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It’s been a long time since a novel was the official Christmas bestseller in Australia, and a longer time still since it was an Australian novel.
Liane Moriarty’s latest, Apples Never Fall, earned the seasonal top spot after it sold more than 11,500 copies in the week to December 11, according to Nielsen BookScan, which surveys more than 1500 retailers around the country. Her drama about the Delaney family has sold more than 157,650 copies since it was published in September.
Australian author Liane Moriarty.Credit:
Nielsen territory manager Bianca Whiteley said Australians had spent more than $1.1 billion on physical books so far this year.
Anh Do’s latest Wolf Girl novel, Animal Train, sits in second spot this year; followed by rockstar Dave Grohl’s memoir, The Storyteller; and Lee and Andrew Child’s latest Jack Reacher thriller, Better Off Dead. The top 10 is completed by two Bluey titles; the latest from Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton, The 143-Storey Treehouse; Guinness World Records 2022; and Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone, by Diana Gabaldon.
The last time a novel was in the No.1 spot at Christmas was 2010 when Richelle Mead’s conclusion to her Vampire Academy series, Last Sacrifice, took the honours. Since then, Jeff Kinney’s various Wimpy Kid adventures have been top six times; with Jamie Oliver featuring on two occasions; and Scott Pape’s The Barefoot Investor once. Last year, Barack Obama’s memoir, A Promised Land, was atop the Christmas tree for Australian readers.
Sally Tabner, the co-owner of Bookoccino on Sydney’s northern beaches, said Apples Never Fall had been selling fantastically.
Anh Do’s latest Wolf Girl novel, Animal Train, sits in second spot this year.
“Liane Moriarty always sells really well here. My customers are very attached to her – perhaps because of the unsubstantiated rumour that she used Avalon Primary School as a setting in Big Little Lies. She touches on the dark and dirty side of human nature, but done in a light and readable fashion.”
Tabner said she was feeling very positive about the market: sales had started to pick up and there had been some strong titles published throughout the year.