Richard and Judy choose top books

The couple's book club has proved a popular slot on their show

The 10 authors shortlisted for a Richard and Judy book award in 2005 are hoping for a boost in sales following the success of this year's winner.

The TV couple's interest in the book world coined the term "the Richard & Judy effect" and created the top two best-selling paperbacks of 2004 so far.

The finalists for 2005 include Andrew Taylor's The American Boy and Robbie Williams' autobiography Feel.

This year's winner, Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, sold over one million.

Joseph O'Connor's Star of the Sea came second and saw sales increase by 350%.

The best read award, on Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan's Channel 4 show, is part of the British Book Awards.

David Mitchell's Booker-shortlisted novel, Cloud Atlas, makes it into this year's top 10 along with several lesser known works.

RICHARD AND JUDY BEST READ 2005 SHORTLIST The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger The American Boy - Andrew Taylor The Promise of Happiness - Justin Cartwright Feel - Robbie Williams and Chris Heath The Jane Austen Book Club - Karen Joy Fowler Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell The Sixth Lamentation - William Brodrick My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult Perdita: The Life of Mary Robinson - Paula Byrne

"There's no doubt that this year's selection of book club entries is the best yet. If anything, the choice is even wider than last time," said Madeley.

"It was very hard to follow last year's extremely successful list, but we think this year's books will do even better," said Richard and Judy executive producer Amanda Ross.

"We were spoiled for choice and it was tough getting down to only 10 from the 301 submitted."