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Series · thriller

Instinct

by James Patterson

The Instinct series by James Patterson has 3 known books (3 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Instinct (2017). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Steal.

Books
3 known books (3 novels)
Published
3
First published
2017
Status
ongoing
Shelved under
Thriller
Last checked

Start here: Instinct (2017) — then read straight through in publication order.

Book one

Cover of Instinct

Instinct (2017)

Reading order

The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.

  1. Instinct

    Novel

    Instinct opens the series in 2017 at 323 pages -- originally published as Murder Games before being reissued under its current title to match the 2018 CBS adaptation -- co-written by James Patterson and Howard Roughan to pair Yale professor Dylan Reinhart with NYPD Detective Lizzie Needham.

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  2. Killer Instinct

    Novel

    Killer Instinct followed in 2019 as the longest book in the trilogy at 512 pages, continuing the Dylan-and-Lizzie partnership on another elaborate New York case.

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  3. Steal

    Novel

    Steal, published in May 2022 at 400 pages, closes out James Patterson and Howard Roughan's Instinct trilogy, continuing Dr. Dylan Reinhart and NYPD Detective Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Needham's partnership after Killer Instinct (2019). No further entry has been announced since, so newcomers can treat the academic-criminologist-and-cop pairing's run as a complete trilogy rather than an open franchise.

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About the Instinct series

Dr. Dylan Reinhart is a Yale professor and former CIA operative -- an academic authority on criminal psychology who gets pulled back into fieldwork when NYPD Detective Elizabeth "Lizzie" Needham needs an outside mind on cases too strange for standard procedure. James Patterson and thriller novelist Howard Roughan built the series around that professor-and-cop pairing: Dylan's analytical, criminology-classroom read on a killer's psychology set against Lizzie's street-level instincts, working a string of elaborate serial cases across New York.

The first novel was originally published as Murder Games in 2017 and later reissued under the title Instinct to match its 2018 CBS television adaptation starring Alan Cumming; both editions are the same book. Killer Instinct (2019) and Steal (2022) continued the Dylan-and-Lizzie partnership, keeping the series' blend of academic criminal-profiling insight and conventional Patterson thriller pacing.

Frequently asked questions

How many Instinct books are there?

Three novels: Instinct (2017, originally published as Murder Games), Killer Instinct (2019) and Steal (2022).

What order should I read the Instinct books in?

Publication order, starting with Instinct/Murder Games. Dylan Reinhart and Lizzie Needham's partnership develops across the three books.

Is Instinct the same book as Murder Games?

Yes -- Murder Games (2017) was reissued as Instinct to tie in with the 2018 CBS TV adaptation. They are the same novel.

Is Instinct connected to the CBS TV series of the same name?

Loosely -- the 2018 CBS show Instinct, starring Alan Cumming, was inspired by the novel but developed its own separate storylines for television.

Is there a fourth Instinct book coming?

No further title has been announced since Steal (2022) as of this writing.

Reading order last verified .