Fiction

1. “The Historian,” by Elizabeth Kostova (Little, Brown, $25.95). A young woman’s quest to learn the truth about her father’s life and mother’s death involves research into Vlad the Impaler and Dracula.

2. “4th of July,” by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown, $27.95). Det. Lindsay Boxer, a member of the Women’s Murder Club, investigates a series of killings while she herself is on trial.

3. “The Da Vinci Code,” by Dan Brown, (Doubleday, $24.95). The murder of a curator at the Louvre leads to a trail of clues found in the work of Leonardo and to the discovery of a centuries-old secret society.

4. “The Mermaid Chair,” by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking, $24.95). On Egret Island, off the coast of South Carolina, a married woman is strongly attracted to a monk who is just months away from taking his final vows.

5. “Dance of Death,” by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Warner, $25.95). An FBI agent confronts a murdering madman – his own brother.

Nonfiction

1. “1776,” by David McCullough (Simon & Schuster, $32). An account of America’s founding year by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, focusing on the inexperienced George Washington and heroic citizen soldiers.

2. “The World is Flat,” by Thomas L. Friedman (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $27.50). A columnist for The New York Times analyzes 21st-century economics and foreign policy.

3. “Freakonomics,” by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (Morrow, $25.95). A maverick scholar applies economic thinking to everything from sumo wrestlers who cheat to legalized abortion.

4. “Blink,” by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown, $25.95). The author of “The Tipping Point” explores the importance of hunch and instinct.

5. “On Bull,” by Harry G. Frankfurt (Princeton University, $9.95). A philosopher attempts a theoretical understanding of a “vast,” “amorphous” phenomenon.

Advice

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

2. “The Purpose-Driven Life,” by Rick Warren (Zondervan, $19.99). Finding the meaning of life through God.

3. “Your Best Life Now,” by Joel Osteen (Warner Faith, $19.99). A faith-based approach to living with enthusiasm.

4. “Winning,” by Jack Welch with Suzy Welch (HarperBusiness, $27.95). Business and career advice from the former General Electric CEO.

5. “French Women Don’t Get Fat,” by Mireille Guiliano (Knopf, $22). The secrets of French women, who enjoy food and wine while staying slim.

– The New York Times