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Reading report for 2006: Most read authors

My most read author in 2006 was Terry Pratchett, which is no surprise as I embarked on a rereading of all the Discworld books, which is still not finished. If the Pratchett rereads are left out and only authors with books I read for the first time are counted, the list looks like this:

Georgette Heyer: 7
Sharyn McCrumb: 5
Marion Chesney/MC Beaton: 4
Georges Simenon: 4
Catherine Aird: 3
Robert Barnard: 3
Paul Doherty: 3
Arthur W Upfield: 3
Patricia Wentworth: 3
Terry Pratchett: 2
Arnaldur Indriðason: 2
Carolyn G Hart: 2
ST Haymon: 2
Joan Hess: 2
Caron Anne O'Marie: 2
Elizabeth Peters: 2
Kathy Reichs: 2
Josephine Tey: 2

It is interesting that all the authors whose books I read who have more than one book on the 2006 reading list are mystery authors. While Heyer is better know for romances and romantic historicals, Chesney for historical romances and Pratchett for fantasies, all have written mysteries. I read one Pratchett mystery, one Chesney mystery (written as MC Beaton) and three Heyer mysteries.

Since I have only completed two entire year's reading reports, there is not much that can be read from these results, other than that I am obviously going through a mystery reading phase, but in 5-6 year's time it will be interesting to compare these lists and the statistical breakdowns to see what reading trends I have gone through.

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