A thrilling new suspense novel with shades of The Stand and One Second After from the New York Times bestselling author of the Jonathan Grave series, that fans of Ben Coes and Brad Taylor won’t want to miss! In the wake of a global conflict that has devastated America, those who survived live in a world without technology or governance. They look to one woman—single mother and former West Virginia Congressperson Victoria Emerson—to lead and protect those determined to rebuild all they have lost…
“Engrossing…Fans of doomsday military thrillers will delight in the resilience of Gilstrap’s family of preppers and their quest for survival on their terms.” –Publishers Weekly
They call it Hell Day—a world war that lasted less than twenty-four hours. Nations unleashed weapons that destroyed more than a century’s worth of technology. Electrical grids cannot generate power. Communications and computers cannot run. And the remnants of the U. S. government cannot be depended upon. Those who survived must live as their ancestors did, off a land ruled by the whims of nature.
One-time congressional representative Victoria Emerson has become the new leader of the small town of Ortho, West Virginia. She has been struggling to provide food and shelter for the town’s inhabitants, while coping with desperate refugees. An autumn morning’s calm is shattered when her teenage son sounds the alarm with the cry “Blue Fire”—the code phrase for imminent danger.
A band of National Guardsmen intends to take Ortho and its resources for themselves. They have enough soldiers and firepower to eliminate anyone who dares to stop them. But Victoria swore an oath to defend and protect her people, and she isn’t about to surrender. It’s time to tap into the traditional American values of courage, ingenuity, and determination – and fight fire with fire.
About the Author
John Gilstrap is the New York Times bestselling author of the Jonathan Grave thriller series and other fiction and nonfiction. His novel Against All Enemies won the award for best paperback original of 2015 given by the International Thriller Writers. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages. An explosives safety expert and former firefighter, he holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. He lives in Fairfax, Virginia. Please visit him on Facebook or at www.johngilstrap.com.
Praise For…
Praise for Blue Fire
“Gilstrap’s engrossing sequel to 2021’s Crimson Phoenix finds former U.S. Congresswoman Victoria Emerson continuing to organize…Power struggles among surviving U.S. government officials hunkered down in D.C.-area bunkers add to the drama. Fans of doomsday military thrillers will delight in the resilience of Gilstrap’s family of preppers and their quest for survival on their terms. Readers will eagerly await the next installment.” —Publishers Weekly
“A John Gilstrap thriller, crammed with violence and testing of the soul, might be the perfect work of fiction to sink into in a tough time for the real world.” —New York Journal of Books
Praise for John Gilstrap
“Engrossing…. Fans of doomsday military thrillers will delight in the resilience of Gilstrap’s family of preppers and their quest for survival on their terms.” —Publishers Weekly
Praise for John Gilstrap and the first Victoria Emerson thriller, Crimson Phoenix
“Crimson Phoenix ticks every box for big-book thrillerdom. We’re treated to political turmoil, military action, harrowing escape and relentless pursuit, and heart-warming—and heart-wrenching—scenes of family struggling against conflict, which Gilstrap pens like no other author. The novel seizes you on page one and never lets go—and I don’t mean just until the last page; this riveting book will stay with you long after you finish it. And to top it all off, he’s created one of the most singular and compelling heroines to come along in years.” —Jeffery Deaver,New York Timesbestselling author
“A single mother’s smart, fierce determination to protect her sons turns this vivid day-after-tomorrow scenario into a gripping page-turner.” —Taylor Stevens,New York Timesbestselling author ofLiars’ Legacy
“Gilstrap’s apocalyptic thriller about nuclear war and one family’s fight to survive in its aftermath weaves tradecraft and survival skills with themes of the nature of evil and the power of justice into an explosive story that keeps your mind churning and pulse racing while it locks you into your chair until the final page. Don't miss this powerful new series from a master thriller writer.” —Jamie Freveletti, international bestselling and award-winning author ofRunning from the Devil and Robert Ludlum’sThe Janus Reprisal
“John Gilstrap's Crimson Phoenix snaps with action from the very first page. It's certain to hit the 10-ring with old and new readers alike.” —Marc Cameron,New York Timesbestselling author of Stone Cross and of Tom Clancy’sCode of Honor
“Rocket-paced suspense.” —Jeffery Deaver
“Gilstrap will leave you breathless.” —Harlan Coben
“When you pick up a Gilstrap novel, one thing is always true—you are going to be entertained at a high rate of speed.” —Suspense MagazineonFinal Target
