Washington Area Bestsellers

Washington Area Bestsellers

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Paperback
Fiction
1
THE DA VINCI CODE(Anchor, 14.95; $7.99)
By Dan Brown.A startling murder and ancient cryptograms spur a perilous hunt for the Cup of Christ.
2
2
THE MERMAID CHAIR(Penguin, $14)
By Sue Monk Kidd.Jessie visits her ailing mother, still grief-stricken after Jessie's father's death 33 years before.
5
3
NO PLACE LIKE HOME(Pocket, $9.99)
By Mary Higgins Clark.A woman's tragic past looms when her new husband buys her childhood home.
3
4
ANGELS & DEMONS(Pocket Star, $9.99)
By Dan Brown.The Illuminati, a secret cabal, threatens the Vatican at the outset of a papal conclave.
90
5
DECEPTION POINT(Pocket, $9.99). By Dan Brown
A meteorite discovered by NASA, containing never-before-seen fossils, may be a giant hoax.
38
6
TIME AND AGAIN(Silhouette, $7.99). By Nora Roberts
Two romance novellas, "Time Was" and "Times Change," featuring the time-traveling Hornblower brothers.
2
7
THE KITE RUNNER(Riverhead, $14)
By Khaled Hosseini.An Afghan immigrant returns to his Taliban-ruled country to atone for a childhood betrayal.
78
8
COUNTDOWN(Bantam, $7.99). By Iris Johansen
Jane Maguire's striking likeness to an ancient Roman actress haunts her once more in this fast-paced thriller.
2
9
FULL SCOOP(St. Martin's, $7.99). By Janet Evanovich
and Charlotte Hughes.It's a season ofromance (and a little danger) for the zany residents ofBeaumont, S.C.
1
10
ONE SHOT(Dell, $7.99). By Lee Child
A former military sniper, accused of gunning down five office workers, asks for ex-Army cop Jack Reacher.
1
Nonfiction/General
1
THE COVENANT WITH BLACK AMERICA
(Third World, $12). Ed. by Tavis Smiley.Prominent African Americans propose a proactive plan for change.
5
2
IN COLD BLOOD(Vintage, $14). By Truman Capote
Its melding of crime reportage and fictional techniques made this account of a grisly murder an instant classic.
24
3
NIGHT(FSG, $9). By Elie Wiesel
The Nobel laureate's terrifying account of his experience in Nazi camps during World War II.
20
4
THE TIPPING POINT: HOW LITTLE THINGS CAN
MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE(Back Bay, $14.95)
By Malcolm Gladwell.A look at fads and their origins.
66
5
COLLAPSE: HOW SOCIETIES CHOOSE TO FAIL
OR SUCCEED(Penguin, $17). By Jared Diamond
The fatal consequences of ecological mismanagement.
15
6
THE GLASS CASTLE(Scribner, $14)
By Jeanette Walls.A daughter's memoir of her eccentric parents and the unorthodox upbringing she survived.
7
7
SMASHED: STORY OF A DRUNKEN GIRLHOOD
(Penguin, $14). By Koren Zailckas.Now 25 and sober, Zailckas describes a young life defined by alcohol.
4
8
A MILLION LITTLE PIECES(Anchor, $14.95)
By James Frey.The author now admits to fabricating and embellishing his memoir of addiction recovery.
28
9
THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY(Vintage, $14.95)
By Erik Larson.Serial killer H.H. Holmes preys on Chicago residents amid the bustle of the 1893 World's Fair.
105
10
GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL(Norton, $16.95)
By Jared Diamond.The impact of geography and the environment on the course of civilization.
62
Hardcover
Fiction
1
TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE(Simon & Schuster, $25.95)
By Mary Higgins Clark.Twins' telepathic link is a blessing when only one girl is returned after their kidnapping.
1
2
GONE(Ballantine, $26.95). By Jonathan Kellerman
Alex Delaware investigates an offbeat acting studio in the murder of a student who faked her own abduction.
2
3
LABYRINTH(Putnam, $25.95). By Kate Mosse
The lives of two women living 800 years apart are linked by a peculiar stone ring and the mystery of the Grail.
4
4
TOMB OF THE GOLDEN BIRD(Morrow, $25.95)
By Elizabeth Peters.Amelia Peabody and family stumble into intrigue amid the discovery of King Tut's tomb.
2
5
THE SECRET SUPPER(Atria, $25.95). By Javier Sierra
Prodded by mysterious warnings, the Church inquires into da Vinci's in-progress painting, "The Last Supper."
3
6
THE 5TH HORSEMAN(Little, Brown, $27.95)
By James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.Patients' puzzling deaths at a hospital suggest a ruthless murderer.
8
7
THE TENTH CIRCLE(Atria, $26). By Jodi Picoult
Graphic art illustrates this tale (with a "Purgatorio" metaphor) of a family coping with a daughter's rape.
5
8
THE TEMPLAR LEGACY(Ballantine, $24.95)
By Steve Berry.An ex-Justice Department agent spars with a lethal Templar order seeking a lost archive.
7
9
18 SECONDS(Simon & Schuster, $23)
By George D. Shuman.A psychic's gift--to see the last 18 seconds of a dead person's life--helps catch a murderer.
1
10
PRIOR BAD ACTS(Bantam, $26). By Tami Hoag
A judge finds her life in jeopardy after an unpopular pre-trial ruling in the case of an accused serial killer.
3
Nonfiction/General
1
MARLEY & ME: LIFE AND LOVE WITH THE
WORLD'S WORST DOG(Morrow, $21.95)
By John Grogan.For the love of an unruly Labrador.
17
2
AMERICAN THEOCRACY: THE PERIL AND POLITICS OF
RADICAL RELIGION, OIL, AND BORROWED MONEY IN
THE 21ST CENTURY(Viking, $26.95). By Kevin Phillips
3
3
THE WORLD IS FLAT: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY(FSG, $27.50)
By Thomas L. Friedman.Globalism's colossal impact.
52
4
COBRA II: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE INVASION
AND OCCUPATION OFIRAQ(Pantheon, $27.95)
By Michael R. Gordon and Bernard E. Trainor
4
5
AMERICAN GOSPEL: GOD, THE FOUNDING FATHERS,
AND THE MAKING OF A NATION
(Random House, $23.95). By Jon Meacham
1
6
GAME OF SHADOWS: BARRY BONDS, BALCO, AND
THE STEROIDS SCANDAL THAT ROCKED PROFESSIONAL
SPORTS(Gotham, $26). By Mark Fainaru-Wada et al.
3
7
MISQUOTING JESUS: THE STORY BEHIND WHO
CHANGED THE BIBLE AND WHY
(HarperSanFrancisco, $24.95). By Bart D. Ehrman
5
8
THE GREAT TRANSFORMATION: THE BEGINNINGS
OF OUR RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS(Knopf, $30)
By Karen Armstrong.The upheaval of 900 B.C.-200 B.C.
2
9
THE JESUS PAPERS: EXPOSING THE GREATEST
COVER-UP IN HISTORY(HarperSanFrancisco, $27.95)
By Michael Baigent.Speculating on the life of Christ.
2
10
FREAKONOMICS: A ROGUE ECONOMIST EXPLORES
THE HIDDEN SIDE OF EVERYTHING(Morrow, $25.95)
By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
51

Rankings reflect sales for the week ended April 9, 2006. The charts may not be reproduced without permission from Nielsen BookScan. Copyright © 2006 by Nielsen BookScan. (Right-hand column of italicized numbers reflects weeks on this list, which premiered in Book World on Jan. 11, 2004. Advice, reference and self-help books appear on a separate, monthly list.)

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	Paperback
	Fiction
1	THE DA VINCI CODE(Anchor, 14.95; $7.99) By Dan Brown.A startling murder and ancient cryptograms spur a perilous hunt for the Cup of Christ.	2
2	THE MERMAID CHAIR(Penguin, $14) By Sue Monk Kidd.Jessie visits her ailing mother, still grief-stricken after Jessie's father's death 33 years before.	5
3	NO PLACE LIKE HOME(Pocket, $9.99) By Mary Higgins Clark.A woman's tragic past looms when her new husband buys her childhood home.	3
4	ANGELS & DEMONS(Pocket Star, $9.99) By Dan Brown.The Illuminati, a secret cabal, threatens the Vatican at the outset of a papal conclave.	90
5	DECEPTION POINT(Pocket, $9.99). By Dan Brown A meteorite discovered by NASA, containing never-before-seen fossils, may be a giant hoax.	38
6	TIME AND AGAIN(Silhouette, $7.99). By Nora Roberts Two romance novellas, "Time Was" and "Times Change," featuring the time-traveling Hornblower brothers.	2
7	THE KITE RUNNER(Riverhead, $14) By Khaled Hosseini.An Afghan immigrant returns to his Taliban-ruled country to atone for a childhood betrayal.	78
8	COUNTDOWN(Bantam, $7.99). By Iris Johansen Jane Maguire's striking likeness to an ancient Roman actress haunts her once more in this fast-paced thriller.	2
9	FULL SCOOP(St. Martin's, $7.99). By Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes.It's a season ofromance (and a little danger) for the zany residents ofBeaumont, S.C.	1
10	ONE SHOT(Dell, $7.99). By Lee Child A former military sniper, accused of gunning down five office workers, asks for ex-Army cop Jack Reacher.	1
	Nonfiction/General
1	THE COVENANT WITH BLACK AMERICA (Third World, $12). Ed. by Tavis Smiley.Prominent African Americans propose a proactive plan for change.	5
2	IN COLD BLOOD(Vintage, $14). By Truman Capote Its melding of crime reportage and fictional techniques made this account of a grisly murder an instant classic.	24
3	NIGHT(FSG, $9). By Elie Wiesel The Nobel laureate's terrifying account of his experience in Nazi camps during World War II.	20
4	THE TIPPING POINT: HOW LITTLE THINGS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE(Back Bay, $14.95) By Malcolm Gladwell.A look at fads and their origins.	66
5	COLLAPSE: HOW SOCIETIES CHOOSE TO FAIL OR SUCCEED(Penguin, $17). By Jared Diamond The fatal consequences of ecological mismanagement.	15
6	THE GLASS CASTLE(Scribner, $14) By Jeanette Walls.A daughter's memoir of her eccentric parents and the unorthodox upbringing she survived.	7
7	SMASHED: STORY OF A DRUNKEN GIRLHOOD (Penguin, $14). By Koren Zailckas.Now 25 and sober, Zailckas describes a young life defined by alcohol.	4
8	A MILLION LITTLE PIECES(Anchor, $14.95) By James Frey.The author now admits to fabricating and embellishing his memoir of addiction recovery.	28
9	THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY(Vintage, $14.95) By Erik Larson.Serial killer H.H. Holmes preys on Chicago residents amid the bustle of the 1893 World's Fair.	105
10	GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL(Norton, $16.95) By Jared Diamond.The impact of geography and the environment on the course of civilization.	62
	Hardcover
	Fiction
1	TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN BLUE(Simon & Schuster, $25.95) By Mary Higgins Clark.Twins' telepathic link is a blessing when only one girl is returned after their kidnapping.	1
2	GONE(Ballantine, $26.95). By Jonathan Kellerman Alex Delaware investigates an offbeat acting studio in the murder of a student who faked her own abduction.	2
3	LABYRINTH(Putnam, $25.95). By Kate Mosse The lives of two women living 800 years apart are linked by a peculiar stone ring and the mystery of the Grail.	4
4	TOMB OF THE GOLDEN BIRD(Morrow, $25.95) By Elizabeth Peters.Amelia Peabody and family stumble into intrigue amid the discovery of King Tut's tomb.	2
5	THE SECRET SUPPER(Atria, $25.95). By Javier Sierra Prodded by mysterious warnings, the Church inquires into da Vinci's in-progress painting, "The Last Supper."	3
6	THE 5TH HORSEMAN(Little, Brown, $27.95) By James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.Patients' puzzling deaths at a hospital suggest a ruthless murderer.	8
7	THE TENTH CIRCLE(Atria, $26). By Jodi Picoult Graphic art illustrates this tale (with a "Purgatorio" metaphor) of a family coping with a daughter's rape.	5
8	THE TEMPLAR LEGACY(Ballantine, $24.95) By Steve Berry.An ex-Justice Department agent spars with a lethal Templar order seeking a lost archive.	7
9	18 SECONDS(Simon & Schuster, $23) By George D. Shuman.A psychic's gift--to see the last 18 seconds of a dead person's life--helps catch a murderer.	1
10	PRIOR BAD ACTS(Bantam, $26). By Tami Hoag A judge finds her life in jeopardy after an unpopular pre-trial ruling in the case of an accused serial killer.	3
	Nonfiction/General
1	MARLEY & ME: LIFE AND LOVE WITH THE WORLD'S WORST DOG(Morrow, $21.95) By John Grogan.For the love of an unruly Labrador.	17
2	AMERICAN THEOCRACY: THE PERIL AND POLITICS OF RADICAL RELIGION, OIL, AND BORROWED MONEY IN THE 21ST CENTURY(Viking, $26.95). By Kevin Phillips	3
3	THE WORLD IS FLAT: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY(FSG, $27.50) By Thomas L. Friedman.Globalism's colossal impact.	52
4	COBRA II: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE INVASION AND OCCUPATION OFIRAQ(Pantheon, $27.95) By Michael R. Gordon and Bernard E. Trainor	4
5	AMERICAN GOSPEL: GOD, THE FOUNDING FATHERS, AND THE MAKING OF A NATION (Random House, $23.95). By Jon Meacham	1
6	GAME OF SHADOWS: BARRY BONDS, BALCO, AND THE STEROIDS SCANDAL THAT ROCKED PROFESSIONAL SPORTS(Gotham, $26). By Mark Fainaru-Wada et al.	3
7	MISQUOTING JESUS: THE STORY BEHIND WHO CHANGED THE BIBLE AND WHY (HarperSanFrancisco, $24.95). By Bart D. Ehrman	5
8	THE GREAT TRANSFORMATION: THE BEGINNINGS OF OUR RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS(Knopf, $30) By Karen Armstrong.The upheaval of 900 B.C.-200 B.C.	2
9	THE JESUS PAPERS: EXPOSING THE GREATEST COVER-UP IN HISTORY(HarperSanFrancisco, $27.95) By Michael Baigent.Speculating on the life of Christ.	2
10	FREAKONOMICS: A ROGUE ECONOMIST EXPLORES THE HIDDEN SIDE OF EVERYTHING(Morrow, $25.95) By Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner	51