Four Blind Mice

Research by Bowker, a leading provider of bibliographic information, analysed more than 13 000 works of adult fiction published in the USA and found that 1550 with an identifiable location were set in England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland. New York topped the list of cities, followed by London, Los Angeles (including Hollywood), Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Rome was the only other non-American city in the top ten. California was the most popular state, followed by Texas, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina.

The research found that romance, mystery and detective, science fiction and westerns constituted half of all adult fiction published in the USA. The dominant format for fiction genre continues to be the paperback, with 65 per cent of romance, 61 per cent of science fiction and 58 per cent of mystery and detective titles published in this format.

Researchers also analysed the length and suggested retail prices for new releases. The average science fiction novel was 329 pages, followed by romance at 324, mystery and detective at 292, and westerns 261 pages. In 2004, the average suggested retail price for mass market science fiction was US$7.35, mystery and detective novels averaged US$6.94; and romances US$5.57.

Andrew Grabois, a consultant for Bowker commented:

"New African-American romances and other popular fiction with African-American characters are increasing both in number and importance. Conversely, Hispanic fictional characters, which represent the fastest growing minority in the US, appeared in fewer titles than we expected - barely a blip on the literary radar. This ethnically diverse segment of the population, now more highly educated than ever, may be the next growth market for fictional publishers."

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