JK Rowling's new book 'The Casual Vacancy' has an Indian character Parminder Jawanda

Author JK Rowling's 'The Casual Vacancy' published by Hachette sets a new record for sales for an adult hardback in India. Rowling already holds the record for children's books with her Harry Potter series.

The Casual Vacancy is the first ever high-security book to be printed locally in India. In India the book was released under high security at 2:30 pm. There is an Indian character, Parminder Jawanda, in Rowling's new book, according to a Hachette press release.

Rowling takes a step into the unknown on Thursday with the publication of her debut adult novel, five years after the seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter series became the fastest-selling book in history.

The Casual Vacancy

'The Casual Vacancy' is virtually guaranteed to top the bestseller lists in Britain, the United States and beyond, with Rowling's name enough to attract millions of buyers and give publishers and book stores a much-needed boost.

Yet even that may feel something of an anti-climax for an author who has re-written the rules of publishing and generated the kind of media hype and public hysteria normally reserved for Hollywood royalty.

As each Harry Potter instalment hit the shelves, hundreds of thousands of fans dressed up as wizards and witches and queued outside book stores from Toronto to Tokyo, and the sales figures were staggering - 450 million copies and counting.

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