The manuscript for the forthcoming "Fifty Shades of Grey" novel was stolen, and now British police are on the case.
The BBC reported Wednesday that the novel is set for a June 18 release, and re-tells the first book of the original trilogy from the perspective of the character Christian Grey, a Seattle billionaire. In the series, June 18 is Grey's birthday, and the book's publisher hoped the anniversary launch date would boost initial sales.
The stolen copy could be leaked in part or in whole, however, which could be a boon for fans, but ultimately hurt sales.
The Kent Police refused to give a comment on the ongoing investigation, beyond saying, "Officers are making inquiries after receiving a report that a book had been stolen on 8 June."
Likewise, a publisher spokesperson from Random House told reporters, "We have no comment to make due to an ongoing police investigation."
The "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy has sold 125 million copies worldwide, and the movie based on the first novel made $600 million at the box office.
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