Best James Patterson Audiobooks

Tens of thousands of audiobooks are being published every year. With busy work schedules, commutes, and traveling jobs, audiobooks are quickly becoming the new favorite mode of consumption for the average person’s reading list and can be easily accessed on many platforms such as audible or amazon.

Popular writers, such as James Patterson, are making nearly all of their books available to their audience via audiobook. This article will detail some of James Patterson’s series and the top-rated books he is famous for.

About James Patterson

James Patterson is a popular American author. He has sold over 400 million copies of his books and he was the first author to sell 1 million e-books. He became number one on Forbes’s list of highest-paid authors in 2013 and maintained that title for the following 3 years. While his most popular series are crime and mystery thrillers, he has also penned several non-fiction and children’s books.

Some of his most popular works are the Alex Cross series, Michael Bennett series, Women’s Murder Club series, Maximum Ride series, Private series, and the Middle School series as well as the I Funny series and Jacky Ha-Ha series for children. A budding philanthropist, Patterson has donated much of his millions of dollars earned from his writing profits in the form of grants and scholarships to share his passion for writing with the younger generations and bring reading back to the forefront of education. 

Who is James Patterson

James Patterson was born on March 22, 1947, into an Irish working-class family in New York. He completed his undergraduate studies at Manhattan College and began working towards a graduate degree in English Literature at Vanderbilt. His writing career began when he took a copywriting job at the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency in 1971. 

Patterson quickly climbed the corporate ladder and eventually moved into the position of CEO of the company while writing his fiction on the side. Patterson published his first book, The Thomas Berryman Number, in 1976 and eventually left his job in 1996 to focus exclusively on writing. He currently lives with his wife, Sue, and their son, Jack, in Lake Worth Beach, Florida.

Genre of writing

Extending across multiple genres, Patterson has written something that anyone can enjoy. His works extend across thriller, mystery, and comedy with series in young adult fiction and romance as well. He dabbles in science fiction with his book, Daniel X, and he has also penned several children’s books as part of his initiative to reincorporate reading into the lives of children. 

James Patterson has also coauthored many of his titles, such as an FBI series titled The Invisible series and The Black Book Series, A Billy Harney Thriller with David Ellis, and the NYPD Red series with Marshall Karp. Some of his coauthors include big names that are not common in the writing space, such as president Bill Clinton in their novel The President is Missing, and Dolly Parton in their novel Run Rose, Run.

Brief overview of awards

Patterson’s literary achievements have been granted many awards over the years including the Edgar Award, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, the International Thriller of the Year award, and the Children’s Choice Book Award for Author of the Year. Additionally, Patterson was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Trump in 2019 for being one of the greatest authors of our time.

In 2005, he founded the James Patterson PageTurner Awards the provide donations of more than $100,000 annually to companies, schools, or individuals who found ways to make reading exciting again. However, the program was put on pause in 2008 while Patterson launched ReadKiddoRead.com, a social network tool that aided parents and teachers in finding good books for their kids. 

More New York Times Bestselling books than anyone else

It’s easy to say that James Patterson’s works are loved by many. With over 114 New Your Times bestselling novels, he holds not only a New York Times bestselling record, but a Guinness World Record for the highest number of #1 New York Times bestsellers by one author, which is currently sitting at a total of 67. 

Selling over 300 million copies worldwide, his more recent novels have outsold popular writers such as Stephen King, Dan Brown, and John Grisham and over 5% of all hardcover book sales in the United States are comprised of his novels. 

Top 3 James Patterson Audiobooks and Series According to Fans

Having written over 200 novels, James Patterson’s books are very popular and have generated a large fan base. From homicide to romance to unsolved cases, Patterson’s writing has captured the hearts of many.

His series tend to get the most publicity, but he has written some real standalone gems such as The Beach House, The Murder House, You’ve Been Warned with Howard Roughan, and The Palm Beach Murders.

While it isn’t easy to narrow down, we’ve complied a list of the top 3 favorite audiobook series – according to his fans – written by James Patterson. 

Women’s Murder Club Series

With the 23rd novel expected to debut next year in 2023, The Women’s Murder Club Series is a thrilling crime series and one of James Patterson’s most popular works. 

Publication details

The first book in the series, 1st to Die, was published in 2001 by Little, Brown & Co, Patterson’s exclusive publisher. The 23rd book is expected to debut in 2023.

Synopsis

The crime series focuses on the lives of four women in San Fransisco that all play a part in investigating the crimes that their careers bring them into contact with. They must work together to solve murders and bring killers to justice while navigating their personal lives and events such as marriage and pregnancy. 

The four main characters are:

• Lindsay Boxer who is a homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department 

• Cindy Thomas who reports for the San Francisco Chronicle 

• Claire Washburn who is the San Francisco Chief Medical Examiner

• Yuki Castellano who is a district attorney for the city of San Francisco 

How many books are in the series

Coauthored with Maxine Paetro, the series currently has 22 novels and the 23rd will be coming onto the shelves soon in 2023.

Which book should you read first

Fans recommend beginning with the first book in the series, 1st to Die. All of the works in the Women’s Murder Club series have their corresponding numbers in the title, making it easy to know which book should be read next. 

For example, 2nd Chance is the second book, The 5th Horseman is the 5th book, and The 20th Victim is the 20th book in the series.

Overall Reviews

Nearly all of the books in the Women’s Murder Club series have at least 4 stars and thousands of positive reviews. 

Alex Cross Series

Totalling 30 novels in 2022, the Alex Cross series is a very popular mystery crime thriller that keeps its readers anxiously turning pages. 

Publication details

The first book in the crime, mystery, thriller series was published in 1993 by Little, Brown & Co. The 30th book made it’s very recent entry into the series in 2022.

Synopsis

The series features detective Alex Cross of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Deaprtment who specializes in forensic psychology. The series follows the life of Detective Cross as he navigates the tumultuous life of serial killers and crime investigations coupled with the dangers it presents to his family.

How many books are in the series

The 30th book in the series, Cross Over, is expected to be released this year (2022) and already has some reviews from preliminary readers. 

Which book should you read first

As with any series, it’s always a good idea to start at the beginning. The first book in the series, Along Came a Spider, paved the way for Patterson to break through into the raving success that he is today.

However, each book in the series is it’s own independent story although it may reference characters or events from previous ovels in the series. 

Overall Reviews

Most of the books in the Alex Cross series have a solid 4 star rating with tens of thousands of positive reviews. 

Several of the books in this series have been adapted for film, including the first novel, Along Came a Spider, followed by the second in the series, Kiss the Girls. Other popular books in the seriest include Jack & Jill, Deadly Cross, Roses are Red, and Double Cross.

For those who have made it all the way through the Alex Cross series and are begging for more, Patterson has penned the Ali Cross series that follows the story of Alex’s son.

Michael Bennet Series

Coauthored with Michael Ledwidge, Patterson’s thrilling mystery series is comprised of 14 books and is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Publication details

The first book in the crime, mystery, thriller series was published in 2007 by Little, Brown & Co. The 14th and most recent book entered into the series in 2022.

Synopsis

NYPD Detective, Michael Bennet, has dedicated his life to truth and justice. His novels center around his struggle to raise his 10 adopted children while navigating everything from hostage negotiations to homicide. 

How many books are in the series

The most recent in the series, book 14, Shattered, was published in 2022.

Which book should you read first

To enjoy the overarching plot of the life of Michael Bennet and his children, it is recommended that readers begin with the first book in the series, Step on a Crack. 

Overall Reviews

Loved by many, all of the books in the Michael Bennet series have wonderful ratings with thousands of positive reviews.