21 bestselling books of 2020

21 different titles made it into the number one spot on New York Times weekly list of Bestselling Books last year. How many of 2020’s bestsellers have you read?

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

For years, rumours of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove. When Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark. But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age 10, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home.

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Yesterday, Lydia had a bookshop, was married to a journalist, and was with everyone she loved most in the world. Javier Crespo Fuentes was once her friend. Until one day Lydia’s reporter husband wrote an article about Javier, the “jefe” of the newest drug cartel.

Blindside by James Patterson

The mayor of New York has a daughter who’s missing. Detective Michael Bennett has a son who’s in prison. Can one father help the other? Suddenly Bennett is at the centre of a dangerous triangle anchored by the NYPD, the FBI and an international crime organisation.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

Half Fae, half human Bryce Quinlan loves her life. But it all comes crumbling down when a ruthless murder shakes the very foundations of her city. When the murderer attacks again, Bryce finds herself dragged into the investigation and paired with an infamous Fallen Angel.

The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel

If you cannot speak truth at a beheading, when can you speak it? Anne Boleyn is dead. Thomas Cromwell breakfasts with the victors. The blacksmith’s son continues his climb to power and wealth. And Henry VIII settles into short-lived happiness with his third queen, before Jane dies giving birth to the male heir he craves.

If it Bleeds by Stephen King

A collection of four uniquely wonderful long stories, including a stand-alone sequel to the No.1 bestseller The Outsider. All four display the richness of King’s storytelling with grace, humour, horror and breathtaking suspense.

Camino Winds by John Grisham

Florida’s Governor orders a mandatory evacuation when Hurricane Leo veers from its predicted course and heads straight for the island. The hurricane is devastating and a dozen people lose their lives – including thriller writer Nelson Kerr. Only, the nature of Nelson’s injuries suggest the storm wasn’t the cause of death.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. After growing up in a small, southern, black community and running away at age 16, now one sister has returned with her black daughter while the other secretly passes for white.

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

Jake and Mallory form a bond that will persevere – through marriage, children, and political aspirations – until Mallory learns she’s dying. This novel explores the agony and romance of a one-weekend-per-year affair and the dramatic ways this relationship complicates and enriches their lives and the lives of the people they love.

The Order by Daniel Silva

Legendary spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon has slipped into Venice for a much-needed holiday. But when the Pope dies suddenly, Gabriel is summoned to Rome. The Swiss Guard who was standing watch the night of the pope’s death is missing. So, too, is the letter the Holy Father was writing during the final hours of his life. A letter that was addressed to an old friend: Gabriel.

All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny

On their first night in Paris, the Gamaches gather for dinner with Armand’s godfather, the billionaire Stephen Horowitz. But the evening ends in horror when Stephen is critically injured in what Armand is convinced is no accident. When a strange key is found in Stephen’s possession it sends Armand on a desperate search for the truth.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

In a small town in Sweden it appears to be an ordinary day. But look more closely and you’ll see a mysterious masked figure approaching a bank. A bank robber on the run locks himself in with an over-enthusiastic estate agent, two bitter IKEA-addicts, a pregnant woman, a suicidal multi-millionaire and a rabbit.

The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett

It is the end of the Dark Ages, and England faces attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Life is hard, and those with power wield is harshly. Into this uncertain world three people come to the fore: a young boatbuilder; a Norman noblewoman; and a capable monk.

The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

Dawn Edelstein specialises in helping her clients make peace with the end of their lives. But as she’s flying home from her latest case, she is forced to confront her own mortality for the first time. What does a life well-lived look like? And who would you be, if you hadn’t turned out to be the person you are right now?

The Return by Nicholas Sparks

When a mortar blast outside the hospital where Trevor Benson worked sent him home from Afghanistan with devastating injuries, the dilapidated cabin he’d inherited from his grandfather seemed as good a place as any to regroup. Trevor isn’t prepared to fall in love with a local.

A Time for Mercy by John Grisham

Deputy Stuart Kofer is a protected man. Though he’s turned his drunken rages on his girlfriend Josie and her children many times before, the police code of silence has always shielded him. But one night he goes too far and her son, sixteen-year-old Drew, takes the law into his own hands.

The Sentinel by Lee Child

Jack Reacher gets off the bus in a sleepy no-name town. He plans to grab a coffee and move right along. Not going to happen. The town has been shut down by a cyber attack. At the centre of it all, whether he likes it or not, is Rusty Rutherford. He’s an average IT guy, but he knows more than he thinks.

Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich

When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat up old easy chair and the keys to a life-changing fortune. But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover they’re not the only ones on the hunt.

The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly

Defense attorney Mickey Haller is pulled over by police, who find the body of a client in the trunk of his Lincoln. Mickey elects to defend himself and must strategise and build his defense from his jail cell, all the while looking over his shoulder – as an officer of the court he is an instant target.

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

After forming a coalition of human resistance against enemy invasion, the Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. More and more deadly enemies awaken, no more honourspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants.

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

Days after winning OASIS founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday’s vaults lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS a thousand times more wondrous – and addictive – that even Wade dreamed possible.

Check out the Times New York bestselling books lists for yourself! What was the number one bestselling book the week you were born?

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