Sales of Bibles and quiz books surged to heights not seen since the late 1990s according to the latest data from NielsenIQ BookData, which oversees the ISBN and SAN Agencies for the UK and Ireland. Expenditure on the Good Book rose by 19% in 2025, while the appetite for trivia saw a 24% spike.

It is a curious pairing – scripture and pub-quiz preparation – that Philip Stone of NielsenIQ attributes to a “sustained demand for escapism and insight” during an otherwise “softer” year for the industry. Philip Stone, head of publisher account management at NielsenIQ BookData, said: “NielsenIQ BookData’s 2025 findings reveal a resilient book market, with readers continuing to invest in stories despite a softer year overall.

“With bestselling authors such as Richard Osman, Freida McFadden, Julia Donaldson and Dav Pilkey leading another solid year, publishers, booksellers and authors continue to keep the market energised, innovative and full of opportunity.

“Momentum that feels especially fitting as we enter the National Year of Reading and work to inspire more people across the UK to make reading a regular part of their lives.” Stone continued.

While readers are looking upward for answers, the broader non-fiction market has hit a decade-long low. Total spending in the category fell to £791 million, a 5% drop that suggests a wearying interest in the strictly factual.

The individual triumphs of the year underscore a market still driven by beloved storytellers. Richard Osman’s latest foray into his Thursday Murder Club universe, The Impossible Fortune, claimed the 2025 bestseller crown with 478,000 copies sold since its autumn debut.

Whether through the lens of a graphic novel or the verses of a Bible, the British reader is still searching for a narrative to call their own.