Gone Before Goodbye tops Waterstone’s Ballymena chart as new releases hit shelves

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben has taken the top spot at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, heading an eclectic bestseller list spanning contemporary thrillers, literary classics, self-help and romance.

Homer’s The Odyssey, in Emily Wilson’s acclaimed translation, and John Steinbeck’s East of Eden take second and third place respectively, while modern bestsellers from Mel Robbins, Shari Lapena, Alice Feeney and Kristin Hannah also feature prominently.

Beyond the Top 10, this week’s update brings half-price offers for adults and younger readers, four notable new releases and details of upcoming Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Romance book clubs.

Top 10 This Week

1. Gone Before Goodbye — Reese Witherspoon & Harlan Coben

Two major names join forces for a fast-paced thriller packed with secrets, danger and the kind of twists that have made Harlan Coben one of the world’s bestselling suspense writers.

2. The Odyssey — Homer, translated by Emily Wilson

Emily Wilson’s celebrated translation brings fresh energy and accessibility to Homer’s ancient epic of adventure, survival and homecoming, following Odysseus on his long and perilous journey back to Ithaca.

3. East of Eden — John Steinbeck

One of Steinbeck’s most enduring novels, East of Eden is a sweeping family saga exploring love, jealousy, morality and the struggle between good and evil across generations in California’s Salinas Valley.

4. The Let Them Theory — Mel Robbins

Mel Robbins presents an accessible approach to relationships and personal wellbeing built around learning to stop trying to control the actions and opinions of other people.

5. She Didn’t See It Coming — Shari Lapena

The bestselling thriller writer delivers another suspenseful story built around secrets, suspicion and the unsettling realisation that appearances can be dangerously deceptive.

6. My Husband’s Wife — Alice Feeney

A twist-filled psychological thriller from Alice Feeney, exploring marriage, secrets and deception as the truth behind a relationship becomes increasingly difficult to unravel.

7. Adversary to the Villain — Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Romance, fantasy and humour combine in another adventure from Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s popular world of villains, unlikely relationships and workplace chaos.

8. Summer Island — Kristin Hannah

An emotional story of fractured family relationships, forgiveness and second chances from the bestselling author of The Nightingale.

9. The Correspondent — Virginia Evans

A warm and quietly compelling novel told through letters, following Sybil Van Antwerp as her correspondence gradually reveals a story of friendship, loss, forgiveness and human connection.

10. American Psycho — Bret Easton Ellis

Bret Easton Ellis’s controversial modern classic presents a dark and disturbing satire of wealth, consumerism and excess through the life of Wall Street investment banker Patrick Bateman.

Half-price offers

A mix of cookery, romantasy and children’s favourites feature among the latest half-price offers.

• BBQ — Jamie Oliver

From paprika pulled pork to black pepper grilled peaches, the beloved Jamie Oliver serves up bold and smoky flavours in this must-have barbecue bible filled with tips and stunning recipes.

• Reckless — Lauren Roberts

Following on from Powerless, the second bewitching instalment in Roberts’ bestselling romantasy trilogy finds the balance between hunter and hunted shift as the king-killer Paedyn Gray and the new king’s brother Kai Azer meet in the reckless, hostile city of Dor.

• Esme Pepper — Jacqueline Wilson

When her well-meaning mum gets in trouble, Esme is placed in foster care with an elderly couple in this heartwarming story about finding your way through challenges from the beloved author of the Tracy Beaker series.

• Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2 — Jeff Kinney

Ghoulish surprises galore await in this hilarious follow-up to Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories, as Greg Heffley’s best buddy shares more of his comically terrifying tales of monsters, oversized insects and more.

Four new releases to discover

There is plenty of fresh reading material arriving on the shelves this week, including new work from Donal Ryan, Irvine Welsh and Susie Dent.

• Where Are The Kings — Donal Ryan

The highly acclaimed author of The Spinning Heart and The Queen of Dirt Island returns with another psychologically acute and affecting novel of family and secrets, as twelve-year-old Jack learns to grow up without the presence of his mother.

• Little Spark — Jess Kidd

A heady mix of gothic fiction and steampunk themes, this spellbinding period novel pitches a girl with uncanny electrical abilities into a shadowy house where eccentric inventors are trying to produce automata.

• Can Nothing Save Us? — Irvine Welsh

A pulsating literary thriller from the bestselling author of Trainspotting that mines the hedonism and paranoia of Las Vegas, as a drug-fuelled club promoter drags his wealthy family into a nightmare of suspicious neighbours, charismatic cult leaders and more.

• Death Writ Large — Susie Dent

The page-turning sequel to the lexicographical legend’s debut crime novel Guilty by Definition sees Martha Thornhill and her team of linguists called upon to investigate the murder of a university lecturer whose corpse is accompanied by sinister runic graffiti.

Saturday Storytime

Younger book lovers can enjoy another morning of stories and activities at Waterstone’s Ballymena.

Storytime and colouring takes place on Saturday 22 August at 12pm, with this week’s featured story being Worm’s Big Dig by Tom Tinn-Disbury.

Book clubs bring readers together

The store’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Club meets on Thursday 20 August at 7pm, with Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh selected as this month’s read.

The small and informal group welcomes new members for relaxed discussion, refreshments and plenty of book chat. There is no charge to join.

The Romance Book Club follows on Friday 21 August at 7pm, when readers will discuss Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe.

The evening promises conversation, snacks and plenty of laughs, with new members welcome. The Romance Book Club is an 18+ event.

From enduring classics by Homer and Steinbeck to some of the biggest names in contemporary crime and fiction, this week’s chart shows just how varied reading tastes are among Waterstone’s Ballymena customers.

With new releases landing on the shelves, half-price offers to explore and a busy programme of storytime and book club events, there is plenty to keep local book lovers turning the pages as summer continues.