Where should I start reading A.P. Bateman's books?

For international espionage and MI6 assassin thrillers, start with The Contract Man (Alex King Book 1). For lone-wolf, Jack Reacher-style action, start with The Ares Virus (Rob Stone Book 1).

Are the Alex King and Rob Stone series connected?

No, they are separate series. While they share the same gritty, tactical tone and focus on high-stakes conspiracies, they feature different protagonists and do not have crossover storylines.

How should I read the prequels in the Alex King series?

You can read the prequels, Shadows of Good Friday and The Congo Contract , either first to follow the strict chronological timeline of King's career, or in their publication order (Books 3 and 13 respectively) as standalone flashbacks.

What is the DI Grant series about?

The DI Grant series consists of police procedurals ( Vice and Taken ) set in Cornwall. They follow Detective Inspector Grant, an investigator with a checkered past, tackling local crime that leads to larger conspiracies.

How does A.P. Bateman's background affect his writing?

Bateman worked as a bodyguard and private investigator, training alongside ex-military, police, and special forces. This experience provides his thrillers with authentic details regarding weapons, survival tactics, and security protocols.

A.P. Bateman Books in Order

Where to Start Reading A.P. Bateman

With dozens of thrillers under his belt, A.P. Bateman offers readers several excellent entry points depending on their preferred flavor of suspense. Because his books are grounded in his real-world training with police, ex-military, and close-protection forces, you are guaranteed authentic action no matter where you begin.

For fans of international espionage, MI6 black ops, and political intrigue, the best starting point is The Contract Man, which introduces his long-running Alex King series. If you prefer gritty, Jack Reacher-style lone-wolf adventures set in the United States, you should start with The Ares Virus, the first book in the Rob Stone series. If you are looking for a classic British police procedural with a scenic but dangerous coastal backdrop, start with Vice, the opening novel of the DI Grant series.

The Alex King Series: MI6 Black Ops and Assassination

The Alex King series is Bateman's most extensive body of work, tracking a deadly MI6 operative through global conspiracies, tactical missions, and shadow wars. King is not a clean-cut spy; he is a specialist in lethal solutions, making these books fast-paced and uncompromisingly realistic. While most of the books follow a linear chronological path, Bateman has written two notable prequels that take readers back to the very beginning of King's career.

Alex King Chronological vs. Publication Order

For most readers, starting with the first published book, The Contract Man, is highly recommended. It establishes King's present-day status and the tone of the series. However, if you want a chronological experience, you will need to slot in the prequels first. Shadows of Good Friday (originally published third) and The Congo Contract (originally published thirteenth) are both set roughly twenty years before the events of The Contract Man, charting King's earliest missions and origins. The prequels work perfectly well as standalones or early introductions to his character.

Publication Order of the Alex King Series

The Contract Man (2015)
Lies and Retribution (2016)
Shadows of Good Friday (2017) – Prequel set 20 years earlier.
The Five (2018)
Reaper (2018)
Stormbound (2018)
Breakout (2019)
From the Shadows (2019)
Rogue (2019)
The Asset (2020)
Last Man Standing (2020)
Hunter Killer (2021)
The Congo Contract (2021) – Prequel set 20 years earlier.
Dead Man Walking (2022)
Sovereign Power (2022)
Kingmaker (2023)
Untouchable (2023)
The Enemy (2023)
Die Trying (2024)
All the King's Men (2024)
The Eagle's Talon (2024)

Note that Bateman has continued to expand the series beyond the core list with titles like Backlash, Old Scores, Crossfire, and Shockwave. We recommend sticking to publication order so that you can enjoy the natural development of Bateman's writing style and the evolution of Alex King's operational world.

The Rob Stone Series: Gritty Lone-Wolf Suspense

If you enjoy the lone-wolf, high-combat style of Lee Child's Jack Reacher or Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp, the Rob Stone series is the perfect choice. Stone is a former Secret Service agent who frequently finds himself in the crosshairs of massive conspiracies, bioweapon plots, and deadly local cover-ups. Unlike the global espionage of Alex King, the Rob Stone books are often set in rugged American landscapes, ranging from dense Oregon forests to isolated wilderness settings.

Publication Order of the Rob Stone Series

The Ares Virus (2015) – Stone battles a deadly bioweapon conspiracy.
The Town (2016) – A gripping search for a missing friend in an Oregon mountain town.
The Island (2016) – A survival thriller where Stone wakes up on a deserted island with no memory.
Stone Cold (2021) – Stone returns to face cold-blooded killers in the wilderness.
The Cartel (2024) – A high-stakes confrontation with powerful international syndicates.
1600 (2025) – A politically charged conspiracy thriller hitting close to his Secret Service roots.

The Rob Stone books follow a strict chronological timeline, meaning they are best read in their order of publication. Each book builds on Stone's reputation, survival tactics, and the enemies he accumulates along the way.

The DI Grant Series: Cornish Crime Procedurals

For readers who prefer investigative crime thrillers over global espionage, Bateman's DI Grant series offers a refreshing change of pace. Set against the beautiful but moody backdrop of rural Cornwall, these stories focus on local investigations that quickly unravel into dangerous conspiracies involving organized crime and institutional corruption. It follows Detective Inspector Grant, an investigator with a checkered past whose cover is blown, forcing him into what was supposed to be a quiet coastal assignment.

Recommended Order of the DI Grant Series

Vice (2023) – The introductory novel where DI Grant uncovers dark secrets in Cornwall.
Taken (2023) – A fast-paced kidnapping case that escalates into a deadly race against time.

Standalone Novels

Outside of his major series, Bateman has penned standalone thrillers that showcase his ability to craft isolated, tense survival scenarios. These are ideal for readers looking for complete, self-contained stories.

Hell's Mouth (2017): This standalone crime thriller features DCI Ross O'Bryan, who is recuperating in Cornwall following a devastating terrorist attack. While looking for peace, he is dragged into a web of police corruption and organized crime.
The Most Dangerous Game (2024): A modern take on the classic survival premise. Six individuals are invited to a new, ultra-exclusive game reserve in South Africa, only to find themselves hunted in a brutal fight for survival.

What to Know Before You Start

A.P. Bateman's thrillers stand out in the crowded thriller genre because of their mechanical and tactical realism. Thanks to Bateman's background working as a bodyguard and private investigator, the depictions of weapon handling, close-quarters combat, and operational logistics are incredibly accurate. His protagonists are resilient but vulnerable—they bleed, make mistakes, and rely on sharp instinct and tradecraft rather than cinematic invincibility.

Additionally, readers should note that while the Rob Stone and Alex King series share a similar high-action tone, they are separate franchises. There are no direct crossovers between the American-centered conspiracies of Rob Stone and the British MI6 operations of Alex King, meaning you can read either series independently without worrying about missing critical context.