James Patterson Books in Order

James Patterson is a New York Times bestselling crime, thriller, and children’s author best known for the Alex Cross series, the Women’s Murder Club series, Michael Bennett, Private, Maximum Ride, and Middle School. He is one of the world’s biggest-selling authors, with more than 425 million books sold, and he holds the Guinness World Record for the most #1 New York Times bestsellers by a single author. Before writing full time, he worked in advertising and eventually became CEO of J. Walter Thompson North America. His debut novel won the Edgar Award, but it was Along Came a Spider in 1993 that introduced Alex Cross, his best-known character, and turned him into a publishing powerhouse.

His books are usually written to be read very fast. They have short chapters, direct scenes, high-pressure cases, and returning characters in long-running series. His career is also unusual because of how much he has collaborated with others. Many of his adult thrillers, true-crime books, and children’s books are co-written with other authors, which is why this page has so many separate series and co-author notes.

This page lists all James Patterson books in order, including the Alex Cross series, Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Private, Jane Smith, Billy Harney, Holmes, Marple & Poe, standalone thrillers, BookShots, non-fiction books, and children’s and young adult series.

Latest James Patterson Books

More upcoming releases:

• Delusional (August 17)
• An Armada of Trouble (September 23)
• The Munich Affair (September 21)
• The Girl in the Lake (October 6)
• The Family Cross (October 19)
• The Murder Trial (November 23)
• Blackball (April 2027)

How the James Patterson Series Connect

Most James Patterson series are separate from each other. The biggest exception is the Alex Cross world. The Ali Cross series follows Alex Cross’s son and are written for younger readers, so they work best after already knowing who Alex Cross is and what he does. The Alex Cross BookShots, including Cross Kill and Detective Cross, are shorter side stories connected to the main Alex Cross series.

The Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Private, and Zoo also have BookShots or short stories. These are useful for completing the full series, but they are not the best place to start. Begin with the first full novel in each series, then use the shorter works as extras.

A few series changed hands or had other authors co-write them over time. NYPD Red begins as a James Patterson and Marshall Karp collaboration, while later book are written by Marshall Karp alone. Private also has many co-authors and moves between cities and countries, so publication order gives the easiest way through the series.

Alex Cross Series (Books in Order)

The Alex Cross series follows Washington, D.C. detective and forensic psychologist Alex Cross, who investigates kidnappings, serial murders, political crimes, and unusual cases that often put his own family in danger. Cross is both a police investigator and a psychologist, so the books mix detective work with with the hunt for criminals who terrorize their victims.

This is James Patterson’s longest and best-known series. It began with Along Came a Spider in 1993, and several Alex Cross books have been adapted for film and television, including Kiss the Girls, Along Came a Spider (both starring Morgan Freeman), Cross, and the Prime Video series Cross.

1. Along Came A Spider, 1993
2. Kiss the Girls, 1994
3. Jack & Jill, 1996
4. Cat and Mouse, 1997
5. Pop Goes the Weasel, 1999
6. Roses are Red, 2000
7. Violets are Blue, 2001
8. Four Blind Mice, 2002
9. The Big Bad Wolf, 2003
10. London Bridges, 2004
11. Mary, Mary, 2005
12. Cross, 2006
13. Double Cross, 2007
14. Cross Country, 2008
15. Alex Cross’s Trial, 2009
16. I, Alex Cross, 2009
17. Cross Fire, 2009
18. Kill Alex Cross, 2011
19. Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, 2012
20. Alex Cross, Run, 2013
21. Cross My Heart, 2013
22. Hope to Die, 2014
23. Cross Justice, 2015
24. Cross the Line, 2016
25. The People vs. Alex Cross, 2017
26. Target: Alex Cross, 2018
27. Criss Cross, 2019
28. Deadly Cross, 2020
29. Fear No Evil, 2021
30. Triple Cross, 2022
31. Cross Down, 2023
32. Alex Cross Must Die, 2023
33. The House of Cross, 2024
34. Return of the Spider, 2025
35. Cross and Sampson, 2026
36. The Family Cross, 2026

Ali Cross Series (Books in Order)

The Ali Cross series follows Alex Cross’s teenage son, Ali Cross, who starts solving cases of his own. These books are written for middle-grade readers and are an easier start to the Alex Cross world.

1. Ali Cross, 2019
2. Like Father, Like Son, 2021
3. The Secret Detective, 2022

Ali Cross Graphic Novels

Co-authored with Adam Rau.

1. Ali Cross: The Graphic Novel 1, 2021

Travis McKinley Series (Books in Order)

The Travis McKinley series, also known as the Miracle series, follows former advertising executive Travis McKinley, who finds his life is changed by an unexpected second chance while on the golf course. The books are lighter in tone than most of James Patterson’s crime novels.

Co-authored with Peter De Jonge.

1. Miracle on the 17th Green, 1996
2. Miracle at Augusta, 2015
3. Miracle at St Andrews, 2019

Women’s Murder Club Series (Books in Order)

The Women’s Murder Club series follows four women in San Francisco who use their different jobs to solve major crimes: homicide detective Lindsay Boxer, medical examiner Claire Washburn, reporter Cindy Thomas, and attorney Jill Bernhardt. Later books also bring in Yuki Castellano to replace Jill Bernhardt after a major event within the team.

The series began in 2001 with 1st to Die and has become one of the author’s biggest adult crime series after Alex Cross. Each book has one case to be solved, but the friendships, marriages, careers, and losses they have are present as a main background arc in the whole series, so publication order is the best way to read them. It was adapted into a shorter TV series that aired from 2007 to 2008.

Co-authored primarily with Maxine Paetro, with earlier entries co-written with Andrew Gross.

1. 1st to Die, 2000
2. 2nd Chance, 2002
3. 3rd Degree, 2004
4. 4th of July, 2005
5. The 5th Horseman, 2006
6. The 6th Target, 2007
7. 7th Heaven, 2008
8. The 8th Confession, 2009
9. The 9th Judgment, 2009
10. 10th Anniversary, 2011
11. 11th Hour, 2012
12. 12th of Never, 2013
13. Unlucky 13, 2014
14. 14th Deadly Sin, 2015
15. 15th Affair, 2016
16. The Trial, 2016
17. 16th Seduction, 2017
18. The Medical Examiner, 2017
19. 17th Suspect, 2018
20. 18th Abduction, 2019
21. 19th Christmas, 2019
22. 20th Victim, 2020
23. 21st Birthday, 2021
24. 22 Seconds, 2022
25. 23rd Midnight, 2023
26. 23 1/2 Lies, 2023
27. The 24th Hour, 2024
28. 25 Alive, 2025
29. 26 Beauties, 2026

Honeymoon Series (Books in Order)

The Honeymoon series follows FBI agent John O’Hara as he investigates dangerous and manipulative women, so called femme-fatales who marry for money and leave their husbands dead. It is a short cat-and-mouse type series, where O’Hara lays his own trap to catch these “black widow” women.

Co-authored with Howard Roughan.

1. Honeymoon, 2005
2. Second Honeymoon, 2013

Michael Bennett Series (Books in Order)

The Michael Bennett series follows NYPD detective Michael Bennett as he investigates major crimes in New York City while raising his ten adopted children as a widower. His home life is always present in every book while he solves the cases, which is what makes these books somewhat different from James Patterson’s other crime series.

Co-authored primarily with Michael Ledwidge, with later books co-written with James O. Born.

1. Step on a Crack, 2007
2. Run for Your Life, 2009
3. Worst Case, 2009
4. Tick Tock, 2010
5. I, Michael Bennett, 2012
6. Gone, 2013
7. Burn, 2014
8. Alert, 2015
9. Bullseye, 2016
10. Haunted, 2017
11. Manhunt, 2017
12. Ambush, 2018
13. Blindside, 2020
14. The Russian, 2021
15. Shattered, 2022
16. Obsessed, 2023
17. Crosshairs, 2024
18. Paranoia, 2025
19. Delusional, 2026

Private Series (Books in Order)

The Private series, also known as the Jack Morgan series, follows former Marine helicopter pilot Jack Morgan, who runs an international private investigation agency. The agency has offices around the world, so each book takes place in a different city or country, moving from Los Angeles to London, Berlin, Paris, India, Australia, Moscow, Dublin, Tokyo, and other locations.

Some books focus mostly on Jack Morgan, while others follow regional Private teams, which is why the series is more flexible than Alex Cross or Michael Bennett, but publication order is best way to learn more about the main agency and its recurring characters.

Co-authored with several writers across the series, including Maxine Paetro, Mark Sullivan, Ashwin Sanghi, Kathryn Fox, Jassy Mackenzie, Rees Jones, Adam Hamdy, and others.

1. Private, 2010
2. Private London, 2011
3. Private Games, 2012
4. Private: No. 1 Suspect, 2012
5. Private Berlin, 2012
6. Private Down Under, 2012 (also titled Private OZ)
7. Private L.A., 2014
8. Private India: City of Fire, 2014
9. Private Vegas, 2015
10. Private Sydney, 2015 (also titled Missing)
11. Private Paris, 2016
12. Private Rio, 2016 (also titled The Games)
13. Private Royals, 2016 (also titled The Royals)
14. Private Delhi, 2017 (also titled Count to Ten)
15. Private Gold, 2017
16. Private Princess, 2018 (also titled Princess)
17. Private Moscow, 2020
18. Private Rogue, 2021 (also titled Missing Persons)
19. Private Beijing, 2022
20. Private Rome, 2023
21. Private Monaco, 2024
22. Private Dublin, 2025
23. Private Tokyo, 2026

NYPD RED Series (Books in Order)

The NYPD Red series follows Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald, detectives in an elite New York unit that investigates crimes involving celebrities, wealthy families, political figures, and other high-profile people. The cases usually put the police under extra pressure because the victims, suspects, or witnesses are famous, living in a world of money and privilege.

The first six books are James Patterson and Marshall Karp collaborations. From NYPD Red 7 onward, the series continues under Marshall Karp.

1. NYPD Red, 2012
2. NYPD Red 2, 2014
3. NYPD Red 3, 2015
4. NYPD Red 4, 2016
5. NYPD Red 5, 2018
6. NYPD Red 6, 2020

Invisible Series (Books in Order)

The Invisible series follows FBI researcher Emmy Dockery, who believes that several apparently unrelated deaths are actually connected. Her strength is pattern-spotting. She often notices links that other investigators have dismissed, not taken seriously, or can’t detect.

Co-authored with David Ellis.

1. Invisible, 2014
2. Unsolved, 2019

Detective Harriet Blue Series (Books in Order)

The Detective Harriet Blue series follows Sydney Sex Crimes detective Harriet Blue, whose police career and world falls apart when her brother is accused of murdering several young women. Initially Harriet keeps working cases, but she is convinced her brother is innocent, so eventually she becomes a fugitive working outside the law while trying to clear her brother’s name and find out the true killers.

Co-authored with Candice Fox.

1. Black & Blue, 2016
2. Never Never, 2016
3. Fifty Fifty, 2018
4. Liar Liar, 2018
5. Hush Hush, 2019

Instinct Series (Books in Order)

The Instinct series follows Ivy League criminal psychology professor Dylan Reinhart, a former CIA operative who consults with the NYPD on murder investigations. The cases he works on are usually complex, which need his own unusual way of thinking where he puts himself in the shoes of the killers and his photographic memory. The first book, Murder Games, was adapted into the CBS television series Instinct.

Co-authored with Howard Roughan.

1. Instinct / Murder Games, 2017
2. Killer Instinct, 2019
3. Steal, 2022

Ruby Bozarth Series (Books in Order)

The Ruby Bozarth series follows young defense attorney Ruby Bozarth in a small-town in Mississippi who finds herself handling serious murder cases almost as soon as her career begins. The books are legal thriller, which deviate from James Patterson’s usual police procedural series.

Co-authored with Nancy Allen.

1. Juror #3, 2017
2. The Jailhouse Lawyer, 2021

Texas Ranger Series (Books in Order)

The Texas Ranger series, also known as the Rory Yates series, follows Texas Ranger Rory Yates as he investigates violent crimes in Texas, including cased that involve corruption, bring up old grudges, and those that happen at the Texas-Mexico border. The books are connected through Rory, but each case can be followed separately.

Co-authored with Andrew Bourelle.

1. Texas Ranger, 2018
2. Texas Outlaw, 2020
3. The Texas Murders, 2025

Murder is Forever Series (Books in Order)

The Murder Is Forever books are true-crime-style standalone stories which are based on real cases that inspired the Murder Is Forever television series. Each book retells a real murder case based on obsession, family conflict, money, or betrayal.

1. Murder, Interrupted, 2018
2. Home Sweet Murder, 2018
3. Murder Beyond Grave, 2018
4. Murder Thy Neighbour, 2020
5. Murder of Innocence, 2020
6. Till Murder Do Us Part, 2021

Out of Sight Series (Books in Order)

The Out of Sight series, also known as the Amy Cornwall series, follows former U.S. Army intelligence officer Amy Cornwall, who desperately tries to protect her family, while uncovering a dangerous top-level government conspiracy before time is running out. Some of the cases are directly connected to her past work.

Co-authored with Brendan DuBois.

1. The Cornwalls are Gone, 2019 (also titled The Cornwalls Vanished)
2. Countdown, 2019

Tom Moon Series (Books in Order)

The Tom Moon series follows former NYPD detective Tom Moon, who leads a Miami task force in order to take down an international crime gang that wants to set their base in the city.

Co-authored with James O. Born.

1. Lost, 2019

Angela Hoot Series (Books in Order)

The Angela Hoot series follows young tech prodigy, hacker Angela Hoot, who is recruited into the FBI to investigate cybercrimes and tracks down digital threats that are otherwise difficult to trace. It is a young adult series.

Co-authored with Chris Tebbetts.

1. 1st Case, 2020

Sisters Detective Agency Series (Books in Order)

The Sisters Detective Agency series follows two half sisters, Rhonda and Baby, who run their private investigation agency in Florida and find themselves pulled into increasingly dangerous and complex criminal cases involving serial killers, people who kill for fun, assassins, and finding missing persons.

Co-authored with Candice Fox.

1. 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2021
2. 2 Sisters Murder Investigations, 2025

Shadow Series (Books in Order)

The Shadow series is a modern reimagining of Lamont Cranston, the classic 1930s pulp and radio hero known as The Shadow. When Cranston and his partner Margo Lane are ambushed by their greatest enemy, they escape into the future, where Cranston wakes up 150 years later to find the same evil forces still at work. The books take the character out of his era and bring him to a future where new and old threats are there to destroy the world.

Co-authored with Brian Sitts and Richard DiLallo.

1. The Shadow, 2021
2. Circle of Death, 2023
3. The President’s Shadow, 2025

Black Book Thriller Series (Books in Order)

The Black Book Thriller series, also known as the Billy Harney series, follows Chicago detective Billy Harney as he investigates criminal cases, including a murder connected to a black book full of names that some very powerful people want to keep hidden. The Coldest Case is an audiobook novella connected to the series. If you want the main novel order, start with The Black Book.

Co-authored with David Ellis.

1. The Coldest Case, 2021 (audiobook novella)
2. The Black Book, 2017
3. The Red Book, 2021
4. Escape, 2022
5. Blackball, 2027

Jane Smith Series (Books in Order)

The Jane Smith legal thriller series follows Jane “Effing” Smith, a brilliant criminal defense attorney who, after learning that she has terminal cancer and knowing that her end is not far, pushes harder than a cautious lawyer might and takes on dangerous cases that others wouldn’t dare to go near, because she knows that she has nothing to lose.

Co-authored with Mike Lupica.

1. 12 Months to Live, 2023
2. Hard to Kill, 2024 (also titled 8 Months Left)
3. The Hamptons Lawyer, 2025

Doc Savage Thriller Series (Books in Order)

The Doc Savage thriller series follows Brandt “Doc” Savage, a quiet anthropology professor who is the grandson of the legendary pulp hero Doc Savage. After he is kidnapped and put through a brutal training program with no explanation, he finds himself transformed, and he discovers he may have been trained to become the perfect assassin. Now Brandt is trying to understand who changed him and why.

Co-authored with Brian Sitts.

1. The Perfect Assassin, 2023
2. Murder Island, 2024

Holmes, Marple & Poe Series (Books in Order)

The Holmes, Marple & Poe series follows three modern private investigators in New York City who use the names Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Auguste Poe. Their public identities are part of the mystery. Holmes handles the deduction, Marple the sharp observation, and Poe the dangerous legwork, just like the original famous namesakes. Often the police are not sure whether to treat them as allies or suspects.

Co-authored with Brian Sitts.

1. Holmes, Marple & Poe, 2024
2. Holmes is Missing, 2025
3. The Girl in the Lake, 2026

Young Adult & Children’s Books

James Patterson’s children’s and young adult books are separate from his adult crime series. This section groups the middle-grade, YA, graphic novel, and picture-book series together so younger-reader books do not get mixed into the adult thriller lists.

When the Wind Blows Series (Books in Order)

1. When the Wind Blows, 1998
2. The Lake House, 2003

Maximum Ride Series (Books in Order)

1. The Angel Experiment, 2005
2. School’s Out Forever, 2006
3. Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports, 2007
4. The Final Warning, 2007
5. Max, 2009
6. Fang, 2010
7. Angel, 2011
8. Nevermore, 2012
9. Maximum Ride Forever, 2015

Daniel X Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Michael Ledwidge, Ned Rust, Adam Sadler, Chris Grabenstein, Leopoldo Gout

1. Dangerous Days of Daniel X, 2008
2. Watch the Skies, 2009
3. Demons and Druids, 2010
4. Game Over, 2011
5. Armageddon, 2012
6. Lights Out, 2015

 Daniel X Graphic Novels (Books in Order)

1. Alien Hunter, 2008
2. Daniel X: The Manga, Vol. 1, 2010 (with Michael Ledwidge)
3. Daniel X: The Manga, Vol. 2, 2011 (with Ned Rust)
4. Daniel X: The Manga, Vol. 3, 2012 (with Adam Sadler)

Witch & Wizard Series (Books in Order)

1. Witch and Wizard, 2009, with Gabrielle Charbonnet
2. Battle for Shadowland, 2010 (graphic novel with Dara Naraghi, Victor Santos)
3. The Gift, 2010, with Ned Rust
4. The Fire, 2011, with Jill Dembowski
5. The Kiss, 2013, with Jill Dembowski
6. The Lost, 2014, with Emily Raymond

Confessions Series (Books in Order)

1. Confessions of a Murder Suspect, 2012
2. The Private School Murders, 2013
3. The Paris Mysteries, 2014
4. The Murder of an Angel, 2015

I Funny Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Chris Grabenstein.

1. I Funny: A Middle School Story, 2012
2. I Even Funnier, 2013
3. I Totally Funniest, 2015
4. I Funny TV, 2015
5. I Funny: School of Laughs, 2017
6. The Nerdiest, Wimpiest, Dorkiest I Funny Ever, 2018

Crazy House Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Gabrielle Charbonnet.

1. Crazy House, 2017
2. The Fall of Crazy House, 2019

Time Travel Twins Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Tad Safran.

1. The Time Travel Twins, 2024
2. The Pharaoh’s Tomb, 2025
3. An Armada of Trouble, 2026

Middle School Series (Books in Order)

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1. Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (with Chris Tebbetts), 2011
2. Get Me Out of Here! (with Chris Tebbetts), 2012
3. How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill (with Chris Tebbetts), 2013
4. My Brother is a Big, Fat Liar (with Lisa Papademetriou), 2013
5. Ultimate Showdown (with Julia Bergen), 2014
6. How I Got Lost in London 2014
7. Save Rafe! (with Chris Tebbetts), 2014
8. Just My Rotten Luck (with Chris Tebbetts), 2015
9. Going Bush (with Martin Chatterton), 2016
10. Dog’s Best Friend (with Chris Tebbetts), 2016
11. Hollywood 101 (with Martin Chatterton), 2016
12. Escape to Australia / Million-Dollar Mess Down Under (with Martin Chatterton), 2017
13. From Hero to Zero (with Chris Tebbetts), 2017
14. Born to Rock (with Chris Tebbetts), 2019
15. Master of Disaster (with Chris Tebbetts), 2020
16. Field Trip Fiasco (with Martin Chatterton), 2021
17. It’s a Zoo in Here! (with Brian Sitts), 2022
18. Winter Blunderland (with Brian Sitts), 2022
19. Million Dollar Mess (with Martin Chatterton), 2024
20. Too Uncool for School (with Martin Chatterton), 2025

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Jacky Ha-Ha Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Chris Grabenstein.

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• Jacky Ha-Ha, 2016
• My Life is a Joke, 2017
• Jacky Ha-Ha: My Life is a Joke, 2021 (graphic novel)
• Jacky Ha-Ha Gets the Last Laugh, 2023

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Little Geniuses Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Susan Patterson.

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• Big Words for Little Geniuses, 2017
• Cuddly Critters for Little Geniuses, 2018
• Bigger Words for Little Geniuses, 2019

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Max Einstein Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Chris Grabenstein.

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• The Genius Experiment, 2018
• Rebels with a Cause, 2019
• Saves the Future, 2020
• World Champions!, 2021

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Treasure Hunters Series (Books in Order)

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• Treasure Hunters, 2013
• Danger Down the Nile, 2014
• Secret of the Forbidden City, 2015
• Peril at the Top of the World, 2016
• Quest for the City of Gold, 2017
• All-American Adventure, 2019
• The Plunder Down Under, 2020
• The Ultimate Quest, 2022

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Minerva Keen’s Detective Club Series (Books in Order)

• Minerva Keen’s Detective Club, 2023
• MK’s Detective Club: The Double Trouble Puzzle, 2025

Picture Books

• Santakid, 2004
• Give Please a Chance, 2016 (with Bill O’Reilly)
• Penguins of America, 2017 (with Jack Patterson and Florence Yue)
• Give Thank You a Try, 2017
• Elephant Goes Potty, 2023

James Patterson Bookshots

BookShots are short James Patterson books, usually much shorter than a full novel, typically around 150 pages, which can be read in a single sitting. James Patterson launched the BookShots imprint in 2016. Some are standalone stories, while others are side shorts connected to Alex Cross, Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Private, Zoo, and other series.

Alex Cross Bookshots

• Cross Kill, 2016
• Detective Cross, 2017

Chef Bookshots

Co-authored with Jeffrey J. Keyes.

• Killer Chef, 2016

Diamond Trilogy Bookshots

Co-authored with Elizabeth Hayley.

• Dazzling, 2016
• Radiant, 2016
• Exquisite, 2017

Jon Roscoe Thriller Bookshots

Co-authored with Robert Gold.

• The Hostage, 2016
• The Verdict, 2016
• Kidnapped, 2016

Women’s Murder Club Bookshots

Co-authored with Maxine Paetro.

• The Trial, 2016
• The Medical Examiner, 2017

Michael Bennett Bookshots

Co-authored with James O. Born.

• Chase, 2016
• Manhunt, 2017

Private Series Bookshots

Co-authored with Jassy Mackenzie, Rees Jones.

• Private Royals, 2016
• Private: Gold, 2017

Zoo Bookshots

Co-authored with Michael Ledwidge.

• Zoo 2, 2016

Flames Bookshots

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• Learning to Ride, 2016
• Sacking the Quarterback, 2016
• The Mating Season, 2016
• The Return, 2016
• Bodyguard, 2016
• Hot Winter Nights, 2016
• Seducing Shakespeare, 2017
• Bedding the Highlander, 2017
• Sabotage, 2017
• 50 Hidden Desires, 2017
• Sexy Summer Flings, 2017
• Love Me Tender, 2017
• The Experiment, 2017
• The Weekend Wife, 2017
• Dawn’s Early Light, 2017
• Christmas Sanctuary, 2017
• Shopping for Love, 2018
• Once Upon a Kiss, 2018

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Detective Luc Moncrief Bookshots

Co-authored with Richard DiLallo.

• French Kiss, 2016
• The Christmas Mystery, 2016
• French Twist, 2017

Mitchum Bookshots

Co-authored with James O. Born.

• Hidden, 2017
• Malicious, 2017

Owen Taylor Bookshots

Co-authored with Brendan DuBois.

• The End, 2017
• After the End, 2017

Standalone Bookshots

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• Let’s Play Make-Believe / The Palm Beach Murders, 2016
• Break Point, 2016
• Heist, 2016
• Airport Code Red, 2016
• The Witnesses, 2016
• Little Black Dress, 2016
• Dead Heat, 2016
• The Pretender, 2016
• Hunted, 2016
• 113 Minutes, 2016
• Trump vs. Clinton, 2016
• The Women’s War, 2016
• $10,000,000 Marriage Proposal, 2016
• Taking the Titanic, 2016
• Come and Get Us, 2016
• The House Husband, 2017
• The Shut-In, 2017
• Night Sniper, 2017
• Diary of a Succubus, 2017
• Stealing Gulfstreams, 2017
• The Lawyer Lifeguard, 2017
• Stingrays, 2017
• Nooners, 2017
• Steeplechase, 2017
• Deadly Cargo, 2017
• The Dolls, 2017
• The Family Lawyer, 2017
• Dead Man Running, 2017
• Scott Free, 2017
• Absolute Zero, 2017
• You’ve Been Warned – Again, 2017
• The Exile, 2017
• The Moores Are Missing & The Housewife, 2017
• Avalanche, 2017
• Kill and Tell, 2017
• The 13-Minute Murder, 2019

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Novellas and Short Stories

• The Witnesses, 2016
• The Guilty, 2021
• Fear the Wolf, 2022
• 10 Rules for the Perfect Murder, 2024
• 7 Hours to Die, 2024
• The Commuter, 2025
• Game of Nines, 2025
• Trapped, 2026

Anthologies and Short Story Collections

• Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, 2006
• The Best American Mystery Stories 2015, 2015
• The Best American Mystery Stories 2017, 2017

Standalone Novels

• The Thomas Berryman Number, 1976
• Season of the Machete, 1977
• See How They Run, 1979
• Cradle and All, 1980
• Black Friday, 1986 (also titled Black Market)
• The Midnight Club, 1988
• Hide & Seek, 1995
• Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, 2001
• The Beach House, 2002 (with Peter de Jonge)
• The Jester, 2003 (with Andrew Gross)
• Lifeguard, 2005 (with Andrew Gross)
• Beach Road, 2006 (with Peter de Jonge)
• Judge & Jury, 2006 (with Andrew Gross)
• The Quickie, 2007 (with Michael Ledwidge)
• You’ve Been Warned, 2007 (with Howard Roughan)
• Sundays at Tiffany’s, 2008 (with Gabrielle Charbonnet)
• Sail, 2008 (with Howard Roughan)
• Swimsuit, 2009 (with Maxine Paetro)
• The Postcard Killers, 2010 (with Liza Marklund)
• Don’t Blink, 2010 (with Howard Roughan)
• Toys, 2011 (with Neil McMahon)
• Now You See Her, 2011 (with Michael Ledwidge)
• Kill Me If You Can, 2011 (with Marshall Karp)
• Guilty Wives, 2012 (with David Ellis)
• Zoo, 2012 (with Michael Ledwidge)
• Mistress, 2013 (with David Ellis)
• First Love, 2014 (with Emily Raymond)
• Truth or Die, 2015 (with Howard Roughan)
• The Murder House, 2015 (with David Ellis)
• Woman Of God, 2016 (with Maxine Paetro)
• Humans Bow Down, 2017 (with Emily Raymond)
• Pottymouth and Stoopid, 2017, with Chris Grabenstein
• Laugh Out Loud, 2017, with Chris Grabenstein
• The Store, 2017, with Richard DiLallo
• Expelled, 2017, with Emily Raymond (also titled The Injustice)
• The President is Missing, 2018 (with Bill Clinton)
• The First Lady, 2018 (with Brendan DuBois)
• The Inn, 2019 (also titled The Murder Inn) (with Candice Fox)
• The Warning, 2019 (with Robison Wells)
• Revenge, 2020 (with Andrew Holmes – part of the David Shelley books)
• The Summer House, 2020 (with Brendan DuBois)
• Cajun Justice, 2020 (with Tucker Axum)
• The Coast-to-Coast Murders, 2020 (with J.D. Barker)
• The Palm Beach Murders, 2021
• The Noise, 2021 (with J.D. Barker)
• The President’s Daughter, 2021 ( with B. Clinton)
• Death of the Black Widow, 2022 (with J.D. Barker)
• Run Rose Run, 2022 (with Dolly Parton)
• The Ninth Month, 2022 (with Richard DiLallo)
• Blowback, 2022 (with Brendan DuBois)
• The Girl in the Castle, 2022 (with Emily Raymond)
• The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas, 2022 (with Tad Safran)
• The House of Wolves, 2023 (with Mike Lupica)
• Things I Wish I’d Told My Mother, 2023 (with Susan Patterson & Susan DiLallo)
• Lion & Lamb, 2023 (with Duane Swierczynski)
• The #1 Lawyer, 2024 (with Nancy Allen)
• Eruption, 2024 (with Michael Crichton)
• Confessions of the Dead, 2024 (with J.D. Barker)
• Lies He Told Me, 2024 (with David Ellis)
• Raised By Wolves, 2024 (with Emily Raymond)
• The Writer (also titled The Imperfect Murder), 2025 (with J.D. Barker)
• Emma on Fire, 2025 (with Emily Raymond)
• The First Gentleman, 2025 (with Bill Clinton)
• The Billion-Dollar Ransom, 2025 (with Duane Swierczynski)
• The Picasso Heist, 2025 (with Howard Roughan)
• Judge Stone, 2026 (with Viola Davis)
• The Mother-Daughter Book Club, 2026 (with Susan Patterson)
• Rocket’s Red Glare, 2026 (with Matt Eversmann)
• The Country Road Murders, 2026 (with Mike Lupica)
• The Munich Affair, 2026 (with David Ellis)
• The Murder Trial, 2026 (with Nancy Allen)

Non-Fiction Books

• The Day America Told the Truth, 1991 (with Peter Kim)
• Torn Apart, 2008 (with Hal Friedman)
• The Murder of King Tut, 2009 (with Martin Dugard)
• Filthy Rich, 2016 (with John Connolly, Tim Malloy)
• The House of Kennedy, 2020 (with Cynthia Fagen)
• The Last Days of John Lennon, 2020 (with Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge)
• Walk in My Combat Boots, 2021 (with Matt Eversmann and Chris Mooney)
• E.R. Nurses: True Stories From the Frontline/from America’s Greatest Unsung Heroes, 2021 (with Matt Eversmann)
• The Defense Lawyer, 2021 (with Benjamin Wallace)
• James Patterson: The Stories of My Life by James Patterson, 2022
• Diana, William and Harry, 2022 (with Chris Mooney)
• Walk the Blue Line, 2023 (with Matt Eversmann)
• What Really Happens in Vegas, 2023 (with Mark Seal)
• The Secret Lives of Booksellers & Librarians, 2024 (with Matt Eversmann)
• Tiger, Tiger, 2024 (Tiger Woods biography) (with Peter De Jonge)
• American Heroes, 2024 (with Matt Eversmann)
• The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, 2025 (with Imogen Edwards-Jones)
• Thank You, Teachers, 2026 (with Matt Eversmann)

James Patterson Biography

James Patterson is an American author best known for the Alex Cross series, and whose work includes adult thrillers, crime series, true-crime books, children’s books, middle-grade fiction, young adult novels, and collaborations with many other writers.
Official website: jamespatterson.com

James Patterson was born in 1947 in Newburgh, New York. He earned a BA in English from Manhattan College in 1969 and later also earned a Master of Arts in English at Vanderbilt University, graduating summa cum laude. He first studied to become a doctor, however, he soon left school to work in advertising.

He joined the advertising agency J. Walter Thompson as a junior copywriter and later became CEO of its North American division. While working in advertising, James Patterson wrote stories in his spare time. His debut novel, The Thomas Berryman Number, was published in 1976 by Little, Brown and Company and and it won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. However, his major commercial breakthrough was in 1993, when James Patterson brought his readers his most famous character, Alex Cross, in Along Came a Spider. Alex Cross became his longest, most successful, and best selling series, with the character appearing in films and television series.

Over the next few decades, James Patterson wrote numerous series across adult, young adult, and children’s fiction, including the Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Private, Maximum Ride, NYPD Red, Middle School, I Funny, Ali Cross, Jane Smith, and many standalone thrillers. His books are known for short chapters that are fast to read, fast scenes that often read like movie scripts, returning protagonists, and many co-authors involved in both his series and his standalone novels.

James Patterson is one of the most successful authors today, with hundreds of millions of copies of his books sold worldwide. Many titles have appeared on The New York Times bestseller list. He is known for his philanthropic works, having spent many years supporting reading, literacy, and other education initiatives. He has donated books to students and soldiers, funded school and classroom libraries, supported independent bookstores, created teacher and writer education scholarships, and launched the JIMMY Patterson imprint at Little, Brown to encourage children to read.

James Patterson Books Adaptations

Several of James Patterson’s novels have been adapted for film and television.

• Kiss the Girls – adapted into the feature film Kiss the Girls (1997)
• Miracle on the 17th Green – adapted into the television film Miracle on the 17th Green (1999)
• Along Came a Spider – adapted into the feature film Along Came a Spider (2001)
• 1st to Die – adapted into the television film First to Die (2003)
• Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas – adapted into the television film Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas (2005)
• Women’s Murder Club series – adapted into the television series Women’s Murder Club (2007-2008)
• Cross – adapted into the feature film Alex Cross (2012)
• Zoo – adapted into the television series Zoo (2015-2017)
• Maximum Ride series – adapted into the feature film Maximum Ride (2016)
• Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life – adapted into the feature film Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (2016)
• The Postcard Killers – adapted into the feature film The Postcard Killings (2020)
• Filthy Rich – adapted into the Netflix documentary series Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020)
• Alex Cross series – adapted into the Prime Video television series Cross (2024–present)

James Patterson Awards and Honors

Major Awards and Honors

• The Thomas Berryman Number – Edgar Award for Best First Novel (1977)
• Children’s Choice Book Awards – Author of the Year for *Max* (2010)
• Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, National Book Foundation (2015)
• National Humanities Medal (2019)
• International Thriller Writers Silver Bullet Award (2025)

Other Awards and Recognitions

• BCA Mystery Guild – Thriller of the Year
• International Thriller Writers – Thriller of the Year
• National Parenting Publications Honors Awards
• International Reading Association – Young Adults’ Choices Booklist
• American Library Association – Teens’ Top Ten Pick
• Book Sense Children’s Pick
• ReadKiddoRead – National Book Foundation Innovations in Reading Prize
• ReadKiddoRead – American Library Association Great Websites for Kids

Nominations and Shortlists

• Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award (2011)
• Fang – Children’s Choice Book Awards, Teen Choice Book of the Year (2011)
• Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life – Children’s Choice Book Awards, Author of the Year (2012)

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