Author Dan Brown has shocked fans of his books by revealing they are a work of fiction.
The best-selling author of The Lost Symbol sold 1 million copies of his latest book within minutes of it going on sale.
But he has faced criticism with academics claiming that he made up characters who do not exist in real life, surprised readers with a plot from his imagination, and tried to suggest an American male would enjoy going into museums.
One critic said Brown had plenty of real people to choose from when writing without having to invent new people.
Professor P. Doff said: "Next, we'll have Jackie Collins making stuff up. Don't expect the film version of The A Team to be factual. If Dan Brown can get away with it, anyone can."
Literary critic, Piers Forsyth, said: "The clues are there for all to see. On the cover, the word 'Novel' can clearly be seen beneath the title. It's another example of Brown's deft sleight of hand."
Last night, Brown confessed that his book was fictional in the tradition of other best-selling authors.
"It's true, Robert Langdon's not real," he said to shrieks of horror from fans of his work, and Tom Hanks.
Brown's publishers Random Thoughts say they reserve the right to issue other novels which are completely made up.
Meanwhile, the author is currently working on a follow up, called What Did I Do With My Keys?
