The Library Journal and USA Today report that mysteries are the most-borrowed novels in the nation’s libraries.
"We’ve
done book-buying surveys over the years, and it always comes out that
mysteries are the first and romance is a close second," says Francine
Fialkoff, editor of Library Journal. "I do think this (list)
just confirms that libraries are huge lenders of mysteries. Almost
every one of the popular fiction (titles) is a mystery."Another thing about libraries that it is so clear when you look at this list is who the favorite writers are."
Among
authors who consistently turn up: mystery writers Patricia Cornwell,
Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, James Patterson, Carl Hiaasen, Michael
Connelly; romance writers Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Danielle Steel;
and thriller writers John Grisham, Stuart Woods, Dan Brown.About
4,000 libraries report the number of times books are borrowed or put on
hold. The list is posted at www.libraryjournal.com 20 times a year.1. Trace by Patricia Cornwell.
2. R Is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton.
3. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
4. Are You Afraid of the Dark? by Sidney Sheldon.
5. Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich.
So…why is it that mysteries get so little respect?
Blatant quota post
(I have not, and likely will not, comment much on the tsunami. It’s terrible, but I have nothing substantive to add, and so many other quarters are doing such a grand job that I feel like there’s nothing I could do that would make a difference.)
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