Connelly
The Black Echo
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Harry Bosch
Michael Connelly - 24 books
An LAPD detective with the same dogged commitment to justice. Connelly's plotting is more intricate and his prose more literary, but the detective-driven structure is the same.
Series - Books in order
Alex Cross books in order
by James Patterson - 31 books - 1993-2024 - Updated June 2026
Alex Cross is a forensic psychologist and detective based in Washington, D.C., who keeps getting pulled into cases involving the most dangerous criminals in the country. Patterson's signature short chapters and relentless cliffhangers make these books extremely fast reads. Cross is a devoted father, a jazz pianist, and one of the few thriller protagonists whose family life gets as much attention as his case work.
Patterson
Along Came a Spider
✦
1
Patterson
Along Came a Spider
✦
1
Start with this book
Most readers should start with Along Came a Spider. It gives you the cleanest entry point before continuing through the full series order.Listen on Audible
Buy on Amazon31 books - read in publication order
Show orderPublication order
Contains affiliate links| # | Book | Published | Rating | Where to read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Along Came a Spider Along Came a SpiderStart | 1993 | 4.0 | |
| 2 | Kiss the Girls Kiss the Girls | 1995 | 4.0 | |
| 3 | Jack & Jill Jack & Jill | 1996 | 3.9 | |
| 4 | Cat & Mouse Cat & Mouse | 1997 | 4.0 | |
| 5 | Pop Goes the Weasel Pop Goes the Weasel | 1999 | 4.0 | |
| 6 | Roses Are Red Roses Are Red | 2000 | 3.9 | |
| 7 | Violets Are Blue Violets Are Blue | 2001 | 3.9 | |
| 8 | Four Blind Mice Four Blind Mice | 2002 | 3.9 | |
| 9 | The Big Bad Wolf The Big Bad Wolf | 2003 | 3.8 | |
| 10 | London Bridges London Bridges | 2004 | 3.9 | |
| 11 | Mary, Mary Mary, Mary | 2005 | 3.8 | |
| 12 | Cross Cross Also published as Alex Cross. | 2006 | 4.0 | |
| 13 | Double Cross Double Cross | 2007 | 3.9 | |
| 14 | Cross Country Cross Country | 2008 | 3.7 | |
| 15 | Alex Cross's Trial Alex Cross's Trial A historical novel set in 1906. Co-written with Richard DiLallo. | 2009 | 3.6 | |
| 16 | I, Alex Cross I, Alex Cross | 2009 | 3.9 | |
| 17 | Cross Fire Cross Fire | 2010 | 3.9 | |
| 18 | Kill Alex Cross Kill Alex Cross | 2011 | 3.9 | |
| 19 | Merry Christmas, Alex Cross Merry Christmas, Alex Cross | 2012 | 3.7 | |
| 20 | Alex Cross, Run Alex Cross, Run | 2013 | 3.9 | |
| 21 | Cross My Heart Cross My Heart | 2013 | 4.0 | |
| 22 | Hope to Die Hope to Die | 2014 | 4.0 | |
| 23 | Cross Justice Cross Justice | 2015 | 3.9 | |
| 24 | Cross the Line Cross the Line | 2016 | 3.9 | |
| 25 | The People vs. Alex Cross The People vs. Alex Cross | 2017 | 4.0 | |
| 26 | Target: Alex Cross Target: Alex Cross | 2018 | 3.9 | |
| 27 | Criss Cross Criss Cross | 2019 | 4.0 | |
| 28 | Deadly Cross Deadly Cross | 2020 | 3.9 | |
| 29 | Fear No Evil Fear No Evil | 2021 | 4.0 | |
| 30 | Cross Down Cross Down Co-written with Brendan DuBois. Focuses on John Sampson while Cross is missing. | 2023 | 3.8 | |
| 31 | Cross Over Cross Over Co-written with Brendan DuBois. | 2024 | 3.8 |
Our recommended reading order
publication
Patterson
Along Came a Spider
✦
Best book to start with
Along Came a Spider
Book #1, and still the best on-ramp. It sets up everything that makes this series work.
Catch up on the whole series
Box sets in print, or listen on Audible.
Similar series
If you love Alex Cross, try these next.
Flynn
Transfer of Power
✦
Mitch Rapp
Vince Flynn - 22 books
A CIA operative working in D.C. with similar high-stakes political plots. Rapp is more lethal and less domestic, but Patterson and Flynn share a gift for relentless pacing.
Slaughter
Triptych
✦
Will Trent
Karin Slaughter - 12 books
A GBI special agent solving violent crimes across Georgia. Darker and more graphic than Cross, with a protagonist whose difficult past shapes every case.
Frequently asked questions
No. The books are largely standalone cases. Cross's personal life develops across the series, but you can pick up any book and follow the plot. Start with Along Came a Spider for the strongest introduction.
Along Came a Spider (2001) and Kiss the Girls (1997) starred Morgan Freeman. Cross (2012, titled Alex Cross) starred Tyler Perry. A new Amazon series is in development.
Opinions vary. The first four or five books are widely considered the strongest. Later entries use co-writers and follow a faster, more formulaic structure. They are still entertaining reads, but the early books have more depth.
Contains affiliate linksUpdated June 2026