James patterson which book to read first

Subscriber Account active since. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. James Patterson is a bestselling American author known for his mystery novels, thrillers, and crime fiction. He's one of the highest paid authors of all time , has the most New York Times bestsellers , and became the first author to sell one million ebooks in He is also a proud philanthropist and has donated millions of dollars to fund classroom libraries across the country.

To rank the most popular James Patterson novels, we turned to Goodreads members. On Goodreads, over million readers rate, review, and share their favorite books. So whether you're looking for a new thrilling James Patterson read or hoping to find your next favorite mystery or thriller , here are the 21 most popular James Patterson novels, according to Goodreads members.

With over , ratings, " Along Came a Spider " is the most popular James Patterson novel amongst Goodreads members. This is the first mystery novel in the " Alex Cross " series, which now has 28 novels and another due to be published next month.

This first book introduces readers to Alex Cross, a brilliant homicide detective determined to stop a psychopathic murderer in this electric thriller. Told in short chapters, this thriller is fast-paced and gripping, demanding readers' attention until the very last page. The first book in the "Women's Murder Club" series, " 1st to Die " is a mystery about four friends with different careers linked to criminal investigation: A homicide inspector, a medical examiner, an assistant district attorney, and a crime reporter.

Together, they sidestep their bosses to collaborate and catch a killer who's tormenting San Francisco. As a teenager, I was completely obsessed with this young adult fantasy series about six homeless, parentless children that all have special abilities including the ability to fly.

Bred in a lab with avian DNA, the six kids have escaped and must evade the evil scientists that are constantly trying to recapture them. When he suddenly and mysteriously disappears from her life, she's left with a strange diary that reveals heartbreaking secrets in this overwhelming and emotional read.

In this second installment of the " Maximum Ride " series, Max and her flock are discovered by the FBI after an accident leaves one of them hurt and in the hospital.

Making a deal with the FBI in exchange for their brother's treatment, the flock attends a special school as Max uncovers how she's meant to save the world. In this shocking thriller, the four women of the Women's Murder Club reconvene when two terrible and tragic events seem to be linked. When the women discover the connection, the answer and the killer's motive stun the entire nation in this action-packed murder mystery.

This contemporary romance follows Jennifer, who returns to her hometown to be with her ill grandmother while still mourning the loss of her husband. When Jennifer discovers a packet of letters addressed to her from her grandmother, the writing inside unveils the stories of her grandmother's life. Though the group has been separated, they must work together to stop the experiment and save the world. I did not expect a novel like this from James Patterson, but it was my mistake not to expect something different from him.

The plot was definitely intriguing, although I think it would have sufficiently justified the developments through a second book because I find it lacking in that aspect. The novel is filled with religious overtones, although the book is more about the action than religion.

If you are not comfortable with this kind of story, you can skip this book. Related: Best Christian Fiction Books. His plan for a fresh start fails when strings of death start to occur in his area. Incidentally, what or who he needs to fight off the crimes that have been going on are right under the same roof. Bill, together with his long-term tenants, battle out Mitchell Cline, the drug lord responsible for the killings in their town. What I like about this novel is the fresh set of characters.

James Patterson and Candice Fox took their time to develop the relationship between the characters to justify the foundation of the team.

They will soon form to fight the villain of the story. How the characters with different past complemented each other and worked towards the same goal is for you to find out. If you are not particularly looking for a full crime-thriller novel, I recommend that you read this before reading the other series by James Patterson. If you are new to James Patterson and want to experience his crime-thriller writing style, reading this stand-alone novel might not be a good start, so you might want to choose from his other books as your first read.

A stand-alone novel I would recommend to new readers of James Patterson, the story is about the mystery surrounding the multimillion-dollar beachfront house in Hamptons and the series of killings that have been going on in this Murder House as to how locals refer to it.

Here she gets involved with the mystery concerning the Murder House and Noah Walker, the prime suspect. Now, Jenna is determined to solve the mystery behind the killings. I highly recommend reading this novel. The level of unpredictability, plot twists, and fast-paced events will keep you turning the pages until the conclusion. Cyberterrorism threatens the United States, and President Jonathan Duncan faces the allegations of being the suspect!

Faced with an impending impeachment, the president goes missing. Written by James Patterson and former US President Bill Clinton, this political thriller novel will surely blow your mind with its twists and turns and realistic narration on the matters of politics.

What makes this novel unique is the almost testimonial writing you can get from the novel. The point of view of the president is even more realistic when a former president himself is involved in the writing. However, the novel stayed true to the Patterson style of short chapters and fast-paced development. There are quite a lot of novels and even films that have president themes in them, so if you enjoy those kinds, I would highly recommend this book to you.

The story follows six genetically engineered half-human half avian kids as they try to escape from the School that has been imprisoning them. Max is the leader of the group; she is strong-willed and edgy, and she leads the group through her thoughtful analysis of their situation. With violent animal attacks on the rise, he may be too late to stop the impending catastrophe.

This is a fictional thriller about a woman who may, or may not, become the next Pope. The main character, Brigid, is an incredible woman whose faith has never come easily to her. All this is set against the backdrop of a Sudanese civil war, drug dens, high-powered lawyers, Boston churches, and an evolving Catholic church.

He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family. For the biggest James Patterson fan…. A poor art student living in New York stumbles on a bag of diamonds. Matthew Bannon, a poor art student living in New York City, finds a duffel bag filled with diamonds during….

The world's most renowned investigation firm is in charge of security for the Olympic Games. But when a killer strikes hours before the event, they must stop him in his tracks. Private, the world's most renowned investigation firm, has been commissioned to provide security for the Olympic Games in London. After a lavish night of guilty pleasures in Monte Carlo, four best friends face an awful morning of arrests -- and a fight for survival.

Only minutes after Abbie Elliot and her three best friends step off of a private helicopter, they enter the most luxurious, sumptuous, sensually pampering hotel they…. In James Patterson's pulse-racing New York Times bestseller, violent animal attacks are destroying entire cities-and two unlikely heroes must save the world before it's too late. All over the world, brutal animal attacks are crippling entire cities. Jackson Oz, a young biologist, watches the escalating events with an increasing sense of….

Discover a dangerous world of manipulation, obsession, and murder in James Patterson's scary, sexy standalone thriller. Ben isn't like most people. Unable to control his racing thoughts, he's a man consumed by his obsessions: movies, motorcycles, presidential trivia-and Diana Hotchkiss, a beautiful woman Ben knows he can never have. When Diana is….

Everyone thinks Emmy Dockery is crazy. Obsessed with finding the link between hundreds of unsolved cases, Emmy has taken leave from her job as an FBI researcher.

Now all she has are the newspaper clippings…. After a serious professional stumble, attorney Trevor Mann may have finally hit his stride. He's found happiness with his girlfriend Claire….

Detective Jenna Murphy comes to the Hamptons to solve a murder -- but what she finds is more deadly than she could ever imagine. Trying to escape her troubled past and rehabilitate a career on the rocks, former New York City cop Jenna Murphy hardly expects her lush and wealthy surroundings…. A new Pope will be chosen in Rome.

But she's made some powerful enemies who will stop at nothing-not even murder. The world is watching as massive crowds gather in Rome, waiting for news of a new pope, one who promises…. In a world run by machines, humans are an endangered species -- and their only hope is a rebel warrior with nothing left to lose.

The Great War is over. The robots have won. The humans who survived have two choices: they can submit and serve the vicious rulers they created,….

From the world's 1 bestselling writer: three pulse-pounding thriller novels in one! The Moores are Missingwith Loren D. Estleman: The Moore family just vanished from their home without telling a soul. A last-minute vacation? A kidnapping? A run for their lives? You'll never see the truth coming. The Housewifewith Sam Hawken: Maggie…. When Jacob and Megan Brandeis plan to expose a secretive and evil corporation, the fallout threatens to destroy them. Jacob and Megan Brandeis have gotten jobs with the mega-successful, ultra-secretive Store.

Seems perfect. Seems safe. But their lives are about to become anything but perfect, anything but safe.