Authors
Career leaders on NYT Hardcover Fiction, ranked by Longevity. Click a column to re-sort.
Ranked by Longevity, part of the ChartReign Power model — not a list published by anyone else. How it works →
| # | Author | Career Power | Peak Power | Peak Year | Weeks at #1 | Top-five weeks | Longevity | Dominance | Comebacks | Markets | Charting span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Patterson | 6,719 | 9.84% | 352 | 41 | 374 | 1,137 | 16.47% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1993 → 2026 |
| 2 | Danielle Steel | 8,152 | 11.02% | 501 | 108 | 514 | 1,034 | 16.06% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1980 → 2026 |
| 3 | Stephen King | 8,547 | 16.03% | 730 | 169 | 568 | 986 | 22.57% | 12 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1977 → 2025 |
| 4 | John Grisham | 8,538 | 12.27% | 530 | 193 | 575 | 905 | 17.94% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1991 → 2026 |
| 5 | Taylor Caldwell | 3,842 | 12.20% | 460 | 9 | 240 | 524 | 14.53% | 10 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1938 → 1981 |
| 6 | David Baldacci | 3,496 | 8.30% | 259 | 42 | 220 | 488 | 14.85% | 1 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1996 → 2026 |
| 7 | James A. Michener | 4,537 | 14.45% | 731 | 132 | 299 | 478 | 14.72% | 10 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1949 → 1993 |
| 8 | Nicholas Sparks | 3,405 | 9.58% | 351 | 34 | 219 | 462 | 14.78% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1996 → 2026 |
| 9 | Mary Higgins Clark | 3,300 | 8.76% | 300 | 50 | 199 | 449 | 15.64% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1978 → 2023 |
| 10 | Tom Clancy | 3,813 | 12.16% | 504 | 70 | 260 | 432 | 14.82% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1985 → 2014 |
| 11 | Robert Ludlum | 3,445 | 12.85% | 446 | 81 | 208 | 406 | 14.53% | 9 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1973 → 2006 |
| 12 | Leon Uris | 3,838 | 14.30% | 725 | 66 | 260 | 405 | 14.53% | 7 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1953 → 1999 |
| 13 | Clive Cussler | 2,041 | 9.31% | 205 | 8 | 99 | 396 | 14.53% | 11 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1976 → 2021 |
| 14 | Herman Wouk | 3,623 | 14.43% | 740 | 91 | 248 | 375 | 14.53% | 7 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1947 → 1994 |
| 15 | John le Carré | 3,345 | 14.27% | 647 | 78 | 225 | 370 | 14.72% | 10 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1964 → 2021 |
| 16 | Sidney Sheldon | 3,050 | 12.35% | 353 | 51 | 184 | 342 | 15.03% | 11 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1974 → 2000 |
| 17 | Ken Follett | 2,344 | 11.08% | 317 | 15 | 131 | 338 | 14.53% | 9 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1978 → 2025 |
| 18 | Irving Stone | 2,931 | 13.97% | 704 | 51 | 198 | 325 | 14.53% | 7 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1934 → 1985 |
| 19 | Daphne Du Maurier | 3,059 | 12.38% | 381 | 60 | 210 | 319 | 14.53% | 9 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1936 → 1973 |
| 20 | Harold Robbins | 2,014 | 11.79% | 398 | 0 | 98 | 311 | 12.64% | 11 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1948 → 1991 |
| 21 | Helen MacInnes | 2,327 | 13.45% | 503 | 18 | 148 | 307 | 14.53% | 9 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1942 → 1984 |
| 22 | Mary Stewart | 2,335 | 12.22% | 387 | 16 | 160 | 294 | 14.53% | 8 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1959 → 1984 |
| 23 | Frances Parkinson Keyes | 2,058 | 11.94% | 354 | 8 | 134 | 281 | 14.53% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1938 → 1966 |
| 24 | Michael Crichton | 2,075 | 10.10% | 234 | 19 | 120 | 280 | 15.12% | 12 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1969 → 2024 |
| 25 | John O'Hara | 2,071 | 10.84% | 370 | 6 | 133 | 273 | 14.53% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1934 → 1969 |
| 26 | Janet Evanovich | 1,959 | 7.39% | 237 | 44 | 113 | 271 | 15.57% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1999 → 2025 |
| 27 | Dan Brown | 3,183 | 19.20% | 901 | 102 | 222 | 269 | 21.49% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 2003 → 2026 |
| 28 | A. J. Cronin | 2,618 | 13.94% | 636 | 70 | 188 | 259 | 14.53% | 8 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1932 → 1964 |
| 29 | Allen Drury | 2,658 | 13.94% | 708 | 42 | 198 | 258 | 14.53% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1959 → 1975 |
| 30 | John Sandford | 1,841 | 6.49% | 114 | 21 | 119 | 256 | 15.41% | 1 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1991 → 2026 |
| 31 | Dean Koontz | 1,682 | 7.00% | 156 | 18 | 97 | 246 | 14.93% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1993 → 2019 |
| 32 | Thomas B. Costain | 2,284 | 13.26% | 648 | 44 | 156 | 243 | 14.53% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1945 → 1960 |
| 33 | Lawrence Sanders | 1,261 | 7.72% | 179 | 0 | 44 | 237 | 12.64% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1973 → 1999 |
| 34 | Pearl S. Buck | 1,747 | 10.76% | 239 | 14 | 101 | 236 | 14.53% | 8 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1931 → 1969 |
| 35 | Gore Vidal | 1,931 | 13.53% | 453 | 30 | 124 | 235 | 14.53% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1948 → 1998 |
| 36 | Lloyd C. Douglas | 2,307 | 14.35% | 695 | 52 | 173 | 233 | 14.91% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1932 → 1954 |
| 37 | Frederick Forsyth | 2,054 | 12.88% | 519 | 21 | 135 | 233 | 14.53% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1971 → 2018 |
| 38 | Irving Wallace | 1,713 | 10.49% | 308 | 2 | 113 | 233 | 14.53% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1960 → 1986 |
| 39 | Dr. Seuss | 1,400 | 10.11% | 366 | 5 | 66 | 233 | 14.53% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1984 → 2000 |
| 40 | Dick Francis | 1,362 | 6.16% | 140 | 0 | 60 | 231 | 12.64% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1980 → 2010 |
| 41 | Mitch Albom | 1,872 | 11.45% | 588 | 21 | 125 | 230 | 14.60% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 2003 → 2026 |
| 42 | Arthur Hailey | 2,305 | 14.12% | 667 | 53 | 171 | 229 | 14.53% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1965 → 1990 |
| 43 | Nora Roberts | 1,708 | 6.29% | 138 | 28 | 98 | 229 | 20.56% | 1 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1996 → 2026 |
| 44 | Frank Yerby | 1,330 | 8.68% | 261 | 0 | 67 | 226 | 12.64% | 0 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1946 → 1960 |
| 45 | Anne Rice | 1,661 | 8.49% | 231 | 12 | 102 | 224 | 14.91% | 7 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1985 → 2018 |
| 46 | Michael Connelly | 1,477 | 5.89% | 138 | 13 | 79 | 222 | 14.82% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1998 → 2026 |
| 47 | Patricia Cornwell | 1,825 | 8.66% | 254 | 36 | 105 | 221 | 15.24% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1994 → 2025 |
| 48 | Kristin Hannah | 1,657 | 13.65% | 659 | 20 | 102 | 214 | 19.93% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 2001 → 2025 |
| 49 | John Steinbeck | 1,912 | 13.60% | 458 | 47 | 131 | 206 | 14.53% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1937 → 1961 |
| 50 | John Updike | 1,193 | 11.94% | 394 | 1 | 52 | 205 | 14.53% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1959 → 2006 |
| 51 | Jack Higgins | 1,069 | 8.90% | 215 | 0 | 40 | 199 | 11.01% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1975 → 2015 |
| 52 | Irwin Shaw | 1,290 | 9.92% | 304 | 4 | 62 | 198 | 14.53% | 8 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1948 → 1982 |
| 53 | Robert B. Parker | 892 | 3.54% | 69 | 0 | 23 | 198 | 11.15% | 1 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1984 → 2013 |
| 54 | Sandra Brown | 1,269 | 5.35% | 119 | 6 | 66 | 194 | 15.30% | 1 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1991 → 2026 |
| 55 | Patrick Dennis | 1,396 | 12.17% | 540 | 5 | 91 | 192 | 14.53% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1955 → 1963 |
| 56 | Richard Bach | 1,569 | 14.42% | 714 | 38 | 90 | 191 | 14.53% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1972 → 1989 |
| 57 | Maxine Paetro | 815 | 3.81% | 117 | 0 | 2 | 191 | 7.45% | 0 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 2005 → 2025 |
| 58 | Graham Greene | 1,350 | 10.86% | 296 | 2 | 85 | 182 | 14.53% | 8 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1933 → 1982 |
| 59 | Robin Cook | 922 | 6.46% | 105 | 0 | 29 | 181 | 12.64% | 7 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1977 → 2014 |
| 60 | Jonathan Kellerman | 1,003 | 4.43% | 83 | 3 | 49 | 179 | 14.53% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1989 → 2026 |
| 61 | Anne Tyler | 1,010 | 6.66% | 209 | 0 | 48 | 178 | 12.64% | 9 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1982 → 2025 |
| 62 | Elizabeth Goudge | 1,248 | 10.13% | 235 | 5 | 70 | 176 | 14.53% | 7 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1937 → 1971 |
| 63 | Jeffrey Archer | 1,136 | 9.49% | 208 | 9 | 55 | 176 | 14.53% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1977 → 2018 |
| 64 | W. E. B. Griffin | 909 | 4.88% | 86 | 2 | 40 | 175 | 14.53% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1987 → 2016 |
| 65 | Robert James Waller | 1,913 | 21.18% | 904 | 67 | 106 | 174 | 24.03% | 0 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1992 → 2002 |
| 66 | Jodi Picoult | 1,166 | 7.04% | 138 | 23 | 55 | 173 | 14.97% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 2004 → 2024 |
| 67 | Barbara Taylor Bradford | 949 | 6.65% | 138 | 1 | 41 | 171 | 14.53% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1979 → 2014 |
| 68 | James Michener | 1,915 | 14.44% | 720 | 69 | 137 | 170 | 14.53% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1963 → 1989 |
| 69 | Judith Krantz | 1,413 | 11.62% | 358 | 12 | 97 | 168 | 14.53% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1978 → 1996 |
| 70 | Joseph Wambaugh | 1,147 | 10.44% | 281 | 0 | 63 | 167 | 12.64% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1971 → 2008 |
| 71 | Nevil Shute | 867 | 9.19% | 249 | 0 | 40 | 166 | 12.64% | 7 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1938 → 1960 |
| 72 | James Redfield | 1,558 | 14.29% | 679 | 22 | 99 | 165 | 18.61% | 0 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1994 → 1997 |
| 73 | Lee Child | 1,047 | 5.91% | 138 | 17 | 57 | 165 | 14.53% | 0 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 2004 → 2025 |
| 74 | Stuart Woods | 828 | 3.46% | 75 | 0 | 33 | 165 | 12.64% | 0 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1996 → 2022 |
| 75 | Jean M. Auel | 1,318 | 11.67% | 392 | 25 | 87 | 164 | 14.74% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1980 → 2011 |
| 76 | Scott Turow | 1,249 | 12.03% | 462 | 19 | 75 | 163 | 14.62% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1987 → 2025 |
| 77 | John P. Marquand | 1,559 | 13.61% | 400 | 37 | 104 | 162 | 14.53% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1937 → 1959 |
| 78 | Barbara Kingsolver | 898 | 6.89% | 327 | 0 | 34 | 160 | 12.64% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1993 → 2024 |
| 79 | James Clavell | 1,367 | 12.12% | 497 | 19 | 88 | 159 | 14.53% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1962 → 1993 |
| 80 | Jacqueline Susann | 1,756 | 14.18% | 670 | 49 | 128 | 158 | 14.53% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1966 → 1977 |
| 81 | J. D. Robb | 1,164 | 3.97% | 83 | 15 | 74 | 158 | 14.78% | 0 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 2003 → 2026 |
| 82 | James Hilton | 1,599 | 16.49% | 545 | 27 | 113 | 155 | 22.85% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1934 → 1954 |
| 83 | Sue Grafton | 1,210 | 6.43% | 112 | 15 | 76 | 155 | 14.77% | 13 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1990 → 2017 |
| 84 | Kurt Vonnegut | 1,201 | 12.12% | 328 | 15 | 67 | 153 | 14.53% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1969 → 1997 |
| 85 | Anthony Doerr | 1,104 | 11.65% | 542 | 5 | 67 | 153 | 14.53% | 1 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 2014 → 2022 |
| 86 | John Irving | 1,114 | 11.88% | 368 | 13 | 61 | 150 | 14.53% | 5 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1978 → 2025 |
| 87 | Jackie Collins | 949 | 7.74% | 180 | 2 | 55 | 150 | 14.53% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1981 → 2014 |
| 88 | Victoria Holt | 864 | 7.13% | 179 | 0 | 32 | 149 | 11.01% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1960 → 1988 |
| 89 | Anya Seton | 1,052 | 10.67% | 296 | 0 | 58 | 147 | 12.64% | 6 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1946 → 1973 |
| 90 | Nelson DeMille | 959 | 8.83% | 191 | 10 | 56 | 146 | 14.53% | 12 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1988 → 2025 |
| 91 | Daniel Silva | 1,105 | 4.83% | 84 | 19 | 68 | 145 | 15.45% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1997 → 2026 |
| 92 | Belva Plain | 805 | 9.97% | 244 | 0 | 35 | 145 | 12.64% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1978 → 2002 |
| 93 | Fletcher Knebel | 940 | 9.33% | 288 | 1 | 55 | 144 | 14.53% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1962 → 1972 |
| 94 | Sholem Asch | 1,177 | 11.22% | 282 | 8 | 87 | 143 | 14.53% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1939 → 1956 |
| 95 | F. Van Wyck Mason | 1,004 | 10.44% | 212 | 15 | 65 | 142 | 14.53% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1938 → 1961 |
| 96 | Louis Auchincloss | 1,030 | 11.88% | 385 | 1 | 56 | 140 | 14.53% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 1952 → 1977 |
| 97 | John D. MacDonald | 832 | 7.33% | 170 | 0 | 42 | 139 | 11.01% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1975 → 1986 |
| 98 | Len Deighton | 683 | 7.34% | 173 | 0 | 24 | 139 | 11.01% | 4 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1965 → 1991 |
| 99 | Eugene Burdick | 587 | 5.43% | 258 | 0 | 3 | 139 | 6.32% | 3 | 1 · #1 in 0 | 1956 → 1964 |
| 100 | Harlan Coben | 975 | 4.83% | 115 | 16 | 59 | 138 | 14.53% | 2 | 1 · #1 in 1 | 2001 → 2026 |