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The Method
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From the author of The Night Agent—the #1 global Netflix sensation—comes an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a young actress who must go undercover in a deadly world of espionage to save her best friend…and herself.
The role of a lifetime. The survival.
Actress Anna Vaughn is fearless—on screen, at least. She tends to play doomed brunettes with a badass streak, and has put in countless hours training for parts and learning how to fight, shoot, and drive like a pro.
She likes to believe she is as tough as her characters, but off-camera she leads a far quieter trying to keep her acting career alive so she can take care of her younger sister.
When her best friend Natalie, her rock, disappears after a night out with a mysterious new man, the signs point to foul play and a circle of spies operating in Manhattan. Anna must use all the tricks she’s learned for her roles to hunt for her missing friend. She quickly learns the dangers are all too real.
She crosses paths with Kevin Matthews, an FBI agent on the same trail, tracking a string of killings and disappearances and a powerful clique of oligarchs. With Matthews as her handler, she has only days to prepare for the greatest performance of her life—going undercover. She will follow in her friend’s footsteps through the gilded mansions, yachts, and secret clubs of New York to infiltrate the conspiracy and bring Natalie home.
As the killers close in, her only chance for survival is to become as lethal as the characters she once played.
No camera. No script. Just instinct.
The role of a lifetime. The survival.
Actress Anna Vaughn is fearless—on screen, at least. She tends to play doomed brunettes with a badass streak, and has put in countless hours training for parts and learning how to fight, shoot, and drive like a pro.
She likes to believe she is as tough as her characters, but off-camera she leads a far quieter trying to keep her acting career alive so she can take care of her younger sister.
When her best friend Natalie, her rock, disappears after a night out with a mysterious new man, the signs point to foul play and a circle of spies operating in Manhattan. Anna must use all the tricks she’s learned for her roles to hunt for her missing friend. She quickly learns the dangers are all too real.
She crosses paths with Kevin Matthews, an FBI agent on the same trail, tracking a string of killings and disappearances and a powerful clique of oligarchs. With Matthews as her handler, she has only days to prepare for the greatest performance of her life—going undercover. She will follow in her friend’s footsteps through the gilded mansions, yachts, and secret clubs of New York to infiltrate the conspiracy and bring Natalie home.
As the killers close in, her only chance for survival is to become as lethal as the characters she once played.
No camera. No script. Just instinct.
416 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 20, 2026
3 people are currently reading
6875 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Quirk
17 books1,057 followersMatthew Quirk studied history and literature at Harvard College. After graduation, he spent five years at The Atlantic reporting on crime, private military contractors, terrorism prosecutions, and international gangs. He lives in San Diego.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 4, 2025
Badass actress Anna Vaughn has to put her skills to the test when her best friend Natalie goes missing after meeting some sketchy characters. In The Method. While she’s searching for Natalie, Anna is approached by an FBI agent, who convinces Anna to assist them in getting intel on some people Natalie was associating with who are believed to be involved in some activities that threaten national security. Using her acting skills, Anna infiltrates the cabal, and soon is fighting for her life. The book’s plot is convoluted, the action scenes are way over the top, and the implausibilities are maddening as Anna battles the bad guys, who are ill-defined and indistinguishable. There’s just too much going on here, and it leaves the reader confused, and the rushed ending doesn’t help. This author is usually a 5 star read, but this one is an anomaly and disappointing. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2025
3.5 Stars 🌟
This book introduces us to FMC Anna Vaughn who is an actress and has had nominal success working on a few TV shows and currently shooting the pilot of another. Her best friend Natalie disappears after going out one night and no one seems to listen when she tries to report her missing. Anna decides that she is going to investigate on her own and before you know it, she is mixed up in an absolutely crazy situation.
It doesn't take too long before she discovers that Natalie was involved in her own investigation and was working with a man from the FBI. This man - FBI Agent Kevin Matthews - agrees to help her find Natalie if she will go in undercover and continue what Natalie was doing.
The plot itself sounded interesting, but there were many things during the course of the book that pulled me out of the story due to believability issues. We are told that Anna has put herself through ALL kinds of training to help her have the skills that she might need for a part. But the level to which she says she is proficient with these skills - tactical driving, fighting (purple belt in a martial arts discipline, boxing, hand to hand) breaking and entering, hot wiring a car, lock picking....are you sensing a theme?
Without going into spoilers, Anna finds herself in over her head, but she is too stubborn to realize that walking into the bad guy's lair, finding Natalie and getting her out ALL BY HERSELF, is not a rational plan - no matter what skills she thinks she has. The bad guys in this story are really bad and the things that they are involved are definitely scary. This is definitely a fast-moving action packed book full of nonstop drama.
Another of the overarching storylines deals with learning who you can trust. Not everyone is who they say they are and knowing who to trust becomes an issue.
I did enjoy the storyline overall - it just had those moments where I found myself rolling my eyes when this young, relatively unknown actress who DEFINITELY had no real life law enforcement experience, seemed to be constantly outsmarting and outmaneuvering people who actually HAD experience and talent being "bad guys". But who knows, maybe it's just me?
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. This book will be out for publication on January 20, 2026.
This book introduces us to FMC Anna Vaughn who is an actress and has had nominal success working on a few TV shows and currently shooting the pilot of another. Her best friend Natalie disappears after going out one night and no one seems to listen when she tries to report her missing. Anna decides that she is going to investigate on her own and before you know it, she is mixed up in an absolutely crazy situation.
It doesn't take too long before she discovers that Natalie was involved in her own investigation and was working with a man from the FBI. This man - FBI Agent Kevin Matthews - agrees to help her find Natalie if she will go in undercover and continue what Natalie was doing.
The plot itself sounded interesting, but there were many things during the course of the book that pulled me out of the story due to believability issues. We are told that Anna has put herself through ALL kinds of training to help her have the skills that she might need for a part. But the level to which she says she is proficient with these skills - tactical driving, fighting (purple belt in a martial arts discipline, boxing, hand to hand) breaking and entering, hot wiring a car, lock picking....are you sensing a theme?
Without going into spoilers, Anna finds herself in over her head, but she is too stubborn to realize that walking into the bad guy's lair, finding Natalie and getting her out ALL BY HERSELF, is not a rational plan - no matter what skills she thinks she has. The bad guys in this story are really bad and the things that they are involved are definitely scary. This is definitely a fast-moving action packed book full of nonstop drama.
Another of the overarching storylines deals with learning who you can trust. Not everyone is who they say they are and knowing who to trust becomes an issue.
I did enjoy the storyline overall - it just had those moments where I found myself rolling my eyes when this young, relatively unknown actress who DEFINITELY had no real life law enforcement experience, seemed to be constantly outsmarting and outmaneuvering people who actually HAD experience and talent being "bad guys". But who knows, maybe it's just me?
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. This book will be out for publication on January 20, 2026.
October 25, 2025
Matthew Quirk has done it again. The Method is a tight, thrilling mystery that is hard to put down. The characters are wonderful and scary, the plot is twisty and surprising. All this in a fast paced format makes it a great way to spend a few hours. I really loved the idea of having this actress playoing the main character and drawing upon her experience I must thank Edelweiss and William Morrow for supplying me with this advance copy.
November 7, 2025
The Method by Matthew Quirk
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.
The Method by Matthew Quirk is what happens when an actress with more combat training than acting credits finds herself cast in a real-life spy thriller—and somehow nails the role. It’s fast, it’s sharp, it’s implausible in all the best ways, and I devoured it like a bowl of popcorn during a Sunday night binge watch. Think The Night Agent meets Killing Eve with a dash of Mission Impossible: Off-Broadway Edition.
Our protagonist, Anna Vaughn, is the kind of woman who’s been typecast into playing doomed brunettes with tactical gear and bad attitudes. On screen, she’s unstoppable. Off screen, she’s broke, exhausted, and desperately holding together a career and a life—mostly for the sake of her younger sister. But when her best friend Natalie vanishes after a suspicious night out with a mysterious man, Anna goes full method. And I mean full. Armed with stunt training, scene study, and some very questionable FBI guidance, she launches herself into a labyrinth of conspiracies, covert operations, and men in expensive suits who think they run the world.
What makes this story sing is Anna herself. She’s not your typical thriller heroine. She’s scrappy, unpredictable, and just self-aware enough to know that what she’s doing is absolutely insane. Her inner monologue is a mix of adrenaline, sarcasm, and panic—relatable, honestly. She doesn’t have spy training, but she’s watched the best fake it. And in a strange twist of irony, it turns out all those years of pretending to be a badass have made her dangerously good at actually being one. Like when she’s asked to go undercover as herself—but more lethal. There’s a scene where she disarms a goon twice her size with a wine bottle and a monologue from a canceled drama. Is it realistic? Not remotely. Did I love it? Completely.
The book moves like it’s on a timer. Quirk’s writing is clean and direct, with short chapters that make it impossible to stop reading “just one more.” The pacing is relentless, the stakes keep climbing, and the cast of characters feels like a checklist of espionage archetypes: the morally flexible FBI agent, the billionaire puppet master, the European arms dealer with a taste for the theatrical, and of course, the friend who may or may not be dead. And yet, somehow, it works. It’s pulpy, cinematic, and smart enough not to take itself too seriously.
The spy elements are classic Quirk—twists, betrayals, and power games set in glittering, dangerous places. Yacht parties, surveillance tech, secret clubs in Manhattan—every setting feels like it could be the backdrop to a high-budget action scene. And Anna is navigating it all with the wide-eyed panic of someone who’s Googled “how to fake a Russian accent” and is still winging it anyway. It’s tense, but it’s also fun. Like if Ocean’s Eleven had anxiety.
Now, let’s be real. Is the plot believable? No. Anna essentially becomes a one-woman spy agency in less time than it takes most of us to renew our passports. She can hotwire a car, throw a punch, disappear in a crowd, crack into a secure server, and still find time to change into a sleek dress and lie convincingly to a billionaire. But Quirk knows what he’s doing—he’s not writing realism, he’s writing thriller wish fulfillment. And once you accept that, The Method delivers exactly what it promises: a wild ride with a heroine who refuses to sit back and let the world burn down around her.
Thematically, the book also taps into something deeper—identity, performance, and survival. Anna is constantly walking the line between who she is and who she’s pretending to be. There’s something powerful in the idea that acting—the very thing that’s often dismissed as fake—can be a weapon. As one character tells her, “You’ve been preparing for this role your whole life. You just didn’t know it yet.” And he’s right. Anna may not be a real spy, but she’s a survivor. And that’s more dangerous than anyone expects.
The only area where the book stumbles a little is in its supporting cast. While Anna is layered and believable (within the bounds of the genre), most of the other characters feel more like plot devices than people. The FBI handler is sufficiently broody, the villains are generically sinister, and Natalie—who sets off this entire adventure—remains a bit of a mystery even by the end. But again, this is Anna’s story, and she holds it down so well I didn’t mind the lack of emotional nuance elsewhere.
Also, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that this book screams film adaptation. You can practically hear the Netflix pitch: “What if an actress had to go undercover for real?” It’s got car chases, fight scenes, morally ambiguous government agents, and a lead role begging for a breakout performance. (Paging Florence Pugh or Ana de Armas. You’re welcome.)
Bottom line: The Method is a wildly entertaining, hyper-caffeinated thriller that doesn’t slow down for logic but keeps your eyes glued to the page. It’s smart enough to know it’s ridiculous and sharp enough to pull it off. If you’re looking for your next compulsive read, this one’s ready for its close-up.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
#TheMethod #MatthewQuirk #ThrillerBooks #NetGalley #BookReview #SpiesAndSecrets #FemaleProtagonist #BingeWorthyReads #EspionageThriller #ActionBooks #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #CrimeFiction #ActressTurnedSpy #WilliamMorrow #HollywoodMeetsSpycraft #FastPacedReads
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.
The Method by Matthew Quirk is what happens when an actress with more combat training than acting credits finds herself cast in a real-life spy thriller—and somehow nails the role. It’s fast, it’s sharp, it’s implausible in all the best ways, and I devoured it like a bowl of popcorn during a Sunday night binge watch. Think The Night Agent meets Killing Eve with a dash of Mission Impossible: Off-Broadway Edition.
Our protagonist, Anna Vaughn, is the kind of woman who’s been typecast into playing doomed brunettes with tactical gear and bad attitudes. On screen, she’s unstoppable. Off screen, she’s broke, exhausted, and desperately holding together a career and a life—mostly for the sake of her younger sister. But when her best friend Natalie vanishes after a suspicious night out with a mysterious man, Anna goes full method. And I mean full. Armed with stunt training, scene study, and some very questionable FBI guidance, she launches herself into a labyrinth of conspiracies, covert operations, and men in expensive suits who think they run the world.
What makes this story sing is Anna herself. She’s not your typical thriller heroine. She’s scrappy, unpredictable, and just self-aware enough to know that what she’s doing is absolutely insane. Her inner monologue is a mix of adrenaline, sarcasm, and panic—relatable, honestly. She doesn’t have spy training, but she’s watched the best fake it. And in a strange twist of irony, it turns out all those years of pretending to be a badass have made her dangerously good at actually being one. Like when she’s asked to go undercover as herself—but more lethal. There’s a scene where she disarms a goon twice her size with a wine bottle and a monologue from a canceled drama. Is it realistic? Not remotely. Did I love it? Completely.
The book moves like it’s on a timer. Quirk’s writing is clean and direct, with short chapters that make it impossible to stop reading “just one more.” The pacing is relentless, the stakes keep climbing, and the cast of characters feels like a checklist of espionage archetypes: the morally flexible FBI agent, the billionaire puppet master, the European arms dealer with a taste for the theatrical, and of course, the friend who may or may not be dead. And yet, somehow, it works. It’s pulpy, cinematic, and smart enough not to take itself too seriously.
The spy elements are classic Quirk—twists, betrayals, and power games set in glittering, dangerous places. Yacht parties, surveillance tech, secret clubs in Manhattan—every setting feels like it could be the backdrop to a high-budget action scene. And Anna is navigating it all with the wide-eyed panic of someone who’s Googled “how to fake a Russian accent” and is still winging it anyway. It’s tense, but it’s also fun. Like if Ocean’s Eleven had anxiety.
Now, let’s be real. Is the plot believable? No. Anna essentially becomes a one-woman spy agency in less time than it takes most of us to renew our passports. She can hotwire a car, throw a punch, disappear in a crowd, crack into a secure server, and still find time to change into a sleek dress and lie convincingly to a billionaire. But Quirk knows what he’s doing—he’s not writing realism, he’s writing thriller wish fulfillment. And once you accept that, The Method delivers exactly what it promises: a wild ride with a heroine who refuses to sit back and let the world burn down around her.
Thematically, the book also taps into something deeper—identity, performance, and survival. Anna is constantly walking the line between who she is and who she’s pretending to be. There’s something powerful in the idea that acting—the very thing that’s often dismissed as fake—can be a weapon. As one character tells her, “You’ve been preparing for this role your whole life. You just didn’t know it yet.” And he’s right. Anna may not be a real spy, but she’s a survivor. And that’s more dangerous than anyone expects.
The only area where the book stumbles a little is in its supporting cast. While Anna is layered and believable (within the bounds of the genre), most of the other characters feel more like plot devices than people. The FBI handler is sufficiently broody, the villains are generically sinister, and Natalie—who sets off this entire adventure—remains a bit of a mystery even by the end. But again, this is Anna’s story, and she holds it down so well I didn’t mind the lack of emotional nuance elsewhere.
Also, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that this book screams film adaptation. You can practically hear the Netflix pitch: “What if an actress had to go undercover for real?” It’s got car chases, fight scenes, morally ambiguous government agents, and a lead role begging for a breakout performance. (Paging Florence Pugh or Ana de Armas. You’re welcome.)
Bottom line: The Method is a wildly entertaining, hyper-caffeinated thriller that doesn’t slow down for logic but keeps your eyes glued to the page. It’s smart enough to know it’s ridiculous and sharp enough to pull it off. If you’re looking for your next compulsive read, this one’s ready for its close-up.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
#TheMethod #MatthewQuirk #ThrillerBooks #NetGalley #BookReview #SpiesAndSecrets #FemaleProtagonist #BingeWorthyReads #EspionageThriller #ActionBooks #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #CrimeFiction #ActressTurnedSpy #WilliamMorrow #HollywoodMeetsSpycraft #FastPacedReads
October 26, 2025
The Method by Matthew Quirk
4.3⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 0/5
Cursing: slight
Format/Source: ebook from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing
Genres/Tropes: Thriller, mystery
Audience: Adult
Setting: NY
Characters: Anna, Kevin, Natalie, Sortag, Tom, Nathaniel, Malak
👍 short chapters, multi POV, twists, strong FMCs, slight cursing
👎 Anna's "skills" were unbelievable at times
Description:
Actress Anna Vaughn is fearless—on screen, at least. She likes to believe she is as tough as her characters, but off-camera, she leads a far quieter trying to keep her acting career alive so she can take care of her younger sister.
When her best friend Natalie, her rock, disappears after a night out with a mysterious new man, the signs point to foul play and a circle of spies operating in Manhattan. Anna must use all the tricks she’s learned for her roles to hunt for her missing friend. She quickly learns the dangers are all too real.
She crosses paths with Kevin Matthews, an FBI agent on the same trail, tracking a string of killings and disappearances and a powerful clique of oligarchs. With Matthews as her handler, she has only days to prepare for the greatest performance of her life—going undercover. She will follow in her friend’s footsteps through the gilded mansions, yachts, and secret clubs of New York to infiltrate the conspiracy and bring Natalie home.
As the killers close in, her only chance for survival is to become as lethal as the characters she once played.
My opinion:
Matthew pens another fast-paced crime thriller with a great storyline. The short chapters and multiple POV made for an effortless read. I love that the FMCs are so strong; although, Anna's skills can be a little unbelievable at times. The twists were unexpected and not predictable to me. I truly appreciated that there was very little cursing to pollute the storyline. I truly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime thrillers.
#bookstagram #arcreader #booklovers #thrillerbooks #booktok #crimebooks #netgalley #harpercollins #matthewquirk
***I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
4.3⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 0/5
Cursing: slight
Format/Source: ebook from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing
Genres/Tropes: Thriller, mystery
Audience: Adult
Setting: NY
Characters: Anna, Kevin, Natalie, Sortag, Tom, Nathaniel, Malak
👍 short chapters, multi POV, twists, strong FMCs, slight cursing
👎 Anna's "skills" were unbelievable at times
Description:
Actress Anna Vaughn is fearless—on screen, at least. She likes to believe she is as tough as her characters, but off-camera, she leads a far quieter trying to keep her acting career alive so she can take care of her younger sister.
When her best friend Natalie, her rock, disappears after a night out with a mysterious new man, the signs point to foul play and a circle of spies operating in Manhattan. Anna must use all the tricks she’s learned for her roles to hunt for her missing friend. She quickly learns the dangers are all too real.
She crosses paths with Kevin Matthews, an FBI agent on the same trail, tracking a string of killings and disappearances and a powerful clique of oligarchs. With Matthews as her handler, she has only days to prepare for the greatest performance of her life—going undercover. She will follow in her friend’s footsteps through the gilded mansions, yachts, and secret clubs of New York to infiltrate the conspiracy and bring Natalie home.
As the killers close in, her only chance for survival is to become as lethal as the characters she once played.
My opinion:
Matthew pens another fast-paced crime thriller with a great storyline. The short chapters and multiple POV made for an effortless read. I love that the FMCs are so strong; although, Anna's skills can be a little unbelievable at times. The twists were unexpected and not predictable to me. I truly appreciated that there was very little cursing to pollute the storyline. I truly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime thrillers.
#bookstagram #arcreader #booklovers #thrillerbooks #booktok #crimebooks #netgalley #harpercollins #matthewquirk
***I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
November 9, 2025
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗦
Anna Vaughn is an actor in a bit of a rut. She’s over 30 years old, so she has to fight for every role she wants as she is…old by Hollywood standards.
When her best friend, Natalie, goes missing one night after some mysterious phone calls with a new guy, Anna has to put the training she’s received as an actor to the test.
And she’ll need all of it - martial arts, fist fighting, shooting, and evasive driving - to stay alive, as she works to find her.
When she is approached by FBI agent Kevin Matthews, who is actively working on the case of not just Natalie but also several other dead and missing women, he becomes her handler, giving her direction and devices and opportunities that put her acting chops to the test.
While moving through yachts and mansions and nightclubs of NYC, Anna will have to fight for her life. And decide who to trust.
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
Listen, I’m not smart when it comes to thrillers, so if it:
•keeps me turning pages ✔️
•has red herrings ✔️
•keeps me guessing ✔️
•has me checking under my bed ✔️
•has a satisfying ending ✔️
I’m all in.
I loved the fast pace and the twisty surprises along the way.
Anna was a fantastic character. She’s scrappy and unpredictable, full of belief - sometimes unfounded - in her ability to outsmart the bad guys. Her inner monologue is snarky and full of panic and mayhem, which makes her relatable. She knows what she’s doing is batshit crazy, but she’s doing it anyway. While it might not be completely believable that a one hundred pound woman can take down a man twice her size with a broken wine bottle and memories of a cancelled show, but who cares? Sign me up for badass female protagonists!
𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞
Written by the author of The Night Agent, turned into a Netflix series, this has a very similar vibe: a non-agent vibing like an agent on the fly.
𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗
Yes! If you like thrillers, strong women, political intrigue, and running up the stairs at night to avoid being snatched by the guy you’re sure is in your house (he’s not) pick this one up!
𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦
I got this physical ARC from @williammorrow and I devoured it in two days. It comes out 1/20/26.
Anna Vaughn is an actor in a bit of a rut. She’s over 30 years old, so she has to fight for every role she wants as she is…old by Hollywood standards.
When her best friend, Natalie, goes missing one night after some mysterious phone calls with a new guy, Anna has to put the training she’s received as an actor to the test.
And she’ll need all of it - martial arts, fist fighting, shooting, and evasive driving - to stay alive, as she works to find her.
When she is approached by FBI agent Kevin Matthews, who is actively working on the case of not just Natalie but also several other dead and missing women, he becomes her handler, giving her direction and devices and opportunities that put her acting chops to the test.
While moving through yachts and mansions and nightclubs of NYC, Anna will have to fight for her life. And decide who to trust.
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
Listen, I’m not smart when it comes to thrillers, so if it:
•keeps me turning pages ✔️
•has red herrings ✔️
•keeps me guessing ✔️
•has me checking under my bed ✔️
•has a satisfying ending ✔️
I’m all in.
I loved the fast pace and the twisty surprises along the way.
Anna was a fantastic character. She’s scrappy and unpredictable, full of belief - sometimes unfounded - in her ability to outsmart the bad guys. Her inner monologue is snarky and full of panic and mayhem, which makes her relatable. She knows what she’s doing is batshit crazy, but she’s doing it anyway. While it might not be completely believable that a one hundred pound woman can take down a man twice her size with a broken wine bottle and memories of a cancelled show, but who cares? Sign me up for badass female protagonists!
𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞
Written by the author of The Night Agent, turned into a Netflix series, this has a very similar vibe: a non-agent vibing like an agent on the fly.
𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗
Yes! If you like thrillers, strong women, political intrigue, and running up the stairs at night to avoid being snatched by the guy you’re sure is in your house (he’s not) pick this one up!
𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦
I got this physical ARC from @williammorrow and I devoured it in two days. It comes out 1/20/26.
November 11, 2025
The Method opens with a very clever action scene that immediately drew me in. We are introduced to an actor, Anna Vaughn, who is typecast as an action character destined not to be around by a show’s end. Off the set Anna leads a quiet life and enjoys quality time with her best friend Natalie. Takeout, wine, and a cheesy movie on the DVR qualify as a good time in Anna’s mind. Natalie, however, enjoys night-clubbing, meeting new people, and returning to her apartment around dawn.
The book’s action filled plot centers around Natalie’s disappearance after failing to return from a fun evening and Anna’s determination to track her down. Anna uncovers a clue or two at Natalie’s apartment of her movements that night that require Anna to use her emotional and physical acting skills to infiltrate a group of ruthless men representing a small European republic with abundant natural resources that the US covets.
Anna’s encounters during her search for Natalie include a rogue FBI agent, assassins, bodyguards twice her size, thugs who enjoy torturing and filming innocent victims, and a childhood friend now in a powerful position in Washington DC. I had to suspend my believability barometer several times as Anna appeared often more super-spy like (think James Bond) than a B-level actor with some defensive skills. However, once you get past the over the top action scenes the book is quite entertaining and solidly written. Anna is a well developed character (others less so), and I did find myself rooting for Anna and Natalie throughout. The Method reminded me of the general outline of many of the novels by one of my favorite authors in the 1960s, Helen MacInnes. She was heralded as a thriller author who often took an ordinary citizen like Anna and put them in mortal danger, always with a positive outcome. Finally I felt at several points in the book as if I was reading a forthcoming book to film adaptation. The Method is a highly enjoyable book that certainly has the potential for a rousing thriller on the big screen. Let’s hope.
My thanks to William Morrow Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Method.
The book’s action filled plot centers around Natalie’s disappearance after failing to return from a fun evening and Anna’s determination to track her down. Anna uncovers a clue or two at Natalie’s apartment of her movements that night that require Anna to use her emotional and physical acting skills to infiltrate a group of ruthless men representing a small European republic with abundant natural resources that the US covets.
Anna’s encounters during her search for Natalie include a rogue FBI agent, assassins, bodyguards twice her size, thugs who enjoy torturing and filming innocent victims, and a childhood friend now in a powerful position in Washington DC. I had to suspend my believability barometer several times as Anna appeared often more super-spy like (think James Bond) than a B-level actor with some defensive skills. However, once you get past the over the top action scenes the book is quite entertaining and solidly written. Anna is a well developed character (others less so), and I did find myself rooting for Anna and Natalie throughout. The Method reminded me of the general outline of many of the novels by one of my favorite authors in the 1960s, Helen MacInnes. She was heralded as a thriller author who often took an ordinary citizen like Anna and put them in mortal danger, always with a positive outcome. Finally I felt at several points in the book as if I was reading a forthcoming book to film adaptation. The Method is a highly enjoyable book that certainly has the potential for a rousing thriller on the big screen. Let’s hope.
My thanks to William Morrow Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Method.
November 21, 2025
This tale doesn’t seem to be quite up to the standards of Quirk’s previous works. I gave the book the following SCORE:
Setting: Present day, New York and New Jersey
Characters: Anna Vaughn an action movie actress, her friend and fellow actress, Natalie, FBI agent Kevin Matthews, and officials and nefarious characters from the country of “The Republic”
Overview of plot: Natalie is missing, and Matthews convinces Anna to go undercover, which she willingly undertakes in an effort to find her friend and help the FBI uncover a potential secret plot being formulated by high-ranking members of The Republic. She easily slides into their confidences and proceeds through a harrowing series of searches, escapes, betrayals, and heartbreak.
Recommendation: 2 stars
Extras: Understanding that Anna is tough, intelligent, and an actress, it is inconceivable, to the point of preposterous, that after one day of FBI training, she could take on the entire cadre and security forces of The Republic and remain alive. This cast of bad guys is pervasive and confusing, but Anna tackles them all. Thankfully and luckily, Anna, like so many heroes and heroines in thriller stories, has convenient friends with pertinent skills and contacts in high levels of government that she can trust to get her through the toughest of situations.
Thanx to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to provide this candid review.
Setting: Present day, New York and New Jersey
Characters: Anna Vaughn an action movie actress, her friend and fellow actress, Natalie, FBI agent Kevin Matthews, and officials and nefarious characters from the country of “The Republic”
Overview of plot: Natalie is missing, and Matthews convinces Anna to go undercover, which she willingly undertakes in an effort to find her friend and help the FBI uncover a potential secret plot being formulated by high-ranking members of The Republic. She easily slides into their confidences and proceeds through a harrowing series of searches, escapes, betrayals, and heartbreak.
Recommendation: 2 stars
Extras: Understanding that Anna is tough, intelligent, and an actress, it is inconceivable, to the point of preposterous, that after one day of FBI training, she could take on the entire cadre and security forces of The Republic and remain alive. This cast of bad guys is pervasive and confusing, but Anna tackles them all. Thankfully and luckily, Anna, like so many heroes and heroines in thriller stories, has convenient friends with pertinent skills and contacts in high levels of government that she can trust to get her through the toughest of situations.
Thanx to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to provide this candid review.
November 17, 2025
The Method by Matthew Quirk follows Anna Vaughn, an actress, as she attempts to uncover the truth about what happened to her friend, Natalie, after she goes missing. For her roles, she has received extensive training in fighting, shooting, and driving, which has helped her on screen, but now she hopes to translate this skill to the real world. After she begins retracing Natalie's steps, she stumbles upon something bigger than she could have imagined. Unsure who she can trust, she is approached by an FBI agent, Kevin Matthews, who believes her and puts her acting skills to the test to help find her friend.
This is the second book I have read by Matthew Quirk, and I enjoyed it. I like how Matthew built up the character Anna, from someone acting tough, to become a true action hero in her personal life. With that, there is no shortage of action in the book, as well as who she can trust around her. Even when you think it's over, Matthew throws another curveball, which kept me wanting to read more. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action and suspense thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley, Matthew Quirk, and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced copy.
This is the second book I have read by Matthew Quirk, and I enjoyed it. I like how Matthew built up the character Anna, from someone acting tough, to become a true action hero in her personal life. With that, there is no shortage of action in the book, as well as who she can trust around her. Even when you think it's over, Matthew throws another curveball, which kept me wanting to read more. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action and suspense thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley, Matthew Quirk, and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced copy.
September 19, 2025
The Method would (probably will) make a great movie. It's almost all action, scene after scene ratcheting up the suspense. Anna is an actress who uses her family history of violence and pain to fuel her acting. She trains hard physically and mentally, does her own stunts, even takes firearm and defensive driving courses. She's had to be tough all her life, but she doesn't know how strong she really is until her life is on the line and there's no chance for a retake. This feels like it could be the first of a series starring Anna Vaughn. If it is, I'll read the next one. Method is my first Matthew Quirk novel and I'm going to look for some of his earlier books. I'd call this one a popcorn novel - maybe not nourishing, but fun and hard to put down.
November 5, 2025
In THE METHOD, written by Matthew Quirk, Anna Vaughn is an actress playing a character who is attacked in her home. The character kills her assailant. Anna gets a text, between scenes, from her sister asking for Julien’s number. Who is Julien, and why does Anna react negatively at her sister’s request? I need to read on.
I like the shortness of the chapters. I think it is one of the reasons I am kept thoroughly engaged in the story. I am always asking, “What happens, next?” There are sections of this book that are not “my cup of tea,” but overall, it was a good read. Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy.
I like the shortness of the chapters. I think it is one of the reasons I am kept thoroughly engaged in the story. I am always asking, “What happens, next?” There are sections of this book that are not “my cup of tea,” but overall, it was a good read. Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy.
September 29, 2025
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NG & Matthew Quirk (what an honor to get to read this book thank you!)
-The Method-
The first four pages set the scene and rope you in. Such a fantastic way to pull the readers attention, remind them why they should sit to read and what’s to come. My heart was pounding already 😭
This book was truly so good. Such a refreshing thriller. Must read if you love fast paced thrillers with twists and turns each chapter and to be on the edge of your seat the entire time
Thank you NG & Matthew Quirk (what an honor to get to read this book thank you!)
-The Method-
The first four pages set the scene and rope you in. Such a fantastic way to pull the readers attention, remind them why they should sit to read and what’s to come. My heart was pounding already 😭
This book was truly so good. Such a refreshing thriller. Must read if you love fast paced thrillers with twists and turns each chapter and to be on the edge of your seat the entire time
October 5, 2025
4 stars
This is an exciting and explosive novel with a plethora of twists and turns. However, it requires the reader to suspend reality with an improbable plot consisting of a struggling young actress working along with an FBI agent to find her missing friend. The action is non stop and constantly holds the reader’s attention. The writing is certainly descriptive — “ The Pepsi machine was so old a can cost fifty cents.” This novel is highly recommended and I thank NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.
This is an exciting and explosive novel with a plethora of twists and turns. However, it requires the reader to suspend reality with an improbable plot consisting of a struggling young actress working along with an FBI agent to find her missing friend. The action is non stop and constantly holds the reader’s attention. The writing is certainly descriptive — “ The Pepsi machine was so old a can cost fifty cents.” This novel is highly recommended and I thank NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.
October 10, 2025
First I will acknowledge that I received this book via a Goodreads Giveaway. With that said I'm glad I did, it opened up my eyes to a new author (new for me). It starts with the main character, an actress and her struggles with her current pilot she is working. She also struggles with a past that seems to hold her back. I was a little concerned as to where the story was gonna go and then boom, action arrived. There were several twists and turns along the way. Anna develops into a strong action figure. I would highly recommend this book.
October 12, 2025
I chalk this one up to an airplane read. In just a bit of a stretch for an ambitious, aspiring actress, the protagonist follows up on a missing friend only to stumble on a plot to take over the world and commences to perform as a world class operator in her debut real-life role impressing and then foiling even FBI counterintelligence. That pretty sums this one up. Anna can fight, shoot, compute all while portraying naivete and beguiling the bad guys. It is a fun read but no Tom Clancy.
September 28, 2025
Hard to believe, but very enjoyable thriller. Actress Anna has prepared for many roles, but none like this as she searches for her missing friend. Carefully threading her way through dangerous situations she is aided by the FBI. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.
October 12, 2025
In this spy esque thriller, Matthew Quirk sticks to his guns and gives you a fun book. Similar to The Night Agent, this is a nonstop action book. Although the twist did seem pretty easy to figure out, this was a very enjoyable and quick read. Would definitely recommended.
I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2025
Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Method. The plot centers on Anna. Who is an actress in action movies. Her career is going sideways when her friend disappears and she’s not even sure what has happened.
Who are the bad guys and who will make a move to hurt Anna in her quest to find her friend.
Good book but something about the plot felt forced or even believable.
3 stars
October 26, 2025
Quirk knows how to write a thriller! This one starts with tension and never lets up! I’m sad to leave this characters and wait for his next book!
November 19, 2025
This book kept me reading late. It was very suspenseful and I wasn't sure who was going to end up being a bad guy until it was over. I'm very interested in reading more from Matthew Quirk.
October 12, 2025
Let me first thank Netgalley for giving me access to this book in exchange for a non biased review. All the world's a stage. And what if all the characters are actors or are of a profession that is all about subterfuge as under cover police or espionage. Could one trust anyone, even law enforcement. Anna and Natalie are both professional actors. When Natalie disappears, Anna takes on the biggest role of her life attempting to find her. But Anna will find out that her alter egos may not be enough and she will have to rely on her true self, if she can dig deep enough to find her.
November 8, 2025
This is a well crafted all the way alive
crime and circumstances delight
featuring two young women who get
things DONE!
I recommend this to folks who love suspense,
girls who are go getters & action heroes and
people who crave action on every single page
of a book.
My thanks to William Morrow Publishing
via NetGalley for the download copy of
the book for review purposes.
crime and circumstances delight
featuring two young women who get
things DONE!
I recommend this to folks who love suspense,
girls who are go getters & action heroes and
people who crave action on every single page
of a book.
My thanks to William Morrow Publishing
via NetGalley for the download copy of
the book for review purposes.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews