Bestseller Lists and Big Publishing Deals — 2026-10-20
Freida McFadden’s thriller *The Witch* has claimed the top spot on U.S. bestseller lists, marking a strong start to the holiday season for fiction. Meanwhile, major publishing shifts include Penguin Random House facing a lawsuit from Emma Coronel and a high-profile author move by Isabel Allende, who won the Premio Planeta after leaving her longtime publisher.
Bestseller Lists and Big Publishing Deals — 2026-10-20
Top developments
McFadden’s The Witch Tops Weekly Charts
Freida McFadden’s spooky-season thriller The Witch debuted at #1 on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list for the week ending October 19, 2026. The list also saw Veronica Roth’s The Sixth Faction, a reimagining of her Divergent series, and returns from Stephen King and Wm. Paul Young.
Isabel Allende Wins Premio Planeta, Leaves Penguin
Chilean author Isabel Allende won the 75th edition of the Premio Planeta with her novel La hora antes del alba, a continuation of the saga from The House of the Spirits. This victory marks a significant departure for Allende, as she moved from her longtime publisher, Plaza & Janés (part of Penguin Random House), to Planeta.
Emma Coronel Sues Penguin Random House
Emma Coronel, wife of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, has filed a lawsuit against Penguin Random House before the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI). The suit alleges unauthorized use of her photograph on the cover of a book by journalist Anabel Hernández and seeks economic compensation for sales.
Print Sales Remain Flat Through September
The overall print book market showed resilience but stagnation, with total unit sales down just 0.1% for the nine months ending October 3, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025. Adult and children’s fiction continued to drive performance, keeping the market afloat despite slight declines.
Local view
In Spain and Latin America, the literary community is focused on Isabel Allende’s historic win at the Premio Planeta, which attracted a record 1,424 submissions. Media outlets like RTVE and El Confidencial highlighted the significance of Allende’s departure from Penguin Random House to join Planeta, noting it as a major industry event.
Context & numbers
- Total Units Sold: 531.3 million print units sold in the first nine months of 2026.
- Sales Trend: A 0.1% year-over-year decline in total volume.
- Competition: Marvel Comics dominated the top four spots in the weekly top 10 bestseller list for comics, with titles featuring Venom, Spider-Man, Doctor Doom, and DNX.
On the radar
- Religious Publishing: Upcoming deals include a faith-inflected memoir from an Epstein survivor and historical novels, signaling continued consumer interest in memoir and historical fiction.
- Fall Fiction: Publishers are pushing new fiction titles for the holiday season, with Penguin Random House highlighting debuts and new stories from beloved authors.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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