Ted Bell's Monarch by Ryan Steck - Review

The hero we need is back! Alex Hawke leaps back into action in MONARCH to prevent threats against the British crown!

The great Ted Bell set the thriller genre on fire years ago by injecting Lord Alexander Hawke into the game and letting his page-turning action and high octane plots pave the way for his hero over the course of twelve books! Alex Hawke has had an illustrious adventure from book to book and 2025’s MONARCH is no different! 

A giant in publishing with success from his Hawke series, Ted Bell is sorely missed. With his passing in 2023, the future was uncertain for Lord Alex Hawke. Thanks to his estate and his daughter Byrdie Bell leading the charge, Ted’s writing legacy carried on with the selection of Ryan Steck to continue the series.

Steck is known for his Matthew Redd series that started with FIELDS OF FIRE and he is THE REAL BOOK SPY, the site known for book reviews and leading many of us to new books and authors. 

2025 is a huge year for Ryan as MONARCH marks his first book release of the year. GONE DARK, the fourth Matthew Redd hits shelves June 17th, while his third book of the year, THE SECOND SON co-written with Simon Gervais, releases November 11th. 

MONARCH… yay or nay?

The thriller world is not lacking in main characters we love as heroes, many with yearly book releases we find our noses nestled between the pages. A prevalent trend with thriller styles is hyper focused on grounded realism. This isn’t a new concept either, look at Tom Clancy and John Le Carre who paved the way for modern authors to bring that gritty realism and that style continues to bleed from pen to paper. 

While I have no problems with tackling real world plots involving geopolitics or perfect espionage tradecraft, there are times I want the stakes dashed with a bit of adventure and moxie. Give us the smooth suave bravado paired with the rough and tumble demeanor of characters like James Bond and Dirk Pitt. 

Well look no further! Alex Hawke is your man!

If you haven’t read any previous Ted Bell book, MONARCH showcases Alex Hawke, a daring Brit that challenges James Bond on being the best modern day spy and adventurer! Hawke has connects to Britain’s MI-6 and descends from English Privateer Blackhawk, the blood of pirates flows through him and gives him that edge that villains are foolish to challenge.

MONARCH begins with a gripping modern naval battle led by Alex Hawke’s insanely cool Seahawke yacht affixed with a direct energy weapon provided by Elon Musk. Y’all… this is swashbuckling fun! My eyes couldn’t read the pages fast enough and if I could snort the pages to inject this adrenaline into my system, Alex Hawke I’d be! 

Steck starts this Hawke adventure fast and doesn’t let up. From a thrilling sea battle to the discovery that King Charles is missing, Alex Hawke aka Lord Alexander Hawke jumps onto the challenge. Aided by former Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard Ambrose Congreve, the Holmesian detective, Hawke is hot on the trail to find the kidnapped King Charles. Meanwhile former Navy SEAL and freelance counterintelligence operative Stokely Jones Jr.  and CIA operative Harry Brock are hot on the trail of the illegal sale of Novichok nerve agent. 

I’ve read many continuation novels, whether in the James Bond or Mitch Rapp series. Furthering a character’s adventure and carrying on the voice of the author is no easy feat. Familiar with the Matthew Redd series, I’ve known for some time that Ryan Steck can pen a book. But he stepped into a thrilling series and continued Alex Hawke’s adventures and Ted Bell’s legacy with class, charm, and an uncanny ability to match Ted’s writing prowess. 

If Ryan’s name hadn’t been on the cover, one wouldn’t be faulted for thinking Ted wrote this from scratch. That’s not to say MONARCH is a facsimile of previous books either. Instead, Ryan Steck perfectly encapsulates the essence and voice of Ted Bell while adding his own flair and perfectly setting up Hawke into the future. 

So far into 2025, I’ve read only a few five star books. Without a doubt, I can say Ted Bell’s MONARCH by Ryan Steck is a thrilling adventure that perfectly weaves the characters and story into a high stakes, a do or die thriller that is the epitome of a page-turner!

MONARCH is a must-read book and easily earns a five out of five stars!! 

Synopsis:

"Monarch is that rarity in thrillers: first-class writing, wit, and suspense. This is one of the best Alex Hawke thrillers, and I've read all of them — James Patterson, #1 New York Times bestselling Author

"Hawke has never flown higher!" — Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Blood Lines

Ted Bell's New York Times bestselling series returns with Lord Alexander Hawke facing his greatest challenge yet—to find the missing king of Britain. 

Following a successful but costly mission to destroy an enemy outpost in Antarctica, Alex Hawke is looking forward to some quiet time at Teakettle Cottage, his home in Bermuda, along with his family. But he's not a man who can avoid trouble.

Former Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard Ambrose Congreve calls him with stunning news. Just days away from a controversial vote threatening to tear the United Kingdom apart at the seams, King Charles has disappeared while vacationing at Balmoral Castle. The prime minister believes she can keep the news quiet for no more than 72 hours. After that, Britain will be plunged into chaos.

With the fate of the kingdom hanging in the balance, it's up to Lord Hawke to find and rescue the missing monarch before it's too late.