Relative Merits

I don’t know precisely how rare it is to find siblings vying for top positions on a major newspaper’s bestseller list (the only comparison that comes to mind right now is sisters A.S. Byatt and Margaret Drabble). But I have to agree with author, screenwriter, and publisher Lee Goldberg that it’s not exactly a common occurrence. So he could be excused for voicing a cheer or two this week when The Pursuit (Bantam)—his latest Nicolas Fox-Kate O’Hare novel, written in partnership with Janet Evanovich—earned the eighth spot on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list … at the same time as The House of Secrets (Grand Central), a new thriller co-written by Brad Meltzer and Goldberg’s brother, Tod, ranked No. 16.

“We’ve both fantasized about this happening,” Goldberg confides today in his blog, “and now it actually has. We both have a hard time believing it.” Equally incredible might be that The Pursuit also debuted at No. 1 on the Times rundown of e-book bestsellers. Go ahead and pinch yourself, guys. This time it’s for real!