2020 may have been a rollercoaster of a year, but for some of us (bar working parents, who have been busier than ever this year), it's meant a little bit more time to indulge in reading the best books of the year.
With multiple lockdowns, and cancelled commutes, more of us this year have turned to our eReaders and Kindles, or our paperbacks and hardbacks, for a bit of an escape from the realities of the ongoing pandemic.
For plenty of people, 2020 has been the first chance in a long while to really get back into reading, with spare hours spent at home that we might normally spend socialising or travelling.
And so, it certainly makes for interesting reading to look back at the bestselling fiction books on Amazon of the past year!
How closely do the last 12 months bestsellers match up to your reading interests?
Bestselling Amazon fiction books of 2020
1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Celia Owens
It's safe to say that this 2018 novel, set in North Carolina, took the literary world by storm in 2020, topping multiple bestseller lists for weeks and weeks in a row. The multiple timeline story follows both the life of a young girl named Kya as she grows up isolated in the marshes of North Carolina, and the murder investigation of local celebrity Chase Andrews. Buy Where the Crawdads Sing here.
2. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
This charming, illustrated book was a bestseller this year and follows the friendship that develops between the four title characters. Buy The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse here.
3. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
A Richard and Judy bookclub pick, this psychological thriller follows the story of Alicia Berenson, a famous painter who is held as guilty for the murder of her husband - and who hasn't spoken since the day he died. Buy The Silent Patient here.
4. Normal People by Sally Rooney
The Normal People BBC TV adaption captured the hearts of the nation earlier this year, and so, it seems, did the book it was based on. The novel follows Marianne and Connell in a romantic, coming-of-age tale. Buy Normal People here.
5. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Penned by Pointless co-host Richard Osman, this book is set in a peaceful retirement village, and sees four friends meet up once a week to resolve unsolved murders - until one happens right on their doorstep. Buy The Thursday Murder Club here.
6. Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce
This gripping, bestselling thriller sees lawyer Alison - torn between her family, career, and her affair - defend a client who is convinced she stabbed her husband. But not everything is as it seems...Buy Blood Orange here.
7. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Winner of the 2019 Booker Prize, this bestseller follows a cast of 12 characters on their personal journeys through this country over the last 100 years. Buy Girl, Woman, Other, here.
8. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
This is a heartwarming tale of two flatmates who share a bed - but have never actually met. A real feel-good novel for a tough year. Buy The Flatshare here.
9. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
As timeless as ever, 2020 was the year when many of us returned to old favourites, or discovered classics we've never read before. And this is clear in the first book of the Harry Potter series making the list of most sold fiction books on Amazon in 2020. Buy Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone here.
10. The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
Set in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Nuri, a beekeeper, and his wife, Afra, an artist, live a simple but beautiful life, until the unthinkable happens and they are forced to escape. Buy The Beekeeper of Aleppo here.
So how many have you read? Or will you be popping any of these on your 2021 reading list?
