Well, the thriller master recommender/editor himself has a new slash to add to his title. Author! I knew from the cover this was going to be a good one! I was given the opportunity to read an advance copy through NetGalley and I couldn't say know! Book one of the newly crowned Matthew Redd series starts off with a bang and doesn't stop there. To avoid spoilers I will just say that there is an abundance of "loss" but not what the reader may expect. Be prepared for action on the road to redemption in this can't miss series starter!

When an encounter with a California surfer girl lands Sergeant Matthew Redd in the brig and ultimately with a dishonorable discharge from the Marine Corps he finds his life upended and without a purpose for the first time in a very long time. When he retrieves his belongings upon release, a voicemail from his father with the message “troubles come knocking... I need your help Matty” brings him racing home to Montana’s big sky country only to find he’s too late… his father J. B. dead under suspicious (if only to him) circumstances he’s left to unravel the mystery alone as to who was behind it and why without knowing just who he can trust. A mixture of Jack Carr and C. J. Box, Fields of fire is quite possibly the best debut novel I’ve ever read and among the best books that I’ve read all year! With a unique plot, the likes of which I haven’t come across before. Thriller fans definitely won’t wanna miss out on this one, the debut novel from a man many thriller readers know all too well, Ryan Steck better known as his online persona “The Real Book Spy” is no stranger to the genre which is why it should come as a surprise to no-one how well crafted the action here is, he’s studied the absolute very best of the craft at their apex and it shows on the pages. I have a feeling we will be seeing Matty Redd for years to come and I, for one can’t wait to see what future adventures bring!

A fantastic debut from The Real Book Spy. Ryan Steck. Our main character, Matthew Redd, returns home in response to a call from his father. Redd finds out his father is dead and a run down Farm. Slowly, Redd starts to realize something isn't right about the death of his father. The more he digs into the details, the mystery deepens. Redd finds himself in a fight for his farm, his honor and his life.

Matt Redd, a Marine assigned to a specialized unit, misses his deployment on a crucial mission where his team was ambushed and killed. Matt is ultimately blamed for a security leak and discharged. He then sets out to discover who framed him and killed his team. Fields of Fire is a debut novel from author Ryan Steck, a familiar name to fans of this genre, and in a crowded field, the author manages to find his footing in this action-packed story, with promises of more to come. The plot is a bit complicated with a lot of moving parts, but the author deftly pulls it all together with a likable protagonist leading the charge. Some of the “combat” scenes are a little drawn out, and there’s a few too many cliches, but the plot hooks you, the characters are interesting and the end is satisfying, and has you eagerly anticipating the next in the series.. Well done! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book could only have been written by Ryan Steck, the Real Book Spy. Every page was an action page turner from the beginning. Reading this book, took me into a world of battles, intrigue, murder and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Truly Ryan Steck’s first novel, Fields of Fire, will be a best-selling book. His characters were fantastic. You won’t know who to trust and believe throughout the book.

FIELDS OF FIRE by RYAN STECK is a nailbiting thriller that will keep you guessing right until the end. The book is well written with interesting characters, much intrigue, some romance and even a Christian message - which I particularly like.
Matthew Redd is a Marine Raider who is falsely accused of treason. He goes back to his adoptive father, Jim Bob Thompson’s, ranch in Wellington after getting an unusual message from the man who has been more of a father to him than his biological one has ever been, to find J.B. is dead.
He fights to prove that J.B.’s death was not from falling off his horse. Everyone is against him, particularly the members of the Gage family who are up to something shady and are after the ranch that now belongs to him.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling the read for you. I highly recommend Fields of Fire to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. I am looking forward to more novels from this author.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.