72 months after the publication of his record-breaking “The Da Vinci Code,” the publishers declared that Brown’s “The Lost Symbol,” a teaser set amid a 12-hour period is at last all set for release.

Brown’s established editor, Jason Kaufman, vice president and executive editor of Doubleday, said, “This book’s narrative takes place in a 12-hour period, and right from the opening page, Dan’s readers will sense the thrill of exploration as they travel with Robert Langdon through a commanding and unanticipated new panorama.”

“The Lost Symbol” will once again feature Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who was first seen in Brown’s “Angels & Demons” and subsequently in “The Da Vinci Code.” The movie version of “Angels & Demons” is due to open in movie theaters on May 15.

“This story has been a peculiar and amazing voyage,” Brown said in a letter released on Monday by his publisher. “Weaving five years of research into the story’s half-day time frame was a thrilling challenge. Robert Langdon’s life obviously moves at a far greater pace than mine.”

The initial pressing will be 5 million copies, Knopf Doubleday said, the most in the house’s history but far below the initial 10 million-plus print run for the final “Harry Potter” book. “The Da Vinci Code” has to date sold in excess of 80 million worldwide.

A film of “The Da Vinci Code” was a monster hit in 2006, bringing in $758 million worldwide. “Angels & Demons” sees the return of director Ron Howard and stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon.

After just two days “The Lost Symbol” was number one at Barnes & Noble and in the top 10 on Amazon.com. In a taster of likely price cutting to come, both retailers were offering cuts of 40 percent or more for the $28.95 item.

Monday’s announcement did not tell where the story was set or who it would be about, and Doubleday spokesperson Suzanne Herz didn’t offer more information.

Copies of the first edition of The Lost Symbol can be pre-ordered here:
http://www.the-lost-symbol.org/