Bestseller Lists and Big Publishing Deals — 2026-10-01
Elin Hilderbrand and daughter Shelby Cunningham's co-authored novel *The Thoroughbreds* claimed the #1 spot on Publishers Weekly's hardcover fiction list for the week ending September 28, while Leigh Bardugo's *Dead Beat* and Emily St. John Mandel's *Exit Party* round out the top releases. Children's book rights deals were announced for authors including Maddie Buell and Kristy Boyce. Print book sales continue their modest upward trajectory, with US retail units tracking at 762.4 million for 2025.
Bestseller Lists and Big Publishing Deals — 2026-10-01
Top developments
The Thoroughbreds Claims #1 Hardcover Fiction
Mother-daughter coauthors Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham's debut collaboration, The Thoroughbreds, secured the top position on Publishers Weekly's hardcover fiction bestseller list for the week ending September 28, 2026. The novel's success reflects sustained reader appetite for literary fiction from established authors willing to experiment with family-driven storytelling. This marks a significant commercial moment for dual authorship in mainstream publishing.
Bardugo Closes Ninth House Trilogy; Mandel Returns with Exit Party
Leigh Bardugo's Dead Beat, the final book in her dark academia Ninth House trilogy, and Emily St. John Mandel's Exit Party both entered the top rankings during the same week, signaling strong reader engagement with series conclusions and return titles from bestselling authors. Both releases captured significant shelf space and promotional support from major retailers.
Children's Book Rights Deals Announced
Publishers Weekly reported a Rights Report for the week of September 28, 2026, documenting new book deals for children's authors Maddie Buell, Kristy Boyce, Kat Schneider, and additional authors. These mid-range rights transactions reflect ongoing publisher confidence in middle-grade and young adult segments despite broader market consolidation.
Major Bestseller Lists Converge on Shared Top Titles
Publishers Weekly, USA Today, The New York Times, Amazon, and Indie Bestseller lists all reported overlapping titles in their top rankings for early October 2026, with The Thoroughbreds maintaining its position across multiple platforms. This convergence indicates broad retail and consumer consensus on top-performing titles, strengthening first-week sales momentum for leading fiction releases.
Context & numbers
Print book sales in the United States reached 762.4 million units in 2025 through retail channels tracked by Circana BookScan, marking a 0.3% increase over 2024—the second consecutive year of unit growth. However, this growth reflects only retail point-of-sale transactions and excludes direct publisher and author sales, meaning total market activity exceeds reported figures. Penguin Random House, the largest trade publisher, reported 2025 revenues of €4.981 billion (approximately $5.76 billion USD), up 1.3% from the prior year, with organic growth reaching 3.3%.;
On the radar
- October releases: Spanish-language markets anticipate significant releases including works by Almodóvar (first novel), Pérez-Reverte, and Han Kang, signaling robust fall catalog activity across international markets.
- Celebrity memoir wave: Multiple outlets report 2026 as a landmark year for celebrity memoirs, with titles from entertainment and political figures expected to compete for bestseller placement through year-end.
- Hispanic publishing momentum: Penguin Random House's September 2026 lineup highlighted Spanish-language titles, including Élmer Mendoza's El amante de Janis Joplin, suggesting sustained investment in Spanish-language translation and original titles.
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