The top-selling novel in France at the end of last month, In the Woods of Eternity, is the 10th title in the highly popular series featuring chief inspector Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg. The series author, Frederique Vargas, is a historian and archeologist living in Paris. Simon & Schuster brought Vargas to the U.S. last year with the trade paperback edition of Have Mercy on Us All and has set a late fall pub date for Vargas's Seeking Whom He May Devour. No word yet on rights for Woods.
Leading the fiction list in the Czech Republic is that country's former president, Václav Havel, who has released his first book in 15 years. Written with journalist Karel Hvizdala, Briefly, Please is actually a nonfiction work comprising Havel's letters, diaries and conversations with Hvizdala. The newest entry among Spain's top fiction sellers, Mauricio or The Primary Elections, is another novel that examines life in Spain after the arrival of democracy.
A number of bestselling American novelists (not named Dan Brown) made an appearance on international top 10 lists in May. In addition to Mary Higgins Clark placing second in France, Michael Connelly's The Lincoln Lawyer was fourth in France, while Lauren Weisberger's Everyone Worth Knowing stood at #10. Raymond Khoury (The Last Templar) and Ed McBain (Fiddlers) were #4 and #7 on the Czech fiction list. Amy Tan's Saving Fish from Drowning was #7 in Spain.
