Bestsellers, Penguin Group (USA) Weekly Update - 5/25:

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John Sandford’s Wicked Prey Debuts at #1 on The New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List

Wicked Prey by John Sandford, which G.P. Putnam’s Sons published on May 12th, hits #1 on The New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list for May 31st. This novel, the nineteenth in Sandford's bestselling Prey series, is set in Minneapolis-St. Paul against the backdrop of the Republican National Convention, and Sandford's protagonist, the lovably flawed and complex Lucas Davenport, must outsmart a whole new set of vicious criminals. A front page feature about John Sandford in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Arts section, on Sunday, May 10th, captured the author's extraordinarily eclectic interests. Reporter Kristin Tillotson described the writing room in John's home: "a beautifully restored library, taken from an old mansion and re-created in a cabin attached to Camp's home on the St. Croix River, a 25-minute drive from St. Paul. The walls are lined with an impressive collection of art, history and archaeology books. A photo of the artist Piet Mondrian hangs to the right of his work space, a Cartier-Bresson in the adjacent hall. Then, there's the snapshot of three hunters standing over a huge slain moose in the snow, tacked up carelessly above his Mac."

Sandford kicked off his tour for Wicked Prey with standing-room-only events in Minneapolis-St. Paul, as well as talks and signings in Phoenix, San Diego, Chicago, Milwaukee and Los Angeles.

Sandford continues to write action-packed, fresh story-lines starring Lucas Davenport in his Prey series (Phantom Prey is currently #3 on The New York Times mass market fiction bestseller list), as well as penning a new series featuring Virgil Flowers, a character originally introduced in the Prey series. The next Virgil Flowers novel will be Rough Country, due out from Putnam this October.

The New York Times Bestseller Highlights for the Week of May 31st

(View this week's bestseller lists for fiction, nonfiction, and young readers on Penguin.com)

Three new Penguin Group (USA) titles debut on The New York Times bestseller list for the week of May 31st: Wicked Prey by John Sandford (Putnam) hits at #1 on the hardcover fiction list; Street Fighters by Kate Kelly (Portfolio) is #12 on the hardcover nonfiction list; and Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (Speak) is #4 on the children's paperback books list.

Here are more New York Times bestseller highlights:

On the hardcover fiction list, Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #3 in its second week; Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward (NAL) is #14 in its third week; and Loitering with Intent by Stuart Woods (Putnam) is #15 in its fourth week.

On the hardcover nonfiction list, The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow (Gotham) is #5 in its fourth week; and Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster (NAL) is #13 in its second week.

On the trade paperback fiction list, Vision in White by Nora Roberts (Berkley) is #3 in its third week; and City of Thieves by David Benioff (Plume) is #6 in its seventh week.

On the mass market fiction list, Phantom Prey by John Sandford (Berkley) is #3 in its second week, Hot Mahogany by Stuart Woods (Signet) is #7 in its second week; Burning Wild by Christine Feehan (Jove) is #8 in its third week; From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #11 in its sixth week; and Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #13 in its 25th week; and Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #20 in its 20th week.

On the paperback nonfiction list, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin) holds the #1 slot in its 120th week; In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (Penguin) is #3 in its third week; Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin) is #10 in its 121st week; The Soloist by Steve Lopez (Berkley) is #15 in its ninth week; and The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan (Penguin) is #16 in its 87th week.

In the young readers sector, on the children's picture books list, Listen to the Wind by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth (Dial) is #1 in its seventeenth week; Llama Llama Misses Mama, written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney, (Viking) is #7 in its third week; Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy by David Soman and Jacky Davis (Dial) is #8 in its tenth week; and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, written and illustrated by Eric Carle, (Philomel) is #10 in its ninth week. On the children's chapter books list, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Razorbill) is #6 in its 30th week. On the children's paperback books list, Three Cups of Tea: Young Readers Edition by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Puffin) is #3 in its seventeenth week.

Gotham's The Girls from Ames Is a Nationwide Sensation, Hitting #1 on Regional Bestseller Lists 

With four weeks on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction list, The Girls from Ames continues to be a nationwide sensation. It has hit # 1 on three regional bestseller lists including: The Heartland Indie bestseller list, The Boston Globe, and The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Last Saturday, The Wall Street Journal featured the book in a cover story in the Arts section, as well as showcased podcasts, video, and slideshows of the girls on its website. By Sunday, it was the #1 most emailed article in the Wall Street Journal.

Author and Wall Street Journal columnist Jeffrey Zaslow is currently on a national tour, with upcoming events in Detroit and Lansing, MI. This July, Zaslow will also be part of an East Coast road trip along with the East Coast contingent of the girls, stopping in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, and more. With its powerful message about the timelessness of female friendship, The Girls from Ames is proving to be a summertime hit. Share this e-card with your best friends.

Also, view the reading group guide complete with video and book club discussion questions.
 

Penguin Weekly Update, Bestsellers, New York Times, Penguin Books