Evan Ryder
espionage thriller
Series · military thriller
Matt Drake
The Matt Drake series by Don Bentley has 4 known books (4 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Without Sanction (2020). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Forgotten War.
- Books
- 4 known books (4 novels)
- Published
- 4
- First published
- 2020
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Thriller
- Last checked
Start here: Without Sanction (2020) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Without Sanction
At 424 pages, Without Sanction is the longest entry in Matt Drake, launching Don Bentley's series in 2020. It introduces Drake, a Defense Intelligence Agency operative and former Army pilot, through a hostage rescue in Afghanistan that spirals into a much larger conspiracy, written with the technical precision of an author who actually flew Apache helicopters and worked FBI counterintelligence.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Without Sanction - Book 2:
The Outside Man
The Outside Man, published in 2021 at 400 pages, is the second Matt Drake novel, sending the DIA operative through the Middle East against an escalating cast of state and non-state threats. It continues the ongoing storyline and cast Don Bentley established in Without Sanction the year before.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Outside Man - Book 3:
Hostile Intent
The third entry in the Matt Drake series, Hostile Intent was published in 2022 and runs 400 pages, pitting Drake against a recurring nemesis known as the Devil. It carries forward the continuing cast and aviation-detail authenticity that made the series Don Bentley's calling card ahead of his later Mitch Rapp and Jack Ryan continuation work.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Hostile Intent - Book 4:
Forgotten War
Forgotten War closes out the published run of Matt Drake to date, following Hostile Intent in 2023 as the fourth book. No fifth installment has been announced since, as Don Bentley's schedule has instead been occupied by his continuation work on Mitch Rapp and Jack Ryan.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Forgotten War
About the Matt Drake series
Before Don Bentley took over Mitch Rapp and started co-writing Jack Ryan, he launched his own hero: Matt Drake, a Defense Intelligence Agency operative and former Army pilot whose missions read with the technical precision you'd expect from an author who actually flew Apache helicopters and worked FBI counterintelligence before writing fiction. Without Sanction (2020) drops Drake into a hostage rescue in Afghanistan that spirals into a much larger conspiracy; The Outside Man (2021), Hostile Intent (2022) and Forgotten War (2023) send him through the Middle East and beyond against an escalating cast of state and non-state threats, including a recurring nemesis known as the Devil.
The series is Bentley's calling card — the authenticity of the tradecraft and aviation detail is what got him tapped by the Flynn and Clancy estates to continue Mitch Rapp and Jack Ryan, and it remains his most personal, continuity-driven work outside those franchises.
Frequently asked questions
How many Matt Drake books are there?
Four as of Forgotten War (2023): Without Sanction, The Outside Man, Hostile Intent and Forgotten War.
What order should I read the Matt Drake books in?
Publication order, starting with Without Sanction. The series follows a continuing storyline and cast.
Is there a new Matt Drake book coming?
None has been announced as of 2026; Don Bentley has been focused on the Mitch Rapp and Jack Ryan continuation novels since Forgotten War (2023).
Is Matt Drake connected to Don Bentley's Mitch Rapp or Jack Ryan books?
No — Matt Drake is Bentley's own original character and series, separate from his continuation work on Mitch Rapp and Jack Ryan.
If you like the Matt Drake series
Reading order last verified .