More Dutch thriller authors in top 10 suspense

In 2021, 15 different Dutch thriller authors reached the top 10 suspense bestseller list. That is more than in previous years. A favourable development for the Dutch thriller.

The market share of Dutch authors in the thriller market (suspense book minus fantasy and true crime) was 21% in 2021. This is according to research by research agency KVB-SMK/Gfk commissioned by the crime authors' section of the Authors' Association. The market share was 20%, 22% and 23% in 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Michael Berg (chairman section Dutch crime authors): 'A market share of 21% remains a handsome achievement. Especially given the fact that foreign thriller authors publish 4-5 times more books on the Dutch market. So the Dutch thriller is popular and I therefore call on bookshops to free up more table space for home-grown thrillers.'

The Netherlands has just under 200 active and serious thriller authors. For the most part, they are published by commercial and literary publishers. In 2021, Dutch thriller authors sold almost 1 million e-books (market share 13%) and almost 7.5 million paper books (market share 23%)

Top ten excitement

As many as 15 different Dutch thriller authors saw themselves in the top-ten suspense of the CPNB bestseller top 60. That is more than in 2019 and 2020 when 10 and 12 authors respectively secured a top-ten spot.

Michael Berg: 'More different authors is pure profit. It means the public knows and buys more Dutch authors. A positive development.'

Leader in 2021 was Suzanne Vermeer with 52 top-ten entries. This was followed by Linda van Rijn (26), Esther Verhoef (25), Saskia Noort (23), Peter Römer (23), Thomas Olde Heuvelt (15), Simone van der Vlugt (7), Marion Pauw (6), Nathalie Pagie (5) Elvin Post (4), Kiki van Dijk (3) Jeroen Windmeijer & Jacob Slavenburg (2) and Anya Niewierra, Loes den Hollander and Tomas Ross (1).

Esther Verhoef accounted for the most top-one listings (12), followed by Suzanne Vermeer (5), Thomas Olde Heuvelt (2) and Simone van der Vlugt, Peter Römer, Linda van Rijn (1)

NBD Biblion Golden Noose/Shadow Prize

Important promotional tools for the Dutch thriller are the NBD Biblion Gouden Strop (the prize for the best thrilling book of the year) and the NBD Biblion Schaduwprijs (the prize for the best thrilling debut of the year). Both prizes will be presented this year during the Evening of the Exciting Book on do 9 June in Utrecht Library on the Neude. The winner of the NBD Biblion Gouden Strop will win a sculpture made by Marianne van de Heuvel and a cash prize of €10,000. September and October will see the Gouden Strop Thriller Tour, a tour of ten libraries in the Netherlands where the winner and other Dutch thriller authors will perform.