On November 11, 2025, get ready to meet Chase Burke in The Second Son, the explosive first book in a brand new series from New York Times bestselling author Simon Gervais and The Real Book Spy founder Ryan Steck.

In what is gearing up to be a big year for both authors, Gervais—best known for his Pierce Hunt, Clayton White, and Caspian Anderson series—will first publish The Elias Enigma, the second book in his Caspian Anderson series (following last year’s smash hit, The Elias Network) on July 8th. Steck, meanwhile, has two books out before The Second Son—including the just-released Alex Hawke novel, Ted Bell’s Monarch, his first title in the late Ted Bell’s New York Times bestselling series, followed by Gone Dark, the fourth book in his Matthew Redd series, slated to hit bookstores on June 17th.

Then, come November, readers will finally get to meet Chase Burke, a soldier-turned-sommelier whose search for redemption causes him to stumble into a deadly global conspiracy that hits closer to home than he ever could have imagined. On the run with nowhere to turn, Chase will soon learn that loyalty and sacrifice are more than just words, and that when you dance with terrorists and spies . . . each step could be your last.

“What sets The Second Son apart from all my other books is how personal it feels,” said Simon Gervais. “This story dives deep into the weight of responsibility and how hard it is to make the right call when there are no good options. It’s about making the wrong choices for the right reasons—and sometimes the right decisions at the worst possible cost. It’s a high-stakes thriller with all the action and tension readers expect—but what makes this one different are the twists. Some are explosive, some are deeply emotional, and a few—we hope—will hit readers right in the gutt. Ryan and I wanted The Second Son to take people on a ride—not just through intense action scenes, but through the kind of moral dilemmas that leave a mark.”

 

“Bestselling authors Simon Gervais and Ryan Steck have teamed up to deliver an absolute knockout with THE SECOND SON. This adrenaline-fueled thriller grabs you from page one and never lets up. Chase Burke is the kind of hero readers crave – flawed, fierce, and driven by loyalty and love. Filled with heart-pounding action, jaw-dropping twists, and ripped-from-the-headlines conspiracies that keep you guessing until the final page, add THE SECOND SON to the top of your list TODAY! I devoured this one – and you will too! Get ready – THE SECOND SON has arrived with a vengeance!” — Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling authr of Cry Havoc

 

“I’ll echo Simon,” said Ryan Steck, “and just say that this book, to me, really stands out because of its twisting nature, making it far different than anything else I’ve written on my own. Partnering with Simon was a ton of fun, and we had a blast plotting out all the zigs and zags of this story.

“Having covered thousands of books in my decade of book spying, I can honestly say that there’s no hero on the scene today quite like Chase Burke, who in many ways, is forced to become the the guy in this book once everything around him falls apart . . . or goes up in flames. Expect plenty of action, but also a healthy dose of suspense and more than a few surprises along the way!”

 

 

Release Date: November 11, 2025

Thomas & Mercer

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