Edinburgh’s most borrowed books of 2016 have been published, revealing a penchant for crime and mystery amongst city readers. Psychological thriller The Girl on the Train topped the list of fiction books borrowed from the capital’s libraries last year, followed closely by Ian Rankin’s Even Dogs in the Wild and Peter May’s Coffin Road.
Scottish writers also featured heavily in the top ten with a Peter May novel appearing alongside Ian Rankin’s latest Rebus instalment and In the Dark Cold Ground by Aberdeen-raised author Stuart MacBride.
In addition to novels in print, the books most frequently downloaded from the Council’s ebook service in 2016 have been unveiled, with The Girl on the Train the most popular in this format too.
Culture and Sport Convener, Councillor Richard Lewis, said: “It’s always fascinating to discover which fiction titles the public choose to withdraw from our libraries the most, and this year it’s a good mix – though featuring some of the country’s familiar favourites like Ian Rankin and J.K. Rowling (aka Robert Galbraith).
“While our fantastic libraries serve so many needs – whether it’s Book Bug for the toddlers, the Reference Library for research or one of the many craft sessions taking place across the city – there’s nothing quite like borrowing a good novel to get stuck into.”
Edinburgh Libraries’ ten most borrowed fiction novels 2016
1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
2. Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin
3. Coffin Road by Peter May
4. Make Me by Lee Child
5. NYPD Red by James Patterson
6. Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
7. A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
8. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
9. In the Cold Dark Ground by Stuart MacBride
10. The Crossing by Michael Connelly
Edinburgh Libraries’ ten most downloaded fiction novels 2016
1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
2. Make Me by Lee Child
3. A Lesson in Dying by Ann Cleeves
4. Personal by Lee Child
5. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
6. A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
7. Dead Men’s Bones by James Oswald
8. After You by Jojo Moyes
9. City of Strangers by Louise Millar
10. The Guilty by David Baldacci
Find out more about Edinburgh’s Libraries online.