James Patterson, born on March 22, 1947, in Newburgh, New York, is a prolific American author renowned for his suspenseful thriller novels. With over 425 million copies of his books sold worldwide, he holds the Guinness World Record for the most #1 New York Times bestsellers.
Early Life and Education
Patterson earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Manhattan College in 1969 and a Master of Arts in English from Vanderbilt University in 1970. Before embarking on his writing career, he worked in advertising, eventually becoming the CEO of J. Walter Thompson’s North American division.
Literary Career and Notable Works
Patterson’s debut novel, The Thomas Berryman Number, was published in 1976 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. He gained widespread recognition with his Alex Cross series, starting with Along Came a Spider in 1993. This series introduced readers to detective and psychologist Alex Cross and has become one of his most popular works.
Other notable series by Patterson include:
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Women’s Murder Club: Co-authored with Maxine Paetro, this series began with 1st to Die in 2001 and follows a group of women professionals investigating crimes.
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Michael Bennett: Launched with Step on a Crack in 2007, co-authored with Michael Ledwidge, featuring NYPD detective Michael Bennett.
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Maximum Ride: A young adult science fiction series that started with The Angel Experiment in 2005, focusing on genetically engineered teenagers.
In addition to his series, Patterson has authored numerous standalone novels and ventured into non-fiction. He has also collaborated with notable figures, including former President Bill Clinton on thrillers like The President Is Missing (2018) and the upcoming The First Gentleman, set for release in summer 2025.
Some of the works of James Patterson that we will look at here are:
- Alex Cross Series
- Women’s Murder Club Series
- Michael Bennett Series
- Private Series
- NYPD Red Series
- Detective Harriet Blue Series
Stand-alone Novels
- The Thomas Berryman Number
- Season of the Machete
- See How They Run
- Black Market
- The Midnight Club
- Hide and Seek
- The Beach House
- The Jester
- Lifeguard
- Beach Road
- Judge and Jury
- The Quickie
- You’ve Been Warned
- Sail
- Sundays at Tiffany’s
- Swimsuit
- Don’t Blink
- The Postcard Killers
- Bloody Valentine
- Kill Me If You Can
- Now You See Her
- Toys
- Guilty Wives
- Mistress
- The Murder House
- Truth or Die
- Woman of God
- Black Dress Affair
- Expelled
- The Store
- The 13-Minute Murder
- The First Lady
- The President Is Missing
- The Cornwalls Are Gone
- The Inn
- The Warning
- Lost
- The Summer House
- 1st Case
- Cajun Justice
- The Coast-to-Coast Murders
- The Midwife Murders
- Three Women Disappear
- The President’s Daughter
- The Noise
- 2 Sisters Detective Agency
- Run, Rose, Run
- Death of the Black Widow
- Blowback
- 12 Months to Live
- The #1 Lawyer
- Eruption
- Hard To Kill
Recent Endeavors
In 2024, Patterson launched a Substack newsletter titled “Hungry Dogs,” offering subscribers access to author and celebrity interviews, opinion pieces, and columns on various topics.
Philanthropy and Personal Life
Beyond writing, Patterson is known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in promoting literacy and education. He has donated millions to independent bookstores, libraries, and reading programs. Patterson resides in Florida with his wife, Susan, and their son, Jack.
For readers seeking gripping narratives and complex characters, James Patterson’s extensive bibliography offers a wealth of thrilling experiences.
