RWC tutor Audrey Bergen provides a list of some of her favorite James Patterson novels.
About the Author:
Well-known writer James Patterson was born on March 22nd, 1947. He has won many awards over the years and is a dedicated philanthropist who gives back to the community through scholarships and donated books. While he is most known for his detective and mystery novels, he has also written true crime novels, sci-fi, children’s books, and more. Below, I have included a few of my favorite James Patterson novels with a brief summary of each one.
Zoo-
Adapted into a Netflix show, this sci-fi/thriller novel covers the aftermath of an unknown scientific phenomenon that has caused animals from lions to docile chimpanzees to become violent.
1st to Die-
1st to Die is the first in the Women’s Murder Club series and has been adapted into movie form. This series focuses on four industry professionals- Lindsay Boxer the detective, Cindy Thomas, an up-and-coming reporter, Claire, a Chief Medical Examiner, and Yuki, a district attorney. This band of friends joins forces to solve San Francisco’s most brutal crimes.
The House Next Door-
The House Next Door is a collection of three compelling novellas. The titular novella follows Laura Sherman, mother of three, who interacts with a man who is not as he seems.
In “The Killer’s Wife”, Detective McGrath uses an unorthodox approach to solve a missing persons case.
“We. Are. Not. Alone.” follows the aftermath of a message from space and former Air Force scientist Robert Barnett’s frantic struggle to save the world.
Along Came a Spider-
Made into a movie starring Morgan Freeman, Along Came a Spider is the first in a 30 plus book series following Alex Cross, a detective, and the crazy, heart-stopping cases he finds himself a part of. This series is one of my favorites because of its originality, fast pace, and ability to keep me guessing until the last page.
Ali Cross-
A series connected to Along Came a Spider and the rest of the Alex Cross novels is the Ali Cross series. This series follows the youngest of Alex’s 3 children. Ali is an amateur detective who takes things into his own hands when his friend goes missing.
A string of burglaries in his neighborhood occurs around the same time his friend Gabe disappears. Despite his father’s warning to stay out of the case, Ali is determined to find his friend and bring him back. His sleuthing might bring his friend back safe or create another problem for the Cross family, who is already dealing with Alex’s wrongful conviction.
Read all three books in the series (Ali Cross, Like Father, Like Son, and Ali Cross: The Secret Detective) to see Ali learn and grow as a detective and as a person.
Sail-
You can find out more about James Patterson and his books through his website- https://www.jamespatterson.com/landing-page/james-patterson-home/ Some of his upcoming releases include The #1 Lawyer, The Murder Inn, Eruption, and Lies He Told Me.
Anne Dunne and her three children have faced many hardships since her husband passed. Trying to bring their family back together, she sets up a sailing trip. Things begin to go wrong only an hour into the trip, and it’s up to her to ensure they make it safely back to shore.
Murder House-
Former New York City police officer, Jenna Murphy, tries to escape her troubled past and rehabilitate her rocky career. She hardly expects her lush and wealthy surroundings to have any crime, but when a Hollywood power broker and his mistress are found dead in the abandoned Murder House, Jenna’s career takes a turn. What first seems to be open and close case turns out to have as many shocking secrets. The Murder House itself, has a much darker history. As more bodies surface, the secret Jenna has desperately tried to escape closes in on her. She is faced to risk her own life to reveal the truth before the house takes its next victim.
The Girl in the Castle-
The Girl in the Castle follows the storylines of two young girls named Hannah. One is eighteen year old, Hannah Dory, who is an English peasant in the 1347 who’s life is not all that kind. The other is Hannah Doe whose story takes place in 2023. She is a
resident in New York’s Belman Psychiatric Hospital, after hallucinating and screaming something about a castle in the streets of New York City. She periodically goes through catatonic states which the staff refer to “going to the castle.” This gains the attention of Jordan Hassan, a Columbia psychology student, where he tries to discover her history. Back in the 14th century, Hannah Dory tries to save her village from starvation by sneaking into the baron’s castle where she finds herself stuck in a fight between the baron and his rival.