Based on the data from week 52 of the GfK panelist, here is a triple look at 2024. Measures all the more important as December 24 fell on a Tuesday this year, allowing a few opening hours for booksellers — and as many additional sales.
The best-selling Books in 2024 are mainly paperback formats, with the exception of a few works. In 2023, the pocket format represented €205.3 million in turnover and nearly 60 million copies sold – quite logically, literature occupied a majority place, with some 60% of this format (source SNE).
The pocket format still dominates…
The ranking of the biggest sales in number of copies over 2024 reveals a predominance of the pocket format – with a few exceptions. Here are the top 10:
The Midwife by Anna Stuart (trans Stéphanie Alglave, J’ai lu, Madrigall group) – 499,639 copies sold.
A wild animal by Joël Dicker (Rosie and Wolf) – 424,526 copies. Released in week 9, this novel quickly established itself.
Angelic by Guillaume Musso (Pocket book, Lagardère Publishing group) – 415,621 copies, the writer wins third place but not only that: we come back to it a little later…
someone else by Guillaume Musso (Calmann-Lévy, Lagardère Publishing group) – 391,371 copies. Published in week 10, this work allows Musso to achieve a double this year.
Houris by Kamel Daoud (Gallimard, Madrigall group) – 391,085 copies. Prix Goncourt 2024, it logically imposes itself in this ranking.
Instinct by Inoxtag (Michel Lafon) – 356,016 copies. Released in week 47, this success marks the sales of recent weeks, which it has dominated on several occasions.
Jacaranda by Gaël Faye (Grasset, Lagardère Publishing group) – 344,187 copies. Renaudot 2024 Prize, this novel has won over many readers since its release in week 33.
Women at the End of the World by Sophie Da Costa (Pocket book, Lagardère Publishing group) – 325,581 copies sold this year.
Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser (Albin Michel) – 317,535 copies. Published in week 5.
Secrets of the housekeeper by Freida McFadden (trans. Karine Forestier, J’ai lu, Madrigall group) – 296,778 copies. Released in week 40, this title continues the success of his previous book, The Housekeeper.
The Lagardère group dominates the ranking, closely followed by Madrigall.
…but the large format takes the cake
The ranking differs significantly when we talk about money – but in publishing, we don’t talk about it. As large format books have a higher unit price, they gain the upper hand.
The differences between sales in volume and value can be explained by the disparity in average prices between large formats and paperbacks. The large format books in this top 10 have an average price of around €24.18, compared to only €9.52 for pocket formats. Likewise, a few comic books have slipped in there, due to their public price…
Thus, although pocket formats dominate in terms of volume thanks to their accessibility and attractive price, large formats logically generate higher revenue per unit sold.
A wild animal the Joël Dicker (Rosie and Wolf) – 9 624 465 €.
Houris by Kamel Daoud (Gallimard, Madrigall group) – €8,890,079.
someone else by Guillaume Musso (Calmann-Lévy, Lagardère Publishing group) – €8,819,870.
Mona’s Eyes Thomas Schlesser (Albin Michel) – €7,191,459.
Jacaranda by Gaël Faye (Grasset, Lagardère Publishing group) – €7,118,611.
The Arab of the Future – Stolen Brother by Riad Sattouf (Books of the Future) – €6,214,423.
The Road Manu Larcenet (Dargaud) – €6,059,167.
Tata by Valérie Perrin (Albin Michel) – €5,830,224.
The Ritz Bartender by Philippe Colin (Albin Michel) – €5,816,897.
Lakestone, vol. 1 by Sarah Rivens (Hachette) – €4,852,809.
From sales records.
In addition to the two top 10s, some authors published several titles last year, and reached cumulative sales records. Here is the list, in descending order:
Guillaume Musso, with Angelic (415,621 copies, or €3.64 million), then someone elsesold in 391,371 copies (€8.82 million). For a total of 806,992 copies, or €12.46 million.
In second position, Joël Dicker with A wild animal (424,526 copies or €9.62 million) and The Alaska Sanders Affair (219,671 copies, or €2.141 million). A total of 644,197 copies, and 11.77 million €.
Mr Tan hangs on to this top 10 with his far character: Mortal Adèle. General recreation! (289,860 copies, or €3.28 million), Mortelle Adèle in the footsteps of the croquepot! (189,616 copies, €2.79 million) – The Little Great Chaventure of Ajax (96,435 copies, or €1.19 million). Adèle achieved a tour de force and sold a total of 575,911 copies sold for a cumulative turnover of €7.27 million.
Mélissa Da Costa also won and held on thanks to: Women at the End of the World (325,581 copies, or €3.01 million) – Stand up (173,765 copies, €3.92 million). It recorded 499,346 copies sold, or €6.93 million.
For Morgane Moncomble and her four works; A winter to resist you (182,830 copies, €3.06 million) – A spring to succumb to you (156,725 copies or €2.62 million) – A summer to find you (125,676 copies, €2.1 million) – Our tormented souls (38,615 copies, €338,876) for a total of 503,846 copies, and €8.13 million.
The Freida McFadden phenomenon is obviously present; The Secrets of the Housekeeper (296,778 copies, €2.51 million) – The Maid Sees Everything (88,397 copies, €1.92 million) and The Psy (65,474 copies, 1.39 million €), won over 450,649 readers, which represents 5.82 million €. Translations by Karine Forestier.
Virginie Grimaldi: A beautiful life (294,737 copies, €2.59 million), Bigger than the sky (188,837 copies, €3.88 million) for a total of 483,574 copies and €6.46 million.
Riad Sattouf and its successful saga: The Arab of the future. Me, Fadi the stolen brother (273,090 copies, €6.21 million) – Esther’s Notebooks. Flight. 9 (110,279 copies, €1.95 million); for a total of 383,369 copies, €8.17 million.
Franck Thilliez with The Rift (195,744 copies) and For the Norwegians (183,198 copies) records 378,942 copies sold.
Then finally to finish with manga and any; Eiichiro Oda, with One Piece. Vol. 107 (trad : Djamel Rabahi and Julien Favereau), (192,566 copies, €1.33 million) and One Piece. Vol. 108, (163,114 copies, €1.15 million) for a total of 355,680 copies sold and €2.48 million.
At the end of the year, the highly anticipated Jordan Bardella remains relatively modest compared to the big names in the industry with “only” 168,512 copies sold.
By Clotilde Martin
Contact : [email protected]
