Fantasy takes the top spot as Waterstone’s Ballymena unveils latest bestsellers and half-price offers
Saturday 31 October 2026
Fantasy fiction has taken the top spot at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, with Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Splintered Harmony leading a varied bestseller chart featuring crime thrillers, historical fiction, cookery and local interest.
Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl takes second place, while John Grisham’s The Widow completes the top three.
There is also a distinctly local addition to the chart, with Stephen Davison’s The Wee Roads taking fourth place, ahead of Mary Berry’s Mary All in One.
Elsewhere, bestselling names including Lee Child, Virginia Evans and Claire Douglas remain popular, while five half-price offers and three November book club meetings give local readers plenty to look forward to.
This week’s Top 10
1. A Court of Splintered Harmony — Sarah J. Maas
The internationally bestselling fantasy author takes the top spot with a title appealing to readers of immersive fantasy, romance and richly imagined worlds. Maas is best known for her A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass and Crescent City series.
2. Dungeon Crawler Carl — Matt Dinniman
An explosive blend of science fiction, fantasy, action and dark humour, following Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they attempt to survive a deadly dungeon-style game after Earth is transformed into a brutal intergalactic spectacle.
3. The Widow — John Grisham
The master of the legal thriller returns with another suspenseful story of crime, secrets and justice, delivering the twists and high-stakes storytelling that have made Grisham one of the world's most successful authors.
4. The Wee Roads — Stephen Davison
A locally appealing title from Stephen Davison, whose work celebrates the character and atmosphere of Northern Ireland's roads and landscapes. Its appearance in the Top 10 reflects continued interest in books with a strong connection to home.
5. Mary All in One — Mary Berry
The much-loved cookery writer serves up her first collection devoted to one-pot recipes, offering accessible dishes ranging from comforting pasta meals and traybakes to cakes and other family favourites.
6. The Wax Child — Olga Ravn
An atmospheric and unsettling work of historical fiction from the acclaimed Danish author, drawing on witchcraft, persecution and the experiences of women accused of practising dark arts.
7. Chain Reaction — Lee Child and Andrew Child
Jack Reacher returns in another high-octane thriller, finding himself in a sinister town dominated by humming data centres and the constant threat of violence. The latest adventure combines mystery, danger and the relentless action associated with the bestselling series.
8. The Correspondent — Virginia Evans
A moving novel told through letters, following Sybil Van Antwerp as her correspondence gradually reveals a lifetime of friendships, regrets, loss and unexpected connections.
9. The Family Friend — Claire Douglas
Bestselling psychological thriller writer Claire Douglas delivers another suspenseful mystery exploring trust, deception and the secrets that can lie beneath apparently ordinary relationships.
10. Swan Song — Charles Spencer
Charles Spencer completes this week's chart with Swan Song, adding another popular title to a writing career spanning history, biography and memoir.
Five half-price books to discover
There is plenty of variety among this week's half-price selections, with historical fiction, family cooking, football memoirs, action thrillers and children's humour all included.
• Royal Witch — Philippa Gregory
The bestselling historical novelist brings fresh life to the true story of a medieval noblewoman imprisoned after being accused of summoning the devil to secure royal power.
Gregory's novel explores female agency, misogyny and the dangers faced by women caught up in the political struggles of the medieval court.
• Mary All in One — Mary Berry
Mary Berry makes everyday cooking easier with her first collection of one-pot recipes, featuring everything from traybakes and pasta dishes to cakes and other family favourites.
The book is also proving popular in Ballymena, taking fifth place in this week's bestseller chart.
• Games of My Life — Sir Alex Ferguson
The legendary former Manchester United manager reflects on seven decades of football through 21 iconic matches, charting his extraordinary career at the highest level of the game.
The memoir celebrates persistence, passion and the enduring importance of teamwork, offering football supporters an insight into the experiences that shaped one of the sport's most successful managers.
• Chain Reaction — Lee Child and Andrew Child
Also appearing at number seven in this week's Top 10, the latest Jack Reacher adventure is included in the half-price selection.
Reacher finds himself drawn into danger in a sinister town dominated by data centres, where violence is never far away.
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Fight or Flight — Jeff Kinney
Greg Heffley returns in the hilarious 21st instalment of the bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
When Greg becomes the target of a fearsome school bully, he must use all his cunning to escape trouble in another comedy-filled adventure.
November Fiction Book Club
Readers who enjoy psychological suspense can mark their diaries for the next Waterstone's Ballymena Fiction Book Club.
The group meets on Thursday 5 November to discuss We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer.
The chilling horror novel follows a young couple renovating an old house whose lives take a disturbing turn when strangers arrive at the door claiming they once lived there.
Readers are invited to come along for coffee, cake and a relaxed discussion about the book.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club
Fantasy readers can also look forward to the next Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club meeting on Thursday 19 November at 7pm.
This month's selection is Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, the much-loved novel following the Owens sisters and their extraordinary family legacy of love, loss and witchcraft.
The atmospheric story offers plenty to discuss for readers who enjoy fiction blending family relationships with supernatural elements.
Romance Book Club returns
The next Romance Book Club meeting takes place at 7pm on Friday 20 November, when readers will be discussing Bromantasy by Máire Roche.
The meeting offers romance readers another opportunity to get together and share their thoughts on the month's chosen title.
Fantasy leads as November reading gets underway
With Sarah J. Maas taking the number one spot and Matt Dinniman following closely behind, fantasy is enjoying a particularly strong showing at Waterstone's Ballymena this week.
The continued popularity of John Grisham, Lee Child and Claire Douglas also highlights local readers' appetite for gripping crime fiction, while Mary Berry and Sir Alex Ferguson provide alternatives for those looking beyond novels.
Stephen Davison's appearance in the Top 10 adds a welcome local dimension to the chart, demonstrating the appeal of books celebrating familiar places and landscapes.
With five half-price titles and three book clubs scheduled throughout November, there are plenty of opportunities for Ballymena's reading community to discover something new and share their love of books as the darker evenings draw in.
