BESTSELLERS

*--* SO. CAL. RATING Fiction LAST WEEK WEEKS ON LIST 1 Echo Park by Michael 7 2 Connelly (Little, Brown: $26.99) LAPD Det. Harry Bosch wrestles with the idea that his oversight in an old murder case allowed a serial killer to continue his spree.

2 The End by Lemony Snicket -- 1 (HarperCollins: $12.99) The Baudelaire orphans and evil Count Olaf are swept onto a strange island in Book 13, the last in “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

3 Thirteen Moons by Charles 3 2 Frazier (Random House: $26.95) A man recalls being adopted by a Cherokee elder, becoming a chief, fighting for the Confederacy and frittering away a fortune.

4 The Road by Cormac 1 3 McCarthy (Knopf: $24) A father’s fierce love for his son is his last link with humanity as they struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world of cannibalistic marauders.

5 Act of Treason by Vince -- 1 Flynn (Atria: $25.95) CIA operative Mitch Rapp searches for the bombers who struck a motorcade, killing a presidential candidate’s wife and Secret Service agents.

6 For One More Day by Mitch 6 3 Albom (Hyperion: $21.95) An alcoholic tries suicide and encounters his mother’s ghost, who tells him about her life and sacrifices as a single mother.

7 Paint It Black by Janet 2 5 Fitch (Little, Brown: $24.99) An art model in the punk scene tries to make sense of her boyfriend’s death and his relationship with his narcissistic mother.

8 Under Orders by Dick 4 3 Francis (Putnam: $25.95) Against a backdrop of Internet gambling, ex-jockey Sid Halley is hired to find out why a horse collapsed upon winning and its jockey was killed.

9 The Thirteenth Tale by 8 4 Diane Setterfield (Atria: $26) A bookseller’s daughter travels to Yorkshire to interview a dying author who tells a tale of a governess, a ghost and an abandoned baby.

10 Suite Francaise by Irene 12 26 Nemirovsky (Knopf: $25) Two novellas by a writer killed at Auschwitz about the exodus from Paris ahead of the Germans’ arrival and on life in a farming village under occupation.

11 The Emperor’s Children by 10 7 Claire Messud (Knopf: $25) Three college friends stumble on their paths to becoming shining lights in the East Coast constellation of cultural elites.

12 Water for Elephants by 15 12 Sara Gruen (Algonquin: $23.95) A nursing-home patient recalls his life and loves as a penniless college student who dropped out to join the circus in the 1930s.

13 Short Straw by Stuart -- 1 Woods (Putnam: $25.95) A successful New Mexico defense lawyer awakens on his 50th birthday to find that his beautiful but shady wife has left him and taken $1 million with her.

14 One Good Turn by Kate -- 1 Atkinson (Little, Brown: $24.99) A retired private eye attending an Edinburgh arts festival gets caught up in a case of road rage, a murder and unsavory real estate deals.

15 The Mission Song by John 5 4 le Carre (Little, Brown: $26.99) An interpreter becomes enmeshed with scheming warlords and international financiers in the civil-war-ravaged Congo.

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*--* SO. CAL. RATING Nonfiction LAST WEEK WEEKS ON LIST 1 State of Denial: Bush at 1 3 War, Part III by Bob Woodward (Simon & Schuster: $30) The inside story of a White House that dismisses bad news about the war in Iraq and how it is fueling terrorism.

2 The Innocent Man by John 6 2 Grisham (Doubleday: $28.95) A true crime tale about a former big league baseball player sent to death row for a murder he didn’t commit.

3 I Feel Bad About My Neck: 2 12 And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron (Knopf: $19.95) The screenwriter considers the effects of gravity and aging.

4 Ageless by Suzanne Somers -- 1 (Crown: $25) The actress touts anti-aging and plant hormone therapies to detoxify the body, boost the immune system, treat menopause and stay healthy.

5 The Greatest Story Ever 4 5 Sold by Frank Rich (Penguin: $25.95) The New York Times writer dissects the Bush administration’s “truthiness” on Iraq, its response to Katrina and the Sept. 11 attacks.

6 Letter to a Christian 3 4 Nation by Sam Harris (Knopf: $16.95) “The End of Faith” author chides religious dogmatists who rationalize violence and help foster human suffering.

7 Why We Want You to Be Rich -- 1 by Donald J. Trump, Robert T. Kiyosaki et al (Rich Press: $24.95) The real estate magnate and financial guru explain why some people get rich and others don’t.

8 Culture Warrior by Bill 5 3 O’Reilly (Broadway: $26) The Fox News TV host rails against “secular progressives,” billionaire Democrat George Soros, the ACLU and critics he dubs “smear merchants.”

9 A Photographer’s Life by -- 1 Annie Leibovitz (Random House: $75) A collection of 15 years of the celebrated photographer’s work, including intimate portraits of family and friends.

10 Just One More Thing by -- 1 Peter Falk (Carroll & Graf: $25.95) The award-winning actor recounts his life in theater, movies and TV, where he won four Emmys as the inimitable Lt. Columbo.

11 Eat, Pray, Love by -- 18 Elizabeth Gilbert (Viking: $24.95) After deciding that marriage and motherhood aren’t for her, the author embarks on a journey of self-discovery in Italy, India and Indonesia.

12 Justice for All by Jim 13 2 Newton (Riverhead: $32) The life of Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren and his court’s landmark decisions on segregation, right to privacy and school prayer.

13 This I Believe edited by 14 2 Jay Allison and Dan Gediman (Henry Holt: $23) A compendium of personal declarations of belief from the ‘50s radio program and the current NPR series.

14 I Like You: Hospitality -- 1 Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris (Warner: $27.99) A guide to throwing the perfect party, with helpful hints and arch observations from the comic writer.

15 The Architecture of -- 1 Happiness by Alain de Botton (Pantheon: $25) How great architecture and classic design can bring order, beauty, balance and elegance into people’s lives.

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