How to read James Patterson’s Alex Cross books in order

Whether you're a newcomer, a seasoned Cross-head, or looking for a lighter spin-off fix, you’ll find everything you need to know in this guide to Patterson’s most popular series.

Here’s how you read the Alex Cross books in order.

How to read the Alex Cross books in order

1. Along Came a Spider (1993)
2. Kiss the Girls (1995)
3. Jack & Jill (1996)
4. Cat & 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)

What’s the appeal of the Alex Cross series?

Meet Alex Cross: a forensic psychologist turned D.C. detective, a widower raising children and a dogged crime-solver with a heart. Since the first novel was published in 1993, readers have followed Cross through gruesome murders, ruthless masterminds, and personal heartache.

Patterson’s lightning-paced plotting and emotional chords—rooted in family, ethics, and vengeance—have made Cross one of thriller fiction’s most iconic heroes. An ongoing theme in the earlier books is the unsolved murder of his first wife, Maria.

What happens in Along Came a Spider by James Patterson?

Along Came a Spider (1993) is the first book in James Patterson’s Alex Cross series and introduces the Washington D.C. detective/psychologist who will go on to anchor more than 30 thrillers.

The debut sees Detective Alex Cross pulled from a high-profile murder case in his own neighbourhood to investigate the kidnapping of two wealthy children from an exclusive private school. The abductor, Gary Soneji, is a math teacher with delusions of grandeur who dreams of committing “the crime of the century” and cementing his place in history alongside infamous criminals.

Cross teams up with Secret Service agent Jezzie Flannagan to track the missing children, but the deeper he digs, the more twisted the case becomes—blending abduction, murder, betrayal, and psychological manipulation.

The first book in the Alex Cross series establishes the hallmarks of the series: Patterson’s short, punchy chapters, high-stakes suspense, and Cross’s personal tug-of-war between duty, justice and family life. It’s also one of the most psychologically driven entries, with Cross pitted against a chillingly unpredictable villain.

When is Return of the Spider coming out?

Set to be released on 9th October 2025, Return of the Spider takes us back to where it all began, with the infamous Gary Soneji case from Along Came a Spider.

When a hidden cabin yields a cache of grisly trophies and diaries, Alex Cross is forced to face a devastating possibility: he may have put the wrong man behind bars. As he retraces the steps of his rookie investigation, Cross learns the case was never truly closed… and the “Spider” might be deadlier than ever.

Short break: Alex Cross spin-offs and novellas

Novellas and Spin-offs

If you want a shorter, faster-paced taste of Alex Cross, James Patterson has written a handful of novellas and side stories. These are designed as quick thrillers, perfect for reading between the main books, or if you want to see Alex in action without committing to a full-length novel.

• Cross Kill (2016) is part of Patterson’s BookShots series. This novella pits Alex against an old enemy thought to be long dead, blurring the line between past and present dangers.
• Detective Cross (2017) is another BookShots instalment where Cross investigates a deadly explosion in Washington, D.C., racing against time to prevent more attacks.

Ali Cross series

These spin-offs follow Ali Cross, Alex’s son, who takes after his father’s detective instincts but navigates them through the lens of a teenager. Written as middle-grade/young adult mysteries (aimed at readers roughly 9–14), they blend Patterson’s trademark fast pace with themes of friendship, family, and growing up under the shadow of a famous detective.

There are currently four books in the series:

1. Ali Cross (2019) follows Ali as he gets caught up in a case when one of his friends goes missing.
2. Ali Cross: Like Father, Like Son (2021) is a mystery that forces Ali to balance school life with living up to his dad’s legacy.
3. Ali Cross: The Secret Detective (2022) sees Ali take on a case involving a school field trip and missing items.
4. Ali Cross: The Murder Club (2024), where Ali and his friends form their own detective group to solve a deadly new case.

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