First Release: 2003

Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Hardcover Large Print, Paperback, Audio CD, Audiobook, Multi-media CD

Plot

While sailing in the Caribbean, young Alex Hawke witnesses an act of unspeakable horror as modern-day pirates brutally murder his parents. It is a tragedy that will haunt him forever, and shape his destiny....

As a direct descendant of a legendary English privateer, Lord Alexander Hawke is skilled in the ways of sea combat -- and one of England's most decorated naval heroes. Now, Hawke returns to the Caribbean on a secret mission for the American government. A highly experimental stealth submarine is missing. She carries forty nuclear warheads, and is believed to be in the hands of an unstable government just ninety miles from the American mainland. In a race against time, Hawke must locate the sub before a strike can be launched against the U.S. -- and, after a lifetime of nightmares, finally avenge himself upon the men who slaughtered his family....

Featuring electrifying action, international intrigue, and a hero worthy of the finest adventure fiction, Hawke heralds the exciting debut of a bold new talent.

Praise for Hawke

"Move over James Bond, Lord Alex Hawke is on the scene and he is more realistic, believable and personable than Ian Fleming's character ever was. This is an action adventure thriller with the emphasis on action. There is no chance readers will ever feel ennui reading Hawke, a twenty first century pirate novel that takes place on the high seas and in a Cuba where Castro's control is waning."

—Harriet Klausner (#1 Amazon Reviewer) www.thebestreviews.com

"A pirate book for adults...a fast, fun read." —Publishers Weekly

"Ted Bell is the new Clive Cussler; Alex Hawke is the new James Bond. Climb on board HAWKE for the best adventure in years. HAWKE is a swashbuckling, spine tingling, bloody good masterpiece of an adventure novel."
—James Patterson

“Rich, spellbinding, and absorbing . . . Packed with surprises . . . great fun.”—Clive Cussler

"A fiery tale of power and privilege, lusty and sinister intrigue, HAWKE is a fast-paced adventure...truly an exciting read!"—Nelson DeMille

“Not-so-secret agent Alexander Hawke makes James Bond look like a slovenly, dull-witted clockpuncher. . . .”
—Kirkus Reviews

“A perfect summertime thriller.”—Dallas Morning News

“[A] thundering debut.”—Sun Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

"This rip-roaring tale is made entirely believable through convincing detail, with a grand hero in Hawke. Various flawlessly developed story lines contribute to the high-octane pace, and the fully developed characters are delineated through the nuances of voice. In short, this is a commercial blockbuster packed with pleasure."
—Library Journal (Best of Spring/Summer 2003)

"Ted Bell... doesn't hold back on the throttles of his first novel.... [His] own secret agent man, Lord Alexander Hawke, makes the classic James Bond look like a bargain item from Filene's Basement.... Bond and Hawke will always come out winners. The reader of HAWKE will also come out a winner." —NewsMax

Assassin: First Release: 2004

Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Hardcover Large Print, Paperback, Audio CD, Audiobook, Multi-media CD

Plot

In an elegant palazzo on the Grand Canal, an American ambassador's tryst turns deadly. In the seamy underbelly of London, a pub-crawling killer is on the loose. And in a storybook chapel nestled in the Cotswolds, a marriage made in heaven turns to hell on earth. Isolated incidents? Or links in a chain of events hurtling towards catastrophe? So begins Assassin, the tour de force thriller that heralds the return of every terrorist's worst nightmare, Alex Hawke.

A shadowy figure known as the Dog is believed to be the ruthless terrorist who is systematically and savagely assassinating American diplomats and their families around the globe. As the deadly toll mounts inexorably, Hawke, along with former NYPD cop and Navy SEAL Stokely Jones, is called upon by the U.S. government to launch a search for the assassin behind the murders.

Hawke, who ""makes James Bond look like a ""slovenly, dull-witted clockpuncher"" (Kirkus Reviews), is soon following a trail that leads back to London in the go-go nineties, when Arab oil money fueled lavish, and sometimes fiendish, lifestyles. Other murky clues point to the Florida Keys, where a vicious killer hides behind the gates of a fabled museum. And to a remote Indonesian island where a madman tinkers with strains of a deadly virus and slyly bides his time.

Praise for Assassin

"A perfect summertime thriller." —Dallas Morning News

“Assassin is the most highly imaginative thriller to come along in a long while.”—James Patterson

" If you're going to read just one suspenseful-thrilling-emotional roller coaster-spy novel this summer, you've got to read ASSASSIN by Ted Bell.... Make sure you clear some reading time on your schedule... you will not be able to put ASSASSIN down." —Glenn Beck

"An international political thriller of the highest order. Intrigue you can sink your teeth into and a secret agent who takes you into the danger zone with a ballsy wit that had me hooked." —Vince Flynn

“Fascinating characters, a hairpin plot, and wonderfully talented writing. Assassin is what you get when you pair a great story with a great writer.” —Brian Haig

"ASSASSIN is an exciting action-packed and nonstop tale starring a terrific series of heroes and an even better band of killers. The story line is chilling in many ways as the assassins are pretty women who one would never suspect as killers yet their loyalty is to bin Wazir or his superior, his father-in-law the Emir, a believer in a Moslem only world. The satirical spoofing of the first novel (see HAWKE) never occurs, as this is more of a straight shooter. The dual plots come together although the Sweet murder seems overkill and pale vs. the more clever kills. Action-adventure readers will enjoy this testosterone vs. estrogen thriller." —Harriet Klausner (#1 Amazon Reviewer) www.thebestreviews.com

“Fast and furious. . . . Readers will be caught in the whirlwind of action and find themselves having a grand old time.” —Publishers Weekly

"Hawke is the kind of character somebody really should put in a movie: he is smart, resourceful, attractive—everything we want in an action hero. Bell is a nimble writer, and fans of the first Hawke adventure won't want to miss this sequel. New readers will be enthralled and will immediately track down the first novel in the series." —Booklist

Pirate: First Release: 2005

Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Hardcover Large Print, Paperback, Audio CD, Audiobook, Multi-media CD

Plot

Aboard a ship in the south of France, an American spy faces certain torture and death for the vital, explosive intelligence he possesses. In Paris, a ruthless and powerful descendant of Napoleon has forged an unholy alliance with China for its growing nuclear arsenal, poised to send America and the world to the brink of a gut-wrenching showdown. Now, in a maelstrom of razor's-edge danger, Alex Hawke must enter the nightmare visions of madmen to defuse an axis of evil no historian could have predicted -- and no living soul would survive.

Praise for Pirate

“Pirate is a heck of a good ride.”—Houston Chronicle

“Bell concocts a rollicking tale ripped from the disturbing headlines of our dangerous times. . . Anyone who has been savvy enough to follow the saga thus far will find in the pages of Pirate not only a finer tuned Hawke but an author who has clearly mastered his trade. The ingenious subplots gel seamlessly.”—NewsMax.com

“The third and best of the Hawke novels . . . contain[s] more action and interesting characters than most books do in three. . . Bell easily could be considered the rightful heir to the throne of Robert Ludlum. . . Pirate and its predecessors are unbeatable.”—Bookreporter.com

"Michael Bay, you may be asking yourself, "What can I do to top Armageddon, The Rock, Pearl Harbor and the Bad Boy films?" We've got an answer for you: a film version of Ted Bell's Pirate. It's got action, drama, suspense, conspiracies and--you'll love this--the potential for lots of explosions. But best of all, you don't even need to write the narrator's dialogue for the trailer. Just reword the publisher's press release: "a secret, deadly alliance between China and France before they annihilate everything and everyone in their headlong rush toward domination," "his fiery ambitions are cynically stoked by a coterie of cold-blooded Mandarins," "cloaked in secrecy, this unholy alliance devises a twisted global planthat will send America and the world to the brink of a gutwrenching showdown," "the world is once more balanced on the knife-edge of a full-blown nuclear confrontation." Mike, it's ripe for the pickin'. No need to thank us; just make sure Ben Affleck stars in it (like we had to ask)."—Dallas Observer.com

"It is probably too late, but I've decided that when I grow up I want to be Ted Bell. You can tell from the opening page of any of his Alex Hawke thrillers --- be it HAWKE, ASSASSIN, or the newly published PIRATE --- that the guy is a marvelous, unique talent: he has a canny understanding of how apparently disparate events and facts are connected, and a unique way of providing explanations for them --- so much so that his novels, taken collectively, could be subtitled "How The World Works." He is also married to a woman who, while not a household name, is possessed of one of the most brilliant minds on the planet. Lest you need any further endorsement, keep in mind that "10s" don't marry "2s." Bell's most significant literary asset, however, is that he understands people, so that while his excellent novels are plot-driven, there is always a set of living, responsive hands firmly at the wheel.

Bell easily could be considered the rightful heir to the throne of Robert Ludlum, but he is too talented to assume the chair of another; he brings his own to the table with unique and considerable talent. PIRATE and its predecessors are unbeatable. Highly recommended."

—Joe Hartlaub, Bookreporter.com

SPY: First Release: 2006 | Preview Here | Purchase Here

Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Hardcover Large Print, Paperback, Audio CD, Audiobook, Multi-media CD

Plot

Alex Hawke is on the hunt...

In this exhilarating tale of international suspense, New York Times bestsellingauthor Ted Bell's "larger-than-life hero" (Publishers Weekly), counterterrorist operative Alexander Hawke, must save the United States from a devastating terrorist operation.

When a mysterious explosion destroys his research vessel in search of a lost river, Alex Hawke is captured indigenous cannibals and enslaved deep within the Amazonian jungle. Before he escapes, he learns that a fearsome foe is preparingfor war - but against whom?

When he regains contact with his American and British intelligence counterparts,Alex's worst fears are confirmed. The men in the jungle are highly trained Hezbollah warriors who are planning an unspeakably violent jihad against America. While the United States focuses its efforts on the escalating borderdisputes with Mexico, Alex vos to put a stop to the deadly plot. Aware that hismission may be the country's only hope, he travels back into the jungle to destroy the lawless mastermind who dares to threaten America's very existence.

Praise for Spy

"SPY reminds me of the best writing from Ludlum, Clancy and Steven King—all rolled up into one amazing story. In fact, Ted Bell is now the writer I compare all others to—he is now the standard bearer for this kind of writing. And what is truly amazing is how Ted makes you believe that the events in SPY could happen…TODAY. SPY is riveting from page one." —Glenn Beck, the Glenn beck Show, CNN

“. . . everything we want in an action hero.” —Booklist

"Outstanding." - Lou Dobbs, CNN

“. . . a secret agent who takes you into the danger zone with a ballsy wit that had me hooked.” —Vince Flynn

“A plot that moves at breakneck speed . . . Spy is a great beach read [that] will not disappoint.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch

"I’ve become hooked on the Alex Hawke series written by Ted Bell. I mentioned that I would soon be reading the 4th book in that series entitled Spy. And I told you I expected it to be great. I was wrong. It was fabulous! Bell continues to draw me in with stories that hit so close to home. There is such a great note of truth to them, that I cannot help but wonder if truth is stranger than fiction, or in this case, worse. Spy tells the story of America at war with terrorists. Not just any terrorists. Yes, he includes the extremists that have attacked our country repeatedly from across the oceans. But he brings the war closer to home, with a story of terrorists from South American countries including Mexico and Brazil. This new breed of terrorist bring with them a technology so new, I admit I was not quite sure I knew where he was going with the story. In the end, my initial assumption was correct, but the thought that this technology really exists is frightening. I will close here with an adamant “READ THIS SERIES.” It still remains the next great read.
—Nicky Reynolds, The Next Good Read

"Bell draws the reader rapidly and continuously into the story, providing a reading experience that will have you glued to the pages. Hawke, the ultimate unifying factor in SPY, is believable as a character; real blood runs through his veins, and he inevitably loses some in the course of his duties. However, the narrative is by no means unrelentingly grim. Hawke's interplay with the many worthy secondary characters, male and female, is always amusing, as is the extremely subtle tribute to a classic mainstay of youth fiction that runs throughout the book.
— Joe Hartlaub, Bookreporter.com

TSAR: First Release: 2008

Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Hardcover Large Print, Paperback, Audio CD, Audiobook, Multi-media CD

Plot

Swashbuckling counter Spy Alex Hawke returns in New York Times bestselling author Ted Bell's most explosive tale of international suspense to date.

There dwells, somewhere in Russia, a man so powerful no one even knows his name. His existence is only speculated upon, only whispered about in American corridors of power and CIA strategy meetings. Though he is all but invisible, he is pulling strings -- and pulling them hard. For suddenly, Russia is a far, far more ominous threat than even the most hardened cold warriors ever thought possible.

The Russians have their finger on the switch to the European economy and an eye on the American jugular. And, most importantly, they want to be made whole again. Should America interfere with Russia's plans to "reintegrate" her rogue states, well then, America will pay in blood.

In Ted Bell's latest pulse-pounding and action-packed tour de force, Alex Hawke must face a global nightmare of epic proportions. As this political crisis plays out, Russia gains a new leader. Not just a president, but a new tsar, a signal to the world that the old, imperial Russia is back and plans to have her day. And in America, a mysterious killer, known only as Happy the Baker, brutally murders an innocent family and literally flattens the small Midwestern town they once called home. Just a taste, according to the new tsar, of what will happen if America does not back down. Onto this stage must step Alex Hawke, espionage agent extraordinaire and the only man, both Americans and the Brits agree, who can stop the absolute madness borne and bred inside the modern police state of Vladimir Putin's 'New Russia'.

Praise For TSAR

"As always, Bell pulls out all the stops with terrific action scenes, fiendish murders, diabolical villains, dramatic rescues and all the cool weaponry the reader could possibly hope for." —Publisher's Weekly

"I couldn't put it down." — Rush Limbaugh

“The tale of espionage and thrilling action unfolds with zeal.... [This] novel is so much fun.”— Roanoke Times

"The hero of Ted Bell’s spy series, Alex Hawke, battles treachery and love in his fifth adventure. Recuperating in Bermuda from the major injuries he received in Spy (2006), Alex is lounging on a beach when a ravishing beauty appears. His heart flutters, and he is smitten. She is the daughter of the ruthless power broker in the new Russia—a man who wants to destroy the U.S. and become the next tsar. In the meantime, a sadistic killer in the heartland of America unleashes his wrath, and a small town pays the price. Now Hawke must put aside his feelings for his new love and (once again) save the world. One subplot too many and the overplayed cliché of every woman in the novel being drop-dead gorgeous get in the way here, but even so, the main narrative flies by, displaying again Bell’s ability to turn out action-heavy espionage." —Jeff Ayers, From Booklist

"Talk about timing with the Georgia invasion, Ted bell looks like a genius with this action-packed electrifying thriller.  The story line is fast-paced from the moment that Alex and Anastasia meet and never slows down as confrontation seemingly everywhere is the norm.  Readers will salute Mr. Bell for his astuteness while appreciating a terific tale starring espionage agent Hawkins vs. the real New Russia."

—Harriet Klausner (#1 Amazon Reviewer) www.thebestreviews.com

"How exciting and engaging! My prediction, as a result of this fictional book predicting today’s reality, is that the incredible publicity will encourage a lot of readers to pick up Tsar and once they get hooked on Ted Bell’s writing, which is easy to do, they’ll start reading his other titles too. For you... that’s a positive reality of sales."

—thenewsgroup.com

WARLORD: 2010, Instant New York Times Bestseller

Plot

The elegant gentleman spy Alex Hawke has all but given up on life. The British-American MI6 counterterrorism operative lost the woman he loved on his last mission, almost a year ago, and has sought refuge the bottom of a rum bottle ever since. But late one night at his home on Bermuda, he receives a wake-up call . . . literally.

His Royal Highness Prince Charles, an old friend, desperately needs his help. Someone is threatening the lives of the British Royal Family. And the death threat Prince Charles received carries a signature identical to one Charles found in a book belong to his uncle, Lord Mountbatten—the beloved family patriarch who was assassinated 30 years before. Someone from the past again has the British crown in his sights, and has proven once before that these threats are not to be taken lightly. This is just the call to duty Hawke needs to get back in action—if the killer doesn’t end his life first.

Warlord is adventure-thriller fiction of the highest order—told with verve and swashbuckling panache by one of the absolute best in the game.

Praise for WARLORD

"Bell's fine sixth thriller featuring swashbuckling British spy Alex Hawke mixes action and suspense with just the right amount of humor and old-fashioned boys-book adventure. Hawke, who's been feeling suicidal since a personal tragedy in his last outing (Tsar), snaps out of his depression and back into secret agent mode after receiving a phone call from his old pal, His Royal Highness, the prince of Wales. Someone is targeting the British royal family for assassination, starting years earlier with Charles's uncle, Lord Mountbatten. All clues point to the IRA and the mysterious killer known as Mr. Smith.

Meanwhile, a terrorist organization, Sword of Allah, has joined forces with the Taliban and al-Qaeda and is carrying out a string of devastating bombings across the globe designed to establish a worldwide caliphate. Thriller readers looking for an unabashed romp with a patriotic heart and a smart take on modern-day terrorism will be amply rewarded."

—Publishers Weekly Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Prior to his last mission, British spy Alex Hawke met Russian artist Anastasia Korsakova on a Bermuda beach while on R&R. He falls in love with her, but his case inside the New Russia puts him against her father Count Ivan Korsakov. While he completed the mission, his beloved Anastasia dies (see Tsar).

Almost a year later, Hawke remains depressed with his only companion a bottle of rum that rarely numbs the pain inside his heart. He wants nothing to do with the espionage game until his royal friend Prince Charles begs him to help as someone threatens to assassinate the Royal family. Normally one to ignore such intimidation, Charles explains that somehow the culprit left a tome with a signature identical to the one belonging to his late uncle, Lord Mountbatten, who was murdered three decades ago. Hawke leaves Bermuda for London to begin his search for the mysterious killer. At the same time the Sword of Allah unites with the Taliban and al-Qaeda to form an evil alliance terrorizing the world.

The latest Hawke espionage thriller is an exhilarating tale that combines news headlines with the historical killing of Lord Mountbatten inside a super spy tale. Hawke's battle with suicidal depression feels real as he lost his love while killing her father so has welcomed a Russian death squad since he returned home to Bermuda. Now, only a special case called in by the Prince of Wales can get him back on the job and out of his crippling grief. Once in London, he reverts to Hawke super counter espionage agent. Warlord is a fabulous action-packed entry, but it is the fight within the hero's soul that makes it special."

—Harriet Klausner (#1 Amazon Reviewer) www.thebestreviews.com

"A James Bondish adventure brought up to date with Middle Eastern terrorists, Russian baddies and assorted other denizens of evil empires around the world.

Alex Hawke is a modern type, but not so modern that he's given up smoking—or, even if he does read Susan Sontag, that he's become new-age sensitive. He's a reader and a thinker, a veteran of British intelligence and a counterterrorism expert of renown. He also bears the burdens of grief. As Bell tells us in a slightly hamfisted bit of exposition, Alex's parents had been killed "at the hands of drug pirates when the boy was but seven" (which, doing the numbers, would put those drug pirates well ahead of the curve). To top that off, Alex's true love has fallen victim to the endless struggle between good and evil—or, as he puts it: "My heart's in the grave." By rights he should be a basket case, but then comes a call from old pal Prince Charles (yes, that Prince Charles), who informs him that the bloke or blokes who did in his uncle Dickie Mountbatten are back, threatening to repeat their dastardly acts on Charles and his progeny. The plot thickens, involving a small army of walk-on characters, some from real life (think Princess Di and Dodi Fayed) and some from an ample supply of stock characters (for one, an all-wise, ever-patient manservant). Though many genre conventions are well in place, Bell has fun with his tale, allowing Hawke enough opportunities for mayhem and carnage as to embarrass the murderous James Bond of Quantum of Solace—as when, for instance, he dispatches a terrorist, "little more than a boy," by slicing him apart with an assault knife. That's exactly in character, and exactly what the situation called for.

A meaty, entertaining thriller, sometimes predictable, more often not—just the thing for fans of Ludlum, Trevanian and Fleming."

—Kirkus Reviews

Phantom, An Alex Hawke Novel. On Sale: 3/20/2012

Available: Hardcover | Mass Market PB | eBook | Large Print

Plot

Counterspy Alex Hawke must catch a villainous megalomaniac—a man obsessed with horrifying experiments in cyberwarfare—in this mesmerizing new espionage thriller in Ted Bell's New York Times bestselling series

The first and most bizarre event nearly becomes a monumental catastrophe when something goes awry at an American theme park, wreaking havoc on visitors looking for nothing more than a sun-splashed holiday. In a different part of the country, a USAF F-15 pilot, escorting another jet in the skies over the Midwest, inexplicably loses control of his plane, endangering the lives of several people and deeply puzzling those following his mission on the ground. Then, in the misty calm of a coastal California evening, the world's premier scientist on the subject of artificial intelligence gets a strange phone call. When he hangs up, he quietly grabs his coat and leaves for an after-dinner stroll from which he never returns.

It's up to Hawke and the brilliant former inspector Ambrose Congreve to find out what could possibly be happening. But how does one identify—and fight—an enemy one can't see, a real phantom? Even these seasoned operatives are mystified. Is there really such a thing as an ultra-intelligent machine, a cyberweapon that can shift the geopolitical balance of power?

In a hunt that takes him from Palo Alto, California, to the Russian frontier, to Cambridge University and the glistening Mediterranean aboard his newly christened and armed super-yacht Blackhawke, Alex Hawke is joined by the unstoppable Stokely Jones and his ex-CIA buddy Harry Brock as he moves closer to unmasking the scientist behind these extraordinary events, going nose-to-nose with an enemy unlike any he's fought before—and may never again.