The Method

by Matthew Quirk, Christine Lakin (Narrator)

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.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Action, Espionage

12 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 20, 2026

About the author

Matthew 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.

Reviews

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Kim McFall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this! I love the badass main character that doesn’t give up. This book started strong and ended strong. It was a little slow going at a few points in the middle, but picked back up.

This was my first book by this author and I’m excited to read more!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy of this book!

[Tom Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A handsome character named Tom Lee teaches our heroine about Linux. Why can’t every book be like this?

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first - this would make a great movie and I hope that happens one day. The story has lots of twists and you never quite know everything thats going on, even when you THINK you might. The author does a good job of developing characters throughout the story and letting you know just enough to think you know what's going to happen next, but you probably don't. There is a good blend of action and intrigue to keep you invested in this one the whole way. I'd give 4.5 stars if I could.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for this ARC. #TheMethod #NetGalley

[Ray Palen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew Quirk has gained notoriety from his highly successful Amazon Prime streaming series “The Night Agent,” whose third season begins on February 19th. That notoriety has brought attention to his writing, which not only includes The Night Agent series but other novels featuring high-octane thrills and espionage.

His latest work is a stand-alone called THE METHOD, which features an actress/stunt woman who gets unwittingly drawn into a highly secretive international group of killers operating within the U.S. who are in the crosshairs of the FBI and national security. Those knowledgeable on acting technique will recognize that the novel’s title comes from the term ‘method acting’ whereby an actor fully absorbs themselves in the character they are playing and at the highest level becomes the role they have taken on. This is the case with Anna Vaughn, who has been disappointed with the direction her acting career has taken and has no idea that the role she will be forced into in her real life will be the most challenging she has ever faced --- and deadliest!

Her most recent acting disappointment, which found her character being killed off of a TV pilot episode, forces Anna to seek out her thespian friend Natalie to commiserate. They settle in for their usual evening of snacks and films at Natalie’s Long Island City, NY, apartment where Anna shares her frustration. Natalie needs to cut their evening short as she gets dressed up formally and tells Anna she is off to meet a mystery man she recently started spending time with and going to an undisclosed engagement with him. When Natalie does not show up to work the next day and two full days go by without her answering Anna’s calls and texts, Anna begins to be concerned and reaches out to the police in addition to tracing Natalie’s last known whereabouts on her own.

The action shifts to an international killer by the name of Sontag who is in discussion with others from his organization about the American woman called Natalie Harris, who appears to have been abducted by them. Sontag flies from Lyon, France, to NYC to get involved in this situation. Sontag later has an inevitable confrontation with Natalie which does not end in her favor as she is captured and placed in a hidden location by the killer who works for the organization that she unconsciously found herself involved with due to her acting profession.

Anna finds herself contacted, following a physical altercation, by a man named Kevin Matthews who works with the FBI and has been following the organization of international oligarchs that abducted her friend Natalie. Once she is convinced of the situation at hand, Anna becomes a deep cover agent working through Matthews to use her acting and stunt skills to infiltrate this group and hopefully save her friend Natalie in the process. This will be method acting unlike anything Anna has ever done before and could cost her in the worst way.

She finds her way into a group involved with fine art and meets up with a man named Sebastian who knew of Natalie. As Anna gets deeper into this situation, she finds that she cannot trust anyone and nothing and no one are what they appear to be. Ultimately, Anna enters into a new world of deadly intrigue and murder where she may be the next victim on a lengthy list who were ended by an international group that is somehow being protected by her own government for a larger ulterior motive.

All of Quirk’s espionage writing skills are on display in THE METHOD and I just loved the mixing of the acting profession within a dangerous world where everyone is playing a role. The action is non-stop and suspense ramps up to nearly unbearable levels until the stunning and satisfying climax.

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Amanda • ReadingWithMyGolden · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ If you enjoyed the show The Night Agent, which is based on a book written by the same author, then you’ll likely enjoy this as well! I really enjoyed how the actress-turned-investigator/spy was not made out to just be a silly actress or belittled in anyway, but was instead empowered and capable and able to defy the odds. Even when she was misled down the wrong path, she was able to turn things around and come out on top. This was a typical action thriller that reads in a way that allows you to envision it all playing out in front of you, from the fight scenes to the sneaky spy like operations. There are a lot of twists in this that I didn’t see coming, and all in all it was a solid read!

Thank you to William Morrow for the gifted copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

[Brittany S.]

Marked as DNF on 1/29/26 @ 8% | I love The Night Agent TV show, but this seems to be a case where the show is better than the books. I've tried a couple different Matthew Quirk books and I just don't think I like his writing style. It's just bland and boring to me where the characters don't feel real. I also don't know what I was thinking picking up a book where acting is a main part of it. I hate books about acting/drama/theater, etc unless it has nothing to actually do with the acting process. The beginning of this was bogged down with the actress filming a pilot and that took a whole 8% of the book. Meh.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had lots of action, twists, and turns. There were quite a few twists I did not see coming, which I appreciated. If you are looking for a quick-paced and action-packed thriller, this will be a good fit for you. It didn’t pack as big of an emotional punch as I tend to prefer from the books I read, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Wendi Flint Rank (WendiReviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew Quirk (http://matthewquirk.com/) is the author of 10 novels. The Method was published a few days ago. It is the 8th title I’ve completed reading in 2026.

I received an ARC of this book for free through https://www.netgalley.com and I am voluntarily leaving this review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. Due to scenes of violence and some mature language, I categorize this novel as R.

Anna Vaughn has been best friends with Natalie Harris for years. Both are actresses, bound not just by ambition but by the hard knocks of an unforgiving industry. While Natalie’s career is on the rise, Anna is barely hanging on, juggling auditions and survival so she can care for her younger sister. On screen, Anna often plays fearless heroines. Off camera, she lives quietly, haunted by her inability to protect her mother and sister when it mattered most.

Typecast as doomed brunettes with a dangerous edge, Anna has spent years training for her roles: learning to fight, shoot, and drive like a professional. She wants to believe she’s as tough as the characters she portrays, but deep down she knows the difference between performance and reality.

That difference vanishes when Natalie disappears after a night out with a mysterious new man. The signs point to foul play, yet the police dismiss Anna’s fears. Refusing to wait, Anna decides she is the only one who will bring her friend home. Drawing on everything she has learned for her roles, she begins searching for Natalie, only to discover that the dangers she faces are far more real than anything scripted.

A clue in Natalie’s apartment leads Anna to crash an exclusive auction, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and shadowy power brokers. Soon afterward she meets FBI agent Kevin Matthews, who is also searching for Natalie. Anna soon learns that Natalie had been working undercover for Matthews, and her disappearance is tied to a far-reaching conspiracy. Desperate to find her, Matthews recruits Anna to continue Natalie’s mission.

Using her acting skills, Anna infiltrates high-society parties and gains access to investors eager to talk entertainment. Meanwhile she’s gathering intelligence. With Matthews as her handler, Anna has only days to prepare for the most dangerous role of her life: going undercover for real.

Following Natalie’s trail through gilded mansions, luxury yachts, and secret clubs across New York, Anna finally locates her friend at a secluded estate. But the rescue triggers a brutal pursuit. The people holding Natalie will stop at nothing to protect their secrets, turning escape into a fight for survival.

As the killers close in, Anna’s trust in Kevin begins to fracture. Protected by elements within the U.S. government due to a high-stakes oil deal, their enemies are both untouchable and lethal. To survive, Anna must shed the last of her doubts and become what she has only ever pretended to be: as ruthless, resourceful, and deadly as the characters she has played.

I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 413-page mystery / thriller. I previously read Mr. Quirk’s Cold Barrel Zero a few years ago, and found it equally compelling. That said, the ending felt a bit abrupt. After such a richly detailed build-up, the final section shifts into more of a summary than a fully realized conclusion, which was slightly disappointing. Still, the overall experience was a strong one. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hit Prime Video series “The Night Agent,” which kicks off its third season this month, is based on Matthew Quirk’s 2019 novel of the same name. The show’s popularity has brought some much-deserved attention to Quirk’s writing, which includes the Night Agent series and other books featuring high-octane thrills and espionage.

Quirk’s latest stand-alone work, THE METHOD, introduces us to an actress and stuntwoman who gets unwittingly drawn into a highly secretive international group of killers operating within the US who are in the crosshairs of the FBI and national security. The book’s title comes from the term “method acting,” whereby actors fully absorb themselves in the characters they are playing. This is the case with Anna Vaughn, who has been disappointed with the direction that her acting career has taken and has no idea that the role she will be forced into in real life will be the most challenging she has ever faced --- and the deadliest.

Anna’s most recent flop, which found her character being killed off the pilot episode of a TV show, compels her to seek out her thespian friend, Natalie Harris, to commiserate. They settle in for their usual evening of snacks and films at Natalie’s Long Island City apartment where Anna shares her frustration.

However, Natalie needs to cut their get-together short as she is off to meet a mystery man with whom she recently started spending time. When Natalie doesn’t show up to work the next day, and two full days go by without her answering Anna’s calls or texts, Anna grows concerned and reaches out to the police, along with tracing Natalie’s last-known whereabouts.

The focus then shifts to Sontag, a psychopath who flies from Lyon, France, to New York City. He has an inevitable confrontation with Natalie, which does not end in her favor. She is captured and placed in a hidden location by the killer who works for the organization with which she unconsciously found herself involved due to her acting profession.

Following a physical altercation, Anna is contacted by Kevin Matthews, who works with the FBI and has been following the powerful clique of oligarchs who abducted her friend. Once she is convinced of the situation at hand, Anna becomes a deep-cover agent working through Matthews to use her acting and stunt skills to infiltrate this group and hopefully save Natalie in the process. This will be method acting unlike anything she has ever done before --- and it could cost her everything.

Anna soon finds that she can’t trust anyone, and nothing is what it appears to be. Ultimately, she enters into a new world of deadly intrigue and murder. She may be the next victim on a lengthy list from an international group that is somehow being protected by her own government for a larger ulterior motive.

All of Quirk’s espionage writing talents are on display in THE METHOD, and I just loved how he incorporated the acting profession in a dangerous world where everyone is playing a role. The action is nonstop, and the suspense ramps up to nearly unbearable levels until the stunning and satisfying climax.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Kirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Method by Matthew Quirk… Follows FMC, Anna Vaughn, who is used to playing the part of the fierce and fearless woman on camera. However, in real life, she is barely keeping her life and emotions under control. But when her best friend, Natalie, goes missing after a night out with a mysterious man, Anna is left to follow the few clues left behind that even the best of detectives could likely not piece together…

Anna must summon the courage and control necessary to track down and save her friend. Luckily, Anna has put a lot of time and effort into “method” acting for her various acting parts — stunt training, defensive driving, firearms and weapons training, and self-defense training among other skills. While searching for Natalie, Anna runs into an FBI agent, Kevin Matthews, who persuades Anna to work with him in exchange for his assistance in finding Natalie, who he states was previously working undercover for him.

In her search for Natalie, Anna finds herself tangled up in a web of deceit, espionage, and unfathomable wealth. Anna finds that Natalie got in over her head with some pretty dangerous people, and Anna is, too. The question is, will Anna be able to protect those closest to her? Or will her past come back to haunt her?

Overall: 4/5 ⭐️
Format/Source: ebook from NetGalley and William Morrow
Genres/Tropes: Thriller, Mystery
Setting: New York, New Jersey, Europe
POV/Style: Multiple POV (though mainly single POV from Anna Vaughn), Short (fast-paced) chapters
TW: Murder, Torture, Sex trafficking, Domestic Violence

The Method is unlike most other spy thrillers in the genre due to the FMC. Neither she nor the story is entirely realistic. Yet, Anna is incredibly relatable with her inner monologue, and the story’s fast pacing and short chapters are incredibly addictive.

Here’s what to expect:
- Strong FMC 💪
- Fast-paced, action-packed, spy thriller 🕵️‍♀️
- Corruption and conspiracies 👀

With this being my first time reading something written by Quirk, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. But I loved it, and I am eager to read more of his work! This book is well written for translation to film (IMO), especially being that it delves into deeper issues beyond just the plot… like Anna’s childhood trauma and identity.

Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone who loves a fast-paced spy thriller, so long as you’re able to relinquish control yourself and appreciate that what makes it addictive is the unrealistic nature of the genre.

Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley, and the author for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. The Method is available to read on January 20th, 2026! #TheMethod #NetGalley

[Carole Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

She has acquired skills throughout her acting career which may help her stay alive

Anna Vaughn is (barely) making her living as an actress, typecast as a kickass character whose death is guaranteed. She and her younger sister survived a less than idyllic childhood, and Anna is her sister's primary financial provider. Her latest role in a pilot promises to be more challenging and could even lead to a stable recurring role, which would in turn give her and her sister some much needed financial stability. But the money guys financing the shoot pull the rug out from under her, and her confidence is shaken. When her longtime best friend Natalie invites her out for a night of fun she turns her down...she isn't in the mood, plus has an early call to make...but that is a decision she soon regrets. Natalie vanishes, missing work engagements without notifying anyone and not answering Anna's calls and texts. Anna is worried; looking back on her last hours with Natalie she wonders if she missed signs that Natalie was afraid and looking for support. The police aren't doing anything, so Anna decides to do some digging around, retracing Natalie's steps and trying to find out who the mystery new man in her life was. It leads her into dangerous waters, with a conflicted FBI agent who may or may not have been running Natalie in an undercover operation as well as a set of wealthy partyers who may have ties to powerful oligarchs, one of whom is suspected of being behind killings around the world. Anna has learned unusual skills over the course of her career which translate well to going undercover....but will the traumatic events of her past cause her to freeze at the worst possible time?
The Method is a thriller that puts a fierce but fallible heroine into a dangerous world that mixes together money, influence and ruthlessness. Anna is a sympathetic character with a murky background that slowly unfurls, trying to succeed in a business that chews up and spits out most of those who enter it She gets swept up into an operation in which she doesn't know whom, if anyone, can be trusted, but refuses to give up on finding her friend. The premise of an actress whose stagecraft gets put to use in the real world is an intriguing one if slightly implausible. The plot slows down in spots, and not all of the twists came as a surprise, but overall it was an enjoyable read likely to appeal to readers of Ava Glass, Lisa Gardner and Chris Pavone. My thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Leane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisty Plot turns, Red Herrings, a cinematic Pace, an anxious Tone that builds like a roller coaster with some dips to catch your breath added to a fearless and loyal, well-crafted main CH results in a propulsive read that was hard to put down, even in the uncomfortable, or should I say due to those uncomfortable moments. Anna Vaughn is a well-known actress famous for her edgy TV action roles dealing with her age in a business that only wants young and shiny. She constantly grapples with the baggage from her childhood, an abusive father, and strives to be self-reliant, as she also worries about her younger sister. Quirk creates a CH that I believe could do what she has to in order to figure out her circumstances as they evolve and with skills that she can parlay into survival. This is a journey the reader will want to experience on their own; however, it involves Anna’s best friend, another actress, Natalie—another resilient woman—foreign nationals, sexual abuse, the FBI, and national politics as well as a deep dive into making art for today’s streaming culture. LOL dialogue with great current cultural references and text messaging help to move the story along. Very good spy and police procedural detail adds to the reliability of the story arc. Along with the very real Natalie other CHs vary in their development from really complex, FBI agent Matthew, to the more obvious foreign players and their main assassin. NYC, Long Island, and NJ and upstate NY become the backdrop for the creation of both comfort and peril. The everyday coziness of Natalie’s apartment and their evening routine of movies and snacks, the film sets, bureaucratic offices, luxury yachts, elegant estates and guest houses are backdrops to car and street chases, as Quirk includes just enough details of weaponry and physical combat moves to make the stakes real. The use of falconry symbolism is obvious but effective, and the many allusions to Method acting is a unifying theme as Anna reconciles with her past, deals with the present threats, and unspools the web she is caught in as she realizes that everyone she is involved with are all acting, too. RED FLAGS: Graphic Violence; Sexual and Domestic Abuse; Drugs; Child death and endangerment. Readalikes may be Dan Fesperman’s Hal Knight in Pariah, a comedy actor turns spy, Isabella Maldonado’s Daniela Vega FBI series for the trained female action thriller, and Joseph Finder’s The Oligarch’s Daughter for someone faking their life to survive.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Method by Matthew Quirk is a highly recommended action-packed spy thriller featuring an actress who using her training for roles to defeat the bad guys. Set disbelief aside and enjoy the action movie plot.

Anna Vaughn usually plays the tough, tenacious doomed brunette character on the screen and in doing so she has put in countless hours training in how to fight, shoot, and defend herself. Her real life is much more pedestrian and quiet. After a difficult childhood, she is just trying to keep her career alive in order to take care of her younger sister. When her best friend Natalie goes missing after going out with a mysterious new man a few days earlier, Anna becomes suspicious that something foul is at play. Natalie dropped one clue which induced Anna to look for more clues in Natalie's apartment.

Once Anna is on the trail of Natalie it leads her into a dangerous world of wealthy oligarchs and spies, and requires her to use her training as an actor to read the room. It also puts FBI agent Kevin Matthews on her trail and he recruits her to go undercover following Natalie's trail. Soon all of Anna's training for acting roles becomes assets for the real life or death dangers she faces.

The Method is a well-written, entertaining thriller packed with action and danger as Anna faces well trained, professional antagonists. Sure, you have to set a gigantic dose of disbelief aside that Anna can fight back and win against all of these skilled goons twice her size while assessing a dangerous situation and figuring out what to do instantaneously. I am there for it every step of the way, with every clue she follows and every foe she defeats. Trying to save Natalie turns into much more as the plot unfolds.

Anna is a fully realized characters and her many strengths and a few weaknesses are on full display. She also has a vulnerable, caring side that propels her forward to do the right thing. I would love to see another outing of this intelligent, tenacious, tough, and vulnerable woman. Perhaps a movie adaptation?

The Method is a great choice for those who like action-packed thrillers with a female protagonist, and who can relish the action and plot in spite of it's incredulity at times. Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/1...

[Richard Jaffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this advance ARC in return for an honest review.

The Method follows Anna Vaughn, a struggling B/C list actress who is trying to land a role on a series based in NYC while filming a pilot. After some hinting by the producers that if the show is picked up her role may be that of a corpse with only flashback scenes, she goes to drown her sorrows with fellow Actress/Pilates instructor, Natalie, at their weekly "movie night."

After declining Natalie's invitation to go out partying later that night, Anna becomes worried when she hasn't heard from her friend in several days. While investigating her disappearance, she is accosted on the subway and eventually chased down in the street by a mysterious man. He identifies himself as Matthews, an FBI Agent, also worried about Natalie, and enlists Anna's help to find her.

During her brief investigation Anna meets Sebastian at the Hotel Bar where Natalie was going, and Matthews tells her to trust him, as he may be the way in to some bad men from "the Republic" an unnamed Middle East Sovereignty that may be responsible for Natalie's disappearance.

Taking her to a covert FBI site, Matthews gives Anna a crash course on being a covert operative, and provides her with government tech to help look for a hard drive Natalie may have found before disappearing.

Apparently Anna's acting training is better than the training Agents receive at Quantico and despite thinking Matthews is providing back up, she single handedly infiltrates "The Republic's" secret chambers behind "The Red Door" rescues Natalie AND secures the hard drive. As if this wasn't unrealistic enough, Anna then Rambo's her way through Long Island, North Jersey and NYC single handedly taking down "The Republic's" assassin's as well as some Government Agents who may be involved in some shady business of their own.

This is a quick read, but the main character is just not a believable "action hero." Apparently Matthew Quirk was inspired by some of the actors on the set of his Netflix show, the Night Agent, and thought an actress would make a great action hero, she doesn't. At least in the Night Agent the Hero is a Secret Service Agent with training, Anna seems to be be the most highly trained failed Actress of all time.

Again, this is fun, but don't expect it to be believable.

[John Walthers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Method follows Anna Vaughn, a determined young woman whose best friend Natalie mysteriously disappears. Refusing to accept the official explanations, Anna begins digging on her own. Her search leads her into a shadowy world of power players, secretive organizations, and national security implications far bigger than she expected.
As Anna partners with an FBI agent to uncover the truth, she finds herself infiltrating a dangerous cabal—one that feels almost cartel-like in its reach and influence. What begins as a missing person search spirals into a high-stakes conspiracy thriller filled with espionage, deception, and political intrigue.
For me, the story started off a little slow. The first portion (roughly the first 15%) took some time to establish the characters and stakes. However, once the plot found its rhythm, it truly began to develop in a compelling way. By about 25% in, the twists and turns started coming steadily, and the tension significantly ramped up.
Anna Vaughn grew into a very likable character. She’s tenacious, gritty, and emotionally driven by loyalty to her missing friend Natalie. I appreciated how she didn’t come across as overly polished—she felt human, flawed, and determined. Her willingness to infiltrate a dangerous cabal in pursuit of the truth gave the story much of its intensity.
As the conspiracy deepens, we’re introduced to Tom, someone Anna confides in as the stakes escalate into matters of national security. The expanding scope—from a personal disappearance to something with broader political and security implications—felt very much in line with Quirk’s strengths as a thriller writer.
While the pacing at the beginning didn’t immediately hook me, the latter half of the book delivered the suspense, intrigue, and layered plotting I was hoping for. The espionage elements and political undertones especially shine once the narrative gains momentum.

If you enjoy:
• Political thrillers
• Espionage-driven plots
• Conspiracy narratives
• Strong but grounded female leads
Then The Method is definitely worth picking up.
Though the beginning was slower than I expected, the payoff in twists and escalating tension made it worthwhile. As a fan of The Night Agent, I’m glad I gave this one a chance.
Thank you to Matthew Quirk, his publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy to enjoy.

[Melissa Widener · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Sherry Moyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jean Kolinofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna Vaughn is an actress who believes in training for her parts. She has raced cars, handled various weapons and trained in self defense. She would need all of this training when her life goes from movie sets to working with FBI agent Kevin Matthews. Off-screen Anna leads a quiet life and enjoys movie nights with her best friend Natalie. When Natalie does not return from a date, Anna traces her to an exclusive club. Crashing an auction, she mingles with the wealthy clients and is invited to join them. There is a foreign oligarch who has an eye for actresses. He also uses a falcon symbol that matches a necklace that Natalie was wearing last time Anna saw her. Natalie was secretly working with Matthews to investigate the oligarch. Now he has recruited Anna and shadows her as she continues Natalie’s work while searching for her friend. Her best chance of finding her friend is to go undercover, infiltrating the oligarch’s estate. It pits her against a trained assassin and she will need all of her skills to pull off the role of a lifetime and make it out alive with her friend.

Matthew Quirk’s use of short chapters, constant suspense and action scenes make this a quick read. Anna witnessed abuse from her father as a child and it makes her hesitant to take a kill shot when faced with danger. It is a fear that she has to overcome to survive. Matthews provides backup for Anna, but he has an agenda of his own that takes precedence. Just when you think that Anna and Natalie are finally safe, Quirk throws in a twist that changes everything. Murder, espionage, betrayal, action and a main character to cheer for makes Quirk’s book pure excitement. I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for providing this book.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Emilie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book.

This book was a mess. I really enjoyed The Night Agent, and was looking forward to this book, but wow. It was just not good. There was little to no character development, the plot was disjointed and in places repetitive, the suspension of belief required was monumental, and nothing "gelled."

A "B" list actress somehow has spent her whole life training with weapons, martial arts, stunts, etc. (when she's not avoiding dealing with her childhood trauma) and this makes her the ideal candidate to single-handedly take down European mercenaries and autocrats when they kidnap her best friend? Huh?! Plot points were picked up in random places when convenient for the action, but made everything feel inorganic and stuttering. Of course she's a crack shot! Of course she has a former best friend who we just learn about in the last quarter of the book who has technological know-how and government connections! Of course she had stunt car training! Of course she took ballet for years! And on and on and on. I did not enjoy this book and would not recommend it. I am not sure if I'll continue with this author, because this book was that bad.

[Teresa Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Method centers on Anna and Natalie, two professional actors whose lives are built on slipping into other identities. When Natalie disappears, Anna doesn’t feel like she is getting help from the police and she takes it upon herself to figure out what happened, because all signs pointed to something amiss. Anna must take on the biggest, and possibly implausible roll of her life, by walking straight into the world of the people responsible. What follows is Anna wildly overestimating her ability to play hero, convinced she can infiltrate the bad guy’s lair, find Natalie, and get them both out on sheer nerve and learned skills alone. Spoiler: it’s a terrible plan. The villains here are truly dangerous, the things they’re involved in are unsettling, and Anna has no idea who she can trust.

Anna is not your typical thriller heroine; she’s scrappy, stubborn, and fully aware that what she’s doing is unhinged, which somehow makes her even more compelling. This book reads just like a binge worth television series allowing you to only breathe at the end of a chapter. Matthew Quirk’s writing is clean, direct, and unapologetically cinematic, populated with espionage archetypes that shouldn’t work but absolutely do. If you love fast-paced thrillers, bold and ballsy female leads, lean into this one and enjoy the ride.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow what a ride! Matthew Quirk knows what he is doing with novels like this one. He pulls you in, spins you around multiple times, and then spits you out.
Anna is an actress who is trying to find her way. She has given the LA life a try and it wasn't for her. She is back in New York and having a rough go. She hangs out with her friend Natalie and over hears a conversation she probably shouldn't. Natalie ends up going missing that night and Anna starts trying to find her. She gets picked up by an FBI agent who uses her to get in with a select group to get some information. Using her acting and some training from the agent she goes undercover and it leads to pure chaos for her.
At the beginning you kind of believe that this isn't really plausible but as it moves along you get pulled in and start to believe. Quirk has a way of making you believe one thing and as you ride that train of thought he goes and throws you for a loop and sends you off on another train of thought. I loved this novel, it was fast paced and filled with plenty of action. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

#NetGalley #TheMethod #MatthewQuirk

[Stephen Bochniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book just did not have what it takes for me to rate it as engaging. The beginning of the book is rather slow. The action does pick up about half way through but it is sporadic and not very engaging. There is a great deal of character background and support information, even for minor characters. This book is nearly a hundred pages longer than most in this genre and I think at least fifty pages could be easily removed, speeding up the plot movement.

Anna is an interesting character, capable because of her research and study for the television parts she has played. She knows attack and defense moves. That she could outsmart professional bad guys is a bit beyond belief, however.

The plot is complicated and has to be revealed layer by layer in the end. It is a plot that could come out of today's headlines, however. There is a good twist that adds to the suspense. This is the first novel I have read by Quirk. I don't think it is his best.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.