Weekly Ranking: Fiction Bestsellers, 2nd Week of March, 2018

It’s been three weeks since the last weekly ranking, and not much has changed.  Three new books are in the top ten, with one prolific (in his own mind?) author making his usual return, a foodie mystery, and a bunch of longstanding bestsellers that refuse to leave the top ten.

When will readers stop buying these books?

When I ask that question (When will readers stop buying these books?), I don’t mean that readers should NOT be buying these books.  I’m simply surprised that some of these novels have been on the bestsellers list for so long.  When I started this rankings a few months ago, I expected more fluctuation.  I thought it would be more difficult to keep up with all the new novels entering and exiting the top ten, but that’s not the case.  I can’t even do a weekly top ten because too many top tens would look too much like each other.

Below are the best-selling hardcover fiction novels for the second week of March, 2018, according to the New York Times  :

1. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah-

A family in the 1970s tries to start their lives over in Alaska.  Guessing from the title, they probably don’t make a lot of friends.

2.  Fifty Fifty by James Patterson and Candice Fox-

James Patterson and Candice Fox also wrote a book called Never Never, which describes my relationship with James Patterson novels.  If this book drops out of the top ten quickly, Patterson will probably replace it with his next book next week/month/tomorrow.

3.  The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn-

The author was an executive editor (whatever that means) for William Morrow (the company that published The Woman in the Window), so this book had a bunch of built-in advantages going in.  A part of me sees that as a cynical way to publish, but an ex-girlfriend once told me, “You’ve got to take advantage of your advantages.”  She’s probably right.

4.  An American Marriage by Tayari Jones-

Oprah selected this for her book club, so this book will remain in the top ten for a while.  I don’t mean that it doesn’t deserve it.  I just mean that Oprah’s influence will help it.  I don’t want to imply anything bad about Oprah or her influence.  She might be president one day.

5.  Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng-

Reese Witherspoon has this on her book club.  I didn’t know Reese Witherspoon had a book club.  Why doesn’t the book cover have a giant R on it?  Or would it be a W?

6.  Raspberry Danish Murder by Joanne Fluke-

Ha ha!  Foodie mysteries!

7.  Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate-

The perfect case for NOT judging a book by its title!  Despite the cheesy title, Before We Were Yours remains in the top ten, week after week.

8.  Still Me by JoJo Moyes-

Still Me is still in the top ten after several weeks.  It must be the original book cover.

9.  The Hush by John Hart-

This is a new entry to the top ten.  After reading the vague title and the vague synopsis, I still know almost nothing about The Hush.  And that’s not necessarily bad.  A reader shouldn’t know much about a book called The Hush until after he/she reads it.

10.  Origin by Dan Brown-

When Tom Hanks plays your main character, you expect your novel to be a bestseller for a while.  Tom Hanks could start his own book club, name Origins as his first pick (which would probably keep this book in the top ten for a few more weeks), and then he can star in the movie.

*****

And there’s your top ten bestsellers list for mid-March.  How long can The Great Alone stay at #1?  How many James Patterson books can make it into the top ten in March?  Find out the answers to those questions (and much more) next week/month!