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. His first novel, The Thomas Berryman Number, won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, while Along Came a Spider introduced Alex Cross in 1993 and began his longest-running series.

Many of his adult thrillers, true-crime books, and children’s series were written with co-authors, including Maxine Paetro, David Ellis, Michael Ledwidge, Mike Lupica, Chris Grabenstein, Candice Fox, Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton.

Below are 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 and standalones.

Latest James Patterson Books

More upcoming releases:

• The Munich Affair – September 21, 2026 (with David Ellis)
• The Girl in the Lake – October 6, 2026 (Holmes, Marple & Poe)
• The Family Cross – October 19, 2026 (Alex Cross)
• The Murder Trial – November 23, 2026 (with Nancy Allen)
• Bulldog – January 11, 2027 (with Mike Lupica)
• Face Off – February 15, 2027 (with J. D. Barker)
• Chicago Blue (April 5, 2027) – Black Book / Billy Harney #4; previously announced as Blackball

Where to Start with James Patterson

Start with Along Came a Spider if you want to begin with James Patterson’s main crime series. It is the first Alex Cross book and also the best starting point if you’re coming from the Cross TV series.

For an NYPD Detective series, start with Step on a Crack, the first in the Michael Bennett series. Bennet is an NYPD detective raising ten adopted children after his wife’s death, so his family remains a major part of the series.

Start with a standalone if you don’t want to read one of his very long series. The President Is Missing or Eruption are really fun reads.

His other major series, including Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett and Private, can all be started with their first books listed below.

Alex Cross Series (Books in Order)

The Alex Cross series follows Washington, D.C. detective and psychologist Alex Cross as he investigates kidnappings, serial murders, and crimes that sometimes reach into national politics. His training helps him understand how offenders choose and control their victims, but much of the series also concerns the people waiting for him at home: his grandmother Nana Mama, his children, and his longtime friend and police partner John Sampson.

Most cases can be followed on their own. Alex’s family life, career changes, recurring enemies, and relationships develop across the books, however, so publication order gives the fuller story. 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, 2010
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 as he begins investigating mysteries in his own school and neighborhood. Ali has learned a great deal from his father, although Alex is not always pleased to see him testing those lessons in dangerous situations.

These middle-grade books introduce the Cross family to younger readers. They work independently, but readers familiar with Alex Cross will recognize the family relationships and Washington, D.C. setting.

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, whose ordinary life changes after an extraordinary round of golf. Travis discovers that he has a talent he never fully understood and receives an unexpected chance to compete at a much higher level. 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

When the Wind Blows Series (Books in Order)

The When the Wind Blows series follows Colorado veterinarian Frannie O’Neill and FBI agent Kit Harrison after Frannie discovers a young girl with wings hiding near her home. They also find six children whose bodies were altered through genetic experiments, and the scientists who are determined to keep their work hidden. The Lake House continues the same story and brings Frannie, Kit, and the children back together when the children’s future is decided in court. The two adult science-fiction thrillers should be read in order.

James Patterson later returned to the idea of winged children in the Maximum Ride YA series, including a girl named Max and a laboratory known as the School. Maximum Ride is a separate reworking series written for younger readers, rather than a continuation of these books. There Max and the other children are different characters, and Frannie and Kit do not appear.

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

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 that happens later 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 women’s careers, marriages, friendships, illnesses, and losses continue from one book to the next. It was adapted into a shorter TV series that aired from 2007 to 2008.

The early books were co-authored with Andrew Gross. Maxine Paetro became Patterson’s regular collaborator on the series.

1. 1st to Die, 2001
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, 2010
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. In Honeymoon, he pursues Nora Sinclair after several wealthy men in her life die under suspicious circumstances.

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 after the death of his wife. His grandfather Seamus and the family’s nanny, Mary Catherine, help keep the household running when Bennett is away on a case.

The earlier novels were co-authored with Michael Ledwidge. James O. Born later became Patterson’s regular collaborator on the series.

1. Step on a Crack, 2007
2. Run for Your Life, 2009
3. Worst Case, 2010
4. Tick Tock, 2011
5. I, Michael Bennett, 2012
6. Gone, 2013
7. Burn, 2014
8. Alert, 2015
9. Bullseye, 2016
10. Haunted, 2017
11. Ambush, 2018
12. Blindside, 2020
13. The Russian, 2021
14. Shattered, 2022
15. Obsessed, 2023
16. Crosshairs, 2024
17. Paranoia, 2025
18. 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 a private investigation agency founded by his father. 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. The shorter Private BookShots are listed separately in the BookShots section.

The series has been written with several co-authors, including Maxine Paetro, Mark Sullivan, Ashwin Sanghi, Kathryn Fox, Jassy Mackenzie, 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, and always expect special treatment.

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. Red Alert, 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 that were ruled as accidents 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 ((published also as 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 and his photographic memory. He can read a crime from details that seem unimportant to other investigators, although his previous intelligence work also makes him difficult for the police to trust completely. The first novel was originally published as Murder Games and later retitled Instinct after the CBS television adaptation.

Co-authored with Howard Roughan.

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

Texas Ranger Series (Books in Order)

The Texas Ranger series follows Texas Ranger Rory Yates as he investigates murders across Texas, including cases that involve corruption, bring up old grudges, and crimes that happen at the Texas-Mexico border. The books are connected through Rory, but each case can be followed separately. His badge gives him statewide authority, but local police, families, and officials don’t always like his questions.

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 volume contains cases involving people whose marriages, families, businesses, or private obsessions ended in murder.

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

Amy Cornwall Series (Books in Order)

The Amy Cornwall series, follows former U.S. Army intelligence officer Amy Cornwall, who desperately tries to protect her family which becomes a target due to her earlier work. In The Cornwalls Vanish, Amy is ordered to carry out a dangerous mission after her husband and daughter disappear. Countdown brings her back for another case involving a threat on American soil.

Co-authored with Brendan DuBois.

1. The Cornwalls are Gone, 2019 (also titled The Cornwalls Vanish)
2. Countdown, 2023

Tom Moon Series (Books in Order)

The Tom Moon series follows former NYPD detective Tom Moon, who leads a Miami task force created 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

Sisters Detective Agency Series (Books in Order)

The Sisters Detective Agency series follows two half sisters, Rhonda and Baby Bird, who inherit their father’s private investigation agency in South Florida. When they start working together, the sisters barely know each other, but soon they find themselves pulled into dangerous cases with serial killers, people who kill for fun, assassins, and finding missing persons, and their different approaches to working the crimes often create more problems than solve them.

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 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. Billy’s own family and police background repeatedly place him close to the people he is investigating. The Coldest Case is an audiobook novella set before the main series.

Co-authored with David Ellis.

1. The Coldest Case, 2021 (audiobook novella)
2. The Coldest Case: The Past Has a Long Memory, 2021 (audiobook novella)
3. The Black Book, 2017
4. The Red Book, 2021
5. Escape, 2022
6. Chicago Blue, 2027

Jane Smith Series (Books in Order)

The Jane Smith series follows a New York criminal defense lawyer who learns that she has terminal cancer shortly before taking on the most dangerous case of her career. Jane refuses to step away from the courtroom, even when the defendants, witnesses, and people around the case begin putting her life at further risk.

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 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 notices the details people overlook, and Poe notices the details people overlook, and Poe is usually the first to take a physical risk, 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, science fiction, and picture-book series together so younger-reader books do not get mixed into the adult thriller lists.

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

Maximum Ride: Hawk Series (Books in Order)

1. Hawk, 2020
2. City of the Dead, 2021

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
7. Daniel X: Genesis, 2022 audio only prequel story)

 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

House of Robots Series (Books in Order)

• House of Robots, 2014
• Robots Go Wild!, 2015
• Robot Revolution, 2017

Crazy House Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Gabrielle Charbonnet.

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

Dog Diaries Series (Books in Order)

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• Dog Diaries, 2018
• Happy Howlidays, 2018
• Mission Impawsible, 2019
• Curse of the Mystery Mutt, 2019
• Ruffing It, 2020
• Dinosaur Disaster, 2021
• Big Top Bonanza, 2022

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Katt vs. Dogg Series (Books in Order)

• Katt vs. Dogg, 2019
• Katt Loves Dogg, 2021

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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1. Jacky Ha-Ha, 2016
2. My Life is a Joke, 2017
3. Jacky Ha-Ha: My Life is a Joke, 2021 (graphic novel)
4. Jacky Ha-Ha Gets the Last Laugh, 2024

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Little Geniuses Series (Books in Order)

Co-authored with Susan Patterson.

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1. Big Words for Little Geniuses, 2017
2. Cuddly Critters for Little Geniuses, 2018
3. 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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1. The Genius Experiment, 2018
2. Rebels with a Cause, 2019
3. Saves the Future, 2020
4. World Champions!, 2021

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Treasure Hunters Series (Books in Order)

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1. Treasure Hunters, 2013
2. Danger Down the Nile, 2014
3. Secret of the Forbidden City, 2015
4. Peril at the Top of the World, 2016
5. Quest for the City of Gold, 2017
6. All-American Adventure, 2019
7. The Plunder Down Under, 2020
8. The Ultimate Quest, 2022
9. The Greatest Treasure Hunt, 2023

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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

Standalone Children’s and Young Adult Books

• Homeroom Diaries, 2014 (with Lisa Papademetriou)
• Public School Superhero, 2015 (with Chris Tebbetts)
• Pottymouth and Stoopid, 2017, with Chris Grabenstein
• Laugh Out Loud, 2017, with Chris Grabenstein
• Expelled, 2017, with Emily Raymond (also titled The Injustice)
• Not So Normal Norbert, 2018 (with Joey Green)
• Unbelievably Boring Bart, 2018 (with Duane Swierczynski)
• Sophia, Princess Among Beasts, 2019 (with Emily Raymond)
• The Warning, 2019 (with Robison Wells)
• Scaredy Cat, 2021 (with Chris Grabenstein)
• Best Nerds Forever, 2021 (with Chris Grabenstein)
• The Elephant Girl, 2022 (with Ellen Banda-Aaku and Sophia Krevoy)
• The Girl in the Castle, 2022 (with Emily Raymond)
• The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas, 2022 (with Tad Safran)
• Raised By Wolves, 2024 (with Emily Raymond)
• Emma on Fire, 2025 (with Emily Raymond)
• Dr. Zeus, 2026 (with Chris Tebbetts)

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.

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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

• 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

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

• 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 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

Audible Originals

• The Guilty, 2021 (with Duane Swierczynski)
• Fear the Wolf, 2022 (with Mike Lupica, prequel to The House of Wolves)
• The Method, 2022 – with Michael B. Silver)
• Murder in Bermuda, 2023 (with Aaron Tracy and Thaddeus McCants)
• Zero Tolerance, 2023 (with Duane Swierczynski)
• The Justice, 2024 (with Aaron Cooley)
• 7 Hours to Die, 2024 (with Duane Swierczynski)
• 10 Rules for the Perfect Murder, 2024 (with Chris Tebbetts)
• The Commuter, 2025 (with Aaron Tracy)
• Game of Nines, 2025 (with Max DiLallo)
• Trapped, 2026 (with Max DiLallo)

Short Story Anthologies

• Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, 2006
• Half-Minute Horrors, 2009
• Guys Read: Thriller, 2011
• The Best American Mystery Stories 2015, 2015
• The Best American Mystery Stories 2017, 2017
• The House Next Door, 2018

Standalone Novels

• The Thomas Berryman Number, 1976
• Season of the Machete, 1977
• See How They Run, 1979
• Virgin, 1980
• Black Friday, 1986 (also titled Black Market)
• The Midnight Club, 1988
• Hide & Seek, 1995
• Cradle and All, 2000 (expanded edition of Virgin)
• Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, 2001
• The Beach House, 2002 (with Peter de Jonge)
• The Jester, 2003 (with Andrew Gross)
• Sam’s Letters to Jennifer, 2004
• 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)
• The Christmas Wedding (with Richard DiLallo)
• 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)
• Juror #3, 2017 (with Nancy Allen)
• The Store, 2017 (with Richard DiLallo)
• 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)
• 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 Midwife Murders, 2020 (with Richard DiLallo)
• Three Women Disappear, 2020 (with Shan Serafin)
• 1st Case, 2020 (with Chris Tebbetts)
• The Palm Beach Murders, 2021
• The Noise, 2021 (with J.D. Barker)
• The Jailhouse Lawyer, 2021 (with Nancy Allen)
• The President’s Daughter, 2021 ( with B. Clinton)
• The Horsewoman, 2022 (with Mike Lupica)
• 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 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)
• The Writer (also titled The Imperfect Murder), 2025 (with J.D. Barker)
• 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 Invisible Woman, 2026 (with Susan DiLallo)
• 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)
• Bulldog, 2027 (with Mike Lupica)
• Face Off, 2027 (with J. D. Barker)

Non-Fiction Books

• The Day America Told the Truth, 1991 (with Peter Kim)
• The Second American Revolution, 1994 (with Peter Kim)
• Torn Apart, 2008 (with Hal Friedman)
• The Murder of King Tut, 2009 (with Martin Dugard)
• Med Head, 2010 (with Hal Friedman)
• Filthy Rich, 2016 (with John Connolly, Tim Malloy)
• All-American Murder, 2018 (with Alex Abramovich and Mike Harvkey)
• 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 America’s Greatest Unsung Heroes, 2021 (also titled ER Nurses: True Stories from the Frontline) (with Matt Eversmann, Chris Mooney)
• The Defense Lawyer, 2021 (with Benjamin Wallace)
• James Patterson by 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, Tim Malloy)
• The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, 2025 (with Imogen Edwards-Jones)
• The #1 Dad Book, 2025
• The Idaho Four, 2025 (with Vicky Ward)
• Disrupt Everything—and Win, 2025 (with Patrick Leddin)
• Thank You, Teachers, 2026 (with Matt Eversmann, Chris Mooney)
• Animal Doctors, 2027 (with Matt Eversmann, Chris Mooney)

Contributions to Non-Fiction Collections

• My Ideal Bookshelf, 2012 – edited by Thessaly La Force
• By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life, 2014 – edited by Pamela Paul
• Days Like This: Good Writers on Bad Luck, Bum Deals, and Other Torments, 2015 – edited by Samantha Schoech
• The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook: Wickedly Good Meals and Desserts to Die For, 2015 – edited by Kate White

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 has credited his time at Vanderbilt, particularly the encouragement of English professor Walter Sullivan, with giving him the confidence to pursue fiction seriously. 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 chairman and 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 in 1977.

Patterson published several more thrillers before creating Washington, D.C. detective and psychologist Alex Cross in Along Came a Spider in 1993. Cross became his longest-running character and later appeared in feature films and the Prime Video television series Cross. 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.

Collaboration became an important part of his publishing method. He generally develops the premise of a story and a detailed outline before working with another writer on the manuscript. His co-authors have included Maxine Paetro, David Ellis, Michael Ledwidge, Mike Lupica, Chris Grabenstein, Candice Fox, Brendan DuBois, J. D. Barker, Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton.

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. The National Book Foundation presented him with its Literarian Award in 2015 for his service to the American literary community, and he received the National Humanities Medal in 2019.

James Patterson Books Adaptations

• Cradle and All / Virgin – adapted into the television film Child of Darkness, Child of Light (1991)
• 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)
• Sundays at Tiffany’s – adapted into the television film Sundays at Tiffany’s (2010)
• 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)
• Murder Games, later retitled Instinct – adapted into the television series Instinct (2018-2019)
• Murder Is Forever books – adapted into the Investigation Discovery series James Patterson’s Murder Is Forever (2018)
• 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)
• Eruption – announced as a Sony feature-film adaptation in development (2025)

James Patterson Awards and Honors

Major Awards and Honors

• The Thomas Berryman Number – Edgar Award for Best First Novel (1977)
• Max – Children’s Choice Book Awards – Author of the Year (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

• National Parenting Publications Honors Award
• International Reading Association Young Adults’ Choices selection
• American Library Association Teens’ Top Ten selection
• 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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