local bestsellers Based on sales at alternating local bookstoresFICTION 1. Double Cross, by James Patterson ($27.99, Little Brown). Alex Cross and his detective girlfriend attempt to catch a criminal. 2. Stone Cold, by David Baldacci ($26.99, Grand Central). A con arist is on the run after stealing from a casino owner. 3. World Without End, by Ken Follett ($35, Dutton). A sequel to "The Pillars of the Earth." 4. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini ($25.95, Riverhead). Two women from different backgrounds are brought together by war. 5. Protect and Defend, by Vince Flynn ($26.95, Atria). Military agents travel to Iraq to defuse a crisis.
nonfiction 1. I Am America (And So Can You!), by Stephen Colbert ($26.99, Grand Central). Thoughts on how to fix the nation's woes. 2. The Daring Book for Girls, by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz ($24.95, Collins). The book for every girl looking for adventure, creativity and fun. 3. Good Dog, Stay, by Anna Quindlen ($14.95, Random House). The author's reflections on life lessons she has learned from observing her black Lab. 4. You Staying Young, by Michael Roizen, Mehmet Oz ($26, Free Press). Guide to personal health. 5. Boom! Voices of the '60s, by Tom Brokaw ($28.95, Random House). An exploration of race, politics and pop culture throughout the decade.