This post was originally published on Audible.com.
is the best-selling author of dozens of novels for adults, plus a handful of books for kids and teens. His best-known titles are mystery novels starring FBI and Secret Service agents, and his plots run the spectrum from historical mystery to political thrillers. He's even written general fiction, romantic fiction, kidlit, and YA. If Baldacci is one of your favorite authors, but you listen faster than he can write, never fear! We’ve got you covered with some suggestions of a few great authors like David Baldacci who write mysteries, thrillers, and fast-paced stories that you’ll love.
James Patterson may be the most obvious go-to, and he's a great choice if you want an author with a (very) deep backlist of books in a variety of genres and subgenres to marathon listen. He's best known for his Alex Cross and Women's Murder Club series, both of which are great picks if you love series and want to try Patterson's work. If you’d like to start out with a one shot, he's also the author of numerous standalone thrillers, and even romantic fiction! For a political thriller, pick up —or try , if you're in the mood for an FBI thriller. Bonus: James Patterson also writes books for teens and kids, so you and the young listeners in your life can enjoy the same author.
John Grisham is the author of legal thrillers that often border on politics, so he's also a great choice for fans of David Baldacci. Grisham has very consistent output, publishing a title (sometimes two!) per year. Most of his titles are also standalones, so you get the added benefit of being able to dive in with whichever audiobook interests you the most. His debut, , is one of his most popular books and a great place to start. Check out if you're looking for something with a bit of high-stakes espionage, or if you're into heists and undercover work, pick up one of his more recent releases, .+
Lee Child is best known as the creator of Jack Reacher, an American military man who has left the service and now wanders the US getting caught up in mysteries, political disputes, and even international espionage. Although some fans recommend starting with the first in the series, , you can also hop around a bit with the Jack Reacher novels as each audiobook is its own contained story. This lengthy series is great if you get a charge out of the political thriller subgenre, as the Reacher novels tend to involve politics and American organizations of power. Most of these listens are narrated by Dick Hill, so you can enjoy a consistent narrator throughout the 23 (and counting!) novels, plus you'll find a good number of novellas and short stories about Reacher.
