“Edge of Honor is a must-read for anyone who craves hard-hitting action and super-charged suspense torn right from tomorrow’s headlines. If you read one book this summer, make it this one.” — Ryan Steck, The Real Book Spy and Author of Gone Dark

When a power struggle breaks out among a shadowy cabal hellbent on taking over America, former Navy SEAL turned elite counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath emerges from an extended vacation to deliver the kind of red, white, and blue beatdown that only he can dish out in Edge of Honor, the latest high-stakes, headline-beating thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor.

It was magical while it lasted. After six months abroad with his new wife, Sølvi Kolstad—a former Norwegian intelligence operative—Scot Harvath finally returns home, but things aren’t quite how he remembered them. After landing in Washington, D.C., fresh off a blissful honeymoon where the couple visited Oslo, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Greece, and even sailed to Italy before making stops in Austria, Switzerland, France, and Europe, Harvath and his new wife pop into a couple of swanky parties hosted in the Nation’s capitol just before Independce Day. At one point, as they travel to the United States Naval Observatory, the home of the vice president and his family, Harvath witnesses “democracy in action,” taking note of energetic protestors with big signs and louder chants. Sølvi notes that Harvath seems uninterested in whatever the protestors are calling for, and Harvath admits he doesn’t much care. It’s been more than half a year since he officially resigned his position at the Carlton Group, stopped paying attention to politics, and decided to leave his old life behind once and for all. 

Then, in a flash, everything changes. 

When two figures dressed in all black and carrying large backpacks break from the crowd of protestors, alarm bells start going off in Harvath’s head. Like Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk, it takes only a heartbeat for Harvath’s inner operator—which has remained dormant for six months—to suddenly emerge, shouting, “Get down!” just before two bombs detonate close by. As gunshots ring out all around them, the laid-back honeymooner who’s done nothing but travel and dream of a quiet, happily-ever-after is suddenly gone, replaced by the far more lethal, Apex operator who’s spent the last twenty-plus years on the front lines, killing bad guys in all four corners of the earth to keep Americans safe. 

And just like that, the old Harvath is back. But this time, he’ll be tested in a number of new ways. A deadly game is already afoot, with players who have endless means and unlimited reach.  America is the prize, but who ultimately takes her will come down to Scot Harvath, whose every action will help shape history books for years to come. In a game of betrayal, power, and survival, Harvath must risk everything to stop a coup that threatens the very future of the country he’s bled to protect… and one wrong move could ignite a fire that’ll torch everything Americans hold most dear. 

Oh, there’s a lot to like with this one. First and foremost, Brad Thor hasn’t lost any zip off his fastball. Now 24 books into his beloved series, Thor’s willingness to zig when readers expect him to zag has kept things fresh. It wasn’t all that long ago when Harvath was happily engaged to another woman, ready to settle down and start a family with her. Of course, that all came to a horrific end when she, along with other loved ones and close friends, was executed right in front of him at the hands of Russians who had a score to settle with Scot. A lot has happened since the events of Backlash (book 18 in the series, released in 2019), both in real life and in Harvath’s alternate universe. Still, no one could have accurately predicted then how Harvath’s story would eventually play out six books later, so good luck trying to guess Thor’s next move.

To say this one feels timely would be a massive understatement. More than ever, Thor proves to have his finger on the pulse of American politics, and though he refrains from using real-life politicians in his books, Harvath is very much a man in the middle of two parties who are seemingly racing from the center line in opposite directions. It’s certainly reflective of today’s real world. That said, rage-baiters can sit this one out, as Thor is careful never to push his own opinions on his readers. A good thriller should entertain you and keep you up all night, maybe quicken your pulse a little bit—and Brad Thor understands that assignment better than anyone in the genre today.

As global power brokers pull the strings behind the scenes, Scot Harvath is forced into his most dangerous and timely mission yet. Riveting, relentless, and impossible to put down, Thor once again proves why he’s the undisputed master of the political thriller. Edge of Honor is a must-read for anyone who craves hard-hitting action and super-charged suspense torn right from tomorrow’s headlines. If you read one book this summer, make it this one!

Book Details

Author: Brad Thor
Series: Scot Harvath #24
Pages: 336 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 198218227X
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Release Date: July 1, 2025

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Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by 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 in addition to running TRBS. He is the author of FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” LETHAL RANGE, OUT FOR BLOOD, GONE DARK, and TED BELL’S MONARCH. For more information, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and BookBub. For even more content and book news, subscribe to The Real Book Spy Substack!