Two local authors took the first three spots in the Hennepin County Library tabulations of the top titles checked out in 2012.

Vince Flynn snagged the top spot with "Kill Shot: An American Assassin Thriller." John Sandford took the next two spots with "Stolen Prey" and "Shock Wave." Fourth place was "Explosive Eighteen," a Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich.

Mysteries and thrillers dominated the list, which was released Wednesday. Exceptions were "Fifty Shades of Grey," "The Help," "State of Wonder," "Room" and "Cutting for Stone."

The library tabulated the top 25 adult, teen, children's and very young children's titles checked out in 2012. The lists showed consistency from the previous year with 24 of the top 25 titles being fiction.

The one nonfiction title in the top 25 for the two years was "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption."

Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books took the top six children's spots in 2012. Books by fantasy writers J.K. Rowling and Mary Pope Osborne monopolized most of the remaining places in the children's top 25 list of 2012.

Star Tribune, Star Tribune
"American Assassin," by Vince Flynn

Most of the top circulating titles are available at Hennepin County Library in more than one format, including regular print, large print, audio and some e-book. To reserve one or more of the titles, go to www.hclib.org and click on Library Catalog.

Library cards are free. For more information about Hennepin County Library, visit www.hclib.org.

ROCHELLE OLSON