The Whitcoulls Top 100 Books list, released today, reveals that Aotearoa's local publishing scene is in a strong position, with more New Zealand authors on the list than ever before. Fourteen of our foremost writers, personalities and newcomers have won favour with Kiwi readers, taking their place amongst big international hitters.

Whitcoulls Book Manager Joan MacKenzie says, ‘It’s heartening to see both fiction and non-fiction local talent appear in the Top 100, not least Fungi by Liv Sisson (#13) which was a runaway bestseller when it was published last year, alongside other nonfiction with Kate Evans’ history of the feijoa, Pippa Latour and Jude Dobson’s memoir The Last Secret Agent, After the Tampa by Abbas Nazari and Hira Nathan’s Whakawhetai,’ says Mackenzie. 

‘There’s also new homegrown fiction from Kate Mahony, Olivia Spooner, Catherine Chidgey, Josie Shapiro and Sarah A. Parker, along with author Emily Perkins’ 2024 Ockham Acorn Fiction prize winning novel, Lioness.’

Overall, the 2024 Whitcoulls Top 100 Books List has changed by an astonishing 42 percent. Whitcoulls Book Manager Joan Mackenzie attributes this to a collective surge of enthusiasm for writers who are being shown a lot of love from online communities, via the impact of book influencers and social media platforms.

MacKenzie goes on to say, ‘Fiction and fantasy titles always dominate the Top 100, and this year there were thousands of votes  for romance (14 books on the List) and fantasy (11 titles) along with a strong showing of memoirs, classics, self-help, and inspirational books. There are eight authors who appear more than once,  including fiction writer Colleen Hoover.’ 

Whitcoulls have been asking Kiwi readers to vote for their favourite books for almost three decades and their Top 100 Books List offers insights into our reading tastes and trends. Whitcoulls are proud  to showcase Aotearoa New Zealand’s favourite books instore nationwide and online at www.whitcoulls.co.nz.  

The New Zealand titles included in the list are:

- Edmonds Cookery Book by Edmonds (#4)
- Fungi by Liv Sisson (#13)
- 101 Ways to Find Calm by Rebekah Ballagh (#16)
- Secrets of the Land by Kate Mahony (#21)
- The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (#39)
- The Girl from London by Olivia Spooner (#41)
- The Axeman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey (#49)
- The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris (#61)
- Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts by Josie Shapiro (#63)
- Feijoa by Kate Evans (#68)
- Auē by Becky Manawatu (#77)
- Whakawhetai by Hira Nathan (#86)
- Lioness by Emily Perkins (#87)
- When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker (#98)