Welcome back to Subject Spotlight, your go-to source for quarterly data-driven insights into the performance of particular subjects in the Canadian book market.
Previously, we looked at the sales and library circulation for the Fiction / Science Fiction BISAC subject. In this instalment, we shine the spotlight on Non-Fiction / True Crime titles.
According to data published in our study, Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2023, True Crime was the third most popular genre for audiobook listeners, but it has been growing steadily since 2019 when 27% of respondents listened to that genre up to 32% in 2023.
The Canadian Book Consumer Study 2023 also revealed that True Crime was one of the top subject categories of the Non-Fiction titles purchased by Canadian book buyers in 2023 at 17%.
How did Non-Fiction / True Crime titles perform during the fourth quarter of 2024? We find out with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services.
Buying Non-Fiction / True Crime
Compared to 2023, the overall sales of Non-Fiction / True Crime titles were down 13% over the entire fourth quarter. Looking at the graph below, sales of Non-Fiction / True Crime increased by 69% from October to December 2024 and by 152% in the same period in 2023.
These are the BISAC subcategories with the highest year-over-year increase in sales:
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Cybercrime — up 1,130%
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions — up 86%
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Heists & Robberies — up 47%
From October to December 2024, the most purchased Non-Fiction / True Crime subcategories were:
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Murder — 87% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime sales
Non-Fiction / True Crime / General — 4% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime sales
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Organized Crime — 3% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime sales
Borrowing Non-Fiction / True Crime
From October to December 2024, library loans and renewals of Non-Fiction / True Crime titles were up 27% and 32% respectively from 2023.
Year-over-year, loans increased by 37% in October, 13% in November, and 34% in December. Overall, loans decreased by 19% in the fourth quarter of 2023 and by 21% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Year-over-year, renewals increased by 37% in October, 14% in November, and 49% in December. Overall, renewals decreased by 29% in the fourth quarter of 2023 and by 22% in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Which Non-Fiction / True Crime BISAC subcategories were the most popular in Canadian public libraries? From October to December 2024, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2023:
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Heists & Robberies — loans up 474% and renewals up 164%
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Cybercrime — loans up 384% and renewals up 127%
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions — loans up 83% and renewals up 51%
During the fourth quarter of 2024, the most circulated Non-Fiction / True Crime subcategories were:
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Murder — 64% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime loans and 60% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime renewals
Non-Fiction / True Crime / Abductions, Kidnappings & Missing Persons — 68% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime loans and 5% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime renewals
Non-Fiction / True Crime / General — 8% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime loans and 9% of all Non-Fiction / True Crime renewals
Reading Non-Fiction / True Crime
Here are the top selling and top borrowed Non-Fiction / True Crime titles from the fourth quarter of 2024.
Top borrowed
Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey
The Wager by David Grann
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
A Gentleman and a Thief by Dean Jobb 🍁
Top selling
Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey
The Wager by David Grann
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
Chaos by Tom O'Neill with Dan Piepenbring
The Innocent Man by John Grisham
Until next time!
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Sales and library circulation data of True Crime titles during the fourth quarter of 2024.