Thomas Ryan Books In Order

Publication Order of Jeff Bradley Books

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Thomas Ryan is an American thriller, mystery and fiction author known for his Jeff Bradley series. He’s been a soldier in the war theatre, done some trade business in Europe and struggled through a series of love and loss. The experiences he got motivated him to become an author. He has learned from the professionals who have helped him a lot with literary skills hence establishing himself fast as a skilled thriller writer.

Ryan considers himself a storyteller and creator who have entire put his psyche in the fantasy and creativity world. With the reader in mind, he creates fascinating characters in his storylines taking the readers into a thrilling journey, and this keeps him going.

The Field of Blackbirds

The Field of Blackbirds is the debut novel in Jeff Bradley series. The book introduces us to the protagonist of the story, Jeff Bradley, a former soldier. Jeff’s vineyard in New Zealand needs some incursion of cheap wine, and he sends his manager who is his trusted friend and a business associate, Arben Shala to Kosovo, his home country to acquire plenty of the wine. He is also to settle down a conflict over a vineyard belonging to his family. Arben disappears, and he is nowhere to be found leaving Jeff with no other alternative but to start a journey to Kosovo to look for him and promises Arben’s wife that he will get him.
Jeff notices that the search is against the will of some officials he happens to meet. He groups up with a crew of UN contractors and gets into the world of corruption and terrorism to find Arben. The author paints the landscape of a country left worn out after a cruel war. The characters interesting and even the bad guys at some moment shine up.

After Jeff goes around looking for Arben, he learns that he had been murdered in jail and swears to find out who did it and the reason behind it and later do his revenge with the help of the driver, Sulla and a group of New Zealand natives working in Kosovo. They find out that people are trying to steal Arben’s land and others connected with the local enforcement. However, the search is not very easy in a country where war and lawlessness are all over. He has to face the multiple crosses with the corrupt officials, terrorists and dangerous clashes for him to accomplish his mission.

Jeff meets Morgan Delaney working with USAID and he said to have met Arben briefly before his disappearance. He is at first not able to find any trace of Arben, but he comes across a few people he believes to be the criminals and might have something to do with the disappearance.

After a short while, Jeff introduces himself to Lee Caldwell, a US official that seems to have connections to the criminal investigation authority. He tracks terrorists from one country to another, and now that he is currently in Kosovo, he helps Jeff solve mysteries of the people who want to grab Arben’s land and the government officials involved in that corruption and lastly find what happened to him. Jeff soon finds himself not only in the middle of organized crime but also connected to terrorist bombers. Things get more complicated as his attraction towards Morgan continues growing. His search turns out to an international hunt for the terrorist connection that is destroying the European landscape as days pass. They are coming across corruption from the highest offices, secret agencies, and a series of murders.

Jeff investigates in a hazardous landscape where intrigue and betrayal are everyday occurrences and the disappearance of his vineyard manager might be a minor tip of what might happen afterward.

Ryan does an excellent job of developing the charming characters in The Field of Blackbirds. The book’s setting is superb describing the country, his people and their customs and also the civil war and the UN involvement. The author has also done a great job with the dialogue which is refreshing because of the crackles in it. Ryan weaves the characters; Jeff, Morgan, Sulla and their enemies with their personalities. The author hits the nail on the head with this crime thriller giving a believable portrayal of the world of terrorist missions blending it with, humor, danger, and romance to make it delightful.
The story is set up in Eastern Europe, mainly in the town of Kosovo giving the ethical, political and diplomatic situation in the country showing a thrilling insight into the unstable situation. The story is self-captivating with not only action and suspense but also the vivid description of the well-chosen characters and beautiful setting.

The Mark of Halam

The Mark of Halam is the second book in the Jeff Bradley series Life seem to have settled to an average speed after The Field of Blackbirds. The book begins with an attempted assassination of an Olympic medalist, Mary Jeff’s friend. Jeff Bradley knowing his past reflects his new life when he finds a note left by the assassin, and that creates his suspicions. What rings in his mind is that he made an enemy back in Kosovo and the man is seeking revenge on him.
Suddenly Jeff and his friends begin getting threats from the brother of the man he murdered in Kosovo. To make matters worse, the first US submarine is about to arrive in the port of New Zealand when there are many protesters in force. Soon it is evident that Jeff is only a secondary target since the group of terrorists is planning first to attack the submarine on its arrival.

Jeff seeks information on the people hunting him as he steps to a dangerous path. Even though he is no longer as a soldier, he feels that he needs to individually do everything to stop the terrorists also if it means getting killed while trying to prevent them.

The plot of the book is good, and the characters are well drawn making you turn pages. The story is set in Auckland in New Zealand making it a refreshing thriller to read.