Which 2003 novel by Dan Brown was banned in several countries for religious controversy?

The 2003 novel by Dan Brown banned in several countries for religious controversy is The Da Vinci Code.

The thriller follows symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder at the Louvre and uncover a conspiracy involving the Catholic Church, the Holy Grail, Leonardo da Vinci, and the alleged bloodline of Jesus. Its religious controversy grew partly because the novel presents invented or disputed historical claims in a style that begins with a page labeled “fact.”

Published in 2003, the book became a global bestseller and attracted strong criticism from Catholic and other Christian groups. Lebanon banned it in 2004 after Catholic leaders deemed it offensive to Christianity. In 2006, authorities and religious groups in parts of India also sought or imposed restrictions on the book and its film adaptation, though some bans were later overturned.

The Da Vinci Code is often confused with Angels & Demons, Brown’s earlier Robert Langdon novel. The two share a protagonist and religious intrigue, but The Da Vinci Code is the 2003 work centered on the Louvre murder and the Holy Grail mystery.