Author Min. estimated sales Max. estimated sales Original language Genre or title Number of books Citizenship Christie, Agatha Agatha Christie 2 billion 4 billion English Whodunits including the Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot series 85 British Shakespeare, William William Shakespeare 2 billion 4 billion English Plays and poetry English Cartland, Barbara Barbara Cartland 500 million 1 billion English Romance 723 British Steel, Danielle Danielle Steel 500 million 800 million English Romance 120 American Robbins, Harold Harold Robbins 750 million 750 million English Adventure 23 American Simenon, Georges Georges Simenon 500 million 700 million French Detectives, Maigret, romans dur 570 Belgian Sheldon, Sidney Sidney Sheldon 370 million 600 million English Suspense 21 American Blyton, Enid Enid Blyton 300 million 600 million English Children 's literature, Noddy, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven 800 British Rowling, J.K. J.K. Rowling 450 million 500 million English Harry Potter 11 British Seuss, Dr. Dr. Seuss 100 million 500 million English Children 's literature 44 American Patten, Gilbert Gilbert Patten 125 million 500 million English Adolescent adventures 209 American Oda, Eiichiro Eiichiro Oda 320 million 416 million Japanese One Piece, Manga 84 Japanese Tolstoy, Leo Leo Tolstoy 413 million Russian War and Peace, Anna Karenina 48 Russians Tellado, Corín Corín Tellado 400 million 400 million Spanish Romance 4,000 Spanish Collins, Jackie Jackie Collins 250 million 400 million English Romance 25 British Alger, Horatio Horatio Alger 200 million 400 million English Dime novels 135 American Stine, R.L. R.L. Stine 100 million 400 million English Goosebumps series, Fear Street series, horror, comedy 430 + American Koontz, Dean Dean Koontz 325 million 400 million English Horror, thriller, science fiction, fantasy 91 American Roberts, Nora Nora Roberts 145 million 400 million English Romance 200 + American Pushkin, Alexander Alexander Pushkin 357 million Russian Plays, poetry, prose, Eugene Onegin 17 Russian King, Stephen Stephen King 300 million 350 million English Horror, science fiction, fantasy, It, The Shining, The Stand, Bag Of Bones, Needful Things, The Green Mile 70 American Coelho, Paulo Paulo Coelho 200 million 350 million Portuguese The Alchemist 28 Brazilian L'Amour, Louis Louis L'Amour 230 million 330 million English Western 101 American Gardner, Erle Stanley Erle Stanley Gardner 100 million 325 million English Mystery, Perry Mason 140 American Jin Yong 100 million 300 million Chinese Wuxia 15 Hong Kong Chinese Akagawa, Jirō Jirō Akagawa 300 million Japanese Mystery 500 + Japanese Dailey, Janet Janet Dailey 300 million 300 million English Romance 93 American Wallace, Edgar Edgar Wallace 300 million English Detective 175 British Ludlum, Robert Robert Ludlum 110 million 290 million English Espionage, Jason Bourne 40 American Patterson, James James Patterson 150 million 275 million English Thriller, Alex Cross 98 American Dard, Frédéric Frédéric Dard 200 million 270 million French Detective, San Antonio 300 Swiss Archer, Jeffrey Jeffrey Archer 120 million 270 million English Crime thriller 30 British Berenstain, Stan and Jan Stan and Jan Berenstain 200 million 260 million English Berenstain Bears 300 + American Dahl, Roald Roald Dahl 200 million 250 million English Children 's literature 50 British Grisham, John John Grisham 100 million 250 million English Legal thriller 22 American Grey, Zane Zane Grey 250 million English Western American Wallace, Irving Irving Wallace 250 million English Suspense American Tolkien, J.R.R. J.R.R. Tolkien 200 million 250 million English The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, classical fantasy 36 British Kishimoto, Masashi Masashi Kishimoto 220 million Japanese Naruto 72 Japanese May, Karl Karl May 100 million 200 million German Western, adventure 80 German Spillane, Mickey Mickey Spillane 100 million 200 million English Detective, Mike Hammer American Lewis, C.S. C.S. Lewis 100 million 200 million English The Chronicles of Narnia, fantasy, popular theology 38 British Nishimura, Kyotaro Kyotaro Nishimura 200 million Japanese Mystery 400 + Japanese Brown, Dan Dan Brown 200 million 200 million English Thriller, Robert Langdon 6 American Martin, Ann M. Ann M. Martin 172 million 180 million English The Baby - sitters Club 335 American Shiba, Ryōtarō Ryōtarō Shiba 180 million Japanese Historical 350 Japanese Hailey, Arthur Arthur Hailey 150 million 170 million English Thriller 11 British / Canadian Villiers, Gérard de Gérard de Villiers 150 million French Detectives, SAS 170 French Potter, Beatrix Beatrix Potter 100 million 150 million English Peter Rabbit 23 British Crichton, Michael Michael Crichton 150 million 150 million English Techno thriller 25 American Scarry, Richard Richard Scarry 100 million 150 million English Illustrated children 's books 250 American Cussler, Clive Clive Cussler 40 million 150 million English Adventure, Dirk Pitt 37 American MacLean, Alistair Alistair MacLean 150 million English Adventure, thriller, war stories 32 British Follett, Ken Ken Follett 90 million 150 million English Spy thriller, historical thriller 30 British Lindgren, Astrid Astrid Lindgren 100 million 145 million Swedish Children 's literature 100 Swedish Macomber, Debbie Debbie Macomber 60 million 140 million English Romance American EL James 100 million 125 million English Fifty Shades of Grey British Yoshikawa, Eiji Eiji Yoshikawa 120 million Japanese Musashi 7 Japanese Cookson, Catherine Catherine Cookson 100 million 120 million English Romance 103 British Meyer, Stephenie Stephenie Meyer 100 million 116 million English The Twilight Saga, The Host, romance 6 American Bridwell, Norman Norman Bridwell 100 million 110 million English Clifford the Big Red Dog 80 American Baldacci, David David Baldacci 110 million English Thriller 25 American Nicholas Sparks 90 million 105 million English Romance 22 American Hunter, Evan Evan Hunter 100 million 100 million English Detective (Ed McBain) 94 American Neiderman, Andrew Andrew Neiderman 100 million 100 million English V.C. Andrews, The Devil 's Advocate 60 American Hargreaves, Roger Roger Hargreaves 100 million 100 million English Children 's literature, Mr. Men British Rice, Anne Anne Rice 75 million 100 million English Gothic fiction, vampires, Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles) 27 American Cook, Robin Robin Cook 100 million 100 million English Medical thriller 27 American Smith, Wilbur Wilbur Smith 80 million 100 million English African adventure 32 Zambian Caldwell, Erskine Erskine Caldwell 80 million 100 million English Literature 25 American Judith Krantz 80 million 100 million English Romance 12 American Hibbert, Eleanor Eleanor Hibbert 100 million 100 million English Romance, historical, suspense 200 British Carroll, Lewis Lewis Carroll 100 million English Alice 's Adventures in Wonderland, absurdist literature British Robins, Denise Denise Robins 100 million English Romance 200 British Xueqin, Cao Cao Xueqin 100 million Chinese Dream of the Red Chamber Chinese Fleming, Ian Ian Fleming 100 million 100 million English James Bond 14 British Hesse, Hermann Hermann Hesse 100 million 100 million German Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, The Glass Bead Game 45 German - Swiss Stout, Rex Rex Stout 100 million 100 million English Nero Wolfe 50 American Golon, Anne Anne Golon 100 million 100 million French Angélique 14 French Slaughter, Frank G. Frank G. Slaughter 100 million English Medical 62 American Burroughs, Edgar Rice Edgar Rice Burroughs 100 million 100 million English Tarzan, Barsoom and Pellucidar series, science fantasy American Creasey, John John Creasey 100 million English Crime thriller 600 British Michener, James A. James A. Michener 100 million English Historical 47 American Uchida, Yasuo Yasuo Uchida 100 million Japanese Mystery 130 + Japanese Morimura, Seiichi Seiichi Morimura 100 million Japanese Mystery 350 + Japanese Higgins Clark, Mary Mary Higgins Clark 100 million 100 million English Thriller American Jordan, Penny Penny Jordan 90 million 100 million English Romance 200 + British Cornwell, Patricia Patricia Cornwell 100 million English Thriller 34 + American Clancy, Tom Tom Clancy 100 million English Thriller American
who is the world's best selling fiction author
Agatha Christie