Shadow Front: A Luke Ryder Novel

by J. Benedict

A covert strike team. A high-value target. A mission deep behind enemy lines.

Luke Ryder thought his war was over—until a black bag offer pulls him into the shadows. Recruited by a private outfit with ties to U.S. intelligence, Ryder leads a team of elite contractors into Russian-occupied Ukraine. Their eliminate a GRU officer orchestrating attacks against NATO allies.

But once the mission begins, nothing goes as planned.

Cut off from support and hunted by Russian forces, Ryder and his team must fight to survive in a brutal landscape of trench warfare, drone strikes, and urban ambushes. Every move is deniable. Every mistake, fatal.

With the clock ticking and the body count rising, Ryder realizes this was never just a hit—it’s a battle for the future of the war.

Gritty, explosive, and relentlessly authentic, Shadow Front is the first installment in the Luke Ryder thriller series—perfect for fans of Jack Carr, Brad Taylor, and Mark Greaney.

148 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 9, 2025

Reviews

[Michael Neeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-crafted military thriller! The best of the best get a call for a secretive mission - action, tension, and a detailed/accurate look into the life of those thrust into war!

[The Bubble Buddies · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Couldn’t Put It Down—Awesome Military Action and Great Characters

This book was such a good surprise. Shadow Front has everything I love in a military thriller—tight action scenes, realistic details, and a hero you actually care about. Luke Ryder feels like a real person, not some over-the-top action figure.

[Shahid · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Shadow Front, J. Benedict delivers a no-holds-barred military thriller that explodes off the page with tactical intensity and emotional grit. Luke Ryder, a former special ops officer, is pulled into a deniable mission that unravels faster than a bullet leaves the chamber. What starts as a black-ops hit on a GRU safehouse morphs into a deadly game of betrayal, trench warfare, and a global conspiracy. With every scene crackling with battlefield realism and suspense, this short but sharp novel never lets up. Benedict blends the icy chill of covert politics with the heat of combat, crafting a story worthy of Clancy and Taylor fans alike. If you’re looking for raw adrenaline and high-stakes action, Shadow Front hits the target dead center.

[Cole Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first chapter, Shadow Front explodes off the page. J. Benedict takes a seemingly simple black-ops mission and peels back layers of deception, betrayal, and chaos. The pacing is relentless. Each chapter piles on tension and conflict, with drone strikes, sniper duels, and brutal urban firefights. But what sets this book apart is the psychological depth. The war may be external, but the internal battles Ryder faces are just as gripping. He’s forced to question loyalty, morality, and even his own limits. This isn’t just a good-versus-evil shootout; it’s a harsh look at the grey zones of modern warfare. Absolutely recommended for anyone who craves high-intensity action with a sharp dose of realism.

[Melissa Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow Front

This book starts fast and never let's up the plot is solid and the action is good I will buy the rest of the series.