The Campus Files broke the news first, back on August 30th, that Ward Larsen would be picking up the pen for the Jack Ryan Sr. series. There was very little news about it elsewhere, and for days after. Larsen has been heavily focused on publicising his February 2026 book Cold Zero, co-authored with Brad Thor. Plus Bouchercon 2025 was dominating early September calendars.

Announcement

Today Larsen ended any remaining doubt by announcing in his newsletter he’d be writing a book next year in the Jack Ryan series. Yes, not until next year. Because we still have another book coming from Andrews & Wilson – Executive Power.

​Larsen has said he’s “deeply honored to have been chosen to carry on the Ryan-verse, following not only Tom Clancy, but the likes of Mark Greaney, Marc Cameron, and Andrews & Wilson.”

He certainly does have some big shoes to fill but having just reviewed Deep Fake, I’m excited by Larsen’s takeover. Not to mention being presently halfway through Dark Vector and feeling like Larsen might add the ‘tech’ back into techno-thriller, which was Tom Clancy’s signature. I can’t disagree with Larsen when he says “This is one of the most iconic thriller series ever, beginning with The Hunt for Red October.”

I was even more thrilled when Larsen announced that “Rules of Engagement will primarily focus on John Clark, and of course, Jack Ryan.” Yes, that’s right, Rules of Engagement, a Jack Ryan Sr. novel, will focus primarily on John Clark!

As a long time Clark fan, I can’t be more excited about this. Clark has been great in the recent Jack Jr. series books, heading up the Campus, but I’d love to see him taking on a big role on the other side of the series too. Could this bring us one step closer to another solo John Clark novel to somehow bookend what started in Without Remorse? Perhaps something with Master Chief Kendrick Moore as I suggested in my concept Path of Honor.

Either way, Rules of Engagement sounds like a thrill ride.

When a member of his Cabinet is killed in a plane crash, President Jack Ryan suspects that the “accident” is anything but in this latest shocking entry in this #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The White House is stunned when the Secretary of Commerce is killed in a plane crash in Turkey. President Jack Ryan isn’t ready to write this off as a simple accident. Not only has he lost a good friend, but the Secretary was on an important mission: on the surface he was making an appearance at an economic conference, but the CIA was also using the flight as cover to extract an important asset from the Middle East.

Soon, Lt. Commander Katie Ryan and her team are working with the investigators to find the cause of the tragedy, but one shocking revelation changes everything. There were supposed to be 16 people on the plane, but there are only 15 bodies.

The quest for answers will lead the team deeper and deeper into a quagmire of lies and deception that will force President Ryan to face an unprincipled enemy with global ambitions.