As many of you know, on top of covering the genre and writing more than a thousand book reviews over the last seven years, I also wrote my own book, Fields of Fire, which came out on September 6th.
The first book in a series, Fields of Fire follows a former Marine Raider named Matthew Redd, who travels back to his hometown of Wellington, Montana for the first time in over a decade to investigate the death of his adopted father. But what he finds is a global conspiracy set in the head of Montana . . . one that only he can stop.
Promoting the book has been a wild experience. Look, it’s very hard to cover my own book because, well, I wrote it and feel like I can’t put the spotlight on myself for too long. At the same time, reviews have been phenomenal (more below), and readers have really seemed to like the book. So, removing myself from the equation, I’ve treated Fields of Fire like I would any book in that seems to be resonating with readers, especially Book Spy followers, and encourage people to check it out. And for those who do or already have, I am incredibly thankful.
One of the things I go to do to promote the book was catch up with my pal Jack Carr. You might know Jack as the super-famous, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the James Reece series—which oh, by the way, was recently adapted for television with A-lister Chris Pratt playing Reece. The Terminal List was the number one show on Amazon Prime, and for good reason. It’s fantastic!
For me, covering Jack’s assent to the very top of the thriller genre has been more fun than I can tell you. I first met him well before his debut novel came out, long before he caught fire doing Joe Rogan’s podcast, Hollywood came calling, and all of his books temporarily sold out. Even before he launched his own highly-touted podcast. I’m a huge fan of Jack Carr, and believe that covering his career is probably what it felt like to cover Vince Flynn or Tom Clancy when they were just coming up. If by some chance you’re not reading him, start.
Over the last five or six years, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Jack more than a dozen times. This, however, was the first time that he interviewed me. It was a ton of fun being on the opposite end that conversation, and together, we touched on everything from breaking into the business to what’s next for Matthew Redd. To Jack—thanks for having me on. I am by far the least person he’s ever had onto his podcast, and he welcomed me with open arms. To readers, I hope you enjoy this episode of The Danger Close Podcast.
Check out the interview below, then keep scrolling for book details.
“You know Ryan Steck as the Real Book Spy. Now, get to know him as the author of Fields of Fire, his debut thriller featuring Marine Raider Matthew Redd in a battle that will leave you speechless and begging for more. Lock and load!” ―Jack Carr, Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Devil’s Hand
Waiting to be deployed on a critical mission, elite Marine Raider Matthew Redd stops to help a stranger and wakes up hours later to learn his team was wiped out in an ambush. Unable to remember anything, Redd can’t deny the possibility that he’s somehow responsible for the information leak that led to the massacre. He’s given a deal to avoid a charge of treason, but it means walking away from the Corps and the life he loved.
As he faces his loss, Matty gets a cryptic message from his adoptive father, J. B.: “Trouble’s come knocking. . . . Might need your help.” He points his truck home to rural Montana, only to discover that J. B. is dead and the explanation for his death is far from satisfying. Determined to dig up the truth, Redd uncovers a dark global conspiracy with his hometown at the center and no team at his back―except one he might find among past friends, old enemies, and new allies, if he can figure out who to trust.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and co-hosts the ThrillerTalk podcast when he’s not streaming and hanging out with his growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” is now available in bookstores. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook.