AP Author James Patterson, shown here in a 2025 Associated Press photo, co-wrote three of the most checked-out books and the most popular audiobook with Warren-Trumbull County Public Library patrons in 2025.

Warren-Trumbull County Public Library patrons are thrill seekers.

Crime thrillers dominate the list of the most popular books and audiobooks checked out by patrons of the main library in Warren and its branches in Brookfield, Cortland, Eastwood Mall, Howland and Liberty, as well as its bookmobile, pop-up and library-by-mail services.

Cheryl Bush, marketing and public relations manager for the library, said 662,369 items were checked out in 2025, and more than 120,000 of those were digital, rather than physical copies. That was a 17% increase compared to 2024.

And while the library has expanded its offerings to meet community needs, books remain the item that library visitors borrow the most.

“Books are still over 70% of all items that are checked out, and if anything, that continues to go up slightly every year,” Bush said.

And many of those books have James Patterson’s name on them. Books co-written by the prolific novelist occupy three of the top four slots on the library’s list of most checked out novels — “The Writer,” “Paranoia” and “25 Alive.” That’s actually a decrease from 2024, when he had four of the top 10 books.

That doesn’t mean his popularity is decreasing, though. A fourth Patterson book, “The House of the Cross,” was number one on the list of the most popular audiobooks, so he was the most popular author on two lists in 2025.

“He collaborates with a number of co-authors, so he’s able to put out several books a year, and the crime thrillers are definitely popular with our readers. And I think they just love a good mystery with complex characters and stories that keep us guessing.”

The most popular book of 2024 — Kristen Hannah’s “The Women” — remained popular enough to finish fifth in 2025. Frieda McFadden filled two slots on the top 10 book list with “The Crash” and “The Housemaid” and Nora Roberts had two of the most popular audiobooks with “Hidden Nature” and “The Mirror.”

Most of the popular novels at the library also filled retail best seller lists. That’s often, but not always, the case when it comes to the most borrowed movies on DVD, Blu-ray and digital.

“Wicked,” which earned $474 million in North American theaters, was the most popular library film title in 2025. The Mark Wahlberg action film “Flight Risk” was number two at the library, even though it made less than $30 million in theaters.

Most “Joker” fans skipped the 2024 sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” in theaters, but they were curious enough to put it into the top 5 in the library system.

While none of those titles made the top 10, Bush said the library has seen an increase in the number of patrons borrowing educational DVDs, which includes documentaries, travel videos and how-to videos.

When it comes to music, the difference between the pop charts and the library list is more stark. There’s no Taylor Swift or Bad Bunny to be found among the most popular library titles.

“NOW that’s What I Call Music!” compilations fill four of the 10 slots on the library list. With the exception of Jelly Roll, the most popular library CDs came from artists who started their careers in the previous century (Santana, Eric Clapton) and in some cases are deceased (Toby Keith, Gordon Lightfoot).

Most popular

Here are the top 10 most checked-out times in 2025 in the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library system:

Books

1. “The Writer” by James Patterson and J.D. Barker

2. “Paranoia” by James Patterson and James O. Born

3. “Strangers in Time” by David Baldacci

4. “25 Alive” by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

5. “The Women” by Kristin Hannah

6. “Nobody’s Fool” by Harlan Coben

7. “The Crash” by Freida McFadden

8. “The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden

9. “Lethal Prey” by John Sandford

10. “Far From Home” by Danielle Steel

Audiobooks

1. “The House of Cross” by James Patterson; read by Wayne Carr, Inger Tudor, William Christopher Stephens, Peter Giles, Zeno Robinson, Christine Lakin and Andrew Kishino

2. “In Too Deep” by Lee Child and Andrew Child; read by Scott Brick

3. “Now or Never: Thirty-one on the Run” by Janet Evanovich; read by Lorelei King

4. “Bonded in Death” by J. D. Robb; read by Susan Ericksen

5. “Hidden Nature” by Nora Roberts; read by January Lavoy

6. “The Waiting” by Michael Connelly; read by Christine Lakin, Titus Welliver and Madison Lintz

7. “The Mirror” by Nora Roberts; read by Brittany Pressley

8. “Open Season” by Jonathan Kellerman; read by John Rubinstein

9. “To Die For” by David Baldacci; read by Zachary Webber, Mela Lee, Cassandra Morris, Rena-Marie Villano, Christine Lakin, Will Collyer, Kiff VandenHeuvel and Erin Bennett

10. “Famous Last Words” by Gillian McAllister; read by Emilia Fox

Movies

1. “Wicked”

2. “Flight Risk”

3. “Twisters”

4. “Moana 2”

5. “Joker: Folie à Deux”

6. “Gladiator II”

7. “Conclave”

8. “Mufasa: The Lion King”

9. “Captain America: Brave New World”

10. “Kraven the Hunter”

Music CDs

1. “13 Number Ones” (Toby Keith)

2. “Sentient” (Santana)

3. “Meanwhile” (Eric Clapton)

4. “Beautifully Broken” (Jelly Roll)

5. “NOW that’s What I Call Music! Vol. 53”

6. “NOW that’s What I Call Music! Vol. 54”

7. “NOW that’s What I Call Music! Vol. 66”

8. “The Rolling Stone Collection, 1977-1982: 25 Years of Essential Rock”

9. “NOW that’s What I Call Music! Vol. 63”

10. “Complete Greatest Hits” (Gordon Lightfoot)