Book Talk - Our Favorite Action Thriller Authors and Series > Likes and Comments

We thought we would share our favorite action thriller authors and series. Have you added anyone new to your favorites list?

(By the way, don't despair, we will share other thriller sub-genre favorites soon.)

Lee Child has to be the one to beat at the moment. Reacher is such a flexible, likeable character. The way Child made him a drifter who changes his clothes after a week or so with only a bank card, passport and toothbrush in his pockets is brilliant and the fact he's an ex military police major in a top-notch unit is a stroke of genius. I haven't read the novels his brother is now writing, but apparently they're not nearly as good, which is a shame.

Lee Childs's Jack Reacher series is on my list as well, Tim. However, I haven't read many in the series yet so I can't compare the two authors' styles.

Gregg Hurwitx's Orphan X / Evan Smoak series is great.
Mark Greaney's The Gray Man series
Steven Konkoly has several action series:
- Ryan Decker
- Devin Gray
- Garrett Mann
Marc Cameron - The Arliss Cutter series is an action-packed crime thriller series
Marc Cameron - Jericho Quinn series - This is on my TBR list.

There are many more, but we want to know what's on your favorites list for action thrillers.

Yes, I have read most and the Lee Child series were great.

But the standard did start to drop, from around book 15, 16, and now I have not read yet the brothers work , not sure I want to.


Steve Konkoly enjoy his books, especially Ryan Decker.

Kerry J Donovan... brilliant books Ryan Kaine books

Mark Dawson ...especially Beatrix Rose and then Isabelle Rose

Gregg Hurwitz- Yes I also love the Evan Smoak books.

Mark Greaney Books.... The Gray Man

Tom Wood Books ...Victor The Assassin

Simon Kernick -- Standalone and series.

I enjoyed Barry Eisler's AMOK. Everyman with international sensibilities type story.

His John Rain series is also good.

I've got Lee Child's, DIE TRYING on my desk, waiting.

Rolo wrote: "I enjoyed Barry Eisler's AMOK. Everyman with international sensibilities type story.."

I've had this book on my TBR since Nov 2022. It sounds like I need to work it into my schedule soon.

I don't read a lot of action thrillers but I do enjoy Jack Reacher and Evan Smoak. And of course Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander.

Some of the espionage/spy series I like also have a lot of action such as John Le Carré's George Smiley and Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon novels.

Carolyn, I agree: Many espionage/spy (as well as political thrillers) have a lot of action in them.

I haven't read anything by Stieg Larsson yet.

PamG wrote: "Carolyn, I agree: Many espionage/spy (as well as political thrillers) have a lot of action in them.

I haven't read anything by Stieg Larsson yet."

Lisbeth Salander is such a strong, fierce, female character - worth reading for her alone.

Enjoy Daniel Silva.

One of the authors I have approached.

When I was young, I loved the novels by Alistair MacLean. I also think the novels by Desmond Bagley were and are very underrated. Running Blind was a really well-crafted spy novel. I first read Desmond Bagley after my father worked on a BBC Scotland adaption of Running Blind.

One of my favourites Alistair Maclean.

Love the books, and three films.

Guns Of Navarone

Where Eagles Dare

Ice Station Zebra

Sean wrote: "One of my favourites Alistair Maclean......"

I read those 3 books years ago and enjoyed them.

Has anyone else read The Eiger Sanction and The Loo Sanction by Trevanian? These are espionage thrillers written in the early 1970's.

The Eiger Sanction years ago

I agree with the assessment of the Lee Child series as being too repetitive. I left them behind once his brother took over the reins as the lead writer.

Most of the thriller novels I have read are by long established authors, with a few newbies mixed in. My current list includes:

Frederick Forsyth (RIP) - although he wrote mostly stand-alone thrillers, I did enjoy his two Mike Martin novels: FIST OF GOD and THE AFGHAN. His thriller novels AVENGER and THE COBRA also feature characters who are interlinked.

Tom Clancy (RIP) - his original Jack Ryan novels are very enjoyable, even if the techno and political portions are now a bit dated.

Clive Cussler (RIP) - the Dirk Pitt books are solid fluff but suffered from the same problem as Lee Child when they became way too repetitive for my tastes. But if you need a quick read while lying on the beach they get the job done.

Nelson DeMille (RIP) - his John Corey novels (starting with PLUM ISLAND) combine action and some biting humor. And his two Paul Brenner books (THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER and UP COUNTRY) are very good as well.

Mick Herron - currently the heir apparent to John LeCarre' as the best British spy novelist in the business right now. His "Slough House" series is superb and highly recommended.

T. Jefferson Parker - stick with his six-book series featuring former LAPD and DEA agent Charlie Hood, starting with L.A. OUTLAWS. He also has some very good stand alone novels under his belt.

Dan Fesperman - is sort of under the radar as a thriller novelist but he has some very good Cold War spy novels to his credit including THE COVER WIFE and WINTER WORK featuring CIA agent Clair Saylor and SAFE HOUSES, which has links to the Saylor books. He has also cranked out some solid stand alone thrillers such as THE PRISONER OF GUANTANAMO

Don Winslow - is now supposedly retired but his drug war trilogy (THE POWER OF THE DOG, THE CARTEL, and THE BORDER) featuring DEA agent Art Keller is excellent, but not for the squeamish. He also wrote some terrific stand alone novels that are too numerous for me to list here.

More to follow as I search my memory banks...

Frederick Forsyth is an old favourite of mine and I love Mick Herron and the spycraft in his novels even if carried out by misfits - Jackson Lamb is truly a one-off!

I also enjoyed Don Winslow's Danny Ryan series about warring crime families and have been meaning to get around to reading his drug war trilogy, but Des Fesperman is not an author I've heard of before now. Will have to check him out.

Just bought a Mick Herron book

James wrote: "....Frederick Forsyth (RIP) - although he wrote mostly stand-alone thrillers..."

The only book I've read by Forsyth is The Cobra. I agree with your comments on Tom Clancy.

I also read the early Dirk Pitt books by Cussler, but lost interest after a while. The series that I have found recently that I like (and is now being written by Jack DuBrul) is the historical thriller series featuring Isaac Bell. I've read a couple of these and want to read more.

I've only read two of T. Jefferson Parker's standalone novels, but enjoyed both. A Thousand Steps and Wild Instinct.

Don Winslow is an author that is on my TBR, but I haven't read yet. Thanks for the trilogy recommendation.

I'd forgotten about Tom Clancy! I loved Without Remorse. When I was in New York and a deal had fallen through on Raw Nerve with HarperCollins, I contacted The Putnam Berkley Group. To cut a long story short, I met with an editor called Tom Colgan who wanted the complete manuscript so he could propose the novel to the board the next week. Due to, what everyone was referring to as its controversial nature, the board rejected it and Tom (Colgan) called me to his office to explain. When I arrived at his office it was full of pre-release copies of Rainbow Six, so I suppose Tom was Clancy's editor!! It's a strange memory because I was literally squeezed in a seat between high columns of the hardcover novels! I was very close to a deal with Raw Nerve! :)

What a memory, Tim! It's amazing at the connections that exist.

Hi! I'm new to the group. Noticed some of my favorite authors mentioned here, so decided to join in. I've read most Frederick Forsyth books, and Mike Martin in Fist of God was brilliant. Maclean is also a favorite. I attempted to read Lee Child, but never really got into it. Daniel Silva is on my radar.

Aria wrote: "Hi! I'm new to the group. Noticed some of my favorite authors mentioned here, so decided to join in. I've read most Frederick Forsyth books, and Mike Martin in Fist of God was brilliant. Maclean is..."

Welcome to the group and this conversation, Aria. Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series is on my TBR, but I haven't read any of them yet.

Hi Aria. You're very welcome. My novel Delphian is still BOTM for a few more days :) I'd be thrilled if you gave it a go. I'm always happy to discuss it.

Tim wrote: "Hi Aria. You're very welcome. My novel Delphian is still BOTM for a few more days :) I'd be thrilled if you gave it a go. I'm always happy to discuss it."

I just added it on Kindle. :)

Loads of great authors

I love action thrillers

Loved Alistair Maclean

Will add more action soon

I reads couple of the Reacher books after brother Child took on the reading. I was very disappointed in the obvious change. I think it is unfair to the new writer to continue with a character that is not part of the new writer’s history

I like James Rollins first stand alones. I read several of his six sigma books. I moved away from them for many years. I bought his most recent release to pick up again on the six sigma team

Would you consider Preston/child thrillers? I like Pendergast. Interesting character

Matthew Reilly has written some good thrillers

Okay, I have searched through my memory banks and I will toss out a few more suggested authors.

If you like WWII historical spy thrillers consider the following:

Alan Furst - his "Night Soldiers" series are all stand alone novels but have some characters who reappear from time to time. The series takes place between the years when Hitler took power and the Allies march on Germany, so probably 1933 - 1943. There isn't a lot of slam-bang action but they do paint a very vivid picture of the low level espionage that took place across Europe during that time. The first three books in the series are NIGHT SOLDIERS, DARK STAR, and THE POLISH OFFICER with 13 more novels that follow.

David Downing - his "Station" series featured British journalist John Russell, who is married to a German actress and is bilingual which makes him a bit of a target for various spy agencies. While reporting on the war for various newspapers he brushes up against the SS, Gestapo, MI-6, OSS, NKVD, and the Abwehr due to his ability to travel across Europe as a freelance reporter and do some occasional tasks for them. Each novel in the eight-book features the word "Station" and reflect the names of the various real-world train stations in Berlin that Russell departs from on his low key missions. The first three books in the series are ZOO STATION, SILESIAN STATION and STETTIN STATION. Again, there isn't a lot of heavy action-packed scenes but the series does paint a good picture of living in Germany during the war.

And for a more modern thriller series you should consider:

Stephen Mack Jones - his thriller series is set in modern day Detroit where his main character August Snow plies his trade. A former soldier and one-time detective in the Detroit PD, August returns home only to find that his community is still facing some of the same crime issues that the city can't seem to solve. And when those criminals start threatening his family and friends, August taps into his soldiering skills to keep his neighborhood safe. The four books in the series (so far) are AUGUST SNOW, LIVES LAID AWAY, DEAD OF WINTER, and DEUS X.

Okay, back to scanning my memory banks again.

Here I would like to share some of the great action authors I have not mentioned, or maybe have,

by Allan Folsom

(first debut author to sell his book for a record 2 Million $ to a publisher) a clear five star book, an epic action book

By Mason Cross

Another action packed series.

by Chris Holm

An action packed thriller


by Will Jordan

A great action series

by Carter Wilson

(a former BOTM) and Carter is a member of this group(has a new book out)

Aria wrote: "Tim wrote: "Hi Aria. You're very welcome. My novel Delphian is still BOTM for a few more days :) I'd be thrilled if you gave it a go. I'm always happy to discuss it."

I just added it on Kindle. :)"

Wow! Thank you, Aria! :)

Sean wrote: "Here I would like to share some of the great action authors I have not mentioned, or maybe have..."

I'm sorry to say that I have not read any of these authors.
However, I have Mason Cross's Carter Blake series on my TBR as well as one of Carter Wilson's books.

Despite reading about 30% of my books each year by new-to-me authors, I continually find more that I need to read.

All those authors are new to me too. The thriller genre really is so big and filled with excellent novels that it's no surprise there are so many great authors we miss. Have added some to my tbr (which I may finish if I live to 150!)

James wrote: "Okay, I have searched through my memory banks and I will toss out a few more suggested authors.....Stephen Mack Jones - his thriller series is set in modern day Detroit where his main character August Snow plies his trade."..."

This author and series has been on my TBR since 2020. I need to move it up on my reading list.