What is the order of the Alex Cross books?

In 1993, author James Patterson published the novel, Along Came a Spider. The book – a mystery thriller about a high-profile kidnapping – introduced readers to the main protagonist in the story, forensic psychologist, Alex Cross.

Cross proved to be a popular character, and in 1995 he reappeared in Patterson’s follow-up novel, Kiss the Girls. This in turn was followed by a third story in 1996, Jack & Jill, as well as a fourth in 1997, Cat and Mouse, and a fifth in 1999, Pop Goes the Weasel (1999).

From 2000 onward, Cross continued to appear in a succession of novels on an annual basis, furthering his story and his world. But how many Alex Cross books are there?

In this post I am providing a list of all the Alex Cross books in order, from Along Came a Spider right through to the most recent entry in the series. So, if you have always wanted to read James Patterson’s Alex Cross books, but were unsure where to begin, this is the list for you!

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The Alex Cross books in order

To date, there are 31 books in the regular Alex Cross books series, along with two novellas (aka Alex Cross BookShots). Below is a rundown of all the books, including the novellas, so if you wish to read them in order please use the following list:

• 1) Along Came a Spider (1993)
• 2) Kiss the Girls (1995)
• 3) Jack & Jill (1996)
• 4) Cat and 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)
• –) Cross Kill (2016)*
• –) Detective Cross (2017)*
• 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) Alex Cross Must Die (2023)

*Please note: Cross Kill and Detective Cross are the two novellas published under the banner ‘Alex Cross BookShots’. These are short stories, which slot in between books 24 and 25 of the regular series.

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Ali Cross books in order

In addition to the books listed above, the Alex Cross book series has also produced a spin-off series focusing on Alex’s son, Ali. To date, the Ali Cross series has included three books.

The Ali Cross books are as follows:

• Ali Cross (2019)
• Ali Cross – Like Father, Like Son (2021)
• Ali Cross – The Secret Detective (2022)

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If you’re a James Patterson fan, or you’re keen to get into the Alex Cross book series, then you may wish to know that all of the books are currently available in print – including the Alex Cross BookShots, as well as the Ali Cross books.

As detailed above, the first book in the series is Along Came a Spider – making this the ideal starting point for any collection. The book is available in paperback, as well as a digital edition.

Along Came a Spider is available from all good book stockists, however, Amazon UK and Amazon US are competitively priced.

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Disclaimer: I earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

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Editor/writer/amateur detective

Alex Wiggan

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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about the Alex Cross book series. For more posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.