Dan Brown’s new novel, the eagerly awaited follow-up to The Da Vinci Code, his No. 1 international phenomenon with 81 million copies in print worldwide and Australia’s biggest selling adult paperback novel of all time, will be published in Australia by Random House Australia on September 15, 2009.  

THE LOST SYMBOL will have a global English language print run of 6.5 million copies, and it will once again feature Dan Brown’s unforgettable protagonist, Robert Langdon.  

Margie Seale, Managing Director of Random House Australia said “A new Dan Brown is a publishing event without compare and publishing THE LOST SYMBOL is a real privilege. Millions of Australians have enjoyed the pure adrenalin thrill of reading his novels, coupled with their fascinating historical insights.  For his legion of fans the wait is nearly over and we will be publishing on September 15 amidst much international fanfare and celebration.”  

Brown’s long term US editor, Jason Kaufman, Vice President and Executive Editor at Random House Inc imprint Doubleday, said: “Nothing ever is as it first appears in a Dan Brown novel. This book’s narrative takes place in a 12-hour period, and from the first page, Dan’s readers will feel the thrill of discovery as they follow Robert Langdon through a masterful and unexpected new landscape. THE LOST SYMBOL is full of surprises."  

“This novel has been a strange and wonderful journey,” said Brown. “Weaving five years of research into the story’s 12-hour timeframe was an exhilarating challenge. Robert Langdon’s life clearly moves a lot faster than mine.”  

The Da Vinci Code’s Australian paperback edition (published in March 2004) spent more than a year on the bestseller list.  Random House Australia has published more than 3 million copies of Dan Brown’s novels in this country.  

The film of The Da Vinci Code was a No. 1 box office smash when it was released by Columbia Pictures in May 2006 with Ron Howard directing, and Tom Hanks starring as Robert Langdon. Box office receipts were $758 million. The same team will release Angels & Demons on May 15, 2009. To coincide with the new film, Random House Australia will publish  a new paperback edition of the novel featuring Tom Hanks on the cover.