Alex Cross is a series of crime, mystery, and thriller novels written by James Patterson. The book series follows the exploits of Metropolitan Police Department detective Alex Cross as he tries to protect his family and the city of Washington, D.C.
Other than Alex Cross, the novel also focuses on the lives of Cross’ children, Damon and Janelle, and his grandmother, Nana Mama.
The first book in the series, Along Came a Spider, was published in 1993. As of 2022, 30 novels and 2 novellas have been published. The Ali Cross book series is a spin-off of this series.
Certain books in the series have also been adapted into theatrical films; one of them stars Morgan Freeman in the role of Alex Cross, and in the other adaptation, Alex Cross is portrayed by Tyler Perry.
| Sl. No. | Alex Cross Books in Order |
|---|---|
| 1) | Along Came a Spider |
| 2) | Kiss the Girls |
| 3) | Jack and Jill |
| 4) | Cat and Mouse |
| 5) | Pop Goes the Weasel |
| 6) | Roses Are Red |
| 7) | Violets Are Blue |
| 8) | Four Blind Mice |
| 9) | The Big Bad Wolf |
| 10) | London Bridges |
| 11) | Mary Mary |
| 12) | Alex Cross |
| 13) | Double Cross |
| 14) | Cross Country |
| 15) | Alex Cross’s Trial |
| 16) | I, Alex Cross |
| 17) | Cross Fire |
| 18) | Kill Alex Cross |
| 19) | Merry Christmas, Alex Cross |
| 20) | Alex Cross, Run |
| 21) | Cross My Heart |
| 22) | Hope to Die |
| 23) | Cross Justice |
| 24) | Cross the Line |
| 25) | Cross Kill (Bookshots #1) |
| 26) | Detective Cross (Bookshots #2) |
| 27) | The People Vs. Alex Cross |
| 28) | Target |
| 29) | Criss Cross |
| 30) | Deadly Cross |
| 31) | Fear No Evil |
| 32) | Triple Cross |
| 33) | Cross Down |
Who is Alex Cross?
The titular character of the Alex Cross book series is Alex Cross, a widower, and father whose wife was murdered by an assassin. Alex Cross is also a detective with the Metropolitan Police Department.
The series mainly focuses on Cross navigating his family life as he solves difficult criminal cases. As the series continues, Cross goes on to work alongside the President of the United States and the Secret Service.
James Patterson’s Biography
James Patterson is an American author best known for writing the Alex Cross series, Amy Cornwall, the Women’s Murder Club series, the Middle School series, the Maximum Ride series, and standalone works such as Daniel X and NYPD Red series. Patterson was born and raised in New York.
He belonged to a working-class Irish-American family. Before becoming a popular writer, Patterson worked in advertising. His first novel, The Thomas Berryman Number, was published in 1976.
Alex Cross Books in Order
James Patterson introduced Alex Cross in the 1993 book, Along Came a Spider. Since then, he has written 30 Alex Cross novels and 2 novellas, and has even created a spin-off series.
1) Along Came a Spider (1993)
Alex Cross, a detective and forensic psychologist for the Metropolitan Police Department, must work alongside Secret Service agent Jezzie Flanagan to find the person who has kidnapped two rich kids.
2) Kiss the Girls (1994)
Washington, D.C., police detective Alex Cross embarks on a personal mission to find two serial killers who are terrorizing different regions of America.
3) Jack and Jill (1996)
Alex Cross faces his most harrowing case yet, a pair of ice-cold killers who are killing the nation’s rich and famous with professional efficiency.
4) Cat and Mouse (1997)
Just as Alex Cross starts to come out of the depression caused by his wife’s assassination, he is assigned to look for a man who is shooting random people at the Union Station train terminal.
5) Pop Goes the Weasel (1999)
Alex Cross is determined to unmask the man nicknamed the weasel, the prime suspect in a spate of serial killings that Cross is forbidden to investigate.
6) Roses Are Red (2000)
Detective Alex Cross is assigned to the case to find The Mastermind, a criminal who orchestrated a series of bank robberies where he made bizarre demands that, when not met, resulted in explosive violence.
7) Violets Are Blue (2001)
Alex Cross is called to San Francisco to solve the case of two murdered joggers. The case is reminiscent of one that Cross was unable to resolve.
8) Four Blind Mice (2002)
Alex Cross and his former partner Josh Sampson must reunite to investigate the murder of three young military wives. Sampson and Cross must infiltrate the closed world of the military in order to prove Sampson’s friend, a sergeant who stands accused of the murders, innocent.
9) The Big Bad Wolf (2003)
Alex Cross must work with the FBI to bring down a team of kidnappers that have been kidnapping upstanding men and women and selling them into slavery. At the same time, Cross’ family is also in terrible danger.
10) London Bridges (2004)
While Alex Cross is on vacation, he learns that a Russian super-criminal known as the Wolf has completely annihilated a town in Nevada and is now threatening to destroy several major cities around the globe.
11) Mary Mary (2005)
Alex Cross must investigate the mysterious killings of big-time Hollywood players. His only clue is a signed email that the Los Angeles Times receives vividly describing the murder after each killing.
12) Alex ross (2006)
Alex Cross’ ex-partner John Sampson requires Cross’ help to nab a serial rapist operating from Georgetown.
13) Double Cross (2007)
Alex Cross is on the trail of the Audience Killer, a serial killer who stages all of his killings as public spectacles and broadcasts them live on the internet.
14) Cross Country (2008)
Alex Cross is shocked to learn that one of the victims of a brutal, massacre-style murder is his old friend. However, while investigating this murder, he delves deeper into the dangerous underbelly of Washington, D.C., which is filled with drug dealing and slave trading.
15) Alex Cross’s Trial (2009)
Alex Cross learns the trials and tribulations of his great-uncle, Abraham Cross, a black man struggling to survive in a segregated country.
16) I, Alex Cross (2009)
Alex Cross gets the horrible news that his niece, Caroline, has been murdered. Cross soon finds out that not only was his niece the only victim of the killer but that she was mixed up in some really shady business.
17) Cross Fire (2010)
Detective Alex Cross must put aside his wedding plans when he is called to investigate the assassinations of two of the most corrupt congressmen and lobbyists.
18) Kill Alex Cross (2011)
Alex Cross is called on to investigate the kidnapping of the president’s son and daughter from their school. However, someone powerful stops Cross from investigating the case any further.
19) Merry Christmas, Alex Cross (2012)
It is Christmas Eve, and detective Alex Cross gets informed of a horrific hostage situation that is spiraling out of control. Now, it is up to Cross to use his training and creativity to save a family from a terrible situation.
20) Alex Cross, Run (2013)
Alex Cross is on the lookout for three killers on a murderous rampage, but at the same time, a crisis at home is threatening to tear his family apart. With his attention divided, can Cross put an end to the killings and save his family?
21) Cross My Heart (2013)
In Cross My Heart, Alex Cross must deal with his worst enemy yet, a criminal that threatens the safety of his family.
22) Hope to Die (2014)
Alex Cross’ personal enemy, Thierry Mulch, is holding his entire family hostage and is threatening to kill them. Driven by feelings of hatred and revenge, Alex Cross is fighting back against his worst adversary.
23) Cross Justice (2015)
After three long decades, Alex Cross must return to his hometown in North Carolina to prove that his cousin, who is accused of a heinous crime, is innocent. But in order to do so, Cross must unearth a ground-shaking family secret.
24) Cross the Line (2016)
Alex Cross steps into a high leadership position after a prominent police official is killed. However, as the investigation is underway, a brutal crime wave sweeps the nation.
25) Cross Kill (2016)
Cross Kill is a Alex Cross BookShots #1. Even though Gary Soneji has been dead for over a decade, Alex Cross witnesses him killing his partner. Alex Cross must solve this sinister mystery soon.
26) Detective Cross (2017)
Detective Cross is a novella and part of Alex Cross BookShots. Alex Cross must find the truth behind an anonymous tip regarding a deadly bomb explosion in Washington, D.C.
27) The People Vs. Alex Cross (2017)
Alex Cross has been turned into the poster child for trigger-happy cops and finds himself on the wrong side of the law. While Cross knows what he did was self-defense, can he convince the jury?
28) Target (2018)
Alex Cross’ wife, Bree Stone, is tasked with finding the shooter, whom the FBI and Secret Service are also on the lookout for. At the same time, the new President of the United States has told Alex Cross to lead a big investigation.
29) Criss Cross (2019)
Hours after Alex Cross and John Sampson witness the execution of a convict they helped find, they are called to the scene of a copycat crime. Neither of them can evade the feeling that they might have convicted the wrong man.
30) Deadly Cross (2020)
The shocking murder of the ex-wife of the vice president and the head of a DC private school is the talk of the town, and even Alex Cross is intrigued.
31) Fear No Evil (2021)
Alex Cross is finally close to finding the all-knowing genius who has stalked him and his family for years.
32) Triple Cross (2022)
Alex Cross is on the hunt for a killer who is targeting families around Washington, DC.
33) Cross Down (2023)
Written by James Patterson and Brendan Dubois, Cross Down follows the exploits of James Sampson as he tries to investigate a series of military-style attacks in the United States.
Ali Cross Spin-Off
1) Ali Cross (2019)
Ali Cross, Alex Cross’ son is eager to follow in his father’s footsteps as a detective. When his best friend goes missing, Ali jumps into action and tries to solve the mystery using intelligence, persistence, and logic.
2) Ali Cross: Like Father Like Son (2021)
When his friend gets hurt, Ali Cross jumps into action to find the perpetrator.
3) Ali Cross: The Secret Detective (2022)
Eager to solve cases, Ali Cross hacks into police phone calls to secretly check out crime scenes and crack the cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct order for the Alex Cross series?
The correct order for Alex Cross series is the order in which the books were published. There are many characters in the series which reappear many times in the books. If you want to really enjoy the Alex Cross books then you should immerse yourself in the series by reading the books from the start.
1) Along Came a Spider
2) Kiss the Girls
3) Jack and Jill
4) Cat and Mouse
5) Pop Goes the Weasel
6) Roses Are Red
7) Violets Are Blue
8) Four Blind Mice
9) The Big Bad Wolf
10) London Bridges
11) Mary Mary
12) Alex Cross
13) Double Cross
14) Cross Country
15) Alex Cross’s Trial
16) I, Alex Cross
17) Cross Fire
18) Kill Alex Cross
19) Merry Christmas, Alex Cross
20) Alex Cross, Run
21) Cross My Heart
22) Hope to Die
23) Cross Justice
24) Cross the Line
25) Cross Kill (Bookshots #1)
26) Detective Cross (Bookshots #2)
27) The People Vs. Alex Cross
28) Target
29) Criss Cross
30) Deadly Cross
31) Fear No Evil
32) Triple Cross
33) Cross Down
Also answers:
Is Alex Cross books for kids?
Alex Cross books are suitable for older teenagers, young adults and adults but not for children younger as many books feature serial killers, kidnappers and terrorists.
What is Alex Cross books about?
The Alex Cross series is a collection of suspense and crime thriller novels written by American author James Patterson. Alex Cross is a doctor, forensic psychologist and a detective. In the books Alex Cross solves many serious crimes like serial murders, kidnappings, bank robberies and even terror attacks.
What is the age rating for Alex Cross book series?
Alex Cross books are suitable for older teenagers, young adults and adults but not for children younger.
