Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pelonkylväjät | 2011 | A.P. Bateman | N/A |
| 2 | The Contract Man | 2015 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 3 | Infamia | 2012 | A.P. Bateman | N/A |
| 4 | Lies and Retribution | 2016 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 5 | Critiques of Everyday Life: An Introduction | 2000 | A.P. Bateman | N/A |
| 6 | Shadows of Good Friday | 2017 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 7 | The Five | 2018 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 8 | Reaper | 2018 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 9 | Stormbound | 2018 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 10 | Breakout | 2019 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 11 | From the Shadows | 2019 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 12 | Rogue | 2019 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 13 | The Asset | 2020 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 14 | Last Man Standing | 2020 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 15 | Hunter Killer | 2021 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 16 | The Congo Contract | 2021 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 17 | Dead Man Walking | 2022 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 18 | Sovereign Power | 2022 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 19 | Kingmaker | 2023 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 20 | Untouchable | 2023 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 21 | The Enemy | 2023 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 22 | Die Trying | 2024 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 23 | All the King’s Men | 2024 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 24 | The Eagle’s Talon | 2024 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 25 | Backlash | 2025 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 26 | Old Scores | 2025 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
| 27 | Crossfire | 2026 | A.P. Bateman | Buy |
The Alex King series by A.P. Bateman is a long-running espionage thriller franchise that has grown to 27 books. Alex King is a former MI5 operative whose particular skills keep dragging him back into the field. Starting with The Contract Man (2015), the series sends King on missions that involve everything from contract assassinations to international conspiracies.
The books are built for pace, with short chapters, cliffhanger endings, and action sequences that arrive at a steady clip. Lies and Retribution, The Five, Reaper, and Hunter Killer are among the popular entries, and the series continues through Crossfire (2026). Bateman has found a formula that works and delivers it consistently, which is exactly what fans of the genre want from a long-running series.
King is a capable, resourceful protagonist in the mold of Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne, the kind of hero who can talk his way out of trouble or fight his way out, depending on what the situation calls for.