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Series · thriller
Scot Harvath
The Scot Harvath series by Brad Thor has 26 known books (26 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Lions of Lucerne (2002). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Choke Point.
- Books
- 26 known books (25 novels + 1 novella)
- Published
- 26
- First published
- 2002
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Thriller
- Last checked
Start here: The Lions of Lucerne (2002) — 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:
The Lions of Lucerne
The Lions of Lucerne (2002) launched the Scot Harvath series, introducing him as a Secret Service agent before his later moves into black-ops counterterrorism work. At 419 pages, it's the natural starting point for new readers, since Brad Thor's tradecraft-heavy thrillers are written to work as an entry point wherever a reader begins.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Lions of Lucerne - Book 2:
Path of the Assassin
Path of the Assassin (2003) is the second Scot Harvath novel, 511 pages of the ripped-from-the-headlines terrorism and espionage plotting Brad Thor built the series on, researched with special-operations and intelligence sources to keep the tradecraft grounded rather than cartoonish.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Path of the Assassin - Book 3:
State of the Union
State of the Union, the third Scot Harvath novel, arrived in 2004 as Brad Thor's annual release schedule was taking shape -- a pattern of roughly one Harvath thriller a year that has now run for more than two decades.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of State of the Union - Book 4:
Blowback
At 575 pages, Blowback is the fourth entry in the Scot Harvath series, published in 2005 and followed by Takedown. Like every Harvath novel, it drops the former Navy SEAL into a plot pulled from real-world defense and intelligence headlines.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blowback - Book 5:
Takedown
Takedown is the fifth Scot Harvath novel, published in 2006 between Blowback and The First Commandment, continuing Brad Thor's pattern of sending Harvath from Washington situation rooms to gunfights on multiple continents as he works outside the rules to stop the threat of the week.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Takedown - Book 6:
The First Commandment
The First Commandment is the sixth Scot Harvath novel, a 591-page entry published in 2007 -- one of the longer books in a series Brad Thor built around close-to-real tactical detail and geopolitics ripped from the defense-and-intelligence headlines of the day.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The First Commandment - Book 7:
The Last Patriot
The Last Patriot, the seventh Scot Harvath novel, appeared in 2008 at 342 pages, part of the annual rhythm of releases Brad Thor has kept up since 2002 while growing the series' supporting cast around Harvath's globe-trotting missions.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Last Patriot - Book 8:
The Apostle
The Apostle, the eighth Scot Harvath novel, was published in 2009 at 585 pages and followed by Foreign Influence -- another entry in Brad Thor's run of tactically detailed thrillers researched with special-operations and intelligence sources.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Apostle - Book 9:
Foreign Influence
Foreign Influence sits between The Apostle and Full Black as the ninth Scot Harvath novel, published in 2010 during the series' first decade of annual, ripped-from-the-headlines espionage plots.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Foreign Influence - Book 10:
Full Black
Full Black arrived in 2011 as the tenth Scot Harvath novel, right after Foreign Influence, at 400 pages -- a milestone entry in a series that by this point had Harvath working through an increasingly off-the-books chain of agencies rather than his original Secret Service post.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Full Black - Book 11:
Black List
Black List, the eleventh Scot Harvath novel, ran 371 pages when it appeared in 2012, continuing Brad Thor's pattern of grounding each thriller's tradecraft, weapons, and geopolitics in research from real special-operations and intelligence sources.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Black List - Book 12:
Free Fall
Free Fall is a short e-novella that slots into the Scot Harvath reading order between Black List and Hidden Order, published in June 2013 about a month ahead of Hidden Order. At just 20 pages it's optional connective tissue rather than a full entry, but it's the one companion piece worth knowing about in an otherwise self-contained series.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Free Fall - Book 13:
Hidden Order
Hidden Order, the twelfth Scot Harvath novel, followed the Free Fall novella in 2013 at 384 pages, continuing the annual release rhythm Brad Thor has kept for the series since 2002.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Hidden Order - Book 14:
Act of War
Act of War is the thirteenth Scot Harvath novel, published in 2014 right after Hidden Order at 358 pages -- another self-contained mission in Brad Thor's ongoing, tradecraft-heavy series, built so new readers can jump in almost anywhere.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Act of War - Book 15:
Code of Conduct
Code of Conduct, the fourteenth Scot Harvath novel, ran 360 pages when it appeared in 2015, part of the series' long stretch of Washington-to-warzone thrillers researched to keep the weapons and tactics close to real.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Code of Conduct - Book 16:
Foreign Agent
Brad Thor placed Foreign Agent fifteenth in the Scot Harvath series, following Code of Conduct in 2016 at 448 pages -- one of many entries built around Harvath's evolving cast of handlers and allies, including hacker Nicholas and the off-book Carlton Group.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Foreign Agent - Book 17:
Use of Force
Use of Force sits between Foreign Agent and Spymaster as the sixteenth Scot Harvath novel, published in 2017 at 360 pages during the series' second decade of annual, headline-driven thrillers.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Use of Force - Book 18:
Spymaster
Spymaster, the seventeenth Scot Harvath novel, appeared in 2018 at 348 pages between Use of Force and Backlash, continuing Brad Thor's run of Russian- and Chinese-espionage-inflected plots grounded in real tradecraft.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Spymaster - Book 19:
Backlash
Brad Thor placed Backlash eighteenth in the Scot Harvath series, following Spymaster in 2019 at 432 pages -- one of the longer entries in a series where Harvath's relationship with Lara Cordero develops steadily across the books.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Backlash - Book 20:
Near Dark
Near Dark, the nineteenth Scot Harvath novel, appeared in 2020 at 352 pages, followed by Black Ice -- another self-contained mission in a series where the terror plot always resolves by the last page even as Harvath's personal life carries forward.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Near Dark - Book 21:
Black Ice
Black Ice, the twentieth Scot Harvath novel, was published in 2021 at 320 pages, part of Brad Thor's run of annual thrillers that by then had spanned nearly two decades since The Lions of Lucerne.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Black Ice - Book 22:
Rising Tiger
Rising Tiger, the 21st Scot Harvath novel, ran 352 pages when it appeared in 2022, continuing the series' focus on ripped-from-tomorrow's-headlines threats -- rogue nuclear material, cartel violence, great-power espionage -- rendered with close-to-real tactical detail.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Rising Tiger - Book 23:
Dead Fall
2023 saw the 22nd Scot Harvath book, Dead Fall, arrive on the heels of Rising Tiger at 320 pages, keeping Brad Thor's annual publication rhythm intact more than twenty years into the series.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dead Fall - Book 24:
Shadow of Doubt
Shadow of Doubt, the 23rd Scot Harvath novel, ran 408 pages when it appeared in 2024, part of a series Brad Thor has kept self-contained enough for new readers to enter almost anywhere despite more than two decades of continuity.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Shadow of Doubt - Book 25:
Edge of Honor
Edge of Honor sits between Shadow of Doubt and Choke Point as the 24th Scot Harvath novel, published in 2025 at 333 pages -- one of the most recent entries in Brad Thor's ongoing, annually-published counterterrorism series.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Edge of Honor - Book 26:
Choke Point
Choke Point, published in 2026 at 368 pages, is currently the newest Scot Harvath novel and the 25th in Brad Thor's ongoing series -- with a 26th installment expected in 2027, continuing the annual rhythm the series has kept since The Lions of Lucerne launched it in 2002.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Choke Point
About the Scot Harvath series
Scot Harvath is a former Navy SEAL turned covert counterterrorism operative, first for the Secret Service and then for a series of increasingly off-the-books agencies as Brad Thor's politics catch up with the real world. Each novel drops Harvath into a plot ripped from the defense-and-intelligence headlines — Islamist terror cells, rogue nuclear material, Chinese and Russian espionage, cartel violence, biological weapons — and follows him from Washington situation rooms to gunfights on four continents as he works outside the rules to stop it. Thor, a former counterterrorism consultant, researches each book with special-operations and intelligence sources and treats the tradecraft, weapons and geopolitics as close to real as a thriller can get, which is a large part of the series' appeal to readers who want their action grounded rather than cartoonish.
Launched with The Lions of Lucerne in 2002, the series has run for more than two decades on an annual (usually mid-year) release schedule and has grown a large supporting cast — handler Reed Carlton and later the off-book Carlton Group, hacker Nicholas, Secret Service partner-turned-wife Lara Cordero — while keeping Harvath's globe-trotting, high-body-count missions self-contained enough that new readers can jump in almost anywhere. It's a good fit for readers who like their espionage thrillers ripped-from-tomorrow's-headlines topical, heavy on tactical detail, and light on subtlety.
Frequently asked questions
How many Scot Harvath books are there?
There are 25 Scot Harvath novels as of Choke Point (2026), Brad Thor's ongoing series that began with The Lions of Lucerne in 2002, plus the standalone e-novella Free Fall (2013).
What order should I read the Scot Harvath books in?
Publication order, starting with The Lions of Lucerne. Each novel is a self-contained mission, but Harvath's personal life and supporting cast develop across the series in order.
Do I need to read the Scot Harvath books in order?
Not strictly — each book's terrorism/espionage plot wraps up on its own — but reading in order lets you follow Harvath's evolving relationships and career without spoilers.
Is there a new Scot Harvath book coming?
Brad Thor has a 26th Scot Harvath novel expected in 2027, but as of August 2026 no title or firm release date has been officially announced.
Is the Scot Harvath series finished?
No. The series is ongoing; Brad Thor has published a new Harvath novel roughly every year since 2002 and has confirmed another is in progress.
If you like the Scot Harvath series
Reading order last verified .