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If the question is which genre bucked the prevailing trend in publishing to record a remarkable rise in readership last year, the answer is clear: quiz books.
Spending on the titles increased by nearly a quarter in 2025, data from NielsenIQ BookData suggests. It was the best year for quiz books since records began in 1998, according to the company, which manages the ISBN and SAN agencies for the UK and Ireland.
There was also a sharp increase in spending on Bibles, with sales up by 19% on the previous year. Industry research found total sales of Bibles in the UK reached £6.3m, an increase of £3.6m on 2019 sales.
The bestselling quiz books by Waterstones and Amazon are spin-offs of The 1% Club gameshow, broadcast on ITV and hosted by Lee Mack. They are published by Transworld, a division of Penguin Random House.
However, spending on non-fiction slumped to its lowest level since 2014, at £791m, a 5% fall. A total of 59m books were sold, a 6% decrease year-on-year.
Spending on adult fiction rose, though the number of print fiction books sold dropped slightly by 0.5%.
Combined print book sales were worth £1.81bn. The data was published before the London Book Fair, the publishers’ trade fair, which starts on Tuesday.
Philip Stone, the head of publisher account management at NeilsenIQ BookData, said: “NielsenIQ BookData’s 2025 findings reveal a resilient book market, with readers continuing to invest in stories despite a softer year overall.
“Fiction remained the standout performer, fuelled by strong growth in sci‑fi and fantasy, horror and graphic novels, while children’s and young adult books also saw encouraging gains in key areas.
“Non‑fiction faced greater pressure, though the popularity of trivia, quiz books and religious titles highlights sustained demand for escapism and insight.”
The average cost of a book has hit record levels. It stands at £9.52, 2% higher than 2024. The increase was attributed to inflation and the rising cost of book production.
Audiobook sales also rose, as did comic strips and graphic novels.
The quizshow host turned fiction writer and podcaster Richard Osman’s latest instalment in the Thursday Murder Club series, The Impossible Fortune, topped NielsenIQ’s 2025 bestsellers list.
It sold 478,000 copies, according to the data, ahead of Charlie Mackesy’s Always Remember and Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid.
Children’s author Julia Donaldson, best known for The Gruffalo, was the UK’s bestselling author, with 3.3m copies bought.
McFadden, who sold 2.6m copies, had The Housemaid adapted for a film starring Sydney Sweeney, which was released in December.
In third place was Dav Pilkey, the author of the Captain Underpants children’s series, who sold 1.5m.
Stone added: “With bestselling authors such as Richard Osman, Freida McFadden, Julia Donaldson and Dav Pilkey leading another solid year, publishers, booksellers and authors continue to keep the market energised, innovative and full of opportunity.
“The momentum feels especially fitting as we enter the National Year Of Reading and work to inspire more people across the UK to make reading a regular part of their lives.”
