Since the publication of his first novel, National Security, in 2011, Marc Cameron has been hooking readers across the world with his exhilarating, action-packed thriller novels. Cameron has written three bestselling series, with each new installment drawing readers back into the world of spies, betrayal, and heart-pounding action. The best reading order for Cameron’s novels is to approach each series chronologically.
Before starting his career as an author, Cameron served in American law enforcement for over twenty-five years. His work took him across the country, with many of his assignments focusing on fugitive retrieval and dignitary protection. Cameron has used these experiences as inspiration throughout his writing, adding an extra edge and sense of realism to his narratives.
Cameron has spent much of his writing career at the top of bestseller lists, gaining repeated praise for his unpredictable plots and engaging prose. Due to his popularity, his novels have been translated into multiple languages across the globe. Cameron gained further notoriety in 2017 when he started contributing to the beloved Jack Ryan series.
To truly delve into the world of each of Cameron’s series, it is best to approach them chronologically and to read through each series separately. Each novel focuses on its own mission, but characters and certain plot points do overlap between books, so readers are encouraged to follow the publication order. Read on to find out how to immerse yourself in Cameron’s world of mystery, deception, and moral ambiguity!
All Marc Cameron Books in Order
The Jericho Quinn Series
National Security (2011)
When a terror group transforms three of its members into human time bombs, the whole of America is at risk. Biological warfare of this kind has never been seen before and no one, not even the White House, is sure how to combat it.
Desperate times call for extreme measures, and they come in the form of Jericho Quinn, an air force veteran, champion boxer, and trained assassin. Forming a task force that, officially, does not exist, Quinn reports only to the Director of National Intelligence and the President. The fate of the country rests in his hands alone in National Security.
Act of Terror (2012)
The American public descends into chaos as their fellow citizens begin to perform random acts of terror. Trained to annihilate America, these covert agents belong to a terrifying terrorist network.
When the search for these double agents escalates into a fear-driven witch hunt, Quinn is running out of options, especially when his own name appears on the list of suspects. A thrilling and jaw-dropping follow-up to National Security, readers are sure to love the second installment in the series, Act of Terror.
State of Emergency (2013)
A series of unprecedented events send the world spiraling into panic. A Russian and an American agent are both found dead, college students are randomly dying from radiation poisoning, and, worse still, San Fransico and St Petersburg are bombed simultaneously. But these attacks are merely a warning. A hidden figure promises that the next event will be nuclear.
Quinn and his team must track down this twisted figure before he can strike again. Their investigation leads them to South America just as the renowned Dakar rally is about to begin. Racing 6,000 miles on a motorbike against his adversary is all that stands between Quinn and the end of the world in State of Emergency.
Time of Attack (2014)
What begins as a random, small outbreak of a new virus in Utah quickly spirals into biological warfare as country after country is targeted with this plague-like illness. As more people fall prey to this deadly infection, the world is in desperate need of a hero.
Pulled from uncovering the mystery behind a family tragedy, Quinn is once again thrust into the chaos of hidden terror groups and deadly weaponry. Quinn must dismantle a network of elite assassins before they have infected the entire global population. Time of Attack is full of nail-biting sequences that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Day Zero (2015)
Quinn finds himself on the other side of the law when members of the White House turn against him and accuse him of murder. Desperate to flee the country, Quinn and his daughter board a plane that will take them far away from America.
As the flight departs, Quinn realizes he’s made the wrong choice. A brutal murder and attempted arrests all seem minor in comparison to the bomb a hidden individual triggers. Day Zero sees Quinn at his most vulnerable as he fights to survive without the tools and support of the White House.
Brute Force (2015)
Society descends into chaos when it is revealed that the President is now controlled by terrorists and his Vice President, McKeon, has orchestrated a brutal biological attack. Mckeon rapidly progresses from enforcing stricter surveillance to transforming America into a police state.
Quinn must clear his name and save America from destruction before it is too late. In Brute Force, Quinn is the only man who can save America.
Field of Fire (2016)
The City of Angels is targeted with a deadly nerve gas that kills innocent civilians and spreads a global panic about which city will be hit next. Quinn must track down the creator of New Archangel before the scientist’s mind succumbs to dementia and the Russians capture him.
InField of Fire, if Quinn doesn’t find the scientist in the Alaskan wilderness, the world as we know it will end.
Dead Drop (2017)
In the first Jericho Quinn novella, Quinn’s summer vacation with his daughter is interrupted when a terrorist group hijacks the nation’s busiest waterpark. Using the famous twenty-story ‘Death Drop’ waterslide as a watchtower and herding tourists into a swimming pool, the terrorists will stop at nothing to achieve their goal.
But Quinn isn’t willing to play their games and is adamant that he will save his daughter and the lives of thousands of civilians in the concise but powerful plot of Dead Drop.
The Triple Frontier (2018)
When his brother is taken hostage in the infamous Triple Frontier, Quinn is determined to save his life. But this time, he doesn’t have the support or the resources of the American government, leaving him to amass his own cartel.
In Triple Frontier, Quinn will stop at nothing to protect his brother.
Active Measures (2019)
When the threat of a nuclear holocaust hangs over negotiations between America and Cuba, there is only one man who can guarantee America’s safety. With a team of fellow special agents, Quinn sneaks into Cuba to unravel a nuclear plot before it can ever come to fruition.
Confronted with obstacle after obstacle, Quinn is fighting for his life, and the future of the planet, in the twisted plot of Active Measures.
The Arliss Cutter Series
Open Carry (2019)
Open Carry introduces readers to a new hero, Arliss Cutter, a Deputy US Marshal who served in the Middle East and spent years honing his tracking skills. Now, he is tasked with a new mission, finding a killer in the isolated, haunting forests of Southeast Alaska.
As the search continues, Cutter realizes that he might be the one being hunted.
Stone Cross (2020)
A federal judge is hounded by death threats but refuses to seek protection, forcing Cutter and his deputy, Lola, to shadow him as he ventures to Stone Cross, an isolated Alaskan town. When Cutter and Lola arrive, they find a community seized by fear. A young couple has gone missing and their handyman has been found dead.
In Stone Cross, Cutter must unravel the mystery behind these strange occurrences before the killer can strike again, all while guarding the judge with his own life.
Bone Rattle (2021)
Cutter is caught between cultural conflicts and new duties when he finds himself assigned to monitoring sequestered jurors for a high-profile drug case. As the bodies begin to pile up, Cutter realizes that there is far more to this trial than there originally seemed.
Cutter must navigate the differing beliefs of multiple communities and institutional corruption to uncover the truth as tensions rise in Bone Rattle.
Cold Snap (2022)
When Cutter finds himself stranded in the wilderness with four murderous prisoners, the situation quickly descends into a battle for survival. Cutter must use every piece of training and equipment he can pile together to survive the fight for his life.
A truly jaw-dropping tale, readers won’t be able to put down Cold Snap once they’ve started it.
Breakneck (2023)
Tasked with protecting a judge and her daughter as they travel to a judicial conference, Cutter and Lola are looking forward to a routine mission. Until it’s revealed that the train they’re on also carries a gang of terrorists who will stop at nothing until the judge is dead.
Thrown into the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness, Cutter must protect the lives of the judge and her daughter in the page-turning narrative of Breakneck. The latest installment of the Cutter series is expected to be released in April 2023.
The Jack Ryan Series
Power and Empire (2017)
With the G20 summit approaching, Ryan is desperate to keep global relations as stable as possible, but as attacks grow in both numbers and severity, he’s rapidly running out of options.
Cameron’s first addition to the Jack Ryan series, Power and Empire, is full of the deception and action fans love about the series.
Oath of Office (2018)
Ryan has been faced with countless dilemmas as President, but as a flu-like illness strikes the country and members of the senate conspire against him, he is at a loss. Things go from bad to worse when Jack Jr is kidnapped on a mission.
Oath of Office pushes Ryan to his extreme as he struggles to balance mounting duties and international stability.
Code of Honor (2019)
When an old school friend is arrested in Indonesia, Ryan’s hands are tied. As President, he can’t be seen moving against Indonesia, however much he may want to rescue his friend. Things only get more complicated when Ryan discovers a message from his friend warning of an attack.
Readers will immediately be hooked by Code of Honor as it details the dangers of international deception.
Shadow of the Dragon (2020)
When a Chinese scientist goes missing, the Chinese government frantically tries to retrieve him before his knowledge of aerospace and naval technology can be utilized by their enemies.
In Shadow of the Dragon, President Ryan entrusts the scientist’s recovery to John Clark, certain that his best agent won’t fail him.
Chain of Command (2021)
Jack Ryan is known for his unending courage and honor. He is not a man that can be coerced or convinced to betray the American people. But when a power-hungry billionaire sets his sights on Ryan, he knows exactly how to get the President in his pocket.
When mercenaries are sent to kidnap the First Lady, Ryan will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves. Chain of Command thrillingly explores the battle between love and duty.
Red Winter (2022)
Cameron’s latest entry into the Jack Ryan universe takes readers back in time to the Cold War when a young Ryan was tasked with collecting information from a potential Russian defector. The only problem is, he has to leave the safety of America and his allies to travel behind the Berlin Wall and into enemy territory.
In Red Winter, Ryan becomes the hunted as he desperately tries to retrieve potentially world-saving information before it’s too late.
Standalone Novels
To Hell and Beyond (2017)
A western epic, To Hell and Beyond, follows the Scout Trackers as they travel across America distributing their own form of justice. As modernity catches up with the cowboy, they find themselves in a changing land in which they must fight for survival. This novel was originally published in two separate parts under the pseudonym, Mark Henry.
Final Thoughts
Since 2011, Cameron has been gripping readers with pulse-pounding tales of terrorist threats, brooding heroes, and courage. His personal experience of the police force gives his novels an edge as he masterfully repurposes the conventions of the thriller genre. Fans of the thriller and spy genres won’t be able to put Cameron’s books down once they have started reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be another Arliss Cutter book?
Yes, the fifth installment of the Cutter series, Breakneck, is due to be released in April 2023.
Where is Marc Cameron from?
Marc Cameron was born and raised in Texas. He now resides in Alaska with his wife.
When did Marc Cameron start writing Jack Ryan novels?
Cameron first started contributing to the Jack Ryan series in 2017 and continues to do so alongside Mark Greaney, Grant Blackwood, and Mike Maden.
How long did Marc Cameron serve in law enforcement?
Cameron worked in law enforcement for twenty-nine years, spending nineteen of those years in the United States Marshal Service.
How many Jericho Quinn novels are there?
Currently, there are eight novels and two novellas in the Quinn series. It is unclear whether Cameron plans to continue the series.
Based in Ontario, Canada, Colton is an avid writer who enjoys learning while he writes. With years of writing experience, Colton has covered topics varying from books to business, travel, tourism, and video games. When he is not writing, you may find him hiking, reading, or on some road trip!
