I normally read Stephen King and Dean Koontz books, but I've read through most of them in the library and am ready to move on.

I've heard that James Patterson is similar to King and Koontz, but I do not know where to begin. Does he have series or are his books just pretty random without sequels/etc?

Let me know what some of his good books are or if you have other suggestions of different authors. Thanks!

The first I read of his was "along came a spider", I was home alone that night, and had to quit reading it. "Step on a Crack", Jack and Jill, Just look in the front of his book and it will give them in order, I also like Johanathan Kellerman, Robin Cook, Mary Higgins Clark. I like the lawyer mysteries, and medical mysteries.....Mary H Clark has all of her books with song tittles. Three little Girls in Blue, I'll be seeing you, she has a lot of books. If I think of more I will let you know...Enjoy

I love his books-he is my favorite author! I've read all of his books he has put out so far. Do a google search to see a list of his books because they are in sequence-some of them are stand alones though. I am thinking 1st to Die may be the name of one of the first in one of his series but am not sure though. His Alex Cross series is my favorite. Another good author is JD Robb, which is really Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb but they are a great murder/mystery series that I love.

Thank you both! I'm gonna write down the authors you suggested and do google searches. Then I'm heading to the library! Thanks for the suggestions!

If you like Steven King and Dean Koontz, try Kay Hooper especially the Special Crimes Unit books....Very good reads!
Another excellent series is Thomas Perry's Jane Whitehouse books. I have read them all and loved them. She helps people who need to hide for various reasons....They are exciting and fast paced. I wish he would write a new one!!

I wouldn't exactly compare James Patterson to King or Koontz. Whitley Streiber (sp?) was similar to Dean Koontz at one time. Clive Barker is the British version of Stephen King. Thomas Harris & his "Hannibal" type books are similar to Dean Koontz. John Saul is like a cross between Koontz & King. Dan Brown is another good one sort of like a cross between Patterson & Koontz.

If you like to dabble more into the fantasy side of sci-fi, I strongly suggest Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman. They have several different series that will keep you reading for a long, long time.

Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs are good if you like crime dramas. K Riechs books are the basis for the tv show "Bones"If you like King and Koontz , try Boy's life, Swan Song, and Stinger by Robert Mc Cammon. ( these are all fairly old books ....published in the late 80's and early 90's. They are all really good and McCammons Swan Song rivals King"s "The Stand". any day

This may sound dumb, but if you have never read the Harry Potter books, do so now. She wrote the books to "age" along with the readers. In the first book Harry was 11 and he aged a year in every book, so by the last book (when he was 17) there were some really complex plot twists. But adults can enjoy them and maybe read more into them than children.

James Patterson is a good read. His books are mysteries.

I have recently discovered John Sandford's books. They are page turners, but thrillers as opposed to mysteries. Some have other-worldly components, and are slightly off the wall,
but good reads.

Thanks for the heads up on other authors worth exploring.

I love books by both James Patterson and Jonathan Kellerman.

I love love love both James Patterson and John Sandford. James Patterson has two different series, The Alex Cross series and the Women's Murder Club series. The first in the Alex Cross series is "Along Came a Spider"...the first in the women's Murder Club series is "1st to Die".

And John Sandford has the Lucas Davenport series (he's my favorite fictional hero!!) and they all take place in Minnesota. The first book in this series is "Rules of Prey".... I just finished "Phantom Prey" the 18th in the series and I think there are still two more that I haven't gotten to yet.

Happy reading!

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/james-patterson/
this site is great. lists all his books and lots of others.

I like his Women Murder Club series.

I love dean knootz and also have read most of his works. I have recently started reading Charlaine Harris books. Specifically the Sookie Stackhouse series (its a vampire series that the HBO show True Blood is based off) But she has some other series, mystery series and the lead character are women. She is a southern writer so she has lots of quaint southern phrases. I have really enjoyed her works and she is easy to read.

Oh, yes the Sookie books are good. Fast reading and enjoyable. This Vampire fiction has become very popular, but not all of it is good. Same with the tv series. "Moonlight " was very good ,but did not survive the writers strike of a couple of years ago.

I keep replying, cause I keep remembering other stuff. Jeffery Deaver's "Lincoln Rhyme " series is VERY good if you like forensic type books or TV shows ( CSI, Bones, Etc.). He also has a few other series and they are all good.

Okay, I have another author that is very good. Jer name is Jodi Picoult and I have loved all her books except for one called "Picture Perfect" It wasn't that it was awfull, it just wasn't up to her usual standards.

I loved Moonlight. They play reruns on Scfi channel but there are so few episodes. Too bad that channel didn't pick up the series.

also try Janet Evanovitch's series with Stephanie Plum..really funny and enjoyable reads every one.

I also love Patterson, Sanford, etc. Can't get into King.

James Patterson is my favorite author. Start at the beginning of the Alex Cross series. You can find out the order of them from his web site.

Second favorite is Jonathan Kellerman. The Alex Delaware series is where to start. His wife, Faye, is also a great writer. The Peter Decker series is fun.

Dean Koontz is a little far out for me but have enjoyed the ones I've read.

I'm bookmarking this thread and going to the library tomorrow. :-D :-D :-D

Oh thank you everyone.. I love a good book.. I read every day.. or every night I should say. Nothing like a good book.. but I sometimes run out of authors that I know..

I've been known to go to the library and just walk up and down looking.. I look for an author that has a bunch of books there. Not the best way to find a new author, but my thinking is, if there are a whole line of books by the same person, other people must think they're good.. I have found some really good new authors that way.

I've read all of James Patterson I can find,
Robin Cook,
Clive Cussler, who wrote Artic Drift and Medusa, many many others,
P.D. James,
Robert Parker, good writer
James Lee Burke,
Lee Child,
Tami Hoag,
J.A. Jance,
and an old favorite, John D. McDonald.. all have a the title of the book written into the story.. I love them all.

I also love Janet Evanovitch books.. they are a hoot.. especially if you're at all familar with New Jersey!

Wouldn't you think after reading for years, day after day, that we'd all be able to write a good page turner?

McCammon's Swan Song is really good, I highly recommend it.

Stephen Woodworth wrote a series starting with Through Violet Eyes. If you were a person with violet eyes, the dead could use you as a conduit and speak/act through you. There's 4 books in the series, the main character is a woman who is trying to live a normal life without much success. The books are Through Violet Eyes, From Black Rooms, In Golden Blood and With Red Hands.

I also really enjoy Patricia Cornwell and her Kay Scarpetta series.

Wow! I was just looking for something new yesterday. I've copied all the suggestions into a word doc. I'm going to print and head to the library. thanks to everyone.
I've read Patterson, Koontz, King, Cornwell

I didn't see Stuart Woods. He has 4 different series. He's an ex cop/detective/lawyer. The main characters in the series are: Holly Barker; Stone Barrington; Will Lee; and Ed Eagle. They all, at times, interact with each other, but not in the same book. Stone Barrington is the character who knows all the others.

LIKE ALL THOSE AUTHORS !
FOR A QUICK READ, AND LAUGHTER...TRY JANET EVANOVICH -THE STEPHANIE PLUM SERIES--WAITING FOR THE NEXT ONE FROM HER
ANOTHER HILARIOUS BOOK IS "KARMA CHARMER" BY BRUCE PALMER; IF YOU ARE AROUND MY AGE (66) YOU WILL SO GET IT; I LAUGHED TIL I CRIED .

Oh I love JD Robb!! My ex neighborlady and I read the same things but she hates those. Have read her whole "Dallas" series, can't wait for the next ones. Also love Patterson, Parker, Woods...

Oh yes, the Plum series, love them! Never heard of Bruce Palmer, will have to check him out. Reading Karen Robards books right now, also Linda Howard.

I wouldn't compare Patterson to King or Koontz, either. He's a mystery writer. The new TV show, Rizzoll & Isles, is based on Patterson's books, the Women's Murder Club series. I'm reading 4th of July right now and it's a great "cop story". Koontz and King are "thriller" writers....scary in my mind!

I agree about Koontz and King-not my kind at all!.

James Patterson is great I love his books!! Any and All of them. I can't remember titles very well I will look and find some and let you know! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Dennis Lehane - Shutter Island, Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone were made into movies. He also has others. I liked all his books.

James Patterson is a mystery writer, but
he has some (2 I think) that are not.
Some of his books do run in series.
Pull up his website on the computer for a full list.
I love is books.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I bookmarked this page so I can keep up with all the authors you suggested! Thanks again!

James Patterson is my favorite author. Have read many of his books.

If you're looking for something to read along the lines of King and Koontz, read Justin Cronin's new book, The Passage. I'm unable to put it down! I also loved the Twilight Saga (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, & Breaking Dawn) by Stephanie Meyers. And watching the Twilight movies really brought the story home.

His books are very good. You might want to start with his Women's Murder Club books- they each have a number in the title but don't necessarily need to be read in order.

I love the authors you listed. When I get into a good mystery I lock up the house like a fort. Love Patterson too. Presently I'm reading an Agatha Christy.

Oh man, me too.. I lock up everything and close the drapes.. not so much because I don't want to be distrubed, but because some of Stephen King's books have scared me spitless... I lock up to keep the boogy man at bay!!

I can't say enough about James Patterson books. My husb. & I both just ate them up & couldn't wait for the next one to come out. It was very hard to put them down. Great writer.