The mystery of Dan Brown

The midnight publication of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol sets the Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon in pursuit of a Masonic plot, this time in Washington DC. Early indications show that Brown has kept to the formula which made The Da Vinci Code the biggest-selling adult paperback of all time Photograph: Reuters

The Lost Symbol went on sale this morning, with some shops in London opening early to cater for those whose hunger for more Robert Langdon could not wait till lunch. Photograph: Shaun Curry/AFP/Getty Images

Demand for The Lost Symbol is certain to be very high. Asda supermarket alone is expecting to sell 20,000 copies in the next week, and Amazon pre-orders come to more than 35,000. Photograph: Shaun Curry/AFP/Getty Images

Dan Brown mania is a global phenomenon. Here, speed readers in Sydney take part in a competition to become Australia's fastest reader as they read some of the first copies to go on sale down under. Photograph: James Morgan/EPA

With over 80m copies of The Da Vinci Code sold worldwide, Dan Brown has had a lot of practice at dedications Photograph: Tim Boyd/AP

In 2006, authors Richard Leigh and Michael Baigent sued Dan Brown, alleging that the writer had lifted the theme of his multimillion-selling thriller, The Da Vinci Code, from their 1982 bestseller, The Holy Blood And The Holy Grail. The high court disagreed, finding that the central themes were "too general or of too low a level of abstraction to be capable of protection by copyright law" Photograph: Carl De Souza/AFP

Dan Brown put in a rare public appearance at the Baigent and Leigh case, where he was positively chirpy, but found much of the process baffling. "I have a very short concentration span," the novelist quipped. "That's why I write in short chapters." Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

Cynics at the time of the trial suggested that it was nothing but a publicity stunt for the feature film released at the same time. Starring Tom Hanks as the turtleneck-wearing investigator Robert Langdon alongside Audrey Tautou, the film took £119m worldwide on its opening weekend Photograph: Simon Mein/AP

The film also launched a wave of protests around the world, with Christians objecting to its portrayal of the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Two local councillors in Ceccano, near Rome, turned their ire on a copy of the book, setting it on fire in the town square Photograph: Riccardo De Luca/AP

Despite suggestions that The Da Vinci Code was "insulting" to Catholics, Dan Brown was greeted by cheering crowds at the world premiere on the opening night of the 59th Cannes film festival Photograph: John Schults/Reuters

With a film version of Angels and Demons released earlier this year, and a film of The Lost Symbol due in 2012, the author can expect his collaboration with director Ron Howard (L) and actor Tom Hanks (C) to continue for many years to come Photograph: Tony Gentile /Reuters