Our Best Seller List for 2009

The month of January is never complete without a few “look-backs” upon which to reflect. For Mystery Lovers Bookshop this was a year of record sales and big changes that supported our recovery and the impact of the recession on your favorite Indy booksellers. We pledge to continue to expand modestly, improve daily and monitor overhead costs so we can bring all that’s new and fun in reading, puzzles and children’s books.

In 2009 we presented 77 author appearances for 5 Publication parties, 8 Coffee & Crime events-in the 15th year for this Breakfast series, 4 author dinners, 1 workshop, one statewide convention, 4 Oakmont Carnegie Library events, 4 evening talks, one professional organizational banquet speaker sales, one county library fundraiser by a law firm and the 14th Festival of Mystery with 42 authors, 1806 books sold to 380 readers. While we reorganized our online and bricks and mortar store, Mystery Lovers Bookshop also attracted the attention of an upscale mall north of Pittsburgh seeking a branch of Mystery Lovers for their customers….decided we needed to focus on the current customers and events in our original location which celebrates a 20th birthday on Halloween 2010.

In 2010 we look forward to the Fifteenth Festival of Mystery, getting our Raven award at the 65th Annual Edgar Banquet from the Mystery Writers of America and to a fulfilling relationship with readers, writers and all who work in this business. May you all have a happy and healthy 2010 and we hope to see you soon…..and often

Best Sellers in Hardcover

Best Sellers in Trade Paperback

Best Sellers in Mass Market Paperback

Hardcover Best Sellers

1. Look Again by Lisa Scottoline

Woman sees her own child on missing child flyer

trade paperback, $13.99

2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

Fans couldn't wait for the US edition of the final volume in this trilogy

trade paperback, $14.95

3. Murder in Mykonos by Jeffrey Siger

Pittsburgh boy makes good with this first novel

trade paperback, $14.95

4. Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson

Fans turned out for Diane's event and bought plenty of the new book

$25.99 signed copies available

5. Killer Cuts by Elaine Viets

Dead End Jobs series always a winner with MLB readers

$22.95 signed copies available

6. U Is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Milhone fans snapped up signed copies

$27.95 signed copies available

7. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

Sold-out event with Michael sold tons of books

$27.99, signed copies available

8. The Odds by Kathleen George

Strong sales for a Pittsburgh-set mystery by this Pittsburgh author

$24.95

9. The Women by T.C. Boyle

Boyle's tale of the women in Frank Lloyd Wright's life sold well at his event

$27.95

$16 now in paperback

10. Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson

A virtual signing added to sales for this gaslight mystery with Sarah Brandt

$24.95, signed copies available

Trade Paperback Best Sellers

1. Winter in June by Kathryn Miller Haines

WW II series by Pittsburgh author has been a hit all year

$13.99

2. The War Against Miss Winter by Kathryn Miller Haines

First book in the series still selling well

$13.95

3. Trader Joe's Companion: A Portable Cookbook by Wona Miniata and Deana Gunn

The perfect guide to cooking with Trader Joe's products

$13.95

4. The Winter of Her Discontent by Kathryn Miller Haines

Wartime actress and PI Rosie Winter

$13.95

5. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Second book by the author of The Kite Runner

$16

6. The Would-Be Witch by Kimberly Frost

First in this humorous paranormal series was a sell-out at the Festival

$14

7. The Turnaround by George Pelecanos

Good sales for this crime novel at sold-out event for the author

$14.99

8. Taken by Kathleen George

First in this Pittsburgh series still selling well

$19

9. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann

Sheep decide to solve murder of their shepherd

$12.95

10. Wild Goose Chase by Teri Thayer

Quilting mystery a sell-out at the Festival

$13.95

Paperback Best Sellers

1. Prime Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Virtual signing added to sales for this reissue of the first Charlotte McNally book

$7.99

2. Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett

Bookstore owner Tricia Miles

$7.99

3. Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett

Bookstore owner Tricia Miles

$6.99

4. Warning Signs by C.J. Lyons

Pittsburgh setting was a lure for these mysteryies

$7.99

5. Pushing Up Daisies by Rosemary Harris

Gardener Paula Holliday was a hit at the Festival of Mystery

$6.99

6. Face Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Clever marketing and tote bag giveaways kept these moving all year

$7.99

7. Air Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan

The new, third book in the Charlotte McNally series

$7.99

8. Clubbed to Death by Elaine Viets

Helen Hawthorne series always a big seller at Festival and beyond

$6.99

9. Stil Life by Louise Penny

Festival, staff recommendation and book clubs kept this first in the series moving

$6.99

10. Hounding the Pavement by Judi McCoy

A Festival sell-out, donation of proceeds to an animal shelter didn't hurt either

$6.99

11. The Fashion Hound Murders by Elaine Viets

Virtual signing boosted sales of the Josie Marcus mystery

$6.99, signed copies available

12. One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly

Apple orchard owner Meg Corey

$6.99

13. Sing It to Her Bones by Marcia Talley

First in the Hannah Ives series

$7.99

14. Fallen by Kathleen George

Pittsburgh-set mystery still a hit

$6.99

15. Urgent Care by C.J. Lyons

Fictitious Pittsburgh hospital is winning setting for this medical mystery

$7.99

16. The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse by Leann Sweeney

Series debut a big hit at the Festival of Mystery

$6.99

17. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny

Popular Canadian series sold well at the Festival and since

$7.99

18. Murder Melts in Your Mouth by Nancy Martin

Popular series by Pittsburgh author reaches its end with number 7

$6.99

19. The Map Thief by Heather Terrell

International thriller about ancient map by local author

$7.99

20. Buckingham Palace Gardens by Anne Perry

Latest in paperback in Perry's Victorian series

$