James Patterson Books in Order

In this short Alex Cross story, a late-night 911 call reports that a woman and child have been kidnapped. Cross races against time, using his investigative instincts to find the missing family before the situation turns fatal.

Back in New York, Michael Bennett leads a troubled Harlem Outreach Squad. A report of strangely dressed men partying in a condemned building seems implausible until a charred body turns up there, demanding a closer investigation.

After an emotional breakdown, Cuckoo Clarke uses her illustrated diary to pursue happiness and unite her divided school. Her misfit friends face bullies and personal struggles, and a cruel prank threatens the optimism holding their group together.

With his family taken by a psychotic adversary, Alex Cross is forced into the most desperate search of his life. Every move is controlled by the kidnapper, and Cross must decide what he is willing to sacrifice to save them.

A Living History school trip takes Rafe Khatchadorian to London. Between avoiding a bully, trying to get Jeanne Galletta’s attention, and finding his way around an unfamiliar city, his international adventure promises plenty of opportunities for trouble.

Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald find a wealthy murder victim displayed on a Central Park carousel in a Hazmat suit. The killing belongs to a wider pattern, while Kylie’s private troubles complicate an increasingly pressured investigation.

A wounded young man interrupts the launch party for Private’s Sydney office. Craig Gisto’s new team inherits a growing caseload, including a possible kidnapping and disturbing murders in the city’s wealthy suburbs, before it can settle in.

Santosh Wagh leads Private’s Mumbai office into a hunt for a killer targeting seemingly unrelated women. Strange objects left at the crime scenes suggest a ritual, while another threat endangers the agency from within.

Hollywood’s celebrated golden couple disappears from its ranch without explanation. Jack Morgan investigates behind layers of security and carefully managed publicity, uncovering secrets that challenge the reassuring image the missing stars have presented to the world.

Rafe must pass an outdoor survival program to avoid repeating a school year. Rafting, rock climbing, demanding counselors, and a final solo trip into the woods push him to cooperate with other struggling students and confront his insecurity.

Rafe and Georgia Khatchadorian argue about bullying, cafeteria food, dress codes, and other school concerns. Their competing opinions frame an interactive book of anecdotes, games, and writing and drawing prompts inviting readers to join the debate.

Lindsay Boxer’s happy life as a new mother is disrupted when the FBI sends evidence of a dangerous killer’s return. The Women’s Murder Club must track Mackie Morales before her reappearance becomes a threat to them.

A daylight murder interrupts the Women’s Murder Club’s birthday celebration. As Lindsay Boxer investigates, footage of masked criminals raises suspicions about her police colleagues, leaving the friends facing a frightened city and a spreading wave of violence.

Two unexplained technological attacks put New York on edge. Michael Bennett and FBI agent Emily Parker pursue criminals skilled at hiding their identities, while a shocking assassination suggests the destruction may be preparation for something far worse.

Alex Cross returns to his North Carolina hometown when a cousin is accused of a terrible crime. The investigation exposes old wounds and buried family history, making this case as much about Cross’s past as the charge before him.

Rafe returns to Hills Village Middle School, where special classes and a football team place him beside his chief tormentor. A secret art project and a chance to help the team could transform his standing at school.

Max and her fractured flock travel through a devastated world, trying to understand what happened. Their search for answers turns flight into a means of survival as they face the uncertainties of life after a global catastrophe.

After an unexpected golfing triumph, Travis McKinley struggles with self-doubt and mistakes that threaten his new career. Mentoring a troubled teenager with a natural swing offers an unlikely chance to rediscover what success means.

Private Sydney investigates the disappearance of research company chief Eric Moss, whose records have vanished too. As powerful people pursue conflicting agendas, a separate background check leads the team toward a stolen baby and a killer.

Detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald investigate a grisly discovery at billionaire Hunter Alden's townhouse. When his teenage son disappears and Alden resists their help, the case exposes a conspiracy among New York's powerful.

Jack Morgan follows two criminals from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, where Lester Olsen entertains young women before teaching them to kill. Private's investigation draws Morgan into a murder ring built around glamour and hidden motives.

Kenny Wright imagines himself as a powerful superhero while navigating bullying and peer pressure at middle school. A devoted chess player, he must discover whether the courage he invents in his fantasies can guide his real choices.

Guest editor James Patterson selects twenty mystery stories shaped by crime, suspense, and morally pressured characters. The volume includes Dennis Lehane and Michael Connelly’s collaboration, which brings Harry Bosch and Patrick Kenzie together in a missing-child case.

In the Hamptons, former NYPD detective Jenna Murphy returns to a seaside town scarred by an infamous mansion where multiple murders occurred. When a Hollywood power broker and his lover are found dead there, Jenna must confront both the house’s history and her own buried past.

Attorney Trevor Mann follows his journalist girlfriend's leads after a violent confrontation shatters their life together. With a teenage genius, he must protect a dangerous secret coveted by governments and terrorists while questioning whom to trust.

A busy businessman offers ten million dollars to find the right wife, advertising his proposal on a Los Angeles billboard. Three single women consider the opportunity, wondering whether this wealthy stranger could be their ideal partner.

Lindsay Boxer pursues a mysterious blonde as a plane crash throws San Francisco into chaos and her husband disappears. Turning to the Women's Murder Club, she investigates whether his hidden past connects to her case.

Molly Rourke knows who is responsible for her son's murder and refuses to leave justice to others. Taking the law into her own hands, she pursues revenge in a short thriller driven by a mother's grief.

A beautiful student is found dead on a Sydney riverbank, and Detective Harriet Blue is sure she’s the latest victim of a terrifying serial killer. As she digs deeper on the university campus, new clues suggest a different predator—and pull Harriet into the case in a dangerously personal way.

Tennis star Kirsten Keller flees the French Open after receiving death threats. She hires former police officer Chris Foster to protect her at Wimbledon, where the tournament brings her tormentor closer and the danger becomes real.

Assassins use a Manhattan snowstorm as cover while the American and Russian presidents attend a United Nations summit. Michael Bennett must identify the threat and protect the president before an attack triggers an international crisis.

An SUV deliberately forces Miranda Cooper and her husband off a remote Arizona road. With him badly injured, she must seek help alone, haunted by his warning to be careful whom she trusts.

Alex Cross sees Gary Soneji, long believed dead, gun down his partner. The shocking sight sends him after an explanation that could involve a ghost, an impostor, or a carefully planned revenge from the past.

A murder in Rock Creek Park draws Alex Cross and Bree Stone into a Washington, DC, crime wave. To stop a ruthless criminal operation, the couple must follow leads through a city where danger is spreading in unexpected places.

A missing athlete draws Detective Rafael Carvalho into a case on the opening day of Rio's Olympics. The athlete's sudden return seems reassuring, until Carvalho realizes his intentions could turn the celebration into disaster.

Rafe starts a dog-walking business to help his struggling family and earn spending money. Two rival twins sabotage his plans, while his sister's move into his classes makes school life even more difficult.

A children's picture book co-authored with James Patterson that celebrates the power of the word "please." vivid illustrations show how a simple act of politeness can help in all sorts of situations.

After a chaotic Australian visit, Rafe eagerly accepts an invitation to a cultural campout in the Northern Territory. The outback adventure soon demands every bit of confidence and resourcefulness he can muster to survive.

Three thieves have spent months preparing a diamond robbery and are finally ready to act. Their carefully arranged heist runs into an unexpected problem when another crew arrives to steal the same jewels.

A mysterious new girl wants to be Rafe's friend, offering a welcome change from miserable school days. Then Hollywood arrives in Hills Village, drawing him into the movie business and a fresh round of confusion.

Men are being drawn off the streets into a dangerous game in the English countryside. Former Special Forces officer David Shelley goes undercover to stop it, risking becoming another victim of the scheme.

Disgraced and exiled after her brother is arrested as a serial killer, sex-crimes detective Harriet Blue is sent deep into the Western Australian desert. At a remote mining camp, she and a wary new partner must find three missing workers before the killer turns on them.

A violent crime at a Manhattan movie premiere leaves a starlet dead and valuable jewelry missing. NYPD Red detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald pursue a killer through celebrity society and the city's criminal underworld.

Jack Morgan's Paris visit becomes a search for a client's granddaughter fleeing a drug dealer. Symbolic murders among France's cultural elite draw his team into a wider case as religious and ethnic tensions intensify.

Two criminals board the Titanic disguised as newlyweds, planning to steal from its wealthy passengers. Their robbery becomes entangled with another scheme whose ambitions reach beyond stolen valuables to the fate of the ship.

Jack Morgan returns to Rio to provide security for the Olympics, but prominent clients disappear and bodies appear across the city. His team must uncover the threat before the world's sporting celebration becomes a catastrophe.

Logan Bishop lives on stolen diamonds until his murderous former partner tracks him down. To protect himself and the woman who knows his secret, he must find a way to reverse their dangerous predicament.

Former Marine colonel Amanda Collins has lost her family to murder and is determined to avenge them. With a team of women warriors, she pursues revenge in a story shaped by grief and military resolve.

This nonfiction book brings together Donald Trump's and Hillary Clinton's statements during the 2016 presidential campaign. Their contrasting positions and exchanges present the candidates through their own words on issues facing the American electorate.

Ferocious animals continue their assault on humanity, leaving survivors struggling to escape becoming prey. As some people begin mutating into a savage new species, the changes may offer civilization its only chance or become another threat to its survival.

A wave of mysterious heart attacks troubles San Francisco while a bomber's trial challenges Lindsay Boxer's investigation. Struggling with her husband's secrets, she must connect the cases before a criminal turns the accusations against her.

After confronting troublemakers in an East London pub, former Special Forces operative Cody Thurston faces devastating retaliation. With his friends murdered and himself framed, he becomes a fugitive determined to carry out a final mission of revenge.

Professor Robert Monroe's wife disappears from their luxurious hotel in Gstaad after a party. With no witnesses to explain her absence, he must consider whether she was kidnapped or left with another man.

A little black dress has helped Jane Avery become more confident and pursue her desires in New York. But the freedom of her secret life grows precarious as the city's attention threatens to expose it.

Santosh Wagh returns to lead Private's new Delhi office, where dissolved human remains appear in a government-owned property. With officials suppressing information, his investigation risks making him a target of those protecting the secret.

Seventeen-year-old Cassie searches for her missing twin Becca in a society that claims to have eliminated crime. Becca awakens in a prison for children, where survival depends on her rule-following sister daring to resist.

An anonymous caller promises deadly bombings across Washington, DC, and panic spreads fast. Alex Cross and Bree Stone must determine whether it is a cruel hoax or a real attack before the caller’s deadline runs out.

In New York, a woman's seductive encounters conceal a deadly threat: a kiss can precede a man's death. Told from her perspective, this short supernatural thriller brings desire and danger together above Fifth Avenue.

Winning an art competition sends Rafe to Australia, but his host siblings, intense heat and dangerous wildlife spoil the dream trip. With new misfit friends, he responds to his difficulties by creating spectacular chaos.

A revealing photo on Theo Foster's anonymous account gets him expelled for something he didn't do. Joining other accused teens, he investigates classmates and school staff to discover who engineered their downfall and why.

Determined to clear her brother of a string of murders, Harriet Blue accepts a punishing reassignment to the dying town of Last Chance Valley. As a killer’s diary predicts a massacre, she races to decode the threat while allies in Sydney fight to save Sam.

Rafe's class trip to London promises excitement until he must share a room with a bully. Working with his crush and her boyfriend adds more trouble as embarrassing mishaps threaten his hard-won confidence.

Children discover opportunities to express thanks for everyday kindnesses, from family affection to small treats and playful moments. Illustrated scenes encourage young readers to notice what others give them and to make appreciation part of their daily lives.

Michael Bennett takes his family to Maine for a break from New York's troubles. When local police uncover a disturbing crime scene in the woods, his vacation turns into an investigation involving drugs and murder.

A copy of criminal behavior expert Dylan Reinhart's book appears at a murder scene. Detective Elizabeth Needham recruits him to decode the killer's playing cards, which may point toward the next intended victims.

Hollywood director Wayne Tennet denies his stepdaughter's accusation of an unspeakable crime. With his career and life at stake, the case raises questions about truth, deception and what has happened inside a famous family.

Detective Cheryl Mabern faces a calculating murderer whose victims appear to be chosen at random. Stopping the killings means confronting her own darkest fears while trying to understand the pattern behind a seemingly unpredictable crime spree.

Advertising executive Tim enjoys a reputation as a good man, but people who know him are being murdered. Discovering what connects the deaths forces him to confront a disturbing truth about his own life.

Penguins step into familiar human situations, navigating morning commutes, beach outings, and other rituals of everyday life. Humorous illustrations and captions use their formal appearance and awkward charm to expose the absurdities people often overlook in their own routines.

Accused of murdering three children, Thomas Scott is released on bail into a storm of anger. Grieving parents plot revenge while a detective takes matters into his own hands, leaving Scott's guilt in question.

Pilot Jack Flynn wants to win the air show where his father died. To finance that dream, he agrees to steal an expensive jet for criminals, putting his ambition and flying skills to a dangerous test.

Fatal ride malfunctions strike Steeplechase Park in both 1907 and 2017. Katie Silver believes she worked there in both eras, and her impossible memories may hold the key to a killer and the park's secrets.

A teenager disappears from a Caribbean beach, leaving local police without answers. The Stingrays, a team specializing in difficult cases, take on the investigation and uncover a mystery whose truth seems almost impossible to believe.

After three people are gunned down in a Chicago apartment, detective Billy Harney barely survives and wakes with no memory of the night. Accused of murder, he must trace the missing black book tied to a secret brothel and clear his own name.

Investigative reporter Lana Wallace has spent years covering crimes of passion. Her latest investigation leads to the Dolls, companions whose apparent perfection hides deadly secrets, forcing her to confront a case unlike those she has covered before.

Former police officer Finn O'Grady returns to protect a woman who believes an ancient Irish curse threatens her and her son. He dismisses supernatural explanations, but a series of killings makes the danger impossible to ignore.

Three suspense stories follow a lawyer defending his daughter against a bullying accusation, a detective pursuing a calculating killer, and a woman investigating her brother-in-law's murder. Each faces a conflict between personal ties and uncovering the truth.

Harry Posehn appears to be a devoted father and husband, but Detective Teaghan Beaumont has doubts. As she investigates his life, she tries to discover whether his reassuring family image conceals something far more troubling.

Defense lawyer Brian Lord survives the car bombing that kills his fiancée. Grieving and unemployed, he takes a lifeguard job at the beach, where his attempt to start again leads him toward another dangerous chapter.

Alex Cross finds himself on the wrong side of the law, charged after a deadly confrontation with violent criminals. With his career, reputation, and freedom at stake, he must uncover what really happened before a courtroom decides his future.

Confined to her studio apartment, Tricia Celano uses a drone to watch the outside world. When it records a murder, she tries to identify the killer, who knows the crime has been witnessed and threatens her safety.

Jacob and Megan Brandeis take jobs at a powerful retailer while secretly writing a book exposing its activities. The company's surveillance threatens their plan, leaving the couple and their children vulnerable if their purpose is discovered.

Joanie already dreads Thanksgiving with her family in their strange new house. Finding her brother Alan in the kitchen makes the visit more disturbing, because he died five years earlier and should not be there.

Aaron Hernandez rises from college football to the New England Patriots while concealing a violent private life. This account investigates the crimes that brought him to prison and the questions surrounding his death and subsequent diagnosis of brain injury.

An anonymous tip sends Michael Bennett into an ambush as rival cartels fight over New York's opioid trade. A disguised assassin and threats to his children make the investigation increasingly personal, while unreliable leads frustrate his search.

Two true-crime accounts explore violence behind seemingly ordinary lives: a couple’s quiet dinner becomes a nightmare when a stranger arrives, and an Omaha detective pursues a killer after a double homicide. Both investigations test resolve against calculated brutality.

New Mississippi lawyer Ruby Bozarth defends a football player accused of murdering a woman from a prominent family. Another killing entangles her former fiancé, and the two investigations expose secrets among the town's elite and its jurors.

Haunted by her brother’s death, Harriet Blue drops off the grid to hunt Regan Banks, the sadistic killer who destroyed her family. Their lethal cat-and-mouse chase down Australia’s south coast leaves Harriet wanted by the police and unsure she’ll survive her own revenge.

Two true-crime narratives follow a wealthy man buried alive for ransom and a mountain property deal that ends in violence. As investigators confront desperate criminals and local hostility, survival and justice depend on unraveling what led to each crime.

Two true-crime accounts examine a financier’s plan to hire his wife’s killer and the hidden abuse behind a devoted mother’s public image. Money, deception, and revenge drive cases in which carefully constructed appearances conceal devastating violence.

Norbert is banished to a distant planet after mocking the dictator of a society that demands complete conformity. Surrounded by imaginative children at an unusual camp, he begins to question whether the familiar life he wants back is worth returning to.

Princess Caroline summons Private investigator Jack Morgan to London to find her missing friend Sophie Edwards. Morgan suspects the princess is withholding information, while powerful people seem determined to prevent the investigation from uncovering the truth.

A fatal explosion at a charity gathering and the murder of a filmmaker put NYPD Red detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald on alert. Their investigation reveals a killer whose vendetta threatens the city's elite and the detectives.

Former SAS soldier David Shelley investigates the apparent suicide of a young woman he once protected. Her grieving parents demand answers, but discovering her involvement in drugs and online pornography turns the search toward a dangerous pursuit of revenge.

A coordinated ring of elite assassins strikes at the heart of Washington, DC. Alex Cross joins the FBI and Secret Service to identify the next target, but the conspiracy reaches beyond one attack and threatens the country itself.

Texas Ranger Rory Yates returns home to find his former wife murdered and himself a suspect. To clear his name and protect his freedom, he searches for the killer while confronting violence in the town he loves.

Three thrillers follow a psychiatrist uncovering an assassination plot, a mother seeking justice for her murdered son, and a hitman whose final assignment goes wrong. Each faces a race against time with personal stakes.

After escaping Crazy House, twins Becca and Cassie become trained fighters determined to overthrow the United regime. Their campaign to free the former United States forces them to question how much they can sacrifice without becoming oppressors themselves.

Secret Service agent Sally Grissom must quietly investigate the First Lady's disappearance after the president's affair becomes public. An apparent retreat from scandal turns into a kidnapping crisis, putting Sally under pressure to uncover the truth discreetly.

Ali Cross searches for his missing best friend while burglaries strike his neighborhood and his father faces a criminal trial. Determined to follow Alex Cross into detective work, Ali pursues clues that may place his family in greater danger.