FICTION
1. A Time for Mercy, by John Grisham. (Doubleday) The third book in the "Jake Brigance" series. A 16-year-old is accused of killing a deputy in Clanton, Miss., in 1990.
2. Ready Player Two, by Ernest Cline. (Ballantine) In a sequel to "Ready Player One," Wade Watts discovers a technological advancement and goes on a new quest.
3. Deadly Cross, by James Patterson. (Little, Brown) The 28th book in the "Alex Cross" series. An investigation of a double homicide sends Alex Cross to Alabama.
4. The Return, by Nicholas Sparks. (Grand Central) A doctor serving in the Navy in Afghanistan goes back to North Carolina, where two women change his life.
5. The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett. (Riverhead) The lives of twin sisters who run away from a Southern Black community at age 16 diverge as one returns and the other takes on a different racial identity but their fates intertwine.
6. Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens. (Putnam) In a quiet town on the North Carolina coast in 1969, a young woman who survived alone in the marsh becomes a murder suspect.
7. Daylight, by David Baldacci. (Grand Central) FBI agent Atlee Pine's search for her twin sister overlaps with a military investigator's hunt for someone involved in a global conspiracy.
8. The Sentinel, by Lee Child and Andrew Child. (Delacorte) Jack Reacher intervenes on an ambush in Tennessee and uncovers a conspiracy.
9. The Awakening, by Nora Roberts. (St. Martin's) The first book in the "Dragon Heart Legacy" series. Breen Kelly travels through a portal in Ireland to a land of faeries and mermaids.
10. The Law of Innocence, by Michael Connelly. (Little, Brown) The sixth book in the "Mickey Haller" series. Haller defends himself when police find the body of a former client in his car's trunk.
NONFICTION
1. A Promised Land, by Barack Obama. (Crown) In the first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama offers personal reflections on his formative years and pivotal moments through his first term.
2. Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey. (Crown) The Academy Award-winning actor shares snippets from the diaries he kept over the past 35 years.
3. Humans, by Brandon Stanton. (St. Martin's) Photos and stories of people from over 40 countries collected by the creator of "Humans of New York."
4. Becoming, by Michelle Obama. (Crown) The former first lady describes how she balanced work, family and her husband's political ascent.
5. Bag Man, by Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz. (Crown) The MSNBC host gives an account of the 1973 investigation of then Vice President Spiro T. Agnew and its impact on politics and the media.
6. Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson. (Random House) A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist examines aspects of caste systems across civilizations and reveals a rigid hierarchy in America.
7. World of Wonders, by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. (Milkweed) In a collection of essays, the poet celebrates various aspects of the natural world and its inhabitants.
8. Untamed, by Glennon Doyle. (Dial) The activist and public speaker describes her journey of listening to her inner voice.
9. The Last Days of John Lennon, by James Patterson with Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. (Little, Brown) The story of the killing of the former member of the Beatles by Mark David Chapman in 1980 and interviews with some of Lennon's friends and associates.
10. Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld. (Simon & Schuster) The comedian shares material he collected in an accordion folder over the past 45 years.
Advice, How-To, Miscellaneous
1. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, by Charlie Mackesy. (HarperOne)
2. Modern Comfort Food, by Ina Garten. (Clarkson Potter)
3. The Happy in a Hurry Cookbook, by Steve and Kathy Doocy. (Morrow)
4. Magnolia Table, Vol. 2, by Joanna Gaines. (Morrow)
5. Salt Fat Acid Heat, by Samin Nosrat. Illustrated by Wendy MacNaughton. (Simon & Schuster)
Rankings reflect sales at venues nationwide for the week ending Dec. 19. A (b) indicates that some sellers report receiving bulk orders.
