Along Came a Spider
- 454
- Pages
- about 8 h
- Reading time
Affiliate link: buying through it supports BookRank at no extra cost to you.
Our view
“Along Came a Spider” is a quick, twist-driven thriller and a natural starting point for the long Alex Cross series. The kidnapping case moves fast and keeps springing surprises, and that is its main strength. Some readers find the ending illogical, and some feel the novel handles its Black hero unconvincingly, particularly in the dialogue.
The view of the BookRank editors, written from readers’ ratings and comments. It does not affect the score or the book’s place in a ranking.
About the book
Along Came a Spider is a crime thriller novel, and the first novel in James Patterson's series about forensic psychologist Alex Cross. First published in 1993, its success has led to twenty-six sequels as of 2021.
Reading order · Alex Cross
Full order & progress →- Along Came a SpiderThis book
7.57.5 / 10 - Kiss the Girls
7.67.6 / 10 - Jack & Jill
7.67.6 / 10 - Cat and Mouse
7.67.6 / 10 - Pop Goes the Weasel
7.67.6 / 10 - Roses Are Red
7.67.6 / 10 - Violets Are Blue
7.67.6 / 10 - Four Blind Mice
7.67.6 / 10 - The Big Bad Wolf
7.57.5 / 10 - London Bridges
7.67.6 / 10 - Mary, Mary
7.67.6 / 10 - Cross
7.57.5 / 10 - Double Cross
7.67.6 / 10 - Cross Country
–Not ranked yet - Alex Cross's Trial
–Not ranked yet - I, Alex Cross
7.57.5 / 10 - Cross Fire
–Not ranked yet - Kill Alex Cross
–Not ranked yet - Merry Christmas, Alex Cross
–Not ranked yet - Alex Cross, Run
–Not ranked yet - Cross My Heart
–Not ranked yet - Hope to Die
–Not ranked yet - Cross Justice
–Not ranked yet - Cross the Line
–Not ranked yet - The People vs. Alex Cross
–Not ranked yet - Target: Alex CrossTarget: Alex Cross–Not ranked yet
- Criss Cross
–Not ranked yet - Deadly Cross
–Not ranked yet - Fear No Evil
–Not ranked yet - Triple Cross
–Not ranked yet - Cross Down
–Not ranked yet - Alex Cross Must DieAlex Cross Must Die–Not ranked yet
- The House of CrossThe House of Cross–Not ranked yet
- Return of the SpiderReturn of the Spider–Not ranked yet
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.5 across 439 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 75% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Thriller average of 7.6. That is how 7.5 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.9 | 47 | 11% |
| Hardcover | 7.4 | 392 | 89% |
Frequently asked
How long is Along Came a Spider?
It has 454 pages — longer than 71% of the ranked books in Thriller.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Thriller — with scores between 7.5 and 7.6, closest to this book.
