James Patterson is the author of several bestselling series of thrillers, including Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, NYPD Red, and Private, as well as several series for children. Alex Cross is Patterson's most beloved character, and the first book in the character's eponymous series,Read more Along Came a Spider, remains one of Patterson's most popular books. Cross is a detective and forensic psychologist with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington DC, where he lives with his family. The tension between work and family life is a sustaining theme in the novels. Patterson has been publishing at least one new Alex Cross book every year since 1999, after the 5th book in the series, Pop Goes the Weasel. Patterson has won numerous awards including the Mystery Guild's Thriller of the Year, the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award, and he holds the Guinness World Record for having the most books that have hit #1 on the New York Times' bestseller lists. Patterson's books, including co-authored works, have at times accounted for as much as 6% of all hardcover novels sold in the US.

In addition to novels, Patterson has published non-fiction, including several true crime books and biographies. In 2022 he published James Patterson by James Patterson, a memoir in which the author interviews himself about his life and work.

Patterson is reported by Forbes magazine to be the highest paid author in the world.Read less