The Terminal List books must be read in chronological order, which coincides with their publication order, by following this sequence:[10]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Terminal List | 2018[11] | Establishes Reece’s losses, enemies, and fugitive status. |
| 2 |
|
True Believer | 2019[12] | Continues from Reece’s flight and medical uncertainty. |
| 3 |
|
Savage Son | 2020[13] | Builds on earlier betrayals, threats, and Reece’s recovery. |
| 4 |
|
The Devil’s Hand | 2021[14-15] | Moves Reece into official CIA service. |
| 5 |
|
In the Blood | 2022[16-17] | Returns to unresolved enemies and ends with a cliffhanger. |
| 6 |
|
Only the Dead | 2023[18-19] | Resolves the assassination frame-up and Reece’s inherited war. |
| 7 |
|
Red Sky Mourning | 2024[20-21] | Follows Reece into a new geopolitical crisis. |
| 8 |
|
State of Exile | 2027[22-23] | Follows Reece after self-imposed exile. |
1. The Terminal List
The Terminal List (2018)[11] The Terminal List establishes James Reece as a Navy SEAL commander whose life is destroyed by a conspiracy linking a disastrous military operation, an illegal drug trial, and the murders of those closest to him. This novel sets the foundation for the series by introducing Reece’s methods, his personal code, and the network of corruption that drives his first campaign.[2]
It also establishes many of the relationships and consequences that shape the books that follow.[2]
2. True Believer
True Believer (2019)[12] picks up after Reece has fled the United States and believes his life is nearing its end. This book moves him from fugitive isolation into a new intelligence role, connecting his survival to a larger international conspiracy.[3]
It also introduces continuing figures and enemies whose actions carry into the following books.[3]
3. Savage Son
Savage Son (2020)[13] follows Reece as he recovers from surgery while old threats and new Russian adversaries close in around him and the Hastings family. This novel extends the consequences of True Believer, especially through unresolved enemies and Reece’s bond with Raife Hastings.[4]
It also intensifies the personal stakes around Reece’s father’s past.[4]
4. The Devil’s Hand
The Devil’s Hand (2021)[14-15] shifts Reece into work connected to the CIA and the presidency, while tying his missions to long-buried acts of terrorism and a present-day biological threat. This book is part of the same continuity but broadens the series’ scope.[5]
It places Reece in a position where national security, covert action, and political power converge.[5]
5. In the Blood
In the Blood (2022)[16-17] begins with the death of a Mossad operative from Reece’s past and draws him into a hunt linked to the sniper who killed Freddy Strain. The investigation forces Reece to revisit unresolved questions from earlier books.[6]
This novel continues several established threads, including Reece’s relationship with Katie Buranek, his connection to Alice, and the mystery surrounding a list left by his father.[6]
6. Only the Dead
Only the Dead (2023)[18-19] follows the consequences of the frame-up that closes In the Blood. Reece’s release leads him into his father’s hidden investigation, the Collective, and a wider conspiracy involving American and Russian power networks.[7]
This installment is dependent on prior events, since it resolves questions about Reece’s family legacy and current enemies.[7]
7. Red Sky Mourning
Red Sky Mourning (2024)[20-21] continues after Reece has returned to Montana and is trying to live quietly with Katie. A new crisis involving China, Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and a rival quantum computer pulls him back into action.[8]
This book builds on the Alice storyline, Reece’s CIA ties, and the personal consequences of earlier conflicts.[8]
8. State of Exile
State of Exile, which will be published on May 11, 2027,[22-23] follows Reece after he has entered self-imposed exile. The premise links him to a widening international crisis involving Ukraine, India, nuclear escalation, AI-enabled weapons, and a hidden code that may avert war.[9]
It belongs after the first seven books in the sequence.[9]
References
- Books. Jack Carr.
- The Terminal List. Atria/Emily Bestler Books. ISBN: 9781501180811.
- True Believer. Atria/Emily Bestler Books. ISBN: 9781982171445.
- Savage Son. Atria/Emily Bestler Books. ISBN: 9781982123703.
- The Devil’s Hand. Atria/Emily Bestler Books. ISBN: 9781982123741.
- In the Blood. Atria/Emily Bestler Books. ISBN: 9781982181659.
- Only the Dead. Atria/Emily Bestler Books. ISBN: 9781982181697.
- Red Sky Mourning. Atria/Emily Bestler Books. ISBN: 9781668047071.
- State of Exile. Atria/Emily Bestler Books. ISBN: 9781668047101.
- Terminal List Books by Jack Carr from Simon & Schuster. Simon & Schuster.
- The Terminal List | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster.
- True Believer | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster.
- Savage Son | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster.
- The Devil’s Hand | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster.
- The Devil’s Hand eBook by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster UK.
- In the Blood | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster.
- In the Blood | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster UK.
- Only the Dead | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster.
- Only the Dead | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster UK.
- Red Sky Mourning | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster.
- Red Sky Mourning | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster UK.
- State of Exile | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster.
- State of Exile | Book by Jack Carr | Official Publisher Page. Simon & Schuster Canada.