Honestly, trying to track down James Patterson books in order by series is kinda like trying to count raindrops in a hurricane. The guy is a machine. Since he published The Thomas Berryman Number in 1976, he hasn’t just written books; he’s built a literary empire. If you’re standing in a bookstore feeling dizzy because there are three different "Book 1s" on the shelf, you’re not alone.
Most people think you can just pick up any Patterson book and dive in. You can, sure, but you’ll miss the slow-burn trauma that makes characters like Alex Cross or Lindsay Boxer actually feel human. If you want the full experience, you’ve gotta respect the timeline.
The Alex Cross Series: Where it All Started
This is the big one. The "Mount Everest" of Patterson’s work. Alex Cross—the forensic psychologist with a heart of gold and a tendency to attract the world’s most theatrical serial killers—has been through the ringer.
You’ve probably seen the movies, but the books are a different beast. They started with nursery rhyme titles and eventually shifted into just using the "Cross" name. If you’re starting today, here is the path through the main novels:
- Along Came a Spider (1993) – The kidnapping case that started it all.
- Kiss the Girls (1995)
- Jack & Jill (1996)
- Cat and Mouse (1997)
- Pop Goes the Weasel (1999)
- Roses Are Red (2000)
- Violets Are Blue (2001)
- Four Blind Mice (2002)
- The Big Bad Wolf (2003)
- London Bridges (2004)
- Mary, Mary (2005)
- Cross (2006) – A major turning point for the character's backstory.
- Double Cross (2007)
- Cross Country (2008)
- Alex Cross’s Trial (2009)
- I, Alex Cross (2009)
- Cross Fire (2010)
- Kill Alex Cross (2011)
- Merry Christmas, Alex Cross (2012)
- Alex Cross, Run (2013)
- Cross My Heart (2013)
- Hope to Die (2014)
- Cross Justice (2015)
- Cross the Line (2016)
- The People vs. Alex Cross (2017)
- Target: Alex Cross (2018)
- Criss Cross (2019)
- Deadly Cross (2020)
- Fear No Evil (2021)
- Triple Cross (2022)
- Cross Down (2023)
- Alex Cross Must Die (2023)
- The House of Cross (2024)
- Return of the Spider (2025)
- Cross and Sampson (2026) – The newest addition involving his long-time partner.
It's a lot. But the evolution of Alex’s family—Nana Mama, his kids Damon, Janelle, and Ali—is what keeps people coming back. It’s a soap opera with a body count.
The Women’s Murder Club: San Francisco’s Finest
If Cross is the solo star, the Women’s Murder Club is the ultimate ensemble cast. It’s basically about four professional women—a cop, a medical examiner, a reporter, and a lawyer—who meet at a dive bar to solve the crimes the guys can’t.
What’s cool here is the naming convention. It makes it super easy to know if you've missed one. Well, usually.
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- 1st to Die (2001)
- 2nd Chance (2002)
- 3rd Degree (2004)
- 4th of July (2005)
- The 5th Horseman (2006)
- The 6th Target (2007)
- 7th Heaven (2007)
- 8th Confession (2008)
- 9th Judgment (2010)
- 10th Anniversary (2011)
- 11th Hour (2012)
- 12th of Never (2013)
- Unlucky 13 (2014)
- 14th Deadly Sin (2015)
- 15th Affair (2016)
- 16th Seduction (2017)
- 17th Suspect (2018)
- The 18th Abduction (2019)
- 19th Christmas (2019)
- The 20th Victim (2020)
- 21st Birthday (2021)
- 22 Seconds (2022)
- The 23rd Midnight (2023)
- The 24th Hour (2024)
- 25 Alive (2025)
- 26 Beauties (2026)
Maxine Paetro has been co-writing these with Patterson for years, and they’ve developed a rhythm that’s incredibly addictive. The chapters are short. You can finish a book in a weekend and feel like you’ve just binged a whole season of a TV show.
Michael Bennett: The Family Man with a Badge
Michael Bennett is a bit different. He’s an NYPD negotiator, which means he talks people down from ledges before the bullets fly. Oh, and he has ten adopted kids.
The chaos of his home life is a great contrast to the dark stuff he sees on the job.
- Step on a Crack (2007)
- Run for Your Life (2009)
- Worst Case (2010)
- Tick Tock (2011)
- I, Michael Bennett (2012)
- Gone (2013)
- Burn (2014)
- Alert (2015)
- Bullseye (2016)
- Haunted (2017)
- Ambush (2018)
- Blindside (2020)
- The Russian (2021)
- Shattered (2022)
- Obsessed (2023)
- Crosshairs (2024)
- Paranoia (2025)
- Delusional (2026)
The Global Reach of the Private Series
The Private books are interesting because they aren't tied to one city. Jack Morgan runs a high-tech investigation firm with offices all over the world. This allows Patterson to collaborate with international authors to give the books a local flavor.
The core "Jack Morgan" books usually set in L.A. or Vegas are: Private, Private: #1 Suspect, Private L.A., Private Vegas, Private Paris, and The Games.
Then you have the international spin-offs:
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- Private London
- Private Berlin
- Private Down Under
- Private India
- Private Moscow
- Private Rome (2023)
- Private Monaco (2024)
- Private Dublin (2025)
- Private Tokyo (2026)
It's basically the CSI of the book world. If you like jet-setting thrillers, this is your jam.
Young Adult and Sci-Fi: The Maximum Ride Factor
Don’t forget that Patterson basically owns the YA thriller market too. Maximum Ride is about a group of kids who are 98% human and 2% bird. It sounds wild, and it is.
The order for the main flock:
- The Angel Experiment (2005)
- School's Out—Forever (2006)
- Saving the World (2007)
- The Final Warning (2007)
- Max (2009)
- Fang (2010)
- Angel (2011)
- Nevermore (2012)
- Maximum Ride Forever (2015)
There’s also a spin-off series starting with Hawk (2020) and City of the Dead (2021) that follows Max's daughter.
Surprising Facts About the "Patterson Machine"
People often criticize Patterson for having so many co-authors. Honestly, he’s pretty open about it. He views himself as a "storyteller" rather than just a writer. He provides the outlines—sometimes 50 to 80 pages long—and works with talented authors like James O. Born, Marshall Karp, and Candice Fox to flesh them out.
"I’m not a great writer, but I’m a very good storyteller." — James Patterson
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That humility is why he's sold over 425 million books. He knows what people want: pace.
Other Notable Series to Watch
If you finish the "Big Three" (Cross, Murder Club, Bennett), check these out:
- NYPD Red: Follows Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald as they protect the elite and famous in New York. The latest is NYPD Red 8 (2025).
- Harriet Blue: A gritty Australian series co-written with Candice Fox. Start with Never Never.
- Invisible: Featuring Emmy Dockery. Invisible and Unsolved are standout psychological thrillers.
- Texas Ranger: Following Rory Yates. The latest is The Texas Murders (2024).
How to Actually Tackle This Reading List
Look, don't try to read everything at once. You'll burn out.
The best move? Start with Along Came a Spider. It holds up remarkably well for a book written in the early 90s. If you like the psychological aspect, stay with Alex Cross. If you prefer the procedural "whodunit" feel, jump over to 1st to Die.
If you're an audiobook fan, the Alex Cross books are especially good because they often use different narrators for the killer’s perspective, which adds a creepy layer you don't get on the page.
To stay organized, keep a digital checklist or use an app like Goodreads. With new releases hitting shelves almost every month (the man is 78 and still putting out multiple books a year!), it’s the only way to keep your head on straight. Pick a series, stick to the publication order, and enjoy the ride.