The President Is Missing, the new novel by President Bill Clinton and James Patterson, has sold 260,000 total copies after its first week on sale, according to Knopf, the book's joint publisher along with Little, Brown. The book went on sale on June 4, with a first printing of 1.2 million copies, and was the #1 hardcover fiction title for the week ending June 9, selling over 147,000 copies according to NPD BookScan.
The book will be #1 on PW's Hardcover Fiction bestseller list for the week.
"By any measure, this was a terrific opening week of sales, one that exceeded even our own optimistic projections," Michael Pietsch, CEO of Hachette Book Group, said. "Sales continue apace this week, with Father’s Day on the horizon."
Sonny Mehta, chairman of the Knopf Doubleday Group, added: “We are heartened by the response to the work, especially among readers.”
The success in sales comes despite a rocky start to the book tour, where, on a number of occasions, Clinton has been confronted with questions about Monica Lewinsky and other instances of sexual misconduct in politics and culture, and has issued answers many in the audience and media found lacking.
