Thriller and suspense are all-time favorite genres for many. Reading thriller books gives the adrenaline rush, keeps you on the edge of your seat, and hooks you throughout.
One such author I can recall is John Gilstrap, an American author who writes thriller and suspense novels, and his books are loved by the audience.
This New York Times bestselling author has written many books throughout his writing career.
In this article, I am going to share the complete list of John Gilstrap Books in Order so it will be easier for you to understand the order before diving into the books.
Who is John Gilstrap?
John Gilstrap is an American novelist who was born on February 27, 1957. He is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty thriller novels.
Gilstrap’s goal was to become a journalist. He received a degree in American History from the College of William and Mary in 1979 and struggled to find a job. So, he took a job as a managing editor for a trade journal in the construction industry. He hated his job!
In the early eighties, Gilstrap earned a degree of Master of Science in Safety Engineering from the University of South California. He started a new career, but between all these, he never stopped writing.
Glistrap’s first novel, which, as he stated, was, in fact, his fourth novel, became a hit. Being the president of his own consulting firm and the success of his book gave him overnight fame.
Warner Bros. bought the movie rights to the novel, and Gilstrap switched to full-time writing after the success of his second novel. Writing is an isolated job, and being an extrovert, Gilstrap was extremely bored with his imaginary friends.
So, he made the big decision and moved to a full-time day job. For ten and a half years, Gilstrap worked as a director of safety for a trade association.
After that period, he left the job, went back to full-time writing, and moved to West Virginia.
John Gilstrap’s Books in Order
| Sr. No | Title | Publication Date | Print Length | Publisher | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No Mercy | July 1, 2009 | 464 pages | Pinnacle Books,U.S. | Amazon |
| 2 | Time to Run | March 29, 2016 | 84 pages | Lyrical Press | Amazon |
| 3 | Crimson Phoenix | February 23, 2021 | 320 pages | Kensington | Amazon |
| 4 | Nathan’s Run | January 1, 1996 | 293 pages | HarperCollins | Amazon |
| 5 | Six Minutes to Freedom | January 1, 2006 | 328 pages | Citadel Pr | Amazon |
Gilstrap has written three book series of his own, and below, I have mentioned them along with the books under the title in reading and publication order.
Jonathan Grave Books Reading and Publication Order
The main protagonist, Jonathan Grave, is an ex-Delta soldier turned into a freelance private investigator. The job transition is just a front for his real profession, a hostage rescue expert.
Jonathan takes help and assistance from the Security Solutions Team and FBI to solve the rescue operation cases. All the books in the series revolve around cases with interesting plotlines and more.
So far, there are 16 books in the Jonathan Grave series, and each follows the adventures of Jonathan, a rescue expert.
It is recommended to read the books in their reading and publication order if you do not want to miss the crucial details. However, you can also read as standalones if you wish.
Below, I’ve listed the books in their reading and publication order; check it out!
- No Mercy (2009)
- Hostage Zero (2010)
- Threat Warning (2011)
- Damage Control (2012)
- Soft Targets (2013)
- High Treason (2013)
- End Game (2014)
- Against All Enemies (2015)
- Friendly Fire (2016)
- Final Target (2017)
- Scorpion Strike (2018)
- Total Mayhem (2019)
- Hellfire (2020)
- Stealth Attack (2021)
- Lethal Game/Lethal Prey (2022)
- Harm’s Way (2023)
Start With: No Mercy
No Mercy is the first book of the series, where we are introduced to Jonathan Grave and his team. A college student, Thomas Hughes, is kidnapped, and Grave is hired to rescue him.
Later, his ex-wife contacts him to rescue her husband. The operation takes him and his team to a deeply corrupted world where greedy corporations will do anything to achieve their goals.
Will Jonathan be able to rescue the victims and reveal the secrets of the culprits to the world when his life is also at stake along with others?
Nick of Time Books Reading and Publication Order
This series features Nicki Janssen, a seventeen-year-old teenage girl who breaks the law and runs away with her criminal lover. Her father, Carter Janssen, prosecuting attorney, is on a mission to save his daughter.
The books will take you on an adventurous ride where a father and a girl are willing to do everything to save their loved ones. Who will win, though?
There are 5 books under the series title, and each should be read in order to follow the whole story. I have listed the books in their reading and publication order below!
Start With: Time to Run
Nicki Janssen, the 17-year-old feisty teenager, living days are numbered. She does not want to live her last days lying down and endure medical treatments, so Nicki makes a risky decision.
She takes a pocketful of cash and a bus ticket and leaves the house to fulfill her dream of watching the sunset with her childhood crush.
Brad Ward, a handsome and dangerous criminal convicted of felony murder, has escaped, meets Nicki, and rekindles his connection with her.
Nicki’s father, Carter Janssen, an attorney, discovers his daughter’s whereabouts and uses all his skills to rescue her. Will a father be able to save his daughter from an untimely death?
Victoria Emerson Books Reading and Publication Order
The main protagonist of the series is Victoria Emerson, a Congressional member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the West Virginia state. She is a woman who focuses on the well-being of people.
The United States faces a war; the government is clueless about how to help the people, but Victoria tries to bring everything back to normal.
There are 3 books under the series, and it’s recommended to read them in their reading and publication order to understand the entire story. Have a look at the list below!
Start With: Crimson Phoenix
Victoria always prioritizes her community and tries to avoid the power plays of her peers.
Suddenly, Major Joseph McCrea arrives at her house and uses the code ‘Crimson Phoenix,’ which actually means this is not a drill.
The United States is on the brink of nuclear war, and Major asks Victoria to accompany him to a safe bunker. But she is not allowed to bring her family.
Victoria is a single mother of three teenage boys, and in this challenging situation, she refuses to abandon them.
They somehow survive the war, but the country is destroyed, with uninhabited land, no technology, scarce food, and scared people looking for help from the government.
Victoria devotes herself to reestablishing everything, but how will she be able to do so with all the difficulties?
Standalone Novels
Apart from book series, the author has also written standalone novels. Glistrap has published a total of 4 standalone novels so far, which I’ve listed below. Also provided a brief description of one book among the four.
Brief Description of ‘Nathan’s Run’
Police are called to investigate a killing in Virginia juvenile center. The guard has been killed, and upon investigation, all clues point to 12-year-old boy Nathan Bailey.
When they looked for Nathan, it was found that the kid had escaped from the center. According to Nathan, it was self-defense, but who is going to believe an orphan and alone kid?
Additional cops are murdered, and the police are accusing Nathan of all the killings. How will the scared and lonely kid escape this situation and prove his innocence?
This is a heart-touching story of a helpless kid.
Non-Fiction Books
Along with fiction, Gilstrap has written one non-fiction book as well. Have a look at the description below!
Brief Description of ‘Six Minutes to Freedom’
Six Minutes to Freedom tells the story of Kurt Muse, his arrest, and his terrible days in prison.
Kurt Muse, an American who lived in Panama, was arrested in 1989 under the orders of General Manuel Noriega because of his involvement in overthrowing the dictator. His family had to flee, and he was tortured in the Modelo Prison.
He was rescued in Operation Just Cause, the US invasion of Panama.
The book is a personal and thrilling tale of a courageous man with strong beliefs.
Wrap-Up
I hope this article was helpful for you, and now, whenever you want to dive into the books of John Gilstrap, just check this complete list of books in order and pick the one that intrigues you the most.
Have you read any books by John Gilstrap? Which one is your favorite? Tell me in the comments below!