Return of the Spider is an instant New York Times bestselling thriller by James Patterson, published by Little, Brown and Company (Hachette Book Group) on November 17, 2025. This 416-page hardcover serves as the stunning companion novel to Along Came a Spider, Patterson's classic thriller that introduced Detective Alex Cross to readers worldwide.

The novel revisits Alex Cross's most iconic rivalry: Cross, named the "human superhero" by The New York Times, versus Gary Soneji, the chilling antagonist the Lexington-Herald Leader called the "most deliciously wicked character since Hannibal Lecter." Police discover that Soneji kept a murder book titled Profiles in Homicidal Genius, detailing his transformation from substitute teacher to hardened serial killer—including clues that imply missteps Cross may have made as a rookie homicide detective. Now Alex must retrace the steps of that long-ago investigation and face the Return of the Spider.

Part of the #1 bestselling Alex Cross series that inspired the Prime Video show Cross, this book is written by James Patterson, the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.