How to read James Patterson's Cross books in order

A reboot film, starring Tyler Perry and based on the 12th novel, Cross, was released in 2012.

Now, the books are sure to gain a whole lot of new fans, as they come to it from the series starring Aldis Hodge and Isaiah Mustafa.

But how can you read the books in order, how many are there, and which books does the first season of the new series adapt?

Read on for everything you need to know about how to read the Alex Cross novels in order.

How many Alex Cross novels are there?

This is a somewhat difficult question, as there is not only the mainline Alex Cross series, but also some spin-off novels and novellas.

In the mainline series, there are 32 novels written by Patterson on his own thus far, as well as an additional one which was co-written by Brendan DuBois, and also focuses on John Sampson.

How to read the Alex Cross novels in order

Below is the release order for the Alex Cross series, in which it is best to read them.

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)
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)
32. Alex Cross Must Die (2023)
33. The House of Cross (2024)

There are also two novellas by Patterson in the series, 2016's Cross Kill and 2017's Detective Cross, while the 2023 novel Cross Down is a joint Alex Cross and John Sampson novel, and was co-written by Patterson with Brendan DuBois.

There are also three novels in the spin-off Ali Cross series, which focuses on Alex's son. These are 2019 Ali Cross, 2021's Ali Cross: Like Father, Like Son and 2022's Ali Cross: The Secret Detective.

Which Alex Cross novel is Cross season 1 based on?

The first season of Cross is actually not based on any of Patterson's novels, and instead tells a new story while utilising the characters from, and world of, the books.

Stars Aldis Hodge and Isaiah Mustafa recently discussed this when speaking with RadioTimes.com, with Hodge explaining: "What people will learn is that every season, the seasons aren't based on the books, right? They are new mysteries, new characters, new villains, with obviously your staple characters - your Cross, your Sampson, you know what I mean?

"The benefit is that we get to create a world that stands as an asset to the Cross universe as it is. So people get the books, and then when they come to the series, they get an extension of the world that they love and know. And we get to create these magnanimous characters that really are truly inspired, they're creative, there's depth to them, a lot of mystery going on.

"But we get the freedom to play and create how we do as artists, always celebrating the fabric and the foundation of the books. And we get to give the audience kind of like, again, the final full experience that they want to get out of the world of Cross that they love so much."

Meanwhile, Mustafa added: "I think they complement each other, whereas the books can kind of introduce you to the characters and the world, but our show will fill in any gap, and create new things that you never even thought.

"Like, 'I had no idea Samson was like that, no idea that Alex was like that.' Like, it would create this world that is fully fleshed out and breathed into."

Cross season 1 is available to watch now on Prime Video.

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