BookBingeAlex Cross Books in Order
The short answer
James Patterson · 35 books
- How many books?
- There are 35 books in the Alex Cross series, published 1993–2026.
- Is it finished?
- No — it's ongoing.
- Next book
- The Family Cross, scheduled for 19 October 2026.
- Where to start
- Start with Along Came a Spider (1993).
A DC detective and psychologist hunts the most twisted killers America has to offer.
Here is the complete Alex Cross reading order — all 35 books by James Patterson, in the order you should read them:
Reading order
- Along Came a SpiderA Secret Service agent's daughter is kidnapped.1993448 pages
- Kiss the GirlsTwo killers are working in tandem, abducting young women.1995464 pages
- Jack & JillA killer couple targets Washington's elite.1996432 pages
- Cat & MouseGary Soneji is back — and so is another demon from Cross's past.1997451 pages
- Pop Goes the WeaselA British diplomat is moonlighting as a serial killer.1999418 pages
- Roses Are RedA bank heist gone bloody reveals a brilliant, ruthless mastermind.2000409 pages
- Violets Are BlueA vampire cult murders along the California coast.2001393 pages
- Four Blind MiceA Death Row soldier claims innocence.2002404 pages
- The Big Bad WolfRussian crime lords and missing women in a human-trafficking hell.2003393 pages
- London BridgesA terrorist called The Wolf threatens to destroy the world's great capitals.2004391 pages
- Mary, MaryA Hollywood-set serial killer nicknamed 'Mary Smith' murders celebrities and taunts the press, pulling Cross into a media circus.2005
- CrossCross hunts the man responsible for his wife Maria's decade-old unsolved murder, blurring justice and vengeance.2006
- Double CrossA copycat killer mimicking Cross's past cases collides with a torture-murder scene staged like a movie set.2007
- Cross CountryA DC massacre leads Cross to Africa, tracking a warlord-turned-killer across a continent in turmoil.2008
- Alex Cross's TrialNarrated through a Cross family ancestor, a brutal Jim Crow-era Georgia lynching case surfaces a hidden hero.2009
- I, Alex CrossThe murder of Cross's niece uncovers a conspiracy reaching into the highest levels of Washington power.2009
- Cross FireA sniper is picking off corrupt DC power players one by one, and Cross must stop the killer before the city erupts.2010
- Kill Alex CrossThe President's children are kidnapped and a bioterror threat looms over Washington as Cross races the clock.2011
- Merry Christmas, Alex CrossA holiday hostage crisis and a killer's twisted 'gift-giving' spree force Cross into a deadly Christmas Eve showdown.2012
- Alex Cross, RunThree gruesome, theatrical murders across DC put Cross on the trail of a killer obsessed with spectacle.2013
- Cross My HeartA vendetta-driven adversary threatens Cross's family directly, forcing him to fight for the people he loves most.2013
- Hope to DieCross's family is taken hostage, pushing him past the law to save them from a killer who has stalked him for years.2014
- Cross JusticeCross returns to his North Carolina hometown to clear a wrongly accused cousin, unearthing old family secrets.2015
- Cross the LineThe murder of a top DC detective, and later a Senator, draws Cross into a case with ties to organized crime.2016
- The People vs. Alex CrossCross stands trial himself after a controversial shooting, even as a copycat killer threatens the city.2017
- Target: Alex CrossThe murder of a presidential candidate's family member sends Cross hunting a hitman as a campaign turns deadly.2018
- Criss CrossAn old nemesis presumed dead returns, framing Cross for crimes he didn't commit and forcing a fight to clear his name.2019
- Deadly CrossThe murder of a scandal-plagued business icon and his mistress puts Cross on the trail of a killer with many enemies.2020
- Fear No EvilA shadowy criminal network with global reach draws Cross into his most dangerous case yet.2021
- Triple CrossA killer targeting the perfect all-American family strikes uncomfortably close to Cross's own household.2022
- Cross DownCross and Sampson investigate the disappearance of a young Congressional aide tangled in DC corruption.2023
- Alex Cross Must DieFramed and hunted, Cross goes on the run to prove his innocence while a killer closes in on his family.2023
- The House of CrossA deathbed confession about Cross's long-missing father reopens old wounds and a dangerous new investigation.2024
- Return of the SpiderA cold-case journal resurrects Gary Soneji's legacy, forcing Cross to revisit the case that made his career.2025
- Cross and SampsonCross and Sampson split up to chase two eerily connected cases — his son's disappearance and a DC bombing.2026
Good news: for this series, reading order and publication order are the same — just read straight down the list.
Upcoming: the next book, The Family Cross, was scheduled for 19 October 2026. BookBinge Pro can notify you the day it drops.
On our lists: Long-running mystery series
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Get BookBingeFrequently asked questions
How many Alex Cross books are there?
There are 35 books in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson, from Along Came a Spider (1993) to Cross and Sampson (2026). Book 36, The Family Cross, was scheduled for 19 October 2026.
Is the Alex Cross series finished?
No. James Patterson is still writing it: book 36, The Family Cross, was scheduled for 19 October 2026, following Cross and Sampson (2026).
What is the first Alex Cross book?
Along Came a Spider (1993) is book one, at 448 pages. A Secret Service agent's daughter is kidnapped.
Should I read the Alex Cross series in publication order?
Yes. For the Alex Cross series, reading order and publication order are the same — Along Came a Spider (1993) through Cross and Sampson (2026).