We’ve seen what a selection of authors picked as their favorite books of the year, and we’ve gotten lists from our staff, but what did you all really like in 2021? Here’s a list of the most borrowed books of the past year to give us a look!
100. The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns to Three Pines in #1 New York Times bestseller Louise Penny’s latest spellbinding novel.
99. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
From the bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You, a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives.
98. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Once in a great while, a book comes along that changes our view of the world. This magnificent novel from the Nobel laureate and author of Never Let Me Go is “an intriguing take on how artificial intelligence might play a role in our futures… a poignant meditation on love and loneliness” (Associated Press).
97. Good Company by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
With Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s signature tenderness, humor, and insight, Good Company tells a bighearted story of the lifelong relationships that both wound and heal us.
96. Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.
95. Dark Sky by C.J. Box
Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett must accompany a Silicon Valley CEO on a hunting trip–but soon learns that he himself may be the hunted–in the thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box.
94. Falling by T.J. Newman
“T. J. Newman has written the perfect thriller! A must-read.” – Gillian Flynn
“Stunning and relentless. This is Jaws at 35,000 feet.” – Don Winslow
93. The Survivors by Jane Harper
When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away…
92. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
From the New York Times bestselling author of Invisible Girl and The Truth About Melody Browne comes a “riveting” (PopSugar) and “acutely observed family drama” (People) that delves into the lingering aftermath of a young girl’s disappearance.
91. Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
A husband’s secret life, a wife’s new beginning: escape to the Caribbean with #1 New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.
90. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone comes another page-turning look inside one family’s past as buried secrets threaten to come to light.
89. When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain
Weaving together actual cases of missing persons, trauma theory, and a hint of the metaphysical, this propulsive and deeply affecting novel tells a story of fate, necessary redemption, and what it takes, when the worst happens, to reclaim our lives—and our faith in one another.
88. Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Alice, a novelist, meets Felix, who works in a warehouse, and asks him if he’d like to travel to Rome with her. In Dublin, her best friend, Eileen, is getting over a break-up, and slips back into flirting with Simon, a man she has known since childhood.
87. Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards
A “page-turning thriller that will keep readers guessing until the very end” (School Library Journal) about a road trip in a snowstorm that turns into bone-chilling disaster, from New York Times bestselling mystery author and “master of tension” (BCCB) Natalie D. Richards.
86. This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
The unforgettable story of four orphans who travel the Mississippi River on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression.
85. Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn
In this warm and witty romance from acclaimed author Kate Clayborn, one little word puts a woman’s business—and her heart—in jeopardy…
84. Hush-Hush by Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington faces down a rival with cutting-edge tactics in this heart-racing thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.
83. Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone returns with an intricate thriller about a young woman’s disappearance and a group of strangers whose lives intersect in its wake.
82. Blind Tiger by Sandra Brown
With a “knack for romantic tension and page-turning suspense, this one is a winner (Booklist, STARRED REVIEW).” The year 1920 comes in with a roar in this rousing and suspenseful New York Times bestselling novel by Sandra Brown. Prohibition is the new law of the land, but murder, mayhem, lust, and greed are already institutions in the Moonshine Capitol of Texas.
81. The Awakening by Nora Roberts
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts begins a new trilogy of adventure, romance, and magick in The Awakening.
80. A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins
With the same propulsion that captivated millions of readers worldwide in The Girl on the Train and Into the Water, Paula Hawkins unfurls a gripping, twisting story of deceit, murder, and revenge.
79. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
From the author of The Martian, a lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science—in development as a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling.
78. Walk the Wire by David Baldacci
Amos Decker—the FBI consultant with a perfect memory—returns to solve a gruesome murder in a booming North Dakota oil town in the newest thriller in David Baldacci’s #1 New York Times bestselling Memory Man series.
77. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
From a New York Times best-selling author, psychotherapist, and national advice columnist, a hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist’s world—where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she).
76. Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich
From “the most popular mystery writer alive” (New York Times), the twenty-seventh thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series isn’t just the biggest case of Stephanie Plum’s career. It’s the adventure of a lifetime.
75. Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane
Debut author Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?
74. Better Off Dead by Lee Child & Andrew Child
Jack Reacher is back in a brand-new page-turning thriller from acclaimed #1 bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child.
73. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
From the bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a dramatic historical novel of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post–Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students’ lives.
72. Neighbors by Danielle Steel
In Danielle Steel’s gripping new novel, a reclusive woman opens up her home to her neighbors in the wake of a devastating earthquake, setting off events that reveal secrets, break relationships apart, and bring strangers together to forge powerful new bonds.
71. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
In 1580’s England, during the Black Plague a young Latin tutor falls in love with an extraordinary, eccentric young woman in this “exceptional historical novel” (The New Yorker) and best-selling winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
70. Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
A magnetic novel about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong.
69. 21st Birthday by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
In this thrilling novel from a #1 New York Times bestselling author, Detective Lindsay Boxer takes a vow to protect a young woman from a serial killer long enough to see her twenty-first birthday.
68. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
A remarkable novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation, from New York Times bestselling authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.
67. Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
The unforgettable story of a daredevil female aviator determined to chart her own course in life, at any cost—Great Circle “soars and dips with dizzying flair… an expansive story that covers more than a century and seems to encapsulate the whole wide world” (Boston Globe).
66. Bridgerton Collection, Volume 1 by Julia Quinn
An enchanting collection containing the first three novels in New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn’s beloved Bridgerton series set in Regency England—The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me, and An Offer from a Gentleman—now a series created by Shondaland for Netflix.
65. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.
64. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.
63. The Sixth Wedding by Elin Hilderbrand
A postscript to the #1 New York Times bestseller 28 Summers – Jake McCloud returns to Nantucket for Labor Day weekend 2023, this time without Mallory.
62. Beach Read by Emily Henry
A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.
61. Legacy by Nora Roberts
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts presents Legacy, a new novel of a mother and a daughter, of ambition and romance, and of a traumatic past reawakened by a terrifying threat…
60. The Quiet Girl by S.F. Kosa
A captivating tour de force untangling trauma, memory, and the justice we serve when everyone else has turned a blind eye.
59. The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher
From the wickedly dark mind of bestselling author Tarryn Fisher, The Wrong Family is a taut new thriller that’s riddled with twists in all the right places.
58. Ocean Prey by John Sandford
Fan-favorite heroes Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers join forces on a deadly maritime case in the remarkable new novel from #1 New York Times-bestselling author John Sandford.
57. The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett
Thirty years ago, Ken Follett published his most popular novel, The Pillars of the Earth. Now, Follett’s masterful new prequel The Evening and the Morning takes us on an epic journey into a historical past rich with ambition and rivalry, death and birth, love and hate, that will end where The Pillars of the Earth begins.
56. The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
The author of The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake delivers an intimate chronicle of Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz—an inspiring portrait of courage and leadership in a time of unprecedented crisis.
55. The Last Flight by Julie Clark
For fans of Lisa Jewell and Liv Constantine, The Last Flight is the story of two women—both alone, both scared—and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives.
54. The Sentinel by Lee Child & Andrew Child
Jack Reacher is back! The “utterly addictive” (New York Times) series continues as acclaimed author Lee Child teams up with his brother, Andrew Child, fellow thriller writer extraordinaire.
53. We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
“A vibrant, engrossing, unputdownable thriller that packs a serious emotional punch. One of those rare books that surprise you along the way and then linger in your mind long after you have finished it.” – Kristin Hannah
52. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.
51. The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
Sally Hepworth, the author of The Mother-In-Law delivers a knock-out of a novel about the lies that bind two sisters in The Good Sister.
50. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
A forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison and revenge. Welcome to The Lost Apothecary…
49. The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
Half-hidden by forest and overshadowed by threatening peaks, Le Sommet has always been a sinister place. Long plagued by troubling rumors, the former abandoned sanatorium has since been renovated into a five-star minimalist hotel.
48. Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder
The inspiration for Chloé Zhao’s celebrated film starring Frances McDormand, winner of the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress.
47. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Based on the true story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris during World War II—The Paris Library is a moving and unforgettable “ode to the importance of libraries, books, and the human connections we find within both” (Kristin Harmel).
46. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
From the New York Times bestselling author of On Mystic Lake comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship…
45. The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
From the author of Small Great Things and A Spark of Light comes a “powerful” (Washington Post) novel about the choices that alter the course of our lives.
44. The Return by Nicholas Sparks
In the romantic tradition of Dear John, an injured Navy doctor meets two extremely important women whose secrets will change the course of his life in this #1 New York Times bestseller.
43. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
From the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & the Six—an entrancing and “wildly addictive journey of a reclusive Hollywood starlet” (PopSugar) as she reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.
42. The President’s Daughter by Bill Clinton & James Patterson
All Presidents have nightmares. This one is about to come true.
41. Deadly Cross by James Patterson
The murder of a glamorous DC socialite becomes Alex Cross’s deadliest case since Along Came a Spider.
40. The Cellist by Daniel Silva
From Daniel Silva, the internationally acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author, comes a timely and explosive new thriller featuring art restorer and legendary spy Gabriel Allon.
39. The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith
From the author of The First Wives Club, this “dishy” (Glamour) novel set in New York’s book publishing industry is a fun behind-the-scenes romp with “lots of romance and revenge” (Washington Post).
38. The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
Inspired by an astonishing true story from World War II, a young woman with a talent for forgery helps hundreds of Jewish children flee the Nazis in this “sweeping and magnificent” (Fiona Davis, bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue) historical novel from the #1 international bestselling author of The Winemaker’s Wife.
37. Long Bright River by Liz Moore
Two sisters travel the same streets, though their lives couldn’t be more different. Then one of them goes missing.
36. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession, that further cements “Michaelides as a major player in the field” (Publishers Weekly).
35. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
Perfect for fans of Me Before You and One Day—a striking, powerful, and moving love story following an ambitious lawyer who experiences an astonishing vision that could change her life forever.
34. The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
A story of summer, secrets, love, and lies: in the course of a singular day on Cape Cod, one woman must make a life-changing decision that has been brewing for decades.
33. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over.
32. Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
Travel to the bright Caribbean for love, romance, and passion in this sizzling summer read from a nationally bestselling author and “Queen of the Summer Novel” (People).
31. Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a propulsive thriller featuring an ordinary woman who will stop at nothing to find the missing people that the rest of the world has forgotten.
30. The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly
Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller is back on the job in this heart-stopping thriller from a renowned #1 New York Times bestselling author.
29. One by One by Ruth Ware
“Not only do Ware’s novels wink at [Agatha] Christie in a saucy way, but Ware herself is turning out to be as ingenious and indefatigable as the Queen of Crime.” – Washington Post
28. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Hailed as “breathtakingly suspenseful,” Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot is a propulsive read about a story too good not to steal, and the writer who steals it.
27. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Paris and Megan Miranda.
26. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
From the author of The Last Letter from Your Lover, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond in Depression-era America
25. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.
24. Sooley by John Grisham
John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel. Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon is a raw, young talent with big hoop dreams—and even bigger challenges off the court.
23. The Searcher by Tana French
“One of the greatest crime novelists writing today” (Vox) weaves a masterful, atmospheric tale of suspense, asking how to tell right from wrong in a world where neither is simple, and what we stake on that decision.
22. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives forever.
21. A Gambling Man by David Baldacci
Aloysius Archer, the straight-talking World War II veteran fresh out of prison, returns in this riveting #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from David Baldacci.
20. That Summer by Jennifer Weiner
From the manicured Main Line of Philadelphia to the wild landscape of the Outer Cape, written with Jennifer Weiner’s signature wit and sharp observations, That Summer is a story about surviving our pasts, confronting our futures, and the sustaining bonds of friendship.
19. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
From Liane Moriarty, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, comes Apples Never Fall, a novel that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.
18. The Push by Ashley Audrain
A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family—and a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for—and everything she feared.
17. A Time for Mercy by John Grisham
Jake Brigance is back! The hero of A Time to Kill, one of the most popular novels of our time, returns in a courtroom drama that The New York Times says is “riveting” and “suspenseful.”
16. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Mothers, a stunning new novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white.
15. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
A life no one will remember. A story you will never forget.
14. Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
A deliciously funny, remarkably poignant, and simply unputdownable novel about the power of friendship, the lure of frenemies, and the importance of making peace with yourself through all life’s ups and downs.
13. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
American Dirt will leave readers utterly changed. It is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity on every page.
12. Win by Harlan Coben
In this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from Harlan Coben, a dead man’s secrets fall into the hands of a vigilante antihero—drawing him down a dangerous road.
11. 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
A “captivating and bittersweet” (People) novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Summer of ’69: Their secret love affair has lasted for decades—but this could be the summer that changes everything.
10. The Judge’s List by John Grisham
Investigator Lacy Stoltz follows the trail of a serial killer, and closes in on a shocking suspect—a sitting judge—in “one of the best crime reads of the year… Bristling with high-tech detail and shivering with suspense… Worth staying up all night to finish” (Wall Street Journal).
9. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove comes a charming, poignant novel about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.
8. Daylight by David Baldacci
In this gripping mystery, an FBI Agent’s search for her sister clashes with a military investigator’s high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy—from which neither of them will escape unscathed.
7. Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
In this #1 bestselling page-turner from “the queen of beach reads” (New York Magazine), a Nantucket novelist has one final summer to protect her secrets while her loved ones on earth learn to live without their golden girl.
6. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party.
5. Eternal by Lisa Scottoline
#1 bestselling author Lisa Scottoline offers a sweeping and shattering epic of historical fiction fueled by shocking true events, the tale of a love triangle that unfolds in the heart of Rome… in the creeping shadow of fascism.
4. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America.
3. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The dazzling reader-favorite about the choices that go into a life well lived, from the acclaimed author of How To Stop Time and The Comfort Book.
2. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
A “gripping” (Entertainment Weekly) mystery about a woman who thinks she’s found the love of her life—until he disappears.
1. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
From the number-one bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression, a time when the country was in crisis and at war with itself, when millions were out of work and even the land seemed to have turned against them.
NOTE: Descriptions from publishers.
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