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Series · legal thriller

Jane Smith

by James Patterson

The Jane Smith series by James Patterson has 3 known books (3 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with 12 Months to Live (2023). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is The Hamptons Lawyer.

Books
3 known books (3 novels)
Published
3
First published
2023
Status
ongoing
Shelved under
Thriller
Last checked

Start here: 12 Months to Live (2023) — then read straight through in publication order.

Book one

Cover of 12 Months to Live

12 Months to Live (2023)

Reading order

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

  1. 12 Months to Live

    Novel

    12 Months to Live opens the series in 2023 at 416 pages, co-written by James Patterson and Mike Lupica around defense attorney Jane Smith's terminal diagnosis and her vendetta against the man who destroyed her family.

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  2. Hard to Kill

    Novel

    Hard to Kill followed in 2024, its 400 pages continuing Jane's fight from Long Island's East End as both her legal troubles and medical situation keep escalating.

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  3. The Hamptons Lawyer

    Novel

    The Hamptons Lawyer closes out James Patterson and Mike Lupica's Jane Smith trilogy in 2025, matching the previous book's 400 pages as the third continuous chapter in Jane's timeline. It continues her fight from Long Island's East End as both her legal jeopardy and her terminal diagnosis keep escalating, following directly from 12 Months to Live and Hard to Kill on the same unbroken storyline.

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About the Jane Smith series

Jane Smith is a defense attorney given twelve months to live by a terminal diagnosis -- and decides to spend what's left of her life going after the man who destroyed her family. James Patterson and sportswriter-turned-novelist Mike Lupica built the series around that premise's mix of legal thriller mechanics and ticking-clock urgency, with Jane's health becoming as much a plot engine as any of the cases she takes.

12 Months to Live (2023) sets up her diagnosis and vendetta; Hard to Kill (2024) and The Hamptons Lawyer (2025) continue her fight from Long Island's East End as both her legal troubles and her medical situation keep escalating. The series has been optioned for television, with Renée Zellweger attached to star.

Frequently asked questions

How many Jane Smith books are there?

Three novels: 12 Months to Live (2023), Hard to Kill (2024) and The Hamptons Lawyer (2025).

What order should I read the Jane Smith books in?

Publication order, starting with 12 Months to Live. Jane's diagnosis and personal vendetta carry forward continuously across all three books.

Who writes the Jane Smith series?

James Patterson co-writes with sportswriter and novelist Mike Lupica.

Is Jane Smith being adapted for TV?

Yes -- a series adaptation of 12 Months to Live is in development at Max, with Renee Zellweger attached to star.

Is there a fourth Jane Smith book coming?

No further title had been announced as of this writing.

Reading order last verified .