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crime thriller
Series · thriller
Instinct
The Instinct series by James Patterson has 3 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Instinct (2017).
- Books
- 3 books
- First published
- 2017
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Instinct (2017) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Instinct
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Instinct - Book 2:
Killer Instinct
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Killer Instinct - Book 3:
Steal
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Steal
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.
If you like the Instinct series
Reading order last verified .