Return of the Spider: An Alex Cross Thriller

Return of the Spider is the stunning companion to Along Came a Spider, the New York Times bestselling series debut that introduced Detective Alex Cross, "the real deal, a character who matters" (Rolling Stone).

The suspense classic Along Came a Spider introduced an unsurpassed rivalry:
Detective Alex Cross; the "human superhero" (New York Times) versus Gary Soneji; the "most deliciously wicked character since Hannibal Lecter" (Lexington Herald-Leader).
But that wasn't their first meeting...
Police discover that Soneji kept a murder book, "Profiles in Homicidal Genius," detailing his transformation from substitute teacher to hardened serial killer--including clues that imply missteps that Alex Cross may have made a rookie homicide detective.
Now, Alex must retrace the steps of that long-ago investigation and face...the Return of the Spider.

Enter the world of the #1 bestselling detective series behind the #1 streaming show Cross.

Author: James Patterson
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Published: 11/17/2025
Series: Alex Cross Novels #31
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9780316569569

About the Author
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.