Jessie Burton’s The Miniaturist has been announced as Book of the Year 2014 by Waterstones.
The thriller is set in 17th century Amsterdam and it was July’s Fiction Book of the Month at Waterstones. It’s the best-selling debut novel of the year and quickly became a favourite with Waterstones booksellers and customers.
The Miniaturist recently exceeded the lifetime hardback sales of The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, making it the bestselling literary debut hardback of the decade so far.
James Daunt, Managing Director of Waterstones, welcomed the award saying, “This is a first novel of vivid excitement and a thrilling discovery. From the moment of its publication in the summer it has fired the imagination of our booksellers and their customers. In a year of such exceptionally strong publishing, The Miniaturist has richly deserved its stunning success.”
Jessie Burton said āIt is a thrill, a pleasure and a true honour to be voted Waterstonesā Book of the Year 2014. It’s particularly special as the title was chosen by booksellers, and I am indebted to their passion for The Miniaturist and their desire to spread the word to readers. It’s all any writer could wish for. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Waterstones has played a large part in changing my life and I will always be grateful for this incredible award.ā
Waterstones is offering a beautiful exclusive edition of The Miniaturist. The cover features the original endpaper design and is printed on boards with a buckram finish and gold foiling on the front back and spine. As winner of Book of the Year it will receive the fully committed backing of all Waterstones branches and booksellers across the UK during the crucial shopping month of December, as well as support online and through its Loyalty Card programme, which reaches 1.7 million readers.