Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist voted Specsavers Book of the Year

Burton's atmospheric thriller became the best-selling literary debut hardback of the decade

Jessie Burton's debut novel The Miniaturist has come top of a poll to find the best book of 2014.

The thriller was among the 10 winners from November's National Book Awards that went forward to a public vote to be named Specsavers Book of the Year.

Burton, who beat such authors as David Nicholls and Karen Joy Fowler, said she was "indebted forever to the voting public for this incredible honour".

The Miniaturist has also been named Waterstones Book of the Year.

Organisers said her critically acclaimed novel won by a "significant margin ahead of outstanding competition" including We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, Us by David Nicholls and Nathan Filer's The Shock of the Fall.

'Life-transforming year'

Burton admitted "it is no exaggeration to say this has been a life-transforming year for me, and this award is a very big cherry on the cake".

She said: "There are always stories to write, and people who want to read them, and as the year closes, I find this very heartening news indeed.

"This wonderful acknowledgement will propel me into 2015, and I am deeply thankful to everyone who took the time to vote."

Previous winners of the top award include The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (2013), Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James (2012), Caitlin Moran's How To Be A Woman (2011) and One Day by David Nicholls (2010).