The Most Popular Authors of 2024, According to Libby (Exclusive)

Who topped everyone’s reading list this year? The hits might surprise you!

The most popular authors in 2024 include writers from nearly every genre — from mysteries to thrillers to romance novels — along with authors who went viral on TikTok and recently had their books adapted into movies, according to Libby, which offers millions of e-books and audiobooks online.

Taking first place was James Patterson, who wrote several titles published this year, including The lies he told me, House of the Cross — which forms the basis for an upcoming Amazon Prime show — and Tiger, tigera biography about Tiger Woods.

The author of bestselling novels such as Along Came a Spider and Kiss the girls he also recently announced that he has teamed up with Bill Clinton to write a new thriller titled The first gentleman. Their latest follows the first female president of the United States whose husband is on trial for murder.

By James Patterson at Stuart-Hobson High School in Washington, DC on November 4, 2013.

Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post/Getty

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Sarah J. Maas — popular romance author The Court of Thorns and Roses series (ACOTAR). — was the runner-up of the most popular authors this year. She posted House of Flame and Shadowits third sequel Crescent City series in January, and another book in her icon is expected to be released ACOTAR series next year.

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Rounding out the top three is Colleen Hoover, bestselling author It ends with us series. The first book was adapted into a hit movie starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The release of that movie in August probably helped boost her popularity despite not having a new book out this year. (Her last release was Never, Never in 2023.)

Writer/executive producer Colleen Hoover (L) and producer Blake Lively at the world premiere of IT ENDS WITH US, in theaters August 9 from Columbia Pictures, at AMC Lincoln Square on August 6, 2024.

Eric Charbonneau/Getty

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Next came David Baldacci, who is known for his suspense novels and legal thrillers. He published his new book To die for in November. Kristin Hannah, known for her historical fiction novels such as Women, Nightingale and Four winds took fifth place on the list.

Freida McFadden, the thriller writer behind the bestseller Housekeeper and Teacher, in sixth place. She was followed by Rebecca Yarros, who wrote the blockbuster Empyrean Series. The series started with romance The fourth wingwhich went viral in 2023, selling over 2 million copies and generating over a billion views on TikTok.

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Author Stephen King signs copies of his book “Revival” at Barnes & Noble Union Square on November 11, 2014 in New York City. Slaven Vlašić/Getty

John Grisham, best-selling author Company, Time to kill and The Pelican Brief (which also spawned their own film adaptations) came in at number eight. Nora Roberts, writer of romance novels Witness, Heritage and Mind games (which was published earlier this year), came in ninth place.

Rounding out the list is Stephen King, the bestselling author of horror, suspense and science fiction whose novels include Carrie, Radiation and The Shawshank Redemption became fan-favorite cult films. This year he came out with a collection of short stories You like darker and intends to publish his new novel Never twitch in May 2025.

Several of the top 10 authors also wrote top 10 titles of the year, including Hannah’s WomenYarros’ The fourth wing and Iron flame and Maas’ Court of thorns and roses, according to Libby.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education