The Second Son by Simon Gervais & Ryan Steck - Review
Did authors Simon Gervais and Ryan Steck strike gold with their team-up thriller novel The Second Son?
Did multi-book release authors Simon Gervais and Ryan Steck strike gold (again) with their team-up thriller The Second Son?
If you haven’t heard of thriller authors Simon Gervais and/or Ryan Steck, then either you are living under a rock or don’t read thriller fiction. So here is a great opportunity to gear up for their latest thriller, The Second Son, which releases December 1st!
2025 has been a busy year for both authors. Gervais had the second book in his Caspian Anderson/Elias series, The Elias Enigma, release in July. Steck on the other hand had two books release already in 2025–Ted Bell’s Monarch (Alex Hawke series) in March and Gone Dark (Matthew Redd series) in June. But this time the thriller authors teamed up to pen a suspenseful, action-packed thriller you must get your hands on.
Reviews:
The Elias Enigma by Simon Gervais
Ted Bell’s Monarch by Ryan Steck
Twists and Turns…
No spoilers for now, but wow! Not only did Gervais and Steck land a HUGE WIN with The Second Son, but talk about whiplash! And I mean that in the best way possible (whiplash is good? Just go with it…Trust me!).
The Second Son introduces readers to Chase Burke, the protagonist who has transformed from soldier to sommelier. With a set of skills to hold his own and a nose for the finest wines, Chase sheds light on life after service, but what connects readers is the emotional depth.
Chase Burke finds himself dealing with the aftermath of his older brother who died in covert action yet branded a traitor. Paired with Chase’s attempts to move his life forward, he soon is caught in the crossfire protecting the woman he has had his eye on, who is a congresswoman marked for death. Once his heroism is questioned by Detectives and his own question failing to add up, Chase goes on the run to clear his name and unravel the mystery that threatens the Congresswoman and his life.
My thoughts…
When I first started The Second Son, I had little knowledge of the book aside from Gervais and Steck teaming up. Being a big fan of both, I was game and excited to see what these two cook up! The book is a perfect amalgamation of the authors, blending their storytelling, characterization, and word craft in such a natural, seamless reading experience. Never knowing where one author stopped and the other picked up the pen, their expertise is on display showcasing thriller prowess!
The Second Son is the epitome of a “cannot put this down” thriller. I consumed this book in one day. With each twist and turn, I had to how Burke would survive and overcome the next twist thrown his way. Better yet, expertly baked into story, readers are treated to organic eye opening moments. You have no choice but to stay up late and turn that next page!
The Second Son by Simon Gervais and Ryan Steck is an excellent thriller, one of the best of 2025, and clearly showcases why Gervais and Steck are on top of their game!
The Second Son releases December 1st!
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Scoreboard!
Just a reminder for 2025 book releases, The Second Son elevates Simon Gervais as 2 for 2 and Ryan Steck is 3 for 3!
Synopsis:
A pulse-pounding yet soulful espionage thriller for fans of Brad Thor, Jack Carr, and Mark Greaney, delivering plot twists so explosive, it took two top suspense writers to pull it off.
Soldier-turned-sommelier Chase Burke may have traded his rifle for bottles of wine, but violence and conspiracy aren’t through with him yet. First, his intelligence analyst brother is killed in a covert op gone wrong and branded a traitor. Then a brutal ambush at the restaurant where Chase works leaves the woman he is romantically involved with—a congresswoman—clinging to life.
Scrambling to clear the family name and protect his secret love, Chase teams up with NYPD Detective Alice Doyle, a single mother fighting battles of her own. Together they uncover a powerful criminal syndicate whose unscrupulous influence sweeps the globe—and strikes painfully close to home.
As elite mercenaries close in, Chase is dragged back into the dangerous world he thought he’d escaped. Facing a mother losing her memory and a past that never forgets, he fights to win a zero-sum game where trust can be lethal. But when all seems lost, an unlikely ally could help turn the tide…
Pre-order Here: