A collection of murder mystery puzzles has hit the bestseller top spot to become Christmas number one.

Called Murdle, it sold 52,549 copies in the UK in the week ending 16 December to claim the number one spot in the last bestseller list to be published before Christmas Day, Nielsen BookData revealed.

GT Karber’s mysteries have beaten a number of successful reads this year, including the latest in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series and Friends star Matthew Perry’s memoir.

“Murdle has been a consistent top 10 bestseller since it was published this summer,” Philip Stone, an analyst at Nielsen BookData said.

“However, its sales have really ramped up in recent weeks. Crime pays in the UK book market.”

He said £125m had been spent on crime novels in the UK in 2023, with a further £5m spent on true crime non-fiction books.

Murdle has sold 204,000 copies in the UK since it hit the shelves in June.

Newly released files reveal bitter infighting over Poet Laureate appointment

World Book Day study: Just 2% of pupils study books by women for GCSE English

Booker Prize 2022 shortlist released with shortest ever novel and oldest finalist

Its sequel, Murdle: More Killer Puzzles, was published in October and has sold 21,000 copies to date.

A third collection, Murdle: Even More Killer Puzzles, is due to be published in May next year.

Read more on Sky News:
Lord Of The Rings ‘sequel’ must be destroyed after Tolkien estate wins copyright case
Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch says far-right ‘always there’
Just 2% of pupils study books by women for GCSE English

The Guinness World Records book took the top spot last year. Other previous winners include The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and The Beat of Buckingham Palace by David Walliams.

Here is the full list of this year’s UK Top 10 bestsellers:

Related posts:

Another 738 COVID deaths and 12,718 cases in UK – as over 15.9m have had first vaccine dose UK’s R number increases slightly to between 0.6 and 0.9 Wales speeds up lifting of COVID lockdown restrictions once again COVID fight forces annual government borrowing to highest level since records began ‘Red Knights’ demand Glazers loosen Manchester United grip after Super League row Man admits to leaving girl, 15, to die so he could catch last train home RSPCA rescues 1p-sized baby mouse after cat captures its mother Man in his 70s dies after hot tub falls from crane, Sky News understands Do not approach: Police warn public to stay away from Katie Piper attacker Details of King’s coronation revealed with three-day spectacle to include balcony appearance and concert Sara Sharif’s relatives ‘want to resolve matters’, lawyer says Suspect arrested by detectives investigating man’s murder