Copies of the new book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
© AFP/Getty Images/File Justin Sullivan

LONDON (AFP) - Tight security surrounding "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows", which comes out just after midnight (2301 GMT) Friday worldwide, was punctured by The New York Times and others, the latest in a flurry of breaches.

Rowling stepped into the leaks row for the second time in as many days Thursday to say she was "staggered" by publication of reviews of the seventh Potter book.

On Wednesday, she had urged fans to "ignore the misinformation" circulating about the plot.

Harry Potter fans wait to buy the serie's last book
© AFP Leon Neal

This came after lawyers for her publishers told websites to pull photographs they published earlier this week of what purported to be extracts from the long-awaited book.

In another embarrassment, the US publisher Scholastic said Thursday it will take legal action against distributor Levy Home Entertainment and retailer DeepDiscount.com after they sent copies to hundreds of readers in advance.

Rowling said in a statement: "I am staggered that some American newspapers have decided to publish purported spoilers in the form of reviews in complete disregard of the wishes of literally millions of readers, particularly children, who wanted to reach Harry's final destination by themselves, in their own time."

The New York Times review, written from a copy bought in the city Thursday, does not reveal which characters are killed off, despite fevered speculation among fans that Potter himself could be among them.

A Harry Potter fan queues outside a bookshop in London
© AFP Leon Neal

It describes the final pages of the book as "a big-screen, heart-racing, bone-chilling confrontation" and says it contains "an epilogue that clearly lays out people's fates."

"The losses mount with unnerving speed: at least a half-dozen characters we have come to know die in these pages," the review adds.

The influential daily, which prides itself on high journalistic standards, defended its decision, saying it had not given away the ending.

"Our feeling is that once a book is offered up for sale at any public retail outlet, and we purchase a copy legally and openly, we are free to review it," culture, books and theater editor Rick Lyman said in a statement.

The book officially goes on sale in the United States, Canada and Mexico at midnight Friday local time, a separate embargo to the rest of the world.

Harry Potter fans queue outside a bookshop in London
© AFP Leon Neal

The furore threatens to overshadow the release, eagerly awaited by fans around the world, more than 100 of whom are already queuing outside a massive bookshop in London to get the first copies and attend a Harry Potter party.

Those outside Waterstone's on Piccadilly included Laura Halinen, 23, from Finland who was dressed as a wizard and said she had come because this was "the biggest Harry Potter party in Europe and perhaps the world."

"The first night outside was horrible -- I thought it would be a fun way to get back to nature but it was not at all," added Amber de Jager, 19, from the Netherlands, who has been queuing outside Waterstone's since Wednesday.

"Fortunately, we reserved some hotel rooms nearby and I will take a shower and rest during the day."

A Harry Potter fan wears a badge in London
© AFP Leon Neal

Rowling is hosting a signing and reading overnight Friday with hundreds of fans at London's Natural History Museum, while hundreds of British bookshops are hosting after-hours parties to which fans are likely to flock.

The Potter books have sold 325 million copies internationally and have been translated into 64 languages.

Rowling, who wrote the first one as a single mother receiving state benefits, has made an estimated one billion dollars (725 million euros) from the works, which initially appeared 10 years ago.

She has not completely ruled out writing a new Potter book, although she says it is highly unlikely, and is now set to work on new writing projects.

At least two million people worldwide have pre-ordered copies from online retailer Amazon.

Daniel Radcliffe, the 17-year-old star of the blockbuster film franchise, has said he believes Harry could be killed.

British bookmaker Ladbrokes has stopped taking all bets related to the book, while rivals William Hill are no longer taking money on Potter's killer after a flurry of bets.

©AFP