“Fifty Shades of Grey” Spin-off Novel Stolen One Week before Launch Date

A copy of the new "Fifty Shades of Grey" novel, which tells the famous erotic story from billionaire Christian Grey's perspective, has been stolen and the police are actively investigating, Publisher Penguin Random House confirmed on Wednesday.

Kent police stated that its "officers are making inquires after receiving a report that a book had been stolen."

The book's publisher stated that it will not comment on the case until it is solved. It is believed that the copy might be sold on the black market or leaked online.

Author E.L. James announced the novel, "Grey," at the beginning of June. James wrote the bestseller, "Fifty Shades of Grey" as well as the two remaining books in the series, "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed."

In the release, James said, "Christian is a complex character and readers have always been fascinated by his desires and motivations, and his troubled past. Also, as anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, there are two sides to every story."

James gained international fame after releasing "Fifty Shades of Grey" in 2011. The books have sold more than 125 million copies.

The series follows the romantic relationship between Grey and recent college graduate Anastasia Steele after Grey introduces Steele to the world of BDSM. The books are mainly told from Steele's point of view.

The movie adaptation of "Fifty Shades of Grey" premiered in February and has grossed nearly $600 million worldwide. "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed" movies have both been confirmed for 2017 and 2018, respectively. In the movies, Jamie Dornan plays Grey and Dakota Johnson plays Steele.

The "Grey" novel is still scheduled to be launched on June 18th.