New 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' Book Wasn't Stolen Ahead Of Release Date

E.L. James’ erotic romance novel “Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian” wasn’t stolen after all, police in Kent, England, discovered after searching for a copy of the book that was reported missing last week. Authorities have been looking for the finished draft since June 8.

"Following a report that a book had been stolen and packaging was found to be damaged, there is no evidence at this stage in relation to a theft. No more action will be taken unless further information is received," Kent police told E! Online Wednesday.

Authorities “feared thieves may be planning to release pirated versions of the novel, or sell extracts to media outlets,” the Daily Mail reported on June 9, when it was believed a copy of the novel had gone missing. Police confirmed they were “investigating the theft of a finished copy of E.L. James' new book 'Grey.'"

The book tells the story of the romance between Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele from Grey’s perspective. The "Fifty Shades of Grey" author dedicated the novel to her legions of fans, saying they "asked...and asked…and asked for this.”

“Christian is a complex character,” James said in her blog on June 1. “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. It’s been a great pleasure to return to my happy place – writing, being with Christian and Ana in their universe, and working with the fantastic team at Vintage.”

“Grey” reached bookshelves and digital downloads on Thursday at midnight, though the novel doesn’t seem to be winning over fans of the erotic series. Numerous Twitter users have criticized “Grey” for being repetitive and "lazy," and the book currently has a 3/5 rating on Amazon.

“Grey” is now available at bookstores and online.