James Patterson Books in Order
Wondering what order to read James Patterson's 375 books in (1976–2026)? This guide sorts every book in publication order and groups all 19 series so you always know which titles connect.
Alex Cross
38 books
Women's Murder Club
27 books
Maximum Ride
9 books
Michael Bennett
20 books
Daniel X
6 books
Witch & Wizard
5 books
Private
23 books
Middle School
18 books
- Book 4
Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill
First published 2013
Middle School - UK/World Book Day novella (off-sequence)
Middle School: How I Got Lost in London
First published 2014
Middle School - AU original: Rafe's Aussie Adventure (2015)
Middle School: Escape to Australia
First published 2017
Middle School
Confessions
4 books
I Funny
6 books
NYPD Red
6 books
Treasure Hunters
9 books
House of Robots
3 books
Jacky Ha-Ha
3 books
Word of Mouse
2 books
Dog Diaries
7 books
Max Einstein
4 books
Katt vs. Dogg
2 books
Maximum Ride: Hawk
2 books
All James Patterson books in publication order
Every James Patterson book, in the order it was published.
Frequently asked questions
What order should you read James Patterson's books in?
James Patterson's books form 19 series, including Alex Cross (start with Along Came a Spider), Women's Murder Club (start with 1st to Die), Private (start with Private), Michael Bennett (start with Step on a Crack), Middle School (start with Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life), and Maximum Ride (start with The Angel Experiment), plus 13 more series — read each series in publication order starting from the title noted. 12 of 19 series are complete so far, with the rest still ongoing. The other 181 standalone books can be read whenever you like.
How many books has James Patterson written?
James Patterson has written 375 books, split across 19 series and 181 standalone books. They were published between 1976 and 2026.
What is James Patterson's newest book?
James Patterson's newest book is 26 Beauties, published in 2026. It's part of the Women's Murder Club series.
Do you need to read Alex Cross in order?
Yes — James Patterson's Alex Cross is a 38-book series best read in order, starting with Along Came a Spider. The series is still ongoing, so newer entries continue to release after this one.
What was James Patterson's first book?
James Patterson's first published book was The Thomas Berryman Number, released in 1976. It was a standalone release.
Discover more
James Patterson — Author Hub
Bio, series overview & full bibliography
Best James Patterson Books
Ranked list of top titles
Books like The Thomas Berryman Number
Find similar reads
Books like Season of the Machete
Find similar reads
Books like See How They Run
Find similar reads
Books like Cradle and All
Find similar reads
Never miss a new James Patterson book
Get new-release alerts the moment James Patterson publishes.
As an Amazon Associate, BookMatcher earns from qualifying purchases. Book recommendations are independently curated by our editors and AI.
iOS · Free download
Read James Patterson on the go
Track your reading, get personalized picks, and reach your reading goals — free in the BookMatcher iOS app.