I can't say I'm surprised on both accounts. From what i've heard Charlaine Harris is far from being Shakespeare.

As for Jasper Fforde, maybe it's because the novelty has worn off, maybe because it's impossible to come up with endless meta-fictional brilliance. I think that's it exactly.

I'm reading a very good book, The Echo Maker by Richard Powers. He's barely known in France, his work just starts being translated in French so I read wonderful reviews of his last novel; I ordered it on Amazon to read it in English. It's brilliant. Now that's a great American author!