10 Best James Patterson Co-Authored Books

To say that James Patterson is a prolific writer would be an understatement. To date, the author has written over 900 books in a variety of genres, with his latest—a romantasy—coming out next year. Patterson has his established Alex Cross series, as well as countless other standalone titles that make him one of the most active writers of our generation. James Patterson isn't always working alone, though. Many of his books are co-authored, and his fellow writers deserve just as much recognition. It's not just other writers who join in on the fun, either: Patterson has also shared the cover with the names of former presidents and beloved singers. No matter who they are, let's celebrate some of the best books that have been co-authored by James Patterson. Holmes, Marple, & Poe Co-Authored By Brian Sitts Holmes, Marple, and Poe is the first book in a series about a detective agency named after a horror mystery writer and two of the most iconic fictional detectives of all time. The actual detectives are nothing like their fictional namesakes, except in the way they solve crimes that seem impossible to solve. When their unconventional detective adventures land them in trouble with the authorities, their own secrets threaten to leak out and end their careers. This series is co-authored by Brian Sitts, who is the least public of all the other co-authors on this list. Sitts is an advertising creative director and television writer, but his only books are collabs with Patterson. Their works together are some of Patterson's highest rated ones, including the 35th Alex Cross, Cross and Sampson. You can purchase Holmes, Marple, & Poe here. Judge & Jury Co-Authored By Andrew Gross Judge & Jury is a standalone thriller about a woman who's selected to be a juror at a trial against a mobster. When the mobster makes a personal move against the juror, she teams up with the FBI agent who's been tracking the man for years. Andrew Gross is the co-author of this one, and if you enjoy it, you may also enjoy his other works. Gross specializes in historical thrillers, and has several New York Times bestsellers in his catalog, like The One Man. Gross also has a series of his own, starring detective Ty Hauck. You can purchase Judge & Jury here. Confessions Of A Murder Suspect Co-Authored By Maxine Paetro This novel takes Patterson to the Young Adult genre, with the guidance of co-author Maxine Paetro. A young woman witnesses the murder of her parents and she and her three siblings become the top suspects. As she digs deeper into what happened that night, she also uncovers some things from her past that she'd buried deep in her subconscious. Paetro brings a woman's perspective to the title—a role she's also played since book four in Patterson's Women's Murder Club series. Less important to the topic at hand but still awesome: She also created Broccoli Hall in Amenia, NY, a beautiful cottage garden in the Hudson Valley. Paetro has a few of her own books, as well, including Manshare and Babydreams, but her collaborations with Patterson are the highest rated and most loved by fans. You can purchase Confessions of a Murder Suspect here. Invisible Co-Authored By David Ellis Invisible and its sequel, Unsolved, both star the driven and somewhat obsessive FBI researcher Emmy Dockery. Dockery becomes convinced that a collection of hundreds of unsolved cases can be traced back to one person. But will she find the culprit or become consumed by an aimless search for connection that simply doesn't exist? Both books are co-written by David Ellis, whose 2001 legal thriller debut Line of Vision won an Edgar Award. Ellis also has his own novels, including a series starring Midwestern smart-alec Jason Kolarich, but if you're in the mood for more collab work, he also co-wrote Patterson's Murder House five-book thriller. You can purchase Invisible here. NYPD Red Co-Authored By Marshall Karp The NYPD Red series, co-written by Mashall Karp, follows the special NYPD task force that deals with high-profile cases dedicated to the city's wealthiest and most powerful residents. The first book sends the lead detective and his partner (and ex-girlfriend) to investigate the death of a movie producer during a Hollywood on Hudson celebration. The first six NYPD Red books were written in collaboration with James Patterson, but Marshall Karp fully took the reins for the seventh and eighth and continued them solo. Karp's Lomax & Biggs series is another fun one to check out, mixing murder and satire. You can purchase NYPD Red here. Step On A Crack Co-Authored By Michael Ledwidge Also set in NYC, Step on a Crack introduces NYPD detective Michael Bennett. Bennett has become one of Patterson's longest-running series protagonists, with the 19th book scheduled to release in 2027. Bennett breaks the mold of the hardboiled detective—he's happily married with 10 adopted children, though when we meet him in the first book, his wife is dying and he's up against a creepy antagonist who's taken a whole lot of people as hostage. Bennett comes from the minds of Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, who also worked together on Zoo and Dangerous Days of Daniel X. He's currently writing his own series, starring ex-Navy Seal Michael Gannon, which is not up to five books and counting. You can purchase Step on a Crack here. The President Is Missing Co-Authored By Bill Clinton With The President Is Missing, Patterson didn't collaborate with an author. Instead, he went straight to the source and worked with a real ex-president, Bill Clinton. In this thriller, an imminent threat looms over Washington and America, and the president is a suspect. But when the president goes missing, things take a darker turn. Bill Clinton needs no introduction, as the 42nd president of the US. His name leds this book authenticity, and gives us a peek behind the curtain at what it's like to be one of the most important people in the world. You can purchase The President Is Missing here. Run, Rose, Run Co-Authored By Dolly Patron Run, Rose, Run was co-authored by the late and great Dolly Patron, one of America's most beloved singers and performers of all time. Fittingly, this one isn't a gritty thriller like Patterson's usual fare. Instead, we follow a young woman who arrives in Nashville with a dream to make it big as a star. But her rise to stardom may come with unforeseen repercussions, including the potential for romance, and the reveal of her own dark past. You can purchase Run, Rose, Run here. Judge Stone Co-Authored By Viola Davis As one of the newest releases on this list—published in 2026—Judge Stone is all about, of course, the trials and tribulations of a judge with a strong sense of morality. The legal thriller places the judge in charge of a case with a clear legal course of action but an incredibly ambiguous ethical one. This novel is co-written by another famous personality: actress Viola Davis, who's best known for her role as the lead in How to Get Away with Murder. Davis's other famous written work is FInding Me, a memoir which she also narrates for the audiobook. (Bonus: the Judge Stone audiobook is narrated by Davis, as well!) You can purchase Judge Stone here. Eruption Co-Authored By Michael Crichton Eruption was a passion project for Michael Crichton, the author of beloved and well-known titles like Jurassic Park and ER. Crichton didn't get to finish it before his passing in 2008, but years later, Patterson worked from his notes and partial manuscript to finish and publish the novel. The book combines Crichton's trademark scientific knowhow with Patterson's knack for action and grand-scale intrigue. A Hawaiian volcano is about to erupt, threatening to destroy an entire island. But there's an even bigger threat to worry about, one that the US military has kept a secret for decades. You can purchase Eruption here. Michael Crichton and James Patterson worked together to create another hit, and Eruption is a great example of why Patterson's co-authored books are always well-worth a read.