Maxine Paetro has published 37 novels, 2 novellas, 1 children's book and 1 other book, beginning with Swimsuit (1997). The series is Women's Murder Club (24 books, starting with 1st to Die). The best-known is 4th of July (2005). The latest is The 24th Hour (2025).
Updated September 2026
Women's Murder Club books in order (24)
Reading order: 1 1st to Die · 2 2nd Chance · 3 3rd Degree · 4 4th of July (2005) · 5 The 5th Horseman (2006) · 6 The 6th Target (2007) · 7 7th Heaven (2008) · 8 The 8th Confession (2009) · 9 The 9th Judgment · 10 10th Anniversary (2008) · … all 24 below
- 1.
1st to Die
- 2.
2nd Chance
- 3.
3rd Degree
- 4.
4th of July (2005), with James Patterson
- 5.
The 5th Horseman (2006), with James Patterson
- 6.
The 6th Target (2007), with James Patterson
- 7.
7th Heaven (2008), with James Patterson
- 8.
The 8th Confession (2009)
- 9.
The 9th Judgment
- 10.
10th Anniversary (2008)
- 11.
11th Hour (May 2012), with James Patterson
- 12.
12th of Never (2013)
- 13.
Unlucky 13 (2014)
- 14.
14th Deadly Sin (2015)
- 15.
15th Affair (2016), with James Patterson
- 16.
16th Seduction (2017)
- 17.
The 17th Suspect (2018)
- 18.
The 18th Abduction (2019)
- 19.
The 19th Christmas (2019)
- 20.
The 20th Victim (2020)
- 21.
21st Birthday (2021)
- 22.
22 Seconds (2022)
- 23.
23rd Midnight (2023)
- 24.
The 24th Hour (2025)
Where to start with Maxine Paetro
Start here
1st to Die
Book 1 of Women's Murder Club, the series that includes 4th of July, Maxine Paetro's most-read book.
Shortest way in
9th Judgement
One of the most-read, at about 368 pages.
Newest
The 24th Hour
Published 2025.
Standalone novels in order
How to Put Your Book Together and Get a Job in Advertising (1979)
Manshare (1986)
Babydreams (1987)
Windfall (1991)
Swimsuit (1997)
Private (2008)
9th Judgement (2010)
Private No. 1 Suspect (2011)
Confessions (2013)
Paris Mysteries (2015)
Private Vegas (2015)
Woman of God (2016)
25 Alive (2025)
Novellas in order
The Trial (2016)
The Medical Examiner (2017)
Children's books in order
Confessions of a Murder Suspect (2012)
Other books in order
Private, Level 2 (2019)
About Maxine Paetro
Maxine Paetro was born on April 19, 1946 and is an American author who has been published since 1979. Paetro has collaborated with best-selling author James Patterson on the Women’s Murder Club novel series and other standalone fiction.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Maxine Paetro FAQ
- How many books has Maxine Paetro written?
- Maxine Paetro has published 37 novels, 2 novellas, 1 children's book and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Maxine Paetro's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Women's Murder Club with 1st to Die. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Maxine Paetro's latest book?
- The 24th Hour (2025).
- What is Maxine Paetro's most famous book?
- 4th of July (2005) is Maxine Paetro's most widely read book.
- Are Maxine Paetro's books connected?
- 24 books belong to 1 series (Women's Murder Club); the other 17 books stand alone.
Authors like Maxine Paetro
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.