At the summit of this week’s chart is The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, published by Spiegel & Grau. Stockett’s latest work has captured the imagination of readers browsing independent shelves, taking the coveted number one spot. Following closely behind at number two is Jacqueline Harpman’s haunting dystopian novel I Who Have Never Known Men, published by Transit Books, which continues to resonate deeply with audiences exploring themes of isolation and survival.
Rounding out the top tier of the fiction list are Josh Silver’s suspenseful Fruit Fly from Crooked Lane Books at number three, Rebecca Parry’s May We Feed the King from Transit at number four, and Eli McCann’s moving novel Stitched published by Torrey House Press at number five. These early entries demonstrate a strong appetite for both gripping contemporary storytelling and richly atmospheric fiction from independent and university presses alike.
Classics and fresh translations also hold a prominent place on the nationwide indie bestseller list. Among them, Homer’s epic tales translated brilliantly by Emily Wilson and published by W.W. Norton maintain a steady presence, with The Odyssey appearing at number six and The Iliad charting at number twenty-three. Similarly, enduring literary masterworks such as John Williams’s Stoner, published by NYRB Classics at number nine, and Octavia E. Butler’s foundational speculative fiction classic Kindred, published by Beacon Press at number thirty-eight, prove that readers continue to seek out profound, time-tested works through their local independent booksellers.
Contemporary fiction featuring strong character-driven narratives and emotional depth also dominates the mid-section of the Top 40. Douglas Stuart’s John of John (Grove Press) takes the number seven spot, closely followed by Sheila Masterson’s The Poison Daughter (Slowburn) at number eight and Lily King’s Heart the Lover (Grove Press) at number ten. Grove Press maintains a strong showing across the entire ranking, with Claire Keegan’s widely acclaimed works Small Things Like These and Walk the Blue Fields securing positions eleven and fourteen, respectively, alongside Will MacLean’s Solace House at number fifteen.
Series fiction and multi-volume projects have similarly carved out a dedicated following among independent bookstore patrons. Beth Brower’s charming The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion series, published by Rhysdon Press, claims multiple spots on the list, with Volume 1 at number sixteen, Volume 2 at number twenty-five, and Volume 3 rounding out the mid-thirties at number thirty-five.
Thrillers, mysteries, and dark romantic fiction offer a change of pace for readers looking for suspense. David McCloskey’s geopolitical thriller London Station (W.W. Norton) lands at number twenty, while Mick Herron’s acclaimed spy novel Slow Horses (Soho Crime) holds firm at number twenty-four. Additionally, readers have embraced inventive and chilling tales such as Kat Dunn’s Rottenheart (Zando), T.L. Swan’s The Italian Obsession (Amdell), and Virginia Feito’s psychological thriller Victorian Psycho (Liveright).
The full spectrum of the Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers for the week ending October 25, 2026, showcases the vibrant breadth of contemporary publishing championed by independent booksellers nationwide:
- The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (Spiegel & Grau)
- I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books)
- Fruit Fly by Josh Silver (Crooked Lane Books)
- May We Feed the King by Rebecca Parry (Transit)
- Stitched by Eli McCann (Torrey House Press)
- The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson (W.W. Norton)
- John of John by Douglas Stuart (Grove Press)
- The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson (Slowburn)
- Stoner by John Williams (NYRB Classics)
- Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press)
- Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Grove Press)
- The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters (Catapult)
- Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido (NYRB)
- Walk the Blue Fields by Claire Keegan (Grove)
- Solace House by Will MacLean (Grove Press)
- The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1 by Beth Brower (Rhysdon Press)
- I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney (Zibby Publishing)
- On the Calculation of Volume (Book I) by Solvej Balle, translated by Barbara J. Haveland (New Directions)
- Rottenheart by Kat Dunn (Zando)
- London Station by David McCloskey (W. W. Norton)
- The Italian Obsession (House of Ferrara) by T.L. Swan (Amdell)
- The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller (Europa)
- The Iliad by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton)
- Slow Horses by Mick Herron (Soho Crime)
- The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 2 by Beth Brower (Rhysdon Press)
- Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth (Melville House)
- The Employees by Olga Ravn (New Directions)
- Up to No Good: The Complete Elderly Lady Stories by Helene Tursten (Soho Crime)
- Fcked Up Fairy Tales: Sinful Cinderellas, Prince Alarmings, and Other Timeless Classics* by Liz Gotauco, illustrated by Jade Gotauco (W. W. Norton)
- Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy (David R. Godine Publisher)
- Victorian Psycho: A Novel by Virginia Feito (Liveright)
- Sometimes I Scare Myself: A Collection of Horror by Jeneva Rose (Blackstone)
- Taiwan Travelogue: A Novel by Shuang-zi Yang (Graywolf Press)
- Butcher & Blackbird: The Ruinous Love Trilogy by Brynne Weaver (Slowburn)
- The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 3 by Beth Brower (Rhysdon Press)
- The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine (Grove Press)
- Carmilla, Deluxe Edition: The Dark Sapphic Romance that Inspired Dracula by Sheridan Le Fanu (Pushkin Press)
- Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (Beacon Press)
- The Overstory by Richard Powers (W. W. Norton)
- Glass, Irony and God by Anne Carson (New Directions)
