Hundreds of armchair sleuths borrowed Richard Osman's thriller We Solve Murders from Hertfordshire libraries last year – making it the most popular choice amongst readers in 2025.

The thriller – penned by the game show host, who has also written the Thursday Murder Club series – was picked off the shelves 2,225 times by those readers wanting to turn the pages of a physical book.

But it was also borrowed as an ebook and enjoyed as an e-audio recording by hundreds more – putting the total number of times the title was loaned last year in excess of 5,500.

And that was more than any other single title held by Hertfordshire's network of 46 libraries.

Overall, last year the county's library service – which celebrated its centenary in 2025 – issued more than six million books.

The second most popular adult fiction book was In Too Deep, which is part of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series.

The physical book was borrowed 1,744 times, with loans of the ebook and e-audio recording putting the total number of loans to more than 2,800.

And the third most loaned title was The Frozen People, by Ely Griffiths, with the physical book taken out 1,407 times.

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The county's libraries remain popular with children and young people.

And according to the data supplied to the Local Democracy Reporting Service by the county council, Julia Donaldson's Tiddler was the most loaned picture book in 2025, having been taken from the shelves 2,564 times.

Meanwhile, the most loaned children's title was Jeff Kinney's Diper Overlode, with the physical book taken out 1,504 times. An e-book and audio recording are also available for this title and were borrowed more than 650 times.

When it came to young adult titles, it was Louis Sacher's Holes that rated as the most loaned from Herts libraries – with physical copies being loaned 374 times in the 12-month period and the ebook and audio recording accounting for more than 250 further loans.

In addition to the loan of reading materials – including physical and ebooks – the county's libraries also host a range of events and offer access to equipment, ranging from an iMac to a sewing machine, a laminator to a green screen.

And commenting on the broad-ranging appeal of the county's libraries, the county council's executive member for resources and performance, Cllr Chris Lucas, said: "This year we celebrated the centenary of libraries in Hertfordshire, and they remain as popular as ever with over six million books borrowed annually.

"Our libraries are warm, welcoming spaces for all, with activities for all ages.

"As we head into the National Year of Reading 2026, our libraries will be celebrating reading in all its forms, from Baby Rhyme Times for our youngest customers to creative reading making use of our innovative Creator Spaces.

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"There really is something for everyone in your local library."