Despite the fact that it won't be released until next summer, the sixth book in the Harry Potter series is already the number one seller on Amazon.com as eager fans reserve a copy of the book in advance. The sixth book, titled 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,' is scheduled for release on July 16th.

The fifth book in the series, 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,' had more than 420,000 advance orders prior to its publication.

Author J.K. Rowling remains mum about the details concerning the book. All she would admit was that one of the main characters would 'not survive' the sixth book but she refused to reveal the identity of the soon to be deceased.

Rowling left a message on her website updating fans on the book. 'I can now able to talk freely about the fact that the book is finished; it has been a weighty secret to carry around, as you can imagine. But finally sharing it with you was wonderful: much more fun than wrapping presents and tidying the house before the family arrives, which is what I am supposed to be doing at the moment.' Rowlings is presently pregnant with her third child.