The Family Cross by James Patterson

The Family Cross

An Alex Cross Thriller

James Patterson

Little, Brown and Company · Print & ebook · October 19, 2026

Alex Cross investigates a series of baffling murders while balancing a family crisis that threatens to upend his entire world in this thriller from the world's #1 bestselling author, James Patterson.

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Who it’s for
Alex Cross investigates baffling murders while a family crisis tests his promise to Nana Mama.
Themes
Murder investigation, Family crisis, Criminal underworld
Genres
Police Procedurals, Psychological Thrillers, Suspense

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For younger readers: The Cabin, The One That Got Away With Murder, Payback

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About this book

Alex Cross investigates a series of baffling murders while balancing a family crisis that threatens to upend his entire world in this thriller from the world's #1 bestselling author, James Patterson. Alex Cross is a brilliant psychologist—and a relentless hunter of killers for the FBI and DC Metro Police. To his beloved Nana Mama, he’s still the boy she raised—and every morning, as he straps on his service weapon, she’s reminded just how dangerous his world has become.

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But in Washington, DC, there are places even the police don’t go—an unseen underworld where violence thrives and rules don’t apply. And this time, Alex is stepping straight into it. Each move pulls him deeper into the dark—and closer to a case that could shatter the promise he made to Nana … and cost him everything he holds most dear.

Cross and Nana Mama

Alex Cross investigates baffling murders while a family crisis tests his promise to Nana Mama.

Come here for

  • Alex Cross investigating baffling murders in Washington, DC
  • A family crisis alongside FBI and DC Metro Police work

Expect

  • A psychologist and FBI and DC Metro Police hunter of killers
  • An unseen Washington underworld where violence thrives

Where it sits

Psychological Thrillers42%
Police Procedurals34%
Suspense27%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Police Procedurals
  • Suspense
  • Crime Fiction
  • Psychological Thrillers
Authors
James Patterson
Publisher
Little, Brown and Company
Published
October 19, 2026
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Murder investigation · Family crisis · Criminal underworld
Reading lane
Police Procedurals