16 Jan 2018

Thrillers are the most popular books with Christchurch library users, led by British author Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher” novels.

Three Child novels feature in the top five fiction “checkout” list, which also includes Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train and No Man’s Land by David Baldacci.

Child’s Night School holds the top spot.

Lee Child holds top spot at the library.

New Brighton librarian Emily Oliver puts one of Lee Child's most popular books back on the shelf.

“Readers love a good thriller, enjoying the intricacies of a developing plot and all the twists and turns,” Christchurch City Libraries Content Manager Anne Anderson says.

“These ‘most read’ lists provide our staff with greater insights into the interests of library users, so we can best meet their reading needs.”

For the younger readers, Suzanne Collins still rules the library shelves with three books – The Hunger Games (No. 1), Catching Fire (No.3) and Mockingjay (No.5) – in the top five young adult section.

“The dystopian novels of Suzanne Collins are much loved by our younger readers as the teen characters tackle massive challenges in pursuit of a better world,” Ms Anderson says.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why have also been repeatedly requested.

Among the youngest book lovers, The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé continues to be a page turner, taking out the top “checkout” spot, followed by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Andy Griffiths’ The 65-Storey Treehouse, David Walliams’ Awful Auntie and The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl.

Top 10 most popular adult titles

Night School – Lee Child

Make Me – Lee Child

The Girl on the Train – Paula Hawkins

No Middle Name – Lee Child

No Man's Land – David Baldacci

Dead To Me – Lesley Pearse

After You – Jojo Moyes

The Wrong Side of Goodbye – Michael Connelly

Paris for One and Other Stories – Jojo Moyes

Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult

Top 10 most popular teen titles

 The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Ransom Riggs

Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins

Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher

Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins

New Guard – Robert Muchamore

Mortal Instruments 1: City of Bones – Cassandra Clare

Divergent – Veronica Roth

Girl Online: On Tour – Zoe Sugg

The Crown – Kiera Cass

Top 10 most popular children's titles

The Adventures of Tintin – Hergé

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany

The 65-Storey Treehouse – Andy Griffiths

Awful Auntie – David Walliams

The Enormous Crocodile – Roald Dahl

Where's Wally Now? – Martin Handford

Grandpa's Great Escape – David Walliams

The Smartest Giant in Town – Julia Donaldson

George's Marvellous Medicine – Roald Dahl

Asterix and the Golden Sickle – Goscinny and Uderzo