Best James Patterson Audiobooks

The best audiobooks by James Patterson — 25 titles spanning Thriller, Mystery, averaging 4.43 ABR stars.

James Patterson's highest-rated audiobook in our collection is The President's Daughter, narrated by Tony Goldwyn, Fajer Al-Kaisi, James Chen, Jeremy Davidson, Amanda Dolan, Peter Ganim, Dion Graham, January LaVoy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Soneela Nankani (4.62 ABR stars). Browse the full list below.

Where to Start with James Patterson

  1. 1
    The President's Daughter cover

    The President's Daughter

    by Bill Clinton, James Patterson

    Narrated by Tony Goldwyn, Fajer Al-Kaisi, James Chen, Jeremy Davidson, Amanda Dolan, Peter Ganim, Dion Graham, January LaVoy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Soneela Nankani

    4.62 ABR Score (62.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (53.5K) ★ 4.69 Audible (8.6K)
    14h 21m listening time • Released 2021

    Tony Goldwyn leads an all-star ensemble cast through a propulsive thriller that feels like watching a prestige TV series unfold in your ears. The multiple narrators give each character distinct weight, turning what could be a pulpy premise into genuinely immersive storytelling.

  2. 2
    Escape cover

    Escape

    Billy Harney • Book 3

    by James Patterson, David Ellis

    Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

    4.54 ABR Score (18.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (16.2K) ★ 4.7 Audible (2.3K)
    8h 53m listening time • Released 2022

    Ballerini's rapid-fire delivery transforms this into a propulsive cat-and-mouse game where you can't tell if Billy or the billionaire is actually winning. Patterson and Ellis keep the twists coming fast enough that you'll blow through all 9 hours in two sittings.

  3. 3
    The Red Book cover

    The Red Book

    Billy Harney • Book 2

    by James Patterson, David Ellis

    Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

    4.54 ABR Score (23.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (19.5K) ★ 4.67 Audible (3.9K)
    8h 35m listening time • Released 2021

    Edoardo Ballerini's gravelly delivery cuts through Chicago's corrupt machinery like a blade, making this crime thriller pulse with authentic dread. Patterson and Ellis craft a detective who can't trust anyone, and the audiobook format amplifies that paranoia perfectly.

  4. 4
    Cross Down cover

    Cross Down

    Alex Cross • Book 31

    by James Patterson, Brendan DuBois

    Narrated by William Christopher Stephens, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Mela Lee, Inger Tudor, Zeno Robinson, Wayne Carr, Peter Giles

    4.52 ABR Score (26.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.4 Goodreads (25.5K) ★ 4.66 Audible (1.2K)
    9h 46m listening time • Released 2023
  5. 5
    Judge Stone cover

    Judge Stone

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Viola Davis

    4.51 ABR Score (1.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.63 Goodreads (915) ★ 4.9 Audible (936)
    11h 20m listening time • Released 2026

    Viola Davis narrating a character she co-created with Patterson—a small-town judge wrestling with an impossible case—turns what could be pulp into genuine moral reckoning. Her performance transforms the courtroom into something that feels lived-in and dangerously real.

  6. 6
    The People vs. Alex Cross cover

    The People vs. Alex Cross

    Alex Cross • Book 25

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Andre Blake

    4.47 ABR Score (31.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (27.7K) ★ 4.59 Audible (3.2K)
    8h 39m listening time • Released 2017
  7. 7
    Criss Cross cover

    Criss Cross

    Alex Cross • Book 27

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Andre Blake

    4.46 ABR Score (29.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (26.8K) ★ 4.61 Audible (2.2K)
    8h 16m listening time • Released 2019
  8. 8
    The Black Book cover

    The Black Book

    Billy Harney • Book 1

    by James Patterson, David Ellis

    Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

    4.46 ABR Score (58.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (43.4K) ★ 4.42 Audible (15.4K)
    10h 18m listening time • Released 2017

    Edoardo Ballerini's delivery cuts through Patterson's twisty Chicago noir like a knife—he nails the cynicism, the tension, and the moral rot underneath every scene.

  9. 9
    Along Came a Spider cover

    Along Came a Spider

    Alex Cross • Book 1

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Taye Diggs

    4.46 ABR Score (496.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.13 Goodreads (491.9K) ★ 4.5 Audible (4.5K)
  10. 10
    The 23rd Midnight (WMC #23) cover

    The 23rd Midnight (WMC #23)

    Women's Murder Club BookShots • Book 23

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.43 ABR Score (1.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.7 Audible (1.0K)
    8h 4m listening time • Released 2023
  11. 11
    Kiss the Girls cover

    Kiss the Girls

    Alex Cross • Book 2

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.42 ABR Score (357.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.01 Goodreads (355.1K) ★ 4.57 Audible (2.8K)
    10h 56m listening time • Released 2018

    Michael Kramer's narration transforms this serial killer thriller into a propulsive cat-and-mouse game—his ability to shift between detectives, killers, and victims keeps you locked in for all eleven hours.

  12. 12
    Cross Justice cover

    Cross Justice

    Alex Cross • Book 23

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jefferson Mays

    4.42 ABR Score (37.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.27 Goodreads (34.2K) ★ 4.48 Audible (3.2K)
    9h 39m listening time • Released 2015
  13. 13
    Fear No Evil cover

    Fear No Evil

    Alex Cross • Book 29

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Cary Hite

    4.41 ABR Score (30.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (28.3K) ★ 4.49 Audible (2.5K)
    8h 22m listening time • Released 2021
  14. 14
    Jack & Jill cover

    Jack & Jill

    Alex Cross • Book 3

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Ron Butler, Maxwell Hamilton

    4.40 ABR Score (93.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.01 Goodreads (91.1K) ★ 4.61 Audible (2.4K)
    12h 10m listening time • Released 2017
  15. 15
    The 20th Victim cover

    The 20th Victim

    Women's Murder Club • Book 20

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.40 ABR Score (40.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.07 Goodreads (36.9K) ★ 4.58 Audible (3.3K)
    8h 26m listening time • Released 2020
  16. 16
    21st Birthday cover

    21st Birthday

    Women's Murder Club • Book 21

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.40 ABR Score (45.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (42.3K) ★ 4.58 Audible (3.4K)
    8h 50m listening time • Released 2021
  17. 17
    Cross and Sampson cover

    Cross and Sampson

    Alex Cross • Book 35

    by James Patterson, Brian Sitts

    Narrated by Isaiah Mustafa, Dion Graham

    4.40 ABR Score (6.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.5 Goodreads (6.2K) ★ 4.62 Audible (404)
    7h 24m listening time • Released 2026

    Isaiah Mustafa and Dion Graham split the dual-detective narrative perfectly, each bringing distinct energy to Cross and Sampson's investigation. The dual-narrator format transforms what could be a standard thriller into something more immersive, letting you inhabit both detectives' headspace simultaneously.

  18. 18
    Target: Alex Cross cover

    Target: Alex Cross

    Alex Cross • Book 26

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Andre Blake

    4.40 ABR Score (30.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.13 Goodreads (27.1K) ★ 4.56 Audible (2.9K)
    9h 21m listening time • Released 2018
  19. 19
    22 Seconds cover

    22 Seconds

    Women's Murder Club • Book 22

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.39 ABR Score (42.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.11 Goodreads (38.9K) ★ 4.54 Audible (3.2K)
    8h 16m listening time • Released 2022

    January LaVoy brings razor-sharp intensity to this Women's Murder Club installment, cutting through Patterson's signature twists with a narrator who sounds genuinely cornered. If you've stayed with the series, this one finally delivers the high stakes it's been building toward.

  20. 20
    Roses Are Red cover

    Roses Are Red

    Alex Cross • Book 6

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Peter Jay Fernandez

    4.37 ABR Score (79.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.1 Goodreads (76.8K) ★ 4.5 Audible (2.6K)
    8h 5m listening time • Released 2000
  21. 21
    Hope to Die cover

    Hope to Die

    Alex Cross • Book 22

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Michael Boatman, Scott Sowers

    4.35 ABR Score (35.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.22 Goodreads (33.2K) ★ 4.43 Audible (2.6K)
    9h 41m listening time • Released 2014
  22. 22
    The 18th Abduction cover

    The 18th Abduction

    Women's Murder Club • Book 18

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.34 ABR Score (42.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.12 Goodreads (38.6K) ★ 4.55 Audible (3.5K)
    7h 54m listening time • Released 2019
  23. 23
    25 Alive (WMC #25): A Women's Murder Club Thriller cover

    25 Alive (WMC #25): A Women's Murder Club Thriller

    Women's Murder Club • Book 25

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.34 ABR Score (30.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.16 Goodreads (29.0K) ★ 4.52 Audible (1.2K)
    6h 40m listening time • Released 2025

    January LaVoy's narration anchors this series milestone with such sharp authority that you forget you're listening rather than reading—the procedural twists land harder that way.

  24. 24
    16th Seduction cover

    16th Seduction

    Women's Murder Club • Book 16

    by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

    Narrated by January LaVoy

    4.33 ABR Score (48.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.12 Goodreads (44.3K) ★ 4.53 Audible (4.0K)
    7h 1m listening time • Released 2017
  25. 25
    Violets Are Blue cover

    Violets Are Blue

    Alex Cross • Book 7

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Daniel Whitner, Kevin O'Rourke

    4.33 ABR Score (73.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.02 Goodreads (71.5K) ★ 4.51 Audible (2.2K)
    8h 5m listening time • Released 2005

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →