A new year, a new No. 1 best seller for James Patterson

Here’s a look at what’s new on Paste BN’s Best-Selling Books list…

Say ‘Never’: The new year is off to a happy start for James Patterson. His first hardcover adult thriller of the year, Never Never, written with Candice Fox (Little, Brown) and released on Jan. 16, lands at No. 1 this week.

It’s the 29th No. 1 Paste BN best seller for the popular and prolific author, whose tales include the Alex Cross books and the Women's Murder Club series. Many are written with co-authors. (The full list will be published on Thursday.)

His first No. 1 Paste BN best seller was 1st to Die in 2001. Last year, Patterson had three books land at No. 1: NYPD Red 4, co-written with Marshall Karp, in February; Private Paris, with Mark Sullivan, in March; and 15th Affair, with Maxine Paetro, in May.

In Never Never, an Australian detective whose brother is arrested in a grisly murder case is transferred to the isolated outback, where she investigates the disappearance of a mine worker.

Patterson also writes children’s books, and he’s the force behind BookShots, short paperbacks.

He’ll have more opportunities to hit No. 1 in 2017: he has eight more adult hardcover titles scheduled for the year, some with co-authors, some solo. (The books are also sold as e-books.)