Ted Bell’s Monarch

Ted Bell passed away last year, and Ryan Steck (Out for Blood) has continued the series with this terrific entry into the world of Alex Hawke. Hawke wants nothing more than to settle down with his fiancée and son, but a crisis intervenes, and he must become the ruthless spy England needs him to be. A referendum to split Scotland from the United Kingdom is upcoming, and King Charles III mysteriously vanishes while out on a hunt with his friends, baffling his security detail. Hawke and his allies have 72 hours to find the King—the monarchy and the entire United Kingdom will never be the same if they don’t. Of course, there is more in play than the King’s whereabouts, and failure means the toppling of the entire British government. Steck is the perfect author to continue Hawke’s adventures. He channels Ted Bell, creating a story that seems to come from Ted himself. The story is a terrific launch point for newcomers, as Steck brilliantly juggles the details from previous books while not making them seem repetitive. Fans of the series will love seeing their favorite characters back in action, while readers new and old will enjoy this mix of Clive Cussler and James Bond and be eager to see what Steck has in mind next for our hero.