THE TICK TOCK MAN an explosive and action-packed thriller

by Terence Strong

The Sunday Times bestseller. Strap in for an explosive and action-packed thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

A bomb is ticking in the heart of London. The race to stop it is on.

They call him the Tick Tock Man. Major Tom Harrison has spent his career walking towards what everyone else runs from. As one of Britain’s top Ammunition Technical Officers, he’s defused too many bombs and buried too many friends to count.

When a new coded warning from the Irish paramilitary group AIDAN reaches the authorities, Harrison is called back into action — and straight into a nightmare.

Each new device he faces is more intricate, more lethal — and more personal. The bombs bear the mark of a a master bomb-maker whose timing mechanisms seem designed to taunt him.

As the AIDAN campaign spreads across London — from Oxford Street to Paddington and beyond — Harrison realises the attacks follow a chilling pattern . . . someone with insider knowledge is helping the terrorists.

With every second lost, another life is at risk.

And someone wants Harrison silenced before he uncovers the truth.

Every device has a timer. Every man has a limit. And Tom Harrison is about to find both.

The Tick Tock Man is a gripping, pulse-pounding thriller perfect for fans of Andy McNab, Chris Ryan, Duncan Falconer, Tom Clancy and Stephen Leather.

MEET MAJOR TOM HARRISON
Formerly a captain in 321 EOD Squadron, Belfast — Harrison is one of the Army’s most decorated bomb-disposal officers. He’s spent his career walking towards explosives and away from the people who love him. Calm, precise, and disciplined, Harrison knows every wire he cuts comes down to nerve and faith. Off duty, he’s a quiet man, devoted to his wife Pippa but the couple are often kept apart by the demands and secrecy of his work. He doesn’t see himself as a hero — just a man doing the job no one else can.

PRAISE FOR TERENCE

‘Breathless Entertainment.’ The Guardian

‘Well plotted and genuinely exciting.’ Sunday Telegraph

‘An edge-of-the-chair thriller with the chilling grip of authenticity.’ Independent on Sunday

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A true insight into the world and lives of bomb disposal experts. A really good read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a well written thriller novel.’ George.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It captures you from the outset and doesn't let you go until the very end.’ Angela

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘“The Tick Tock Man” blows the competition literally out of the water!’ J. Larsen

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Great story with plenty of twists and turns.’ Ian L.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I have read it quite a few times and the realism is excellent. It describes the times very well.’ dustybin

580 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2025

About the author

With a background in journalism and military research, Terence Strong wrote the manuscripts of two action adventure thrillers before WHISPER WHO DARES was snapped up by Hodder & Stoughton and became an instant bestseller in 1982.

That first authentic SAS thriller was followed by three more about different activities of the Special Air Service Regiment.

Those well-researched storylines expanded to cover the exciting and unknown realms of counter-terrorism, espionage, hostage negotiation, ship-hijacking, narcotics, assassination and international affairs.

One particularly well-regarded title was THE TICK TOCK MAN which explored the dark arts of the terrorist and bomb disposal.

His seventeenth and latest thriller WORD OF WAR (published by Silver Fox Press) follows the super-secret bad boys of E Squadron SAS - with MI6 agents - entering into the chaos of Libya in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. The worlds of journalism, the military and espionage clash to make a dangerous cocktail far more exciting and intriguing than a Gaddafi Sunset.