Alex Cross Books in Order: Complete List & Chronological Order

The Alex Cross books in order follow Washington, D.C., detective and psychologist Alex Cross as he investigates killers who often turn his cases into deeply personal battles. The mysteries move quickly, but Alex’s family life, friendships, and past remain just as important as the crimes.

James Patterson created the series, with Alex’s longtime friend and investigative partner John Sampson appearing throughout the books. Nana Mama, Alex’s children, and the people closest to him give the series an ongoing family story that develops alongside his career.

For Patterson’s other mysteries, thrillers, children’s books, and collaborations, see my James Patterson books in order guide.

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• Alex Cross Books in Order
• Alex Cross Books in Chronological Order
• Alex Cross Adaptations
• About Alex Cross

Alex Cross Books in Order

I recommend reading the full-length Alex Cross stories in publication order. Each book has its own central case, but Alex’s relationships, career, family, and recurring enemies change from one novel to the next. Starting with Along Came a Spider lets those developments unfold naturally.

I’ve included Alex Cross’s Trial, Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, Cross Down, and Cross and Sampson at their publication points. Patterson’s official checklist separates them from the core numbered novels, but they’re full-length stories about Alex Cross, John Sampson, or the Cross family, and I wouldn’t skip them.

1. Along Came a Spider (1993)
2. Kiss the Girls (1995)
3. Jack & Jill (1996)
4. Cat & 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; also published as Alex Cross)
13. Double Cross (2007)
14. Cross Country (2008)
15. Alex Cross’s Trial (2009) with Richard DiLallo
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)
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. Cross Down (2023) with Brendan DuBois
32. Alex Cross Must Die (2023)
33. The House of Cross (2024)
34. Return of the Spider (2025)
35. Cross and Sampson (2026) with Brian Sitts
36. The Family Cross (2026)

BookShots and Short Stories

The shorter Alex Cross stories can be read alongside the novels. “Action” is a self-contained case, while Cross Kill and Detective Cross connect more directly to the surrounding books.

1. Action: An Exclusive Alex Cross Short Story with Brent Gargan (2014) (Short story)
2. Cross Kill (2016) (BookShot)
3. Detective Cross (2017) (BookShot)

Ali Cross Spin-Off Series

The Ali Cross books follow Alex’s son as he takes on mysteries of his own. They’re written for middle-grade readers, but longtime Alex Cross readers will recognize the family relationships and the influence Alex has on Ali.

1. Ali Cross (2019)
2. Ali Cross: Like Father, Like Son (2021)
3. Ali Cross: The Secret Detective (2022)

Ali Cross Graphic Novel

The graphic novel retells the first Ali Cross story rather than continuing the series with a new mystery.

1. Ali Cross: The Graphic Novel (2024) (Graphic novel adaptation)

What Is the Best Alex Cross Book?

I’d start with Along Came a Spider. It introduces Alex, his family, John Sampson, and the mix of psychological investigation and personal danger that defines the series. It’s also the best starting point if you think you may continue beyond one book.

The People vs. Alex Cross is one of my favorite later entries because it puts Alex himself at the center of the case in a different way. Still, it works much better after you already know him, so I wouldn’t use it as an entry point.

Alex Cross Books in Chronological Order

The chronological order is close to publication order, but a few stories move. If you want to follow the events themselves, Alex Cross’s Trial comes first because most of its story takes place in 1906 and follows Alex’s ancestor Abraham Cross.

Return of the Spider then moves ahead of Along Came a Spider. It looks back at an earlier encounter between Alex and Gary Soneji, so I’d treat it as a prequel even though it was written much later.

1. Alex Cross’s Trial with Richard DiLallo
2. Return of the Spider
3. Along Came a Spider
4. Kiss the Girls
5. Jack & Jill
6. Cat & Mouse
7. Pop Goes the Weasel
8. Roses Are Red
9. Violets Are Blue
10. Four Blind Mice
11. The Big Bad Wolf
12. London Bridges
13. Mary, Mary
14. Cross (also published as Alex Cross)
15. Double Cross
16. Cross Country
17. I, Alex Cross
18. Cross Fire
19. Kill Alex Cross
20. Merry Christmas, Alex Cross
21. Alex Cross, Run
22. Cross My Heart
23. Action: An Exclusive Alex Cross Short Story with Brent Gargan (Short story)
24. Hope to Die
25. Cross Justice
26. Cross the Line
27. Cross Kill (BookShot)
28. Detective Cross (BookShot)
29. The People vs. Alex Cross
30. Target: Alex Cross
31. Criss Cross
32. Deadly Cross
33. Fear No Evil
34. Triple Cross
35. Cross Down with Brendan DuBois
36. Alex Cross Must Die
37. The House of Cross
38. Cross and Sampson with Brian Sitts
39. The Family Cross

“Action” doesn’t give enough timeline clues for a precise placement. I’ve placed it after Cross My Heart, where it fits comfortably without interrupting the larger story arcs.

Alex Cross Adaptations

Alex Cross has appeared in three movies and a television series. The screen versions borrow different amounts from the books, so I’d watch them as alternate takes on Alex rather than substitutes for the novels.

Kiss the Girls (1997)

Kiss the Girls adapts the second Alex Cross novel, with Morgan Freeman playing Alex and Ashley Judd playing Kate McTiernan. The movie keeps the kidnapping case and its central villain, but it streamlines the investigation and changes several character and plot details.

Along Came a Spider (2001)

Morgan Freeman returned for Along Came a Spider, even though this film adapts the first novel and was released after Kiss the Girls. It keeps the kidnapping setup and Gary Soneji, but the movie changes major parts of the mystery, Alex’s personal life, and the ending.

Alex Cross (2012)

Tyler Perry took over the role in Alex Cross. The movie is loosely inspired by the novel Cross, but it moves the action to Detroit and changes the villain, supporting characters, and much of Alex’s history. It’s the least faithful of the three films.

Cross TV Series

Aldis Hodge stars as Alex in the Prime Video series Cross. The show uses original cases rather than directly adapting one novel, but it spends more time on Alex’s family, grief, friendship with John Sampson, and work as a forensic psychologist. The second season began streaming in 2026, and Prime Video renewed the series for a third season.

About Alex Cross

Alex Cross is a Washington, D.C., detective and psychologist whose ability to understand criminal behavior makes him especially effective against serial killers and kidnappers. His work brings him into cases involving DC Metro Police, the FBI, and threats that often reach far beyond the city.

Alex is also a father and grandson, and his home life is one of the series’ strongest threads. Nana Mama helped raise him and remains the center of the Cross household. His children grow up across the books, while John Sampson remains his closest friend and most trusted investigative partner.

That balance is why I think the series has lasted so well. The cases provide the suspense, but Alex’s loyalty to his family and the consequences of his work give the books their emotional weight.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more thriller authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Thriller Books in Order index.

• Books in Order (Full Index)
• Lucas Davenport Books in Order
• Harry Bosch Books in Order
• Jack Reacher Books in Order