HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS IS THE SEVENTH AND FINAL BOOK IN THE HARRY POTTER SERIES OF NOVELS BY J. K. ROWLING. THE BOOK TITLE WAS ANNOUNCED ON 21 DECEMBER 2006 VIA A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS-THEMED HANGMAN PUZZLE ON ROWLING''S WEBSITE, CONFIRMED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS BY THE PUBLISHERS. ROWLING HAS STATED THAT THE FINAL VOLUME RELATES SO CLOSELY TO THE PREVIOUS BOOK IN THE SERIES, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, THAT SHE FEELS ALMOST AS THOUGH THEY ARE TWO HALVES OF THE SAME NOVEL. IT FEATURES THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY POTTER AS HE ATTEMPTS TO BRING AN END TO HIS NEMESIS, LORD VOLDEMORT. ON 1 FEBRUARY 2007, IT WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THAT BOOK 7 WILL BE RELEASED IN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD AT 00:01 BRITISH SUMMER TIME ON 21 JULY 2007. IN THE USA, HOWEVER, THE BOOK WILL BE RELEASED AT 00:01 LOCAL TIME. ROWLING LEFT A SIGNED STATEMENT WRITTEN ON A MARBLE BUST OF HERMES IN HER ROOM AT THE BALMORAL HOTEL IN EDINBURGH SAYING; JK ROWLING FINISHED WRITING HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS IN THIS ROOM (652) ON 11TH JAN 2007. IN A WEB UPDATE ON FEBRUARY 6, 2007, ROWLING STATED WHILE EACH OF THE PREVIOUS POTTER BOOKS HAS STRONG CLAIMS ON MY AFFECTIONS, ''''DEATHLY HALLOWS'''' IS MY FAVOURITE, AND THAT IS THE MOST WONDERFUL WAY TO FINISH THE SERIES.