Don Bentley Books in Order: Matt Drake, Jack Ryan Jr. and Mitch Rapp Thrillers From a Real-Life Apache Pilot and FBI Agent
Don Bentley writes military and espionage thrillers with the credibility of someone who has lived the work: he flew Apache helicopters for the U.S. Army, deployed to Afghanistan and later served as an FBI special agent on a SWAT team. His stories are fast, grounded and full of authentic detail.
This guide lists his original Matt Drake series, his novels in the Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn worlds, and where to start. Readers searching for a complete order sometimes find large Jack Ryan lists that include many authors, so this page keeps to Don Bentley’s own books.
Matt Drake Books in Order
Matt Drake is a Defense Intelligence Agency operative with a haunted past, and these four novels are Bentley’s own creation. Each one stands reasonably well alone, but the characters and Drake’s history build as you go.
Without Sanction (2020)
A DIA operative haunted by a failed Syria mission is drawn back into the field. This time he is helping a Pakistani scientist who wants to defect with a weapon. It sets the tone for the series: fast action, military precision and moral pressure.
The Outside Man (2021)
Drake’s covert past catches up with him when assassins attack him in Austin. He tracks the threat back to the Middle East.
Hostile Intent (2022)
A walk-in at the Vienna embassy asks for Drake by name, but the source is kidnapped. A rescue could prevent a wider conflict.
Forgotten War (2023)
Drake must prove his partner Frodo innocent of a war crime from Afghanistan. He has to do it without losing his closest friend.
Tom Clancy Jack Ryan Jr. Novels by Don Bentley
Bentley writes new adventures for Jack Ryan Jr. and the Campus in the Tom Clancy universe. They can be read in this order and work well even if you have not read Clancy’s earlier books.
Target Acquired (2021)
Jack Ryan Jr. gets pulled into protecting a scientist and her child in Israel after a routine CIA job turns dangerous. It was Bentley’s first Tom Clancy novel.
Zero Hour (2022)
Jack travels to Seoul to vet a recruit and becomes caught up in North Korean sleeper agents activating across the South. This one was co-written with Megan Erickson.
Flash Point (2023)
A surveillance job escalates into a fight with the Campus as a clash in the South China Sea pushes the U.S. and China toward war. The stakes climb quickly.
Weapons Grade (2023)
Jack witnesses a staged crash in Texas, which leads him into a small-town mystery. It turns out to be tied to a larger international plot.
Vince Flynn Mitch Rapp Novels by Don Bentley
Bentley also writes younger-Mitch-Rapp stories in Vince Flynn’s CIA counterterrorism series. They read as earlier chapters in Rapp’s career, so you do not need to have finished the main series first.
Capture or Kill (2024)
In 2011, Rapp searches for evidence that bin Laden is in Abbottabad while an Iranian weapons threat grows.
Denied Access (2025)
A young Rapp gets involved in a post-Cold War crisis when Russian intelligence threatens the woman he loves and the CIA.
Double Tap (2026)
Young Rapp goes deep undercover after a Pakistani chemical weapons scientist is kidnapped in Verona. It went on sale on September 22, 2026.
Upcoming Tom Clancy Novel
His author page also lists Tom Clancy: The Coldest War, announced for November 24, 2026.
Where to Start With Don Bentley
- If you want his own hero: Without Sanction.
- If you love the Tom Clancy world: Target Acquired.
- If you read Mitch Rapp: Capture or Kill or Double Tap.
Frequently Asked Questions About Don Bentley’s Books
What is Don Bentley’s first book?
Without Sanction, published in 2020.
Does Don Bentley write Tom Clancy novels?
Yes. He has written Jack Ryan Jr. novels in the Tom Clancy series.
Do I need to read the Matt Drake series in order?
Yes, ideally. The novels build on each other.
Does Don Bentley write Mitch Rapp novels?
Yes. He has written several Vince Flynn Mitch Rapp novels, including Capture or Kill, Denied Access and Double Tap.
Are his books realistic?
His thrillers draw on his experience as an Army pilot and FBI agent.
What should I read if I like Don Bentley?
Readers often enjoy Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, Mark Greaney, Mike Maden and Jack Carr.
About Don Bentley
Don Bentley is a New York Times bestselling author who spent ten years as an Army Apache helicopter pilot, with postings in South Korea, Germany and Texas. He deployed to Afghanistan as a troop commander and received the Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal with “V” device for valor. He later worked as an FBI special agent and served on the Dallas SWAT team before working with companies that develop technology for U.S. Special Operations.
He holds a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Ohio State University and an M.F.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.
My Take as a Reader
Bentley’s military and FBI background gives his thrillers a sense of procedure. Start with Matt Drake if you want his own voice, or the Clancy novels if you already love the franchise.
Final Note
Don Bentley brings real-world experience to modern action fiction. Start with Without Sanction or Target Acquired, follow the order above and bookmark this page.
Leave a Reply