Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown top giveaway

Charity givers donated more Dan Brown books to Oxfam than any other author for the third year in a row, its annual survey revealed today.

The writer of The Da Vinci Code also moved up the Oxfam shop best-seller list from last year's number ten to this year's number three, the charity said.

Next most donated after Mr Brown were Edinburgh crime writer Ian Rankin, prolific author of the Detective Inspector Rebus series, and Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who last year became the first non-fiction author to enter the top ten, and has moved up from number eight to number three.

The best-seller was Swedish author Stieg Larsson, who penned the Millennium trilogy, who moved up a place from number two, while new entry Sophie Kinsella's books were the second most sold, illustrating the enduring popularity of chick lit.

Twilight author Stephenie Meyer was a non-mover at number four, sharing that place this year with Sir Terry Pratchett, who moved up from number eight. Mr Rankin, last year's best-selling author, dropped out of the top ten, but was still selling well.

Joanna Trollope, a new entry in the top ten best-sellers list, at number eight, said: "I am very gratified to be one of Oxfam's top sellers. Their bookshops are most impressive - for the careful condition of the books as well as for the huge range of titles. I am so pleased to think that sales of my books are helping to support the vital work that Oxfam does."

The list was compiled to mark the launch of Oxfam's annual nationwide book festival, Bookfest, which runs from 2 to 17 July.