John Gilstrap

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About John Gilstrap

When John Gilstrap's first novel, Nathan's Run, hit the market in 1996, it set the literary world on fire. Publication rights sold in 23 countries, the movie rights were scooped up at auction by Warner Brothers, and John changed professions. A safety engineer by training and education, he specialized in explosives and hazardous materials, and also served 15 years in the fire and rescue service, rising to the rank of lieutenant.

That "first" book was really his fourth, and that one call from an agent (after logging 27 rejections) changed the trajectory of his life. Twenty books and seven movie projects later, it's been a good run, and it's still running. But his career track looks more like a sine curve than a rocket ship. There were lots of setbacks along the way. At one point, his writing career appeared to be dead. Then came the comeback.

John's presentation, "Dare to Dream", tells the story of triumph, disappointment, despair and finally some long-lasting success.

John has spoken at events across the country, most recently at the Pike's Peak Writers Conference in Colorado Springs, and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers in Denver. In February, he will be the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the California Association of Teachers of English in Los Angeles. His YouTube channel, "A Writer's View of Writing and Publishing" has over 1,700 subscribers and more are coming aboard every day.

Outside of his writing life, John is a renowned safety expert with extensive knowledge of explosives, hazardous materials, and fire behavior. John lives in Fairfax, VA.

Please visit John's website, www.johngilstrap.com for more information.

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Titles By John Gilstrap

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Lethal Game (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 14) Jun 28, 2022

by John Gilstrap

$7.99

A sniper attack turns wilderness hunters into the hunted as Jonathan Grave’s enemies stalk him with a vengeance . . .

Hostage rescue expert Jonathan Grave and his fellow special-ops veteran, Boxers, are hunting in Montana when shots ring out, and they realize they’ve become the prey for assassins. In the crosshairs of unseen shooters, cut off from all communication, with the wind at a blood-freezing chill, the nightmare is just beginning. Because Jonathan and Boxers aren’t the only ones under fire.

Back in Fisherman’s Cove, Virginia, Jonathan’s Security Solutions team is fighting for their lives too. A vicious onslaught is clearing the way for a much bigger game by eliminating anyone in the way. If Jonathan and Boxers can make it out of the wilderness alive, the real war will begin.

"When you pick up a John Gilstrap novel one thing is always true, you are going to be entertained at a high rate of speed."
—Suspense Magazine

“[Gilstrap’s] greatest strength is the ability to blend breathtaking action with deep emotion regarding the characters.”
—Jeffery Deaver

“Fans of adventure stories will find plenty to like.”
—Publishers Weekly

Other Formats: Mass Market Paperback

Blue Fire: A Riveting New Thriller (A Victoria Emerson Thriller Book 2) Feb 22, 2022

by John Gilstrap

( 409 )

$12.99

A thrilling new suspense novel with shades of The Stand and One Second After from the New York Times bestselling author of the Jonathan Grave series, that fans of Ben Coes and Brad Taylor won’t want to miss! In the wake of a global conflict that has devastated America, those who survived live in a world without technology or governance. They look to one woman—single mother and former West Virginia Congressperson Victoria Emerson—to lead and protect those determined to rebuild all they have lost…

“Engrossing…Fans of doomsday military thrillers will delight in the resilience of Gilstrap’s family of preppers and their quest for survival on their terms.” —Publishers Weekly

They call it Hell Day—a world war that lasted less than twenty-four hours. Nations unleashed weapons that destroyed more than a century’s worth of technology. Electrical grids cannot generate power. Communications and computers cannot run. And the remnants of the U. S. government cannot be depended upon. Those who survived must live as their ancestors did, off a land ruled by the whims of nature.

One-time congressional representative Victoria Emerson has become the new leader of the small town of Ortho, West Virginia. She has been struggling to provide food and shelter for the town’s inhabitants, while coping with desperate refugees. An autumn morning’s calm is shattered when her teenage son sounds the alarm with the cry “Blue Fire”—the code phrase for imminent danger.

A band of National Guardsmen intends to take Ortho and its resources for themselves. They have enough soldiers and firepower to eliminate anyone who dares to stop them. But Victoria swore an oath to defend and protect her people, and she isn’t about to surrender. It’s time to tap into the traditional American values of courage, ingenuity, and determination—and fight fire with fire.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Mass Market Paperback

Stealth Attack: An Exciting & Page-Turning Kidnapping Thriller (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 13) Jun 29, 2021

by John Gilstrap

( 1,760 )

$7.08

An electrifying new novel from the bestselling author of Crimson Phoenix, perfect for fans of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor! Black Ops veteran Jonathan Grave is back and pursuing two missing American teens kidnapped and hidden in Mexico’s dark underworld…where he finds himself caught in the center of a vendetta he never expected.

A BookBub Top Thriller of Summer

El Paso, Texas, is a battleground. It’s an open market for Mexican drug cartels to sell their wares. It’s also a destination for teens looking for fun. Venice Alexander’s fourteen-year-old son Roman was there on a school trip. Now, he and a fellow student have vanished without a trace.

Assuming the kidnapping is retaliation for his past incursions against Mexico’s crime syndicates, Jonathan Grave leads his covert operatives to rescue their teammate’s son. But the trail Jonathan follows leads him down unexpected paths where he ends up in the crossfire of a deadly vendetta…

“[Gilstrap’s] greatest strength is the ability to blend breathtaking action with deep emotion regarding the characters.”
—Jeffery Deaver

“Gilstrap pushes every thriller button.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

"A great hero, a really exciting series."
—Joseph Finder

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Total Mayhem (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 11) Jun 25, 2019

by John Gilstrap

( 582 )

$7.11

In bestselling author John Gilstrap’s ticking time bomb of a thriller, freelance operative Jonathan Grave penetrates a terrorist cell to stop the detonation of total mayhem on home ground . . .

America is under fire. One by one, simultaneous terror attacks have left the country reeling. The perpetrators are former Special Forces operatives working for ISIS. Jonathan Grave and his team are called to go undercover and eliminate the traitors. No need to collect intel. No need for arrest. Wipe them out—and get out.

The assaults are rehearsals for extreme disaster. A plot codenamed Retribution. One terrorist is willing to talk—for a price. Grave’s only resort is to slip into a dark web where everything can be exposed. Where the rules of engagement do not hold. The bombs have been set and Grave is the one being hunted. Unless he can save himself first, a terrorist plot of unimaginable scope will become history’s deadliest disaster . . .

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Hostage Zero (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 2) Apr 24, 2012

by John Gilstrap

( 1,040 )

$5.99

A mysterious kidnapping kicks off ”a roller-coaster ride of adrenaline-inducing plot twists” in this thriller by the New York Times bestselling author (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

With his elite team of agents at Security Solutions, hostage rescue expert Jonathan Grave goes where the government can't. Now he’s been called in to locate two teenage boys who have been kidnapped from a residential high school in Virginia. But tracking them down is just the beginning.

To keep them and his covert team alive, Grave plunges into the heart of an ugly secret whose insidious path reaches from one of the world's most remote places into the highest corridors of power. And he must defeat enemies who are willing to kill to keep the truth from being revealed.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback

Hellfire (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 12) Jun 30, 2020

by John Gilstrap

( 1,060 )

$2.99

“A great hero, a really exciting series.” —Joseph Finder

For hostage rescue specialist Jonathan Grave, every mission is a matter of life or death. But he faces his most personal challenge yet when two boys are abducted while being driven to Resurrection House, the school Jonathan founded as a sanctuary for children of incarcerated parents. The boys were entrusted to Jonathan’s care. Now they’re missing. It’s time to fight fire with fire . . .

The boys’ mom, Connie Kendall, is awaiting trial on drug smuggling charges. Prosecutors want her to testify against the brutal Cortez Cartel to help bring down their ruthless operations. If she cooperates, she’ll get an easier sentence. But with her kids in the grip of the cartel, her lips are sealed.

As Jonathan and his team of skilled operatives close in on the kidnappers, they realize that their enemies aren’t just hell-bent on selling drugs. Rival factions have even deadlier agendas. The clock is ticking on an attack that could kill thousands in a single breath. And it’s almost zero
hour . . .

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Final Target (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 9) Jun 27, 2017

by John Gilstrap

( 736 )

$7.99

A mission to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel leaves a rescue specialist stranded among the enemy in a thriller by the New York Times bestselling author.

Jonathan Grave and his partner Boxers have just been given the kind of suicide mission they specialize in. Dropping into the Mexican jungle, they must infiltrate a drug cartel’s compound and extract a kidnapped DEA agent. But when Grave and Boxers retrieve the hostage and return to the exfil point, all hell breaks loose.

Ambushed, abandoned, and attacked on all sides, their only hope of survival lies inside a remote orphanage where innocent children have been targeted for death. Even if Grave can lead the others to safety across a hundred miles of treacherous, enemy-filled jungle, he can’t shake the feeling that something bigger is at play. A vast conspiracy of international power players who take no prisoners—and leave no survivors.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Mass Market Paperback , MP3 CD

Scorpion Strike (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 10) Jun 26, 2018

by John Gilstrap

( 839 )

$7.99

An island paradise is taken hostage in a plot to spark global war in this “perfect summer read for thriller fans” by the New York Times bestselling author (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

For Jonathan Grave and Gail Bonneville, the Crystal Sands Resort just off Mexico’s Pacific coast is the perfect getaway—until gunshots shatter the night. Wealthy guests are yanked out of their rooms and forced to submit to their captors’ demands. But Grave and Bonneville are no ordinary vacationers. The Russian mercenaries who invade their bungalow receive a deadly surprise. And the two skilled operatives escape into the jungle.

It won’t be long before the invaders turn this tropical paradise into a powder keg that will set off global chaos. Grave may be without weapons—and cut off from his usual tactical team—but he’s never without resources. Bold action is the only solution. Like the scorpion, Grave must strike fast and hard.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Friendly Fire (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 8) Jul 1, 2016

by John Gilstrap

( 880 )

$7.99

It begins with a shocking act of vengeance. Barista Ethan Falk chases a customer into the parking lot and kills him. He tells police that years ago the older man abducted and tortured him. Then Ethan's story takes an even stranger turn: he says he was rescued by a guy named Scorpion. Of course, there is no record of either the kidnapping or the rescue, because Scorpion--Jonathan Grave--operates outside the law and leaves no evidence.

As Grave struggles to find a way to defend his former precious cargo without blowing his cover, he learns the dead man has secrets that trace to an ongoing terrorist plot against the heart of America. It's up to Grave and his team to stop it. But first they must rescue Ethan Falk--a second time.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback

High Treason (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 5) Aug 1, 2013

by John Gilstrap

( 836 )

$7.99

When the First Lady is kidnapped, a rescue specialist discovers her secrets—and a deadly conspiracy—in a thriller by the New York Times bestselling author.

First Lady Anna Darmond’s penchant for late night parties in South East D.C. is a harmless open secret—until she’s kidnapped out from under the noses of her Secret Service agents in a bloody gunfight. It's an unthinkable crime that, if revealed, could cause public panic. That’s why hostage rescue specialist Jonathan Grave and his team must operate in absolute secrecy.

But Grave soon realizes that, extraordinary as it is, the mission is not all it seems. There are shadows in Mrs. Darmond's past, cracks in the presidential marriage—and leaks in the country's critical shields of security. As Grave tracks the missing First Lady through a labyrinth of lies and murder, he confronts a traitor at the highest level of Washington power—and a devastating scheme to bring a nation to its knees.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback

Against All Enemies (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 7) Jul 1, 2015

by John Gilstrap

( 870 )

$7.99

In this award-winning thriller by the New York Times bestselling author, a rescue specialist out to save a fellow vet uncovers an explosive conspiracy.

Hostage rescue specialist Jonathan Grave doesn’t surprise easily. But he finds it hard to believe that a fellow combat vet has gone rogue, killing American agents and leaking sensitive intel to hostile foreign interests. With black ops assassins on the trail of his old friend, Grave sets out to get to him first…and finds far more than he bargained for.

Catching up with the wily operative puts Grave on the trail of a dangerous and far-reaching conspiracy. Worst of all, the unthinkable tragedy at its center is in-motion. Now Grave and his elite team of specialists must expose a deadly high-level secret —and do it in time to avert a catastrophe of historic proportions.

An International Thriller Writers Award Winner

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

End Game (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 6) Jun 24, 2014

by John Gilstrap

( 817 )

$7.99

The son of a government scientist must be found at any cost in this taut political thriller that “starts off explosively and keeps on rolling” (Joe Hartlaub, BookReporter).

Deep in the American Heartland, a team of assassins goes to work. In short order, a Chechen scientist and double agent for the U.S. government is dead. But the team didn’t exactly finish the job. The man’s teenage son is still alive. In possession of crucial and potentially lethal information, he’s now on the run—and off the grid.

The feds know who to call: Jonathan Grave and his elite rescue team at Security Solutions. Their mission is simple: find the boy and keep his information out of the wrong hands. But simple doesn’t mean easy. The boy has a bodyguard with unusual talents, and she's not giving up without a fight. Only by bringing them both back alive can Grave expose the traitor in the highest levels of power—and prevent an all-out nuclear war.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback

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