drug addiction, prejudice, teen pregnancy, and a number of other difficult themes. There are many characters to follow and some are not particularly likable, but Rowling manages to make us care what happens to them. It’s a dark book, but well written and thought-provoking and certainly worth reading.