Ted Bell was the chairman of the board and creative director of Young & Rubicam, one of the world's largest advertising agencies. He was also the New York Times bestselling author of the Alex Hawke series as well as the YA adventure novels Nick of Time and The Time Pirate. He passed away in January 2023. Ryan Steck is the author of Fields of Fire, Lethal Range, Redd Christmas, and Out for Blood. He is also a freelance editor, the founder and editor-in-chief of The Real Book Spy, and he was named an online influencer by Amazon. Praised as ""one of the hardest-working and fairest reviewers out there"" by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Steck has ""quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers"" (author A. J. Tata). He lives in Michigan.
“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 “Packed with twisting surprises and a double dose of action, Ted Bell’s Monarch marks the return of Lord Alexander Hawke, one of the thriller genre’s most captivating and electric heroes, as he races to not only stop a fiendish plot to attack London but also find the missing king before the UK is torn apart. Hawke has never flown higher!” — Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Blood Lines ""The smashing return of Alex Hawke in a pulse-pounding thriller of the first order. Relentless action, endless intrigue, and a masterful plot keep the pages flying."" — Dirk Cussler, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Corsican Shadow “Steck’s passion for this project leaps from every page. He masterfully captures Bell’s exuberance, characters, and storytelling in a way that will keep fans clamoring for more. Lord Hawke lives!” — Kyle Mills, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Code Red ""A twisty, action-packed thriller that reads like today's 007. Timely and relevant, Ryan Steck carries on the Hawke legacy with a voice that is both fresh and familiar. Ted Bell would be proud."" — Andrews & Wilson, New York Times bestselling authors of Tom Clancy Act of Defiance. “Alex Hawke is back in a twisted tale of adventure, action, and intrigue. Ryan Steck’s vivid prose, firmly conceived plot, and edge-of-your-seat action scenes all contribute to make Monarch an obsessive page-turner the great Ted Bell would be proud of.” —Simon Gervais, former RCMP counterterrorism officer and bestselling author of The Elias Network. “Ryan Steck channels Alex Hawke perfectly. This is my dad’s Alex Hawke. The Hawke we all know and love.” — Byrdie Bell