Comey's 'A Higher Loyalty' Lifts Unit Sales in Mid-April

Boosted by sales of more than 357,000 copies of A Higher Loyalty by James Comey, total print unit sales in the week ended Apr. 22, 2018, rose 7% over the comparable week in 2017, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Unit sales in the adult nonfiction category (where Comey’s memoir was the top title) increased 17% over the week ended Apr. 23, 2017. Everybody Always by Bob Goff also had a solid first week, selling more than 33,000 copies—good enough for second place on the category bestseller list. Unit sales in the adult fiction segment have been down for most of the year, but the segment posted a 2% increase in the week ended Apr. 22, 2018, over the comparable week a year ago. The Fallen by David Baldacci got off to a strong start, selling nearly 62,000 copies in its first week. The paperback release of Karin Slaughter’s The Good Daughter sold more than 9,000 copies in its first week, putting it in eighth place on the category bestseller list. Unit sales of print books increased 7% in juvenile nonfiction. Rescue and Jessica by Jessica Kenksy jumped from 22nd place to third place on the category bestseller list, selling more than 5,000 copies. The Confidence Code for Girls by Katty Kay remained in first place in the category, selling more than 8,000 copies. Print unit sales in the juvenile fiction category were only 2% higher than in the comparable week in 2017, despite a big week for A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss. The parody of Marlon Bundo’s Day in the Life of the Vice President by Charlotte and Karen Pence sold more than 65,000 copies, easily putting it in first place on the category list.

Unit Sales of Print Books by Channel (in thousands)

Unit Sales of Print Books by Category (in thousands)

Unit Sales of Print Books by Format (in thousands)

Source: npd BookScan and Publishers Weekly. Npd’s U.S. Consumer Market Panel covers approximately 80% of the print book market and continues to grow.