James Patterson's top 10 books ranked - Kiss the Girls not No1

James Patterson is one of the most prolific and celebrated authors of the modern era. With over 400 million copies sold worldwide and more than 100 New York Times bestsellers to his name, he is known for his signature short chapters, high-stakes plots and fast-paced storytelling.

Patterson has written across a wide range of genres - from crime thrillers and young adult adventures to romance and historical fiction, but he is perhaps best known for the Alex Cross series, which introduced one of the most iconic detectives in contemporary fiction.

His work has also reached younger readers through series like Maximum Ride, and connected emotionally with audiences through standalone novels.

Based on average reader ratings and number of reviews, here are the top 10 James Patterson books ranked in order of their popularity.

10. Sam's Letters to Jennifer

93,889 ratings

Published in 2004, Sam's Letters to Jennifer is a standalone novel that blends romance with a mystery narrative. The book follows Jennifer, a Chicago journalist who returns to her hometown after her beloved grandmother Sam falls into a coma. While staying at Sam's home, Jennifer finds a series of letters addressed to her - revealing secrets about her grandmother's past and the identity of a long-lost love.

The story has two narratives - one in the present and one from decades earlier -, explores themes of grief and forgiveness and was a New York Times bestseller.

9. Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports (Maximum Ride #3)

96,405 ratings

Released in 2007, this is the third book in the Maximum Ride series, which follows a group of genetically engineered children whose superpower is the ability to fly. In this instalment, Max and her "flock" face the threat of the Itex Corporation, an organisation intent on population control.

The book builds on the themes of rebellion and responsibility, with the characters coming to terms with their role in saving the world. Aimed at teen readers, the Maximum Ride series was one of Patterson's first major successes in the YA genre.

8. 3rd Degree (Women's Murder Club #3)

99,115 ratings

Published in 2004, 3rd Degree continues the saga of the Women's Murder Club, - co-written with Andrew Goss - a team of four professional women in San Francisco - a detective, a medical examiner, a reporter, and an assistant district attorney - who collaborate to solve complex crimes.

This third entry features a domestic terrorist who is targeting powerful figures in the city, leaving cryptic messages at each crime scene. It also features significant character developments, including a shocking turn in the personal life of lead character Lindsay Boxer.

7. 2nd Chance (Women's Murder Club #2)

120,000 ratings

Released in 2002 and also co-written with Andrew Gross, this sequel to 1st to Die finds the Women's Murder Club investigating a string of seemingly unrelated murders - including the killing of a young girl and a senior citizen - that turn out to be connected. The plot thickens when a police officer is targeted, raising the stakes for Lindsay and her team.

2nd Chance explores deeper themes of racial bias and revenge. The book earned Patterson widespread praise from his crime fiction audience and helped build momentum for the future instalments of the series.

6. School's Out - Forever (Maximum Ride #2)

123,550 ratings

The second entry in the Maximum Ride series, published in 2006, picks up with Max and her team after they escape from government scientists who have experimented on them. They attempt to live a more normal life but soon realise they are still being hunted by a new generation of genetic hybrids known as "Erasers."

This book blends action with teen drama, as the characters struggle to fit in with their peers while staying alert to threats.

5. Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

153,233 ratings

A romantic drama published in 2001, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas revolves around Katie Wilkinson, a book editor in New York who is blindsided when her boyfriend suddenly ends their relationship. Soon after, she receives a diary written by another woman, Suzanne, who chronicled her life with her husband and son.

The book is structured in two timelines tied by a mystery, but all with an emotionally rich background. It helped demonstrate Patterson's versatility of genres and was adapted into a 2005 television movie starring Christina Applegate.

4. The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride #1)

229,274 ratings

Published in 2005, The Angel Experiment is the debut novel in the Maximum Ride series and Patterson's first major foray into young adult fiction. The story introduces Max and her flock - children who have escaped from a secret lab where they were genetically modified with avian DNA. Now fugitives, they try to survive while uncovering the truth about their origins.

The novel blends sci-fi and action with themes of family, freedom, and identity, and was popular enough to inspire a manga adaptation and a 2016 film version.

3. Kiss the Girls (Alex Cross #2)

347,401 ratings

This 1995 thriller is the second book in the Alex Cross series and follows the detective as he investigates a series of kidnappings and murders of young women. Cross uncovers the work of two serial killers - "Casanova" on the East Coast and "The Gentleman Caller" on the West - who appear to be working together.

The novel was well-received upon its release for its complex antagonists and tense, layered investigation. In 1997, the book was adapted into a film starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd.

2. 1st to Die (Women's Murder Club #1)

350,638 ratings

The first entry in the Women's Murder Club series, 1st to Die introduces Detective Lindsay Boxer as she investigates a series of newlywed murders in San Francisco. Realising she needs help, she forms a partnership with three other women from different professional backgrounds, creating a unique investigative team.

Published in 2001 and co-written with Andrew Gross, the book became a bestseller and later inspired a 2003 TV film and a short-lived television series.

1. Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross #1)

476,470 ratings

Released in 1993, Along Came a Spider was the first novel to feature Dr. Alex Cross, a Washington-based forensic psychologist and detective. The book centres on the kidnapping of two children from a prestigious private school, leading Cross into a tense confrontation with a criminal named Gary Soneji.

The novel started many of the signature elements of the Alex Cross series - psychological profiling, morally questionable characters and moments, and personal battles - and became an instant bestseller, adapted into a 2001 film starring Morgan Freeman.