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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Books By John Gilstrap

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

by John Gilstrap

( 231 )

$6.16

“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

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

by John Gilstrap

( 175 )

$7.99

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

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

by John Gilstrap

( 232 )

$7.99

“Rocket-paced suspense.”—Jeffery Deaver

“Gilstrap will leave you breathless.” —Harlan Coben

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

Freelance operative Jonathan Grave faces his fiercest challenge yet in bestselling author John Gilstrap’s explosive new thriller . . .

The mission: Drop into the Mexican jungle, infiltrate a drug cartel’s compound, and extract a kidnapped DEA agent. But when Jonathan Grave and his partner, 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 his precious cargo to safety across a hundred miles of treacherous jungle filled with enemies, 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 . . .

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

“If you like Vince Flynn and Brad Thor, you’ll love John Gilstrap.” —Gayle Lynds

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

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

Crimson Phoenix (A Victoria Emerson Thriller Book 1) Feb 23, 2021

by John Gilstrap

$12.99

“The novel seizes you on page one and never lets go . . . this riveting book will stay with you long after you finish it. And to top it all off, he’s created one of the most singular and compelling heroines to come along in years.”
—Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author

“Snaps with action from the very first page.”
—Marc Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of Stone Cross and of Tom Clancy’s Code of Honor

From John Gilstrap, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Jonathan Grave novels, comes Crimson Phoenix—first in the new Victoria Emerson Thriller series. With America brought to the brink of destruction, one woman becomes the last hope of a nation and its people . . .

Victoria Emerson is a congressional member of the U. S. House of Representatives for the state of West Virginia. Her aspirations have always been to help her community and to avoid the ambitious power plays of her peers in Washington D. C. Then Major Joseph McCrea appears on her doorstep and uses the code phrase Crimson Phoenix, meaning this is not a drill. The United States is on the verge of nuclear war. Victoria must accompany McCrea to a secure bunker. She cannot bring her family.

A single mother, Victoria refuses to abandon her three teenage sons. Denied entry to the bunker, they nonetheless survive the nuclear onslaught that devastates the country. The land is nearly uninhabitable. Electronics have been rendered useless. Food is scarce. Millions of scared and ailing people await aid from a government that is unable to regroup, much less organize a rescue from the chaos.

Victoria devotes herself to reestablishing order—only to encounter the harsh realities required of a leader dealing with desperate people . . .

“A gripping page-turner.”
—Taylor Stevens, New York Times bestselling author

“An explosive story that keeps your mind churning and pulse racing . . . Don't miss this powerful new series from a master thriller writer.”
—Jamie Freveletti, international bestselling and award-winning author

Other Formats: Hardcover

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

by John Gilstrap

( 164 )

$7.99

An island paradise held hostage. A band of dangerous killers unleashed. A sinister plot that could push the superpowers to the brink of war. The perfect formula for explosive suspense in John Gilstrap’s electrifying new Jonathan Grave thriller . . .

For Jonathan Grave and Gail Bonneville, the Crystal Sands Resort is the perfect getaway—until gunshots shatter the night. Wealthy guests are yanked out of their sleep, herded like animals, forced to submit to their captors’ demands. But Jonathan and Gail are no ordinary vacationers. The assassins who invade their bungalow receive a deadly surprise. And two determined, skilled operatives escape into the jungle.

Jonathan and Gail are not the only free agents on the island. Cut off from his usual tactical team, with a pair of unlikely allies he can’t fully trust, Grave’s only hope of reliable back-up is his partner Boxers, who’s hundreds of miles—and hours—away. It won’t be long before the invaders turn this tropical paradise into the powderkeg that will set off global chaos. Grave may be without weapons, 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

( 323 )

$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 , MP3 CD

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

by John Gilstrap

( 324 )

$8.99

"If you like Vince Flynn and Brad Thor, you'll love John Gilstrap."--Gayle Lynds

"My favorite tough guy hero is back." --Jeffery Deaver

"One of the finest thriller writers on the planet." --Tess Gerritsen

Assassins have eliminated a Chechen scientist who's been working as a double agent for the U.S. government. The feds know who to call: Jonathan Grave and his elite rescue team. Their mission: find the dead man's teenage son, who's on the run--and off the grid--with crucial information that must not fall into the wrong hands. There's one problem: the boy's bodyguard is a security specialist 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.

Praise for John Gilstrap

"Gilstrap pushes every thriller button."--San Francisco Chronicle

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

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

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Mass Market Paperback

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

by John Gilstrap

( 465 )

$2.99

Reprinted Edition

"Gilstrap Is A Master Of Action And Drama." –Gayle Lynds

Hostage rescue expert Jonathan Grave goes where the government can't. An innocent man has been shot and two young people are missing. But tracking them down is just the beginning. To keep them and his covert team alive, Jonathan 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. . .

Praise For John Gilstrap's Thrillers

"A Great Hero. . .A Really Exciting Series." --Joseph Finder

"One Of The Finest Thriller Writers On The Planet." --Tess Gerritsen

"A Tour De Force!" --Jeffery Deaver

Special Excerpt From John Gilstrap's Newest Thriller! Damage Control

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

No Mercy (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 1) Jul 30, 2014

by John Gilstrap

( 655 )

$8.29

When those inside the corridors of power need help outside the law, they know who to call. Jonathan Grave, covert rescue specialist, always gets results. No names. No feds. No trace evidence.

When an Indiana college student is abducted, Jonathan and his team of ace operatives unravel a deadly scheme the government wants ignored. Someone wants to control a devastating secret. Someone rich, powerful, and willing to kill anyone to get it. Even the people Jonathan loves most.

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

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

by John Gilstrap

( 275 )

$7.99

ITW Thriller Award Winner

Jonathan Grave 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. He finds far more than he bargained for. Not only the wily operative, but evidence of a conspiracy so dangerous, so far-reaching, that an unthinkable tragedy is in-motion. 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…

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

Threat Warning (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 3) Jan 28, 2011

by John Gilstrap

( 370 )

$5.99

A hostage rescue specialist is on the trail of a homegrown terrorist organization in this thriller by the New York Times bestselling author.

When a cult-like paramilitary group decides to make its deadly presence known, the first victims are random. Ordinary citizens going about their lives in Washington, D.C., are suddenly fired upon at rush hour by unseen assassins. Caught in the crossfire of one of the attacks, rescue specialist Jonathan Grave spies a gunman getting away—with a mother and her young son as hostages.

To free them, Grave and his Security Solutions team must enter the dark heart of a nationwide conspiracy. But their search goes beyond the frenzied schemes of a madman's deadly ambitions. This time, it reaches all the way to the highest levels of power…

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

Damage Control (A Jonathan Grave Thriller Book 4) Oct 24, 2011

by John Gilstrap

( 321 )

$8.99

"One of the finest thriller writers on the planet." –Tess Gerritsen

"Gilstrap pushes every thriller button." –San Francisco Chronicle

The hostages are young: a bus full of teenagers on a church mission. The ransom demands are explicit: deliver three million dollars--with zero involvement from law enforcement--or all captives will be executed. But rescue specialist Jonathan Grave doesn't believe in ultimatums. For him and his elite team at Security Solutions, it's all about protecting the innocent. Now Grave must face the chilling possibility that someone within the U.S. government has a deadly secret to protect--one that could jeopardize national security like never before. . .

Praise for John Gilstrap's Thrillers

"SURPRISING AND SATISFYING." --The Denver Post

"A GREAT HERO, A PULSE-POUNDING STORY." --Joseph Finder

"JONATHAN GRAVE IS A HERO FOR OUR TIME. . .AND FOR ALL TIME." –Jeffery Deaver

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

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