Where on earth do I begin with Danielle Steel’s novels?

The US author has sold almost a billion books since 1973, and written over 200. Charlotte Cripps finds out what all the fuss is about

Danielle Steel can sometimes publish around six or seven novels a year (EPA/The Independent)

It’s a cold, rainy day and I’m wondering what to do with my time when a friend says, “why don’t you curl up with a Danielle Steel novel?” Are they joking? It’s not because I’m a literary snob; it’s just there are over 200 to choose from – where exactly do I begin?

Steel, 75, is the world’s bestselling living author and has sold almost a billion books. Since 2015 alone, her books have spent a total of 181 weeks in the Sunday Times top 10.

The US author is known for her fierce work ethic. She apparently works a daily 20-to-22-hour shift, starting at 8.30am, and types on a bulky 1946 Olympia standard typewriter she affectionately calls “Olly”, and she’s super productive, publishing six or seven novels a year – her latest The High Notes, is out next week.