Along Came a Spider

Alex Cross is a D.C. homicide detective with a Ph.D. in psychology, a jazz pianist’s soul, and a fighter’s instincts. He’s brilliant, determined, and an expert at balancing brutal crime scenes with bedtime stories for his two young children. However, his tough guy act is upended when a case unlike any he’s faced lands on his desk.

Gary Soneji is charming, calculating—and terrifying. A math teacher with a twisted mind and dreams of infamy that has just committed a shocking kidnapping that leaves the FBI, Secret Service, and police scrambling in his wake. Dubbed the “crime of the century,” Soneji’s plan is only just beginning.

At the heart of the investigation is Jezzie Flanagan, the first woman to supervise the Secret Service in Washington. Sharp, enigmatic, and unexpectedly vulnerable, Jezzie and Alex find themselves drawn into a high-stakes, forbidden love affair—just as the case explodes in complexity and danger.

With the clock ticking and Soneji always one step ahead, Cross must navigate layers of deceit, betrayal, and unimaginable evil. Because this predator isn’t just playing games—he’s rewriting the rules.

Along Came a Spider is a chilling psychological thriller and the electrifying first entry in James Patterson’s Alex Cross series. It’s a race against madness—and no one is safe.