Bookshots Books in Order

How to Start Reading BookShots

Because BookShots are designed as quick, self-contained stories, there is no single overarching sequence that connects all eighty-plus books. Instead, your best starting point depends entirely on what you want to read:

• For Main Series Tie-ins: If you are already reading James Patterson's major series like Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, or the Women's Murder Club, you should read their respective BookShots at specific chronological points to keep the continuity intact.
• For Mini-Series and Character Arcs: Subseries such as the Mitchum investigator stories or the Detective Luc Moncrief casefiles follow a linear progression and should be read in publication order.
• For Standalones & Romance: The standalone thrillers and the Flames romance line have no shared continuity. You can pick up any title that catches your eye and start reading immediately.

Main Series Tie-ins & Chronological Placement

Several BookShots feature Patterson's most famous characters. To avoid spoilers and keep the timeline straight, read them at these points in the parent series:

Alex Cross BookShots

• Action (2014): Read as an early promotional teaser/short story.
• Cross Kill (2016): Read after Cross the Line (Book 24) and before The People vs. Alex Cross (Book 25).
• Detective Cross (2017): Read as a companion novella around the same era.

Michael Bennett BookShots

• Chase (2016): Read between Bullseye (Book 9) and Haunted (Book 10) as Book 9.5.
• Manhunt (2017): Read after Haunted (Book 10) and before Ambush (Book 11) as Book 10.5.

Women's Murder Club BookShots

• The Trial (2016): Read between 15th Affair (Book 15) and 16th Seduction (Book 16) as Book 15.5.
• The Medical Examiner (2017): Read between 16th Seduction (Book 16) and 17th Suspect (Book 17) as Book 16.5.
• 23 1/2 Lies (2023): Read as a companion story alongside the later novels.

Private BookShots

• Private Royals (2016) & Private: Gold (2017): Read these anytime alongside the main Private series to enjoy international side investigations.

Chronological Mini-Series to Read in Order

If you prefer following a specific set of characters across multiple short cases, Patterson created several dedicated mini-series within the BookShots imprint that should be read in order:

The Mitchum Series

Co-authored with James O. Born, these stories follow a Navy SEAL dropout who works as an unofficial investigator in his small hometown. These three novellas were also collected in the compilation volume The River Murders (2020):

1. Hidden (2017)
2. Malicious (2017)
3. Malevolent (2020)

Detective Luc Moncrief Series

Co-authored with Richard DiLallo, this trilogy follows a French detective on the NYPD squad:

1. French Kiss (2016)
2. The Christmas Mystery (2016)
3. French Twist (2017)

The Diamond Trilogy

Co-authored with Elizabeth Hayley, this series focuses on romantic suspense:

1. Dazzling (2016)
2. Radiant (2016)
3. Exquisite (2017)

Jon Roscoe Thrillers

Co-authored with Robert Gold, following the head of security at a high-end luxury hotel:

1. The Hostage (2016)
2. The Verdict (2016)
3. Kidnapped (2016)

BookShots Flames: Quick Romance

For readers looking for love stories rather than crime thrillers, the Flames imprint is a dedicated line of romance novellas. James Patterson presents these books, but they are written by co-authors such as Laurie Horowitz and other romance writers. Because they are completely independent stories, you can read them in any order you choose.