We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
The 10 best-selling books on Amazon since lockdown began
EVERYONE is talking about No.1!
One of the upsides of lockdown is that it has suddenly given many of us time to read an actual book. But which reads have been top of our lists during the Coronavirus pandemic?
With so many books new and old being devoured, Amazon UK has revealed the top ten best-selling books that we Brits have been enjoying in recent months. The data includes sales and downloads across physical and digital books on Amazon between 23rd March and 11th May 2020.
Some you might expect (erm, hello Normal People) and others nod to our current state of mind, with This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay perhaps reflecting our need to read books which give an insight into the NHS. There's also a nod to our collective desire to spend this time sprucing up our homes, with lots of readers picking up cleaning tips from Mrs Hinch's Hinch Yourself Happy.
So if you're curious, why not take a look at the books we've all been enjoying over the past couple of months? You never know - you might just find the reading inspo to see you through the next few weeks of lockdown.
Faber & Faber Normal People by Sally Rooney
You may not be surprised to learn that the bestselling book on Amazon since lockdown began is Sally Rooney's Normal People. We can only guess, but this might just be down to the phenomenal success of the BBC Three adaptation of the novel, which has had fans (read: us) in raptures, largely thanks to Connell's now-infamous chain. If you haven't read it yet, now's the time.
Quercus The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
Tiffy and Leon share a flat and a bed, but they've never met. That's the premise of this rom-com, which became a bestseller when it was published back in 2019. And if you try this and like it, why not order a copy of Beth O'Leary's latest novel, The Switch?
Wildfire Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce
Blending legal and domestic drama, Blood Orange is about lawyer Alison, who on the surface has it all, but whose life is unravelling underneath. If you enjoyed the likes of Apple Tree Yard and Anatomy of a Scandal, you'll love this pacy and suspenseful read.
Is there something about the mundanity of lockdown which has us reaching for thrillers? It seems so. This Richard and Judy Book Club pick has sold over a million copies in total, and is about to be made into a major movie. It follows Alicia, who shot her husband many years ago and hasn't spoken since, and a psychotherapist, Theo, who is desperate to find out the truth about why she did it.
Corsair Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Picked by Cosmo's fashion director Amy Bannerman as one of the best books to read if you're self-isolating, Where The Crawdads Sing is about a girl living in isolation in South Carolina and is giving readers a hefty dose of both relatability and wanderlust at this strangest of times. "It's one of the most beautiful books I have ever read," says Amy.
Slime: The new children’s book from No. 1 bestselling author David Walliams.
Kids bloody love David Walliams's stories, so when he published a new one a week after lockdown, it was always going to prove popular. After all, what's not to love about a boy called Ned with a superpower in the form of slime?
Michael Joseph Hinch Yourself Happy by Mrs Hinch
Move over Kim and Aggie, the Queen of Clean these days is undoubtably Sophie Hinchcliffe, AKA Mrs Hinch. So it's unsurprising that her book of cleaning tips and tricks not only topped the bestseller lists when it was published, but has had a resurgence while we've been stuck in our houses. Want to make your pad literally gleam? You know what to do.
Ebury Press The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
Artist Charlie Mackesy was Insta-famous before he published this book at the end of last year, and it's since become much-loved. Featuring illustrations of his four characters (yes, you guessed it: a boy, mole, fox and horse) the book imparts lessons on hope, kindness and friendship, so it's not hard to see why people are loving it now.
The final book in Mantel's epic Tudor trilogy, it's no surprise that this recently-published conclusion is flying high on top of many people's reading lists. Although you don't have to read it to find out what happens to Thomas Cromwell (thanks Wikipedia), Hilary Mantel's storytelling is sublime.
Picador This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay
Let's face it, you've probably already read junior doctor Adam Kay's multi-million copy bestselling, award-winning account of what it's like to be on the NHS's frontline. But if you haven't, you might find it has extra relevance now that we've come to rely on the NHS more than ever.
The best new novels are steamy novels
The best books coming out in 2026
The best books of 2025
Read an extract of R.F. Kuang's Katabasis novel
