New York Times bestsellers
1. The 19th Christmas, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. (Little, Brown) In the 19th installment of the "Women's Murder Club" series, detective Lindsay Boxer and company take on a fearsome criminal.
2. Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens. (Putnam) A woman who survived alone in a marsh becomes a murder suspect.
3. What Happens in Paradise, by Elin Hilderbrand. (Little, Brown) In the sequel to "Winter in Paradise," Irene Steele visits the island of St. John to get to the bottom of the mysterious life and death of her husband.
4. Ninth House, by Leigh Bardugo. (Flatiron) After mysteriously surviving a multiple homicide, Galaxy Stern comes face to face with dark magic, murder and more at Yale University.
5. The Institute, by Stephen King. (Scribner) Children with special talents are abducted and sequestered in an institution where the sinister staff seeks to extract their gifts through harsh methods.
6. The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehisi Coates. (One World) A young man who was gifted with a mysterious power becomes part of a war between slavers and the enslaved.
7. The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett. (Harper) A sibling relationship is impacted when the family goes from poverty to wealth and back again over the course of many decades.
8. The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood. (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday) In a sequel to "The Handmaid's Tale," old secrets bring three women together as the Republic of Gilead's theocratic regime shows signs of decay.
9. Child's Play, by Danielle Steel. (Delacorte) A prestigious New York lawyer learns that the life she constructed for her children and herself isn't exactly what she thought it was.
10. The Giver of Stars, by Jojo Moyes. (Pamela Dorman/Viking) In Depression-era America, five women refuse to be cowed by men or convention as they deliver books throughout the mountains of Kentucky.
NONFICTION
1. Blowout, by Rachel Maddow. (Crown) The MSNBC host argues that the global oil and gas industry has weakened democracies and bolstered authoritarians.
2. Talking to Strangers, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Little, Brown) Famous examples of miscommunication serve as the backdrop to explain potential conflicts and misunderstandings.
3. Witch Hunt, by Gregg Jarrett. (Broadside) The Fox News commentator offers his analysis of the Mueller Report. (b)
4. The United States of Trump, by Bill O'Reilly. (Holt) The conservative commentator weaves interviews and personal history to portray the power and influence of the 45th president.
5. The Book of Gutsy Women, by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton. (Simon & Schuster) Profiles of women from around the world who have blazed trails and challenged the status quo.
6. Tough Love, by Susan Rice. (Atria) The former national security adviser and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations gives an insider's perspective on some of the country's most pivotal moments of the 21st century.
7. Educated, by Tara Westover. (Random House) The daughter of survivalists, who is kept out of school, educates herself enough to leave home for university.
8. Inside Out, by Demi Moore. (Harper) The Hollywood star chronicles the rocky relationships, body image issues and public perceptions that affected her attempts to balance family and fame.
9. Deep State, by James B. Stewart. (Penguin Press) New York Times columnist gives a deconstruction of the various accounts of what happened leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
10. Letters From an Astrophysicist, by Neil deGrasse Tyson. (Norton) In a hand-picked collection of 101 letters, the celebrity astrophysicist answers a vast array of questions from science to faith and Pluto.
Advice, How-To, Miscellaneous
1. Movies (And Other Things), by Shea Serrano. Illustrated by Arturo Torres. (Twelve)
2. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a [Expletive], by Mark Manson. (Harper) (b)
3. The Ride of a Lifetime, by Robert Iger. (Random House)
4. Stillness Is the Key, by Ryan Holiday. (Portfolio/Penguin)
5. Super Attractor, by Gabrielle Bernstein. (Hay House) (b)
Rankings reflect sales at venues nationwide for the week ending Oct. 12. A (b) indicates that some sellers report receiving bulk orders.
about the writer
"The Mesmerist" is a new novel about the killer who stalked Hennepin Avenue in the 1880s.