Titles by Jaycee Lee Dugard, George R.R. Martin Bolster Sagging Publishing Industry

Though not exactly “beach reads,” with their dark and complex premises, the Dugard and Martin books have transcended expectations for how they would sell and be read—and by whom. They have seemingly little in common, besides their July 12 release date and their status as the top best-sellers nationwide.

Tracey Guest, publicity director for Simon & Schuster, said “A Stolen Life” sold 175,000 copies its first day out, while also setting a company record for one-day e-book sales.

“Simon & Schuster is reprinting and shipping at the fastest pace possible to meet high demand for the book,” Guest wrote in an