Who is your most read author?

[TattiePants]

I expected my most read author to be Kate Atkinson but it turns out it’s Pat Barker. I’ve only got 2 more Barkers to read then I’ve ran out until her next one comes out in 2024. There is a new Atkinson and Harris out this month and I haven’t read the latest Aaronovitch / Rivers of London yet so that’ll be a few more to add to the list.

Pat barker 13
Kate Atkinson 11
Robert Harris 10
Ben Aaronovitch 8
Margaret Atwood 7
CJ Sansom 7

I thought of adult books, it would be Agatha Christie, by a country mile. I read all of hers in my late teens. But it turns out all the Alexander McCall Smiths add up to a large number too

Agatha Christie
Alexander McCall Smith (all the Ladies No 1 Detectives, and the Edinburgh series etc)
Jilly Cooper
Kate Atkinson
JK Rowling (inc Robert Galbraith)

Of kids books, yes Enid Blyton but also Elinor M Brent-Dyer for all those Chalet School books!

Oh I forgot
Charlaine Harris - I've read virtually everything of hers!

Jk Rowling/ r. Galbraith
Nevil Shute
R. Dahl
B. Erskine

ChessieFL
Sweet Valley High is another series that was mainly if not entirely ghostwritten - Francine Pascal came up with the concept and stories but other writers actually wrote them. Not sure if Francine actually wrote any of them herself.
Mind blown with this AND the Babysitter’s club!!!

Gosh, I haven’t seen Jean Plaidy‘s name anywhere for donkeys’ years! No idea how many I had read by the time I was 12 or 13 - about a million probably!

I recall during those years I assumed I would be what Hilary Mantel became.

Hmmph.

For shere numbers if not quality Enid Blyton.

But otherwise, Kate Atkinson
Patrick Gale
JKR/ Robert Galbraith

Loads seem to like Ben Aaronovitch, I tried the Rivers of London series but didn't get on with it.

Stewart McBride
Helen Fields
David Jackson

Enid Blyton, Agatha Christie, MC Beaton, Lesley Pearse, Elly Griffiths

All of Trollope (see username)
All of Agatha Christie
All of Stephen King
All of Norah Lofts
All of Jean Plaidy
All of the Enid Blyton series/school stuff back in the day too - ditto the Chalet School.

Nice to see another LMB fan @theproudgeek! I wish she was more well-known, especially as she won the Hugo and Nebula awards back in the 80s/ 90s for the Vorkosigan books.

It’s interesting to see which authors keep being mentioned - Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, and Agatha Christie seem to be the most frequent so far!

Stephen King
Bill Bryson
Lisa Jewell
JK Rowling

George Orwell
Marian Keyes
Philippa Gregory
John Irving

Arthur Hailey was a brilliant author.
Yes!

My dad had lots of his books, & I started reading them about 9 (& Jeffrey Archer). I didn't understand the sex scenes but just skimmed those. I loved the stories & plots.

My parents let me read anything they had around, which lead to some interesting reads for me - my dad had a lot of philosophy texts & theology books - not so interesting!

I also read all my mothers Mills & Boons, the proper ones, especially doctor / nurse ones. Loved them. She also loved the Russian authors (some contrast!) Dostoyevsky & the like. Never ever got into those.

Probably Agatha Christie
Dick Francis
Ann Cleeves
Susan Hill
Colin Dexter

I've also read almost everything by Alice Hoffman, Anne Tyler, Maggie O'Farrell, Lionel Shriver, Sebastian Barry and Emma Donogue.

Me too, bar Lionel Shriver whose writing I loathe!

Stephen King no question. I have Fairy Tale to read next. Loved The Institute that he wrote more recently but my favourite of all time is The Stand.

Enid Blyton
Elinor M B Dyer
Dean Koontz
Marian Keyes
Jeffrey Archer
Amanda Prowse

As a child
Enid Blyton
Elinor Brent-Dyer
Richmal Crompton
Charles Dickens
Frank Richards (I miss Bunter so much, I read most from the Library of my Grandma's house & so have few as an adult & they aren't to be found now)

As an adult
PD Wodehouse
Maggie O'Farrell (I think I've read everything she's written, bar her latest. I adore her books)
Maeve Binchy (tho there's a lot I haven't read)
Beryl Bainbridge
Emma Donoghue

Also Maeve Binchy

Going back a bit - Enid Blyton.

Now, I'd say Ian Rankin.

Dare I admit that I've never read any Terry Pratchett! I'm a bit daunted by the number of Discworld books and which order to read them. Where should I start?

Thomas Hardy
Daphne Du Maurier
C J Samson
Agatha Christie
And, as a child, all the Dr Who paperbacks!

Tattiepants Book 1 of the disk World Series- The Colour of magic, and if I remember correctly it’s a brilliant book!!! Enjoy!!!

I think, as many people have said mine are also Kate Atkinson & Maggie O’Farrell, I’ve read everything they’ve both written.

I think next up would be Toni Morrison, and Margaret Atwood, I think I’ve read nearly all of both of their books.

As a child, Enid Blyton most definitely, followed by CS Lewis.

Henning Mankell (17 or so)
Georges Simenon (20+, have lost count at this point, all Maigret)
Bill Bryson (most of his books, 14-15 or so)
James Herriot (I think I've read them all, some several times over)
Hans Fallada (6)