James Patterson
in order.
Every major James Patterson series in order — Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett, and more.
James Patterson is one of the best-selling authors in history, with more than 400 million books sold and a record number of New York Times #1 bestsellers. A former advertising executive, Patterson broke through in 1993 with Along Came a Spider, the first Alex Cross thriller, and built a publishing empire around short chapters, relentless pacing, and cliffhanger plotting. His Alex Cross series alone spans more than 30 novels and has made the Washington, D.C. detective-psychologist one of the most famous characters in crime fiction.
Patterson is famous for co-writing: he works with a stable of collaborators to publish a dozen or more books a year across thrillers, romance, young adult, middle grade, and nonfiction. His major franchises include the Women's Murder Club (with Maxine Paetro), the Michael Bennett series (an NYPD detective with ten kids), the globe-trotting Private agency novels, and the YA phenomenon Maximum Ride. He has also co-authored blockbusters with Bill Clinton (The President Is Missing) and completed Michael Crichton's unfinished novel Eruption.
Beyond the page, Patterson is a major philanthropist for literacy, donating millions of dollars and books to schools, libraries, and independent bookstores. His work has been adapted into films like Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider and TV series including Zoo and Prime Video's Cross.
Where to start
Start with the series that matches your taste: Along Came a Spider (1993) for Alex Cross, 1st to Die (2001) for the Women's Murder Club, or Step on a Crack (2007) for Michael Bennett. Patterson's books are written so each mostly stands alone, but character arcs and recurring villains reward reading each series in publication order, which is how the lists below are arranged. If you just want one book to sample him, Along Came a Spider or Kiss the Girls remain the classic entry points.
Alex Cross 33 BOOKS · IN ORDER
Patterson's flagship series about Alex Cross, a Washington, D.C. detective and forensic psychologist who matches wits with serial killers while protecting his close-knit family.
01
Along Came a Spider 1993
Cross hunts kidnapper Gary Soneji in the thriller that launched the series.
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02
Kiss the Girls 1995
Two collectors of women operate on opposite coasts — and one has taken Cross's niece.
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03
Jack & Jill 1996
A killer pair targets Washington celebrities while another murderer stalks Cross's neighborhood.
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04
Cat & Mouse 1997
Gary Soneji returns as Cross is drawn into a two-killer chase across two continents.
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05
Pop Goes the Weasel 1999
Cross pursues a diplomat who kills as part of a deadly role-playing game.
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06
Roses Are Red 2000
Bank robberies turn murderous under the direction of a criminal called the Mastermind.
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07
Violets Are Blue 2001
Cross chases vampire-cult killers while the Mastermind closes in on him personally.
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08
Four Blind Mice 2002
Cross uncovers a conspiracy of ex-military killers framing innocent soldiers.
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09
The Big Bad Wolf 2003
Now with the FBI, Cross investigates a Russian trafficker who abducts people to order.
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10
London Bridges 2004
The Wolf and the Weasel team up in a plot to blackmail world capitals.
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11
Mary, Mary 2005
A killer emailing confessions murders Hollywood's A-list mothers.
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12
Cross 2006
Cross leaves the FBI and finally confronts the man who murdered his wife, Maria.
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13
Double Cross 2007
A showman killer stages public executions for an audience — and Kyle Craig escapes prison.
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14
Cross Country 2008
The trail of a warlord called the Tiger takes Cross to Africa.
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15
Alex Cross's Trial 2009
A historical novel 'written by Cross' about a lynching trial in 1906 Mississippi.
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16
I, Alex Cross 2009
The murder of Cross's niece leads to a killer with ties to the White House.
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17
Cross Fire 2010
Kyle Craig returns for a final showdown as a sniper terrorizes Washington.
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18
Kill Alex Cross 2011
The president's children are kidnapped while a poisoner attacks the capital.
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19
Merry Christmas, Alex Cross 2012
A Christmas hostage standoff tests Cross's negotiation skills and his family's patience.
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20
Alex Cross, Run 2013
Three killers run loose in D.C. while someone watches Cross's every move.
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21
Cross My Heart 2013
Obsessive genius Thierry Mulch targets the thing Cross loves most: his family.
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22
Hope to Die 2014
Cross races to rescue his kidnapped family in the direct sequel to Cross My Heart.
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23
Cross Justice 2015
Cross returns to his North Carolina hometown to clear a cousin accused of murder.
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24
Cross the Line 2016
Vigilantes execute criminals as Cross steps up after a police leader's murder.
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25
The People vs. Alex Cross 2017
Cross stands trial for shooting followers of his nemesis Gary Soneji.
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26
Target: Alex Cross 2018
A team of assassins converges on Washington after a presidential funeral.
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27
Criss Cross 2019
A copycat calling himself M restages crimes from Cross's old cases.
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28
Deadly Cross 2020
The scandalous double murder of a socialite and a school principal pulls Cross to Alabama.
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29
Fear No Evil 2021
Cross and Sampson face M's endgame in the Montana wilderness.
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30
Triple Cross 2022
A true-crime writer insinuates himself into the hunt for the Family Man killer.
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31
Cross Down 2023
With Cross gravely wounded, John Sampson takes the lead against a nationwide conspiracy.
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32
Alex Cross Must Die 2023
A machine-gun killer at Reagan National ties into a vendetta against Cross himself.
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33
The House of Cross 2024
Cross hunts a mastermind targeting Supreme Court candidates in the days before Christmas.
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Women's Murder Club 25 BOOKS · IN ORDER
Co-written with Maxine Paetro (from book 4): four San Francisco friends — a homicide detective, a medical examiner, a prosecutor, and a reporter — solve murders together.
01
1st to Die 2001
Detective Lindsay Boxer forms the club while hunting a honeymoon killer.
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02
2nd Chance 2002
A sniper targeting San Francisco's police force draws the club into a hate-fueled case.
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03
3rd Degree 2004
A domestic terror campaign hits close to home and claims a member's heart.
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04
4th of July 2005
On trial for a shooting, Lindsay retreats to Half Moon Bay and finds a string of unsolved murders.
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05
The 5th Horseman 2006
Patients at a San Francisco hospital keep dying after they should have recovered.
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06
The 6th Target 2007
A ferry shooting wounds a club member while children of the rich vanish.
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07
7th Heaven 2008
Arson killings and a missing golden boy stretch the club in two directions.
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08
The 8th Confession 2009
Society's wealthiest are dying without a trace of evidence.
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09
The 9th Judgment 2010
The Lipstick Killer murders a movie star's family and dares Lindsay to catch him.
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10
10th Anniversary 2011
A missing newborn and a trial gone wrong test Lindsay's marriage and Yuki's career.
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11
11th Hour 2012
Body parts in a movie star's garden and a vigilante cop scandal collide.
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12
12th of Never 2013
A killer's body disappears from the morgue as Lindsay becomes a new mother.
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13
Unlucky 13 2014
Belly bombs and an old enemy's return make thirteen the club's unluckiest case.
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14
14th Deadly Sin 2015
Criminals in police windbreakers spread chaos through San Francisco.
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15
15th Affair 2016
A hotel murder implicates someone Lindsay never expected: her husband, Joe.
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16
16th Seduction 2017
A bombing case unravels as a self-proclaimed genius killer taunts the city.
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17
The 17th Suspect 2018
Someone is shooting the homeless, and the investigation exposes rot inside the SFPD.
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18
The 18th Abduction 2019
Three missing teachers connect to a war criminal hiding in plain sight.
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19
The 19th Christmas 2019
A criminal called Loman plans a Christmas Day heist to end them all.
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20
The 20th Victim 2020
Simultaneous sniper shootings in three cities target victims who are anything but random.
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21
21st Birthday 2021
A missing mother and baby put a smooth-talking husband in the club's crosshairs.
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22
22 Seconds 2022
Lindsay chases a deadly rumor of guns and drugs crossing the border.
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23
23rd Midnight 2023
A copycat obsessed with an imprisoned serial killer restarts his spree.
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24
The 24th Hour 2024
A high-society case and a courtroom bombshell converge on the club.
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25
25 Alive 2025
A killer's list of targets includes the man Lindsay trusts most.
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Michael Bennett 16 BOOKS · IN ORDER
Co-written mainly with Michael Ledwidge and later James O. Born: NYPD detective Michael Bennett juggles New York's biggest cases while raising ten adopted kids.
01
Step on a Crack 2007
Hostage-takers seize a state funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral with Bennett negotiating.
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02
Run for Your Life 2009
The Teacher works through a kill list of Manhattan's elite.
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03
Worst Case 2010
A kidnapper quizzes rich kids about the world's injustices — wrong answers are fatal.
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04
Tick Tock 2011
A copycat recreates New York's most infamous crimes during Bennett's beach vacation.
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05
I, Michael Bennett 2012
A jailed cartel boss puts a price on Bennett's head from his cell.
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06
Gone 2013
Hiding in witness protection, Bennett is pulled back to hunt the cartel king who escaped.
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07
Burn 2014
Back in New York, Bennett investigates reports of a secret society that watches people die.
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08
Alert 2015
Twin attacks paralyze Manhattan as a bomber promises worse to come.
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09
Bullseye 2016
An assassin targets the U.S. president during a UN summit.
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10
Haunted 2017
Bennett follows a drug kingpin's trail to a small Maine town hiding big secrets.
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11
Ambush 2018
A false tip lures police into a deadly trap aimed at Bennett himself.
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12
Blindside 2020
The mayor's missing daughter buys Bennett a favor he can't refuse.
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13
The Russian 2021
Days before Bennett's wedding, a killer called the Russian starts a Manhattan spree.
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14
Shattered 2022
Bennett tears up Washington searching for his missing friend and colleague.
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15
Obsessed 2023
A vigilante is executing predators, and Bennett's daughter may be on a killer's radar.
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16
Crosshairs 2024
A sniper terrorizes New York while Bennett races a media frenzy.
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Private 17 BOOKS · IN ORDER
A globe-trotting series (with various co-authors) about Private, the world's most exclusive detective agency, led by ex-Marine Jack Morgan.
01
Private 2010
Jack Morgan relaunches his father's agency and lands three explosive cases at once.
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02
Private London 2011
The London office hunts a kidnapped student tied to Jack's own past.
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03
Private Games 2012
A killer calling himself Cronus targets the London Olympics.
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04
Private: #1 Suspect 2012
Jack Morgan wakes to find an ex-lover dead in his bed — and himself the prime suspect.
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05
Private Berlin 2013
A Private agent's disappearance uncovers horrors buried since the Cold War.
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06
Private L.A. 2014
Hollywood's golden couple vanishes as a merciless gang terrorizes Los Angeles.
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07
Private India 2014
A serial killer stages ritualistic murders across Mumbai.
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08
Private Vegas 2015
Torched luxury cars and untouchable diplomats drag Private into Sin City.
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09
Private Paris 2016
Graffiti tags mark a wave of assassinations across the City of Light.
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10
The Games 2016
Jack Morgan heads security for the Rio Olympics as an old enemy resurfaces.
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11
Count to Ten 2017
Private's new Delhi office confronts a case that could destroy the agency in India.
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12
Princess 2018
A member of the royal family asks Jack to find a missing friend — discreetly.
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13
Private Moscow 2020
A murder at the NYSE points to a Russian mole and dueling investigations.
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14
Private Rogue 2021
A vanished family leads Jack from Manhattan to Afghanistan.
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15
Private Beijing 2022
An attack on the Beijing office reveals a traitor inside Private.
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16
Private Rome 2023
A murdered priest pulls Private into a Vatican conspiracy.
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17
Private Monaco 2024
High-stakes crime on the Riviera tests the agency's newest office.
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Maximum Ride 10 BOOKS · IN ORDER
Patterson's young-adult series about Max and her 'flock' — genetically engineered kids with wings on the run from the lab that made them.
01
The Angel Experiment 2005
The flock's youngest is recaptured by the School, and Max leads a rescue.
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02
School's Out — Forever 2006
The flock tries normal life in suburbia while hunted by a new threat.
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03
Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports 2007
Max confronts the ultimate plan: halving the world's population.
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04
The Final Warning 2008
The flock heads to Antarctica as their powers evolve.
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05
Max 2009
Millions of fish are dying and Max's mother has been kidnapped.
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06
Fang 2010
A prophecy says Fang will be the first to die.
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07
Angel 2011
The flock fractures as a doomsday cult gathers strength.
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08
Nevermore 2012
The original conclusion to Max's story — with one last betrayal.
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09
Maximum Ride Forever 2015
A post-apocalyptic epilogue that reunites the flock after the end of the world.
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10
Hawk 2020
A next-generation spinoff starring Max's daughter in a ruined city.
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Standalone books by Patterson 20 BOOKS · BY YEAR
In publication order — read these in any order you like.
01
The Thomas Berryman Number 1976
Patterson's Edgar Award-winning debut about a hired killer and the reporter tracking him.
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02
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas 2001
A tearjerker love story that showed Patterson could top charts outside thrillers.
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03
The Beach House 2002
A law student avenges his brother's death among the Hamptons elite.
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04
The Jester 2003
A medieval adventure co-written with Andrew Gross about a jester on a crusade-era quest.
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05
Honeymoon 2005
An FBI agent falls under the spell of a beautiful serial widow.
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06
Lifeguard 2005
A lifeguard is framed for a $60 million art heist gone bloody.
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07
Judge & Jury 2006
An FBI agent and a juror become targets of a mob boss on trial.
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08
The Quickie 2007
A cop's one-night revenge fling spirals into murder and cover-up.
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09
Sail 2008
A family sailing trip turns deadly when their boat explodes at sea.
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10
Swimsuit 2009
A supermodel's disappearance in Hawaii exposes a killer who films his crimes.
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11
Now You See Her 2011
A New York attorney's hidden past in Key West comes back to claim her.
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12
Guilty Wives 2012
Four friends' Monte Carlo getaway ends in a frame-up for assassination.
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13
Mistress 2013
A paranoid Washington insider investigates the death of the woman he loved.
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14
Invisible 2014
An FBI analyst insists hundreds of unsolved fires are the work of one invisible killer.
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15
Truth or Die 2015
A journalist's death hands her boyfriend a story worth killing for.
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16
The Murder House 2015
A Hamptons mansion with a bloody history claims new victims.
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17
Woman of God 2016
A doctor's extraordinary path from war zones to the possibility of the papacy.
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18
The President Is Missing 2018
Co-written with President Bill Clinton: a sitting president goes dark to stop a cyberattack.
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19
The President's Daughter 2021
With Bill Clinton: a former president's daughter is kidnapped by a vengeful terrorist.
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20
Eruption 2024
Patterson completes Michael Crichton's unfinished thriller about a catastrophic Hawaiian volcano.
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The movies READ IT BEFORE YOU WATCH IT
Kiss the Girls 1997
Based on: Kiss the Girls (1995)
Morgan Freeman's first outing as Alex Cross.
Along Came a Spider 2001
Based on: Along Came a Spider (1993)
Freeman returns as Cross in a box-office hit.
Alex Cross 2012
Based on: Cross (2006)
Tyler Perry's take on the detective; a reboot that divided fans.
Zoo 2015
Based on: Zoo (2012)
CBS series about animal attacks worldwide; ran three seasons.
Maximum Ride 2016
Based on: The Angel Experiment (2005)
Low-budget YA adaptation released to streaming.
Cross 2024
Based on: Alex Cross series
Prime Video series starring Aldis Hodge; renewed for multiple seasons.
Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the Alex Cross books in?
Read them in publication order, starting with Along Came a Spider (1993) and Kiss the Girls (1995). Each mystery is self-contained, but Cross's family life and recurring villains like Gary Soneji and Kyle Craig develop across books, so the series is far more rewarding in order.
Do I need to read James Patterson books in order?
Within a series, order helps but isn't mandatory — Patterson writes each book to stand alone. Across series, there's no required order at all; Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett, and Private are completely independent of each other.
What is James Patterson's best book?
Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider are widely considered his best and most influential thrillers. 1st to Die is the top pick from the Women's Murder Club, and his Edgar-winning debut The Thomas Berryman Number is a favorite among critics.
How many books has James Patterson written?
Patterson has published well over 200 books across thrillers, YA, children's fiction, and nonfiction, many written with co-authors. He holds the record for the most New York Times #1 bestsellers of any author.