Buckle up, because on June 16, 2026, Scot Harvath–one of the thriller genre’s most beloved heroes—returns to action in Choke Point, the latest novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor.
Harvath, a former Navy SEAL turned counterterrorist operative, was first introduced to readers in Thor’s head-turning debut, The Lions of Lucerne, way back in 2002. Since then, he’s gone on to star in 24 novels (and one cameo in Thor’s The Athena Project), including Edge of Honor, a strong contender for best thriller of the year, which followed Harvath as he returned home to America after spending six months abroad, only to find himself immediately drawn into a web of deceit and deadly politics.
Choke Point will mark Harvath’s 25th outing, and judging by the plot details, readers should expect another twisting adventure packed with surprises, betrayal, and tons of hard-hitting action. And not for nothing, but given Brad Thor’s track record as one of the best headline-beating writers in the game, those who want a sneak peek at what the world could like in the near future should run and not walk to grab this one the second it hits store shelves.
“It’s not a crystal ball, as people like to joke. Rather, it’s my news obsession combined with me constantly asking my contacts for what keeps them up at night,” said Thor, speaking exclusively to The Real Book Spy about how he’s able to constantly predict the next big threat time and time again. “This year, it leads me to the far east and a concept known as a Thucydides Trap. When power shifts, peace collapses.”
Check out the plot details and cover art for Choke Point Below.
Release Date: June 16, 2026
Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Every betrayal begins with a lie… #1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor thrills with his new summer blockbuster starring Scot Harvath.
While all eyes are on Taiwan, China makes a stunning move against Thailand. Using a series of proxies, it plunges the country into chaos, looking to capture a narrow, but critical piece of land, which will give it the upper hand over the United States and help the Chinese Navy dominate both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With the new American president unwilling to openly commit troops or intelligence personnel, Scot Harvath and his team are called into service. Their assignment: to track down an American turncoat – a former teammate of Harvath’s who is assisting Beijing. What they will discover, however, is China’s most elite espionage unit and their plans not only for Thailand’s collapse, but also America’s.
Brad Thor is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-five thrillers, including Edge of Honor, Black Ice (ThrillerFix Best Thriller of the Year), Near Dark (one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of the Year), Backlash (nominated for the Barry Award for Best Thriller of the Year), Spymaster (“One of the all-time best thriller novels” —The Washington Times), The Last Patriot (nominated Best Thriller of the Year by the International Thriller Writers association), and Blowback (one of the “Top 100 Killer Thrillers of All Time” —NPR). Visit his website at BradThor.com and follow him on Facebook @BradThorOfficial, on Instagram @RealBradThor, and on X @BradThor.
2026 is gearing up to be a big year for Thor, who, in addition to Choke Point, is set to publish Cold Zero, the first book in a new series he co-authored with Ward Larsen, which comes out on February 10th, and is also currently available for pre-order everywhere books are sold. For more on that one, check out my write-up and review here.
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!