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Quick answer: If you like Jack Carr, read Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Mark Greaney and Lee Child. All write fast, violent thrillers about elite operators, global threats and revenge.
Jack Carr is a former Navy SEAL whose debut, The Terminal List, follows James Reece, a SEAL who returns from a mission to find his family dead and takes revenge. His books are packed with military detail and action. The books below offer similar military thrillers and covert-operative stories.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Terminal List | Jack Carr | Adult | the debut |
| American Assassin | Vince Flynn | Adult | Rapp origin |
| Transfer of Power | Vince Flynn | Adult | American action |
| The Lions of Lucerne | Brad Thor | Adult | Secret Service thriller |
| The Gray Man | Mark Greaney | Adult | assassin on the run |
| Killing Floor | Lee Child | Adult | action thriller |
| Orphan X | Gregg Hurwitz | Adult | lone fixer |
| The Bourne Identity | Robert Ludlum | Adult | the amnesiac assassin |
| Lone Survivor | Marcus Luttrell | Adult | SEAL memoir |
| American Sniper | Chris Kyle | Adult | sniper memoir |
| No Easy Day | Mark Owen | Adult | SEAL raid memoir |
| The Kill Artist | Daniel Silva | Adult | spy thriller |
| The Power of the Dog | Don Winslow | Adult | drug war epic |
| The Watchman | Robert Crais | Adult | Joe Pike thriller |
| The Hunt for Red October | Tom Clancy | Adult | submarine thriller |
1. The Terminal List by Jack Carr
A SEAL returns from a mission to find his family killed. Violent and gripping.
Best for: the debut.
2. American Assassin by Vince Flynn
A young man recruited after a terrorist attack becomes an operative. Fast.
Best for: Rapp origin.
3. Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn
Mitch Rapp saves the White House from terrorists. Fast and violent.
Best for: American action.
4. The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor
A Secret Service agent investigates a presidential kidnapping. Page-turning.
Best for: Secret Service thriller.
5. The Gray Man by Mark Greaney
A hit man becomes a hunted target. Fast, brutal and global.
Best for: assassin on the run.
6. Killing Floor by Lee Child
Jack Reacher arrives in a Georgia town and is arrested for murder. Fast and tough.
Best for: action thriller.
7. Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
A former government assassin helps people in trouble. Slick and fast.
Best for: lone fixer.
8. The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
A man with no memory discovers he is a trained killer. A classic.
Best for: the amnesiac assassin.
9. Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell
A Navy SEAL recounts a mission in Afghanistan that went terribly wrong. Intense.
Best for: SEAL memoir.
10. American Sniper by Chris Kyle
A SEAL sniper writes about his tours in Iraq. Direct and controversial.
Best for: sniper memoir.
11. No Easy Day by Mark Owen
A SEAL recounts the raid on bin Laden's compound. Fast and detailed.
Best for: SEAL raid memoir.
12. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva
Gabriel Allon is pulled out of retirement to hunt a terrorist. Elegant.
Best for: spy thriller.
13. The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow
A decades-long war between agents and cartels. Huge and brutal.
Best for: drug war epic.
14. The Watchman by Robert Crais
Joe Pike protects a young woman from dangerous men. Fast and tough.
Best for: Joe Pike thriller.
15. The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
A Soviet submarine captain may defect. Dense and gripping.
Best for: submarine thriller.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Jack Carr: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more Carr read the rest of the Reece series in order. For counter-terror action choose Vince Flynn or Brad Thor. For lone-wolf thrillers pick Mark Greaney, Lee Child or Gregg Hurwitz. For true accounts read Lone Survivor, American Sniper or No Easy Day. The Terminal List is violent, so these picks suit readers who like military detail. Carr's books reflect his experience as a SEAL and he writes with a lot of military and weapons detail. Audiobooks, read by Ray Porter, are widely praised.
Related: Robyn Carr Printable Book List · Robyn Carr Book List Printable
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jack Carr?
A former Navy SEAL turned thriller author.
Where should I start?
With The Terminal List.
Who plays Reece in the TV series?
Chris Pratt starred in the Prime Video adaptation.
Do I need to read in order?
Yes, since the story builds.
Is it graphic?
Yes, with violence.
How many Reece books are there?
Several. Check current listings for the latest count.
Is it realistic?
It is detailed but still a thriller.
What should I read next?
Try American Assassin or The Gray Man.
Which book here is best for Secret Service thriller?
Try The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor, which suits readers looking for Secret Service thriller.
Which book here is best for lone fixer?
Try Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz, which suits readers looking for lone fixer.
Which book here is best for sniper memoir?
Try American Sniper by Chris Kyle, which suits readers looking for sniper memoir.
Which book here is best for drug war epic?
Try The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow, which suits readers looking for drug war epic.
Which book here is best for Rapp origin?
Try American Assassin by Vince Flynn, which suits readers looking for Rapp origin.
Which book here is best for assassin on the run?
Try The Gray Man by Mark Greaney, which suits readers looking for assassin on the run.
Which book here is best for the amnesiac assassin?
Try The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, which suits readers looking for the amnesiac assassin.