by Carr, Jack
I pulled my head from the study of conflict to discover the late legendary Vince Flynn and read Term Limits on a plane to Afghanistan in 2003. Upon my return home I immediately caught up and read Transfer of Power, The Third Option, and Separation of Power. I haven’t missed one since, including the newest in the series, Red War, by Kyle Mills, who is doing an outstanding job keeping Vince’s legacy alive.
I snuck in my first Brad Thor novel on the way to Ramadi, Iraq, in 2005. I read The Lions of Lucerne on the flight into what was arguably the most dangerous city in the world at the time. The entire Task Unit had read it by the end of deployment, and we’ve all been Scot Harvath fans ever since. Little did I know then what a profound impact Brad would have on my life. Brad, thank you for breaching the door for me. Without you, none of this would be possible. I am forever in your debt.
More recently in my post-military life, I was introduced to Mark Greaney. If you have not read his Gray Man series, add it to the top of your list.
These incredible authors have created the iconic characters of Mitch Rapp, Scot Harvath, Gabriel Allon, Bob Lee Swagger, Jack Ryan, John Clark, and Court Gentry. Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world.
I remain a student of war, and that study continues to inform my writing, hopefully tempered by wisdom and the benefit of time and distance from the battlefield. I borrowed much of Reece’s Islamic studies teacher in Morocco from the real-life Maajid Nawaz and his fascinating book, Radical. The Grand Mosque seizure really did happen in Mecca in 1979. Unofficial estimates put the death toll at more than four thousand, not counting the sixty-plus rebels publicly beheaded in eight cities around the country in its aftermath. What would have happened between the West and Islam, had the House of Saud not taken a road toward increased authoritarianism while allowing religious conservatism to flourish in the wake of the siege? Would fifteen of the 9/11 hijackers have been sons of Saudi Arabia? Would The Kingdom still be the most significant source of financial support to terrorist groups around the world? We will never know.
Aside from the legendary authors who have led the way, I owe a debt of gratitude to a number of people who made this novel a reality. Their levels of knowledge and expertise certainly eclipse mine. Any errors on these pages rest with me alone.
On the Africa front, to the professional hunters and anti-poaching units I worked with in Mozambique and South Africa as both research for this book and to repurpose some of my old skills for a new cause, thank you for what you do day in and day out on the front lines to protect African wildlife. To Jumbo Moore, Jacques Hartzenberg, Ryan Cliffe, Louis Pansegrouw, Paul Wellock, and Darren Ellerman, you might recognize your contributions to the novel. To John Burrell and everyone at High Adventure Company for setting everything up and for always doing an exemplary job. To my friend Billy Birdzell for spearheading our trip to train an anti-poaching unit in the Kalahari focused on saving some of the last rhino on earth. To Tony Makris for always pointing me in the right direction. To Gus van Dyk for sharing your deep knowledge of conservation efforts in Africa and to former South African police officer Nic de Kock for answering all my questions on poaching syndicates and the black market trade in illicit wildlife. To “Hubert” for an incredible life story, one that will make it into fictionalized form in my next novel. To Shane Mahoney for all you do to defend the wild others. And, to Jeff Crane, Phil Hoon and PJ Carleton at the Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation for fighting the legislative battles.
To those who live by the gun: Larry Vickers, Ken Hackathorn, Pat McNamara, “Goat,” Eric Frohardt, Jeff Houston, Mickey Schuch, Sean Haberberger, Keith Walawender, D’Arcy Echols, Tim Fallon, Dave Knesek, Doug Prichard, Chip Beaman, Cory Zillig, Eddie Penny, Kyle Lamb, Mike Pannone, Tim Clemit, Bill Rogers, Joe Collins, Bill Rapier, Johnny Primo, Caylen Wojcik, Travis Haley, Mario Garcia, Clay Hergert, and everyone who puts in the time to responsibly train in defense of themselves and their loved ones.
To Clint and Heidi Smith of Thunder Ranch, thank you for inviting us in all those years ago, and for all you do for law enforcement, our military, and my family.
To “Biss”—great things on the horizon.
To James Yeager for everything you did to make The Terminal List such a success.
To Susan Hastings for the generous year-long loan of her collection of Rhodesian history books. I promise to return them soon.
To Shahram Moosavi for all the life lessons in the ring and on the mat. Training with you made BUD/S seem like a walk in the park.
To Dom Raso of Dynamis Alliance, thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my family. Keep crushing!
To Daniel Winkler and Karen Shook of Winkler Knives, thank you for doing more than most will ever know for those who operate on the edge. It is appreciated more than any of us can express.
To Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Brad Cavner, killed in a training accident on June 23, 2014. He left an indelible impact on the SEAL Teams and everyone who was fortunate enough to meet him. Thank you to the Cavner Family for allowing me to honor his memory by incorporating his toast into the novel.
To Andrew Arrabito and Kelsie Bieser of Half Face Blades for always saying an enthusiastic yes to my blade ideas and for always diving in to help.
To neurological spine surgeon Dr. Robert Bray for your service and sacrifice, what you continue to do for veterans, and for always patching me up after the scrapes that come with the territory. Your kindness and generosity are never far from my thoughts. Thank you to you and Tracey for making our post-military life possible. We couldn’t do it without you.
To Chris Cox, David Lehman, and Graham Hill for always being there.
To Rick and Esther Rosenfield for your love and support.
To Nick and Tina Cousoulis for your inspiration.
To all our friends who have been there every step of the way: Garry and Victoria Peters, Jim and Nancy Demetriades, Josh and Audrey Waldron, Larry and Rhonda Sheakley, Martin and Kelly Katz, Razor and Sylvia Dobbs, Mike Atkinson, Mac Minard, Mike Port, Jonny Sanchez, Alec Wolf, George Kollitides, Bob Warden, Wally McLallen, Nick Seifert, and Jeff Kimball.
To Jimmy Spithill and Jerome Sammarcelli for your assistance on the sailing portion of the story. One would think I would know a bit more about boats after twenty years in the Navy.
To Tuck Beckstoffer, your wine was a constant companion well into my late writing nights.
To Jeff Rotherham for once again guiding me through the world of IEDs and homemade explosives. I hope no one ever pisses you off.
To Jon Dubin for your time at the FBI, for Pineapple Brothers, for our past adventures and those to come.
To Trig and Annette French for your friendship and early enthusiastic support of The Terminal List.
To Andrew Kline, Frank Lecrone, Kevin O’Malley, and Jimmy Klein: Pals.
To Darren LaSorte for a lifetime of friendship and for everything you’ve done to support the cause.
To Scott Naz for answering all my fishing questions.
To Frank Argenbright for the opportunities.
To Shane Reilly for moving my family while I was deployed. I may have planned it that way.
To Hoby Darling, Erik Snyder, Mike Augustine, Brian Sudler, Jesse Mease, Jason Bertrand, Tom Brace and Paul Swedenborg for keeping me humble in our morning workouts.
To Scott Grimes and Jason Salata, let’s get back on a river soon.
To Craig Flynn for always dropping everything to come to the rescue. Someday it will pay off.
To Lacey Biles for all you do in defense of freedom.
To Michael Davidson, Adnan Kifayat and Ben Bosanac for your very early support.
To Damien and Jennifer Patton, you are poised to change the world.
To James Jarrett, soldier, horseman, professor, writer, gunman, and patriot. A graduate of the jungles and tall grass of Southeast Asia, his short story, “Death in the Ashau,” is required reading. A brilliantly written piece that highlights the underlying disconnect between the operator
in the mud and the starched-uniformed brass in the Pentagon, it’s a less-than-subtle critique of the McNamara-era numbers and data-driven war through a fixed ten-power scope and the business end of a .308-caliber 168-grain International Match Boat Tail Hollow Point. You can hunt it down in De Oppresso Liber: A Poetry & Prose Anthology by Special Forces Soldiers published by Old Mountain Press.
To those who continue their work in the shadows and cannot be named, thank you for living at the tip of the spear.
To Jeff and Kristi Hoffman at Black Hills Ammunition for your support, technical expertise, and for making rounds that have put more than a few of our nation’s enemies in the dirt.
To the legendary Ross Seyfried for an education in African rifles and cartridges.
To Andy B. for your expertise in all things Russian intelligence.
To Jocko Willink and Jeff Johnston for lending a hand with the jiujitsu and combatives.
To Elias Kfoury for help on the tactical medicine front and for keeping our friends alive downrange in some of the worst situations imaginable.
To Dylan Murphy for all your help with the blade work—you are the reason I carry a gun.
Thank you to Brock Bosson and the team at Cahill Gordon & Reindell for being the equivalent of Tier One operators on the legal front.
Thank you to Mitch Langberg at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck for your advice, counsel, and for always having my back. Don’t know what I’d do without you.
Thank you to the politicians, committees, attorneys, lobbyists, journalists and influencers who helped usher this novel through the “30-day” Department of Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review process. It truly was a team effort . . . all seven months of it.
To Ironclad Media for a next-level video trailer for The Terminal List. You certainly raised the bar.
To Dan Gelston for your time in uniform and for all your support. If things at L3 Technologies don’t work out, you have a bright future in copy editing. Thank you for all your help.
To Teddy Novin, Olivia Gallivan, Jason Wright, Hana Bilodeau, and “Mato” at SIG Sauer for treating me like one of the family. A SIG P226 was at my side on every deployment and remains my go-to pistol to this day.
To all those who took a chance by inviting me on your podcasts, radio shows, and TV programs, and to everyone who promoted the novel at the grassroots level—you made The Terminal List a success. I’ll never forget, nor take for granted what you did for me. Among many others, thank you to Andy Stumpf, John Dudley, Evan Hafer, Jarred Taylor, Marcus Torgerson, Mat Best, Porter Berry, John Barklow, Jonathan Hart, Max Thieriot, AJ Buckley, Neil Brown Jr., Justin Melnick, Hank Garner, Adam Janke, Amy Robbins, Tom Davin, Mike Ritland, Ryan Michler, Trevor Thompson, John Devine, Jason Swarr, Ben Tirpak, Mark Bollman, Maddie Taylor, Rick Stewart, and Rob Olive—author of Essential Liberty.
To Katie Pavlich for being there once again. This is starting to become a habit.
To Gavy Friedson for the future novel ideas. I’m looking forward to a research trip to Israel.
To Ryan Steck, aka The Real Book Spy, for all you do for the thriller genre and for all you’ve done for me. It is sincerely appreciated.
To Desiree Holt—you make me blush. Thank you for energy and enthusiasm.
To all the bookstores and booksellers, thank you for all you do and for always making me feel at home.
To Barbara Peters of Poisoned Pen, thank you for your guidance and for all you do for authors and readers.
To everyone at Dolly’s Bookstore in Park City, thank you for always making me feel right at home.
To Lucky Ones Coffee, thank you for employing and empowering people of all abilities and disabilities, and for keeping me fueled up throughout the writing process.
To K. J. Howe, thank you for making Thrillerfest a not-to-be-missed event and for putting together such an incredible assembly of authors. I’m looking forward to doing some additional damage to New York’s Guinness supply with Eric Bishop, A. J. Tata, and Brad Taylor. Eric, good luck with The Body Man. I can’t wait to read it.
To Lee Child and Steve Berry for your support of those of us new to the ranks and for welcoming us into the club of scribes.
To the staff at Bouchercon, thank you for bringing together authors and readers in such a special event. Being able to talk, exchange stories and build friendships among those with a collective love of books is invaluable. I am an author, reader, and fan, so getting to spend time with my friends and fellow authors Mark Greaney, Christine Carbo, Simon Gervais, and Josh Hood is almost too much fun.
To fellow author and Marine Matthew Betley for leading the way.
To Ray Porter, narrator of the audio version of The Terminal List and True Believer, thank you for knocking it out of the park.
To Mystery Mike, thank you for sharing your passion and knowledge, and for tracking down my new collection of first editions.
To Carolyn Reidy, president and CEO of Simon & Schuster. Thank you for taking a risk on an unknown and for always making time for me. I am all in!
To Jon Karp, president and publisher of Simon & Schuster. Thank you for being such a champion!
To Libby McGuire, senior vice president and publisher of Atria Books, thank you for all your support.
To Suzanne Donahue of Atria Books, your excitement is infectious, especially surrounding your favorite chapter in The Terminal List.
Thank you to the best publisher and editor in the business, the incredible Emily Bestler of Emily Bestler Books. Your leadership, insight, experience, and friendship mean more to me than you will ever know. Without you, James Reece would still be imprisoned on my hard drive. Thank you for everything!
To David Brown, publicist extraordinaire. Nobody does it better. Thank you for your expertise, energy, and direction and for keeping the Atria Mystery Bus charging full steam ahead. I owe you more than a few drinks. Much appreciated, my friend.
To Lara Jones for staying on top of everything and for keeping us all in line. Thank you for all your efforts!
To Al Madocs, the most understanding production editor on the planet. Thank you for your patience, expertise, and for making this all come together.
To Jen Long at Pocket Books for a fantastic paperback edition of The Terminal List. I absolutely love it!
To my agent, Alexandra Machinist, for your honesty and expertise. Maybe someday I’ll even get you to the range.
To Garrett Bray, your creativity and skill in the digital marketing domain are second to none. I can’t thank you enough.
To my parents for instilling in me a lifelong love of reading.
To Chris Pratt, thank you. And to Jared Shaw for connecting the dots. Who would have thought that a conversation all those years ago in my office in the SEAL Teams would have led us where it has. I’m fired up for what’s ahead!
To Brigadier General and Mrs. Kenneth Strong, and their amazing daughter, Emily Wood, thank you for welcoming me into your families and for all the time I spent in The Hill House; a better strategic and tactical position for both writing and defense would be hard to find.
To my writing partner in this venture, Keith Wood. Though his name does not grace the cover jacket, every part if this process is a team effort. The reader would be surprised at how much I learn about bullet weights, barrel lengths, and muzzle velocities from Keith’s capable mind. Keith, thank you for all you do to bring the story to life.
Thank you to the readers who have enjoyed these first two James Reece adventures. There are more to come!
Above all else, I want to thank my beautiful wife, Faith, for putting up with this crazy enterprise; late nights, research, copious amounts of Black Rifle Coffee, glass after glass of my favorite Mockingbird Blue, more than a few whiskeys, days spent locked in the library, trips to Africa to immerse myself in the illicit world of poaching, and revisiting memories from the battlefield best left in the dust. Thank you, my love. And, to our three children who put up with Dad going into lockdown for the final phases of ed
iting, you are always in my thoughts.
And finally, to those who continue to hold the line and run to the sound of the guns, I am eternally grateful.
More from this Series
The Terminal List
Book 1
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JACK CARR is an author and former Navy SEAL sniper. He lives with his wife and three children in Park City, Utah. He is the author of the critically acclaimed thriller The Terminal List. Visit him at OfficialJackCarr.com and follow the action on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @JackCarrUSA.
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Facebook.com/EmilyBestler @EmilyBestler
ALSO BY JACK CARR
The Terminal List
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