Bestsellers: hardback books

Hardback fiction

1. "Beach Road," by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge. (Little, Brown, $27.95.) An East Hampton lawyer becomes involved in a highly publicized trial.

2. "Dead Watch," by John Sandford. (Putnam, $26.95.) A political operative investigates the murder of a former senator.

3. "The Hard Way," by Lee Child. (Delacorte, $25.) When his wife is kidnapped, a man who deals in illegal soldiers turns to the former military cop Jack Reacher.

4. "Two Little Girls in Blue," by Mary Higgins Clark. (Simon & Schuster, $25.95.) A small girl communicates telepathically with her kidnapped twin.

5. "Digging to America," by Anne Tyler. (Knopf, $24.95.) Two families, one of them Iranian-American, become involved with each other when both adopt baby girls from Korea.

6. "Blue Shoes & Happiness," by Alexander McCall Smith. (Pantheon, $21.95.) The seventh novel in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

7. "I Say a Little Prayer," by E. Lynn Harris. (Doubleday, $21.95.) As a gay singer struggles with homophobia in the black church, he must come to terms with his past.

8. "The Da Vinci Code," by Dan Brown. (Doubleday, $24.95; special illustrated edition, $35.) murder at the Louvre leads to a trail of clues found in the work of Leonardo da Vinci and the discovery of a secret society.

9. "Promise Me," by Harlan Coben. (Dutton, $26.95.) Myron Bolitar becomes a suspect when a high school girl disappears after he drives her to a friend's house. 10. "Everyman," by Philip Roth. (Houghton Mifflin, $24.) A man grapples with aging and physical decline.

Hardback nonfiction

1. "Marley & Me," by John Grogan. (Morrow, $21.95.) A newspaper columnist and his wife learn some life lessons from their neurotic dog.

2. "Mayflower," by Nathaniel Philbrick. (Viking, $29.95) How America began, from the author of In the Heart of the Sea."

3. "The World Is Flat," by Thomas L. Friedman. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $30.) A columnist for the New York Times analyzes 21st century economics and foreign policy.

4. "Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings," by Tyler Perry. (Riverhead, $23.95.) The man behind "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" muses on life.

5. "My Life In & Out of the Rough," by John Daly with Glen Waggoner. (HarperCollins, $25.95) A memoir by the bad-boy golf champion.

6. "Burnt Toast," by Teri Hatcher. (Hyperion, $24.95.) The actress urges women to pursue their own satisfaction rather than continually sacrificing for others.

7. "Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity," by John Stossel. (Hyperion, $24.95) The "20/20" anchor questions conventional wisdom.

8. "Freakonomics," by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. (Morrow, $25.95.) A maverick scholar and a journalist apply economic theory to everything from cheating sumo wrestlers to the falling crime rate.

9. "The Mighty and the Almighty," by Madeleine Albright with Bill Woodward. (HarperCollins, $25.95.) The former secretary of state reflects on America, God and world affairs.

10. "Possible Side Effects," by Augusten Burroughs. (St. Martin's, $23.95.) Autobiographical essays from the author of "Running With Scissors."

Hardback advice, how-to and miscellaneous

1. "Cesar's Way," by Cesar Millan with Melissa Jo Peltier. (Harmony, $24.95.) The star of the television show "Dog Whisperer" offers insight into canine psychology and help solving problems.

2. "Lies at the Altar," by Robin L. Smith (Hyperion, $24.95) A psychologist advises couples on how to turn wedding vows into a successful marriage.

3. "You: The Owner's Manual," by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz. (HarperResource, $24.95.) A guide to how the body works.

4. "The Purpose-Driven Life," by Rick Warren. (Zondervan, $19.99.) The meaning of life through God.

5. "Giada's Family Dinners," by Giada de Laurentis. (Potter, $32.50.) Italian-style recipes as well as menus for special occasions from the Food Network host.

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