Mitch Rapp
thriller
Series · military thriller
Matt Drake
The Matt Drake series by Don Bentley has 4 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Without Sanction (2020).
- Books
- 4 books
- First published
- 2020
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Without Sanction (2020) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Without Sanction
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Without Sanction - Book 2:
The Outside Man
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Outside Man - Book 3:
Hostile Intent
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Hostile Intent - Book 4:
Forgotten War
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.
How to read this series
Read in publication order, starting with Without Sanction (2020) — the series builds a continuing cast and an ongoing antagonist across its four books, and later entries assume knowledge of earlier missions and losses.
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.
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Reading order last verified .