Why am I passionate about this?

In college, I studied under the former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, General Sam Wilson, who laid the foundation for my understanding of geopolitics and the intelligence world. Post 9/11, I began reading every book on terrorism that I could find, and my vision for conspiracies was broadened by both what I read and what I experienced in the daily news cycle. Steadily, the combination of my creative juices and research led me to write my trilogy of political spy thrillers, the Surviving the Lion’s Den series, which explores the Iranian threat to the West via a mirage of conspiratorial plots. 


I wrote...

Surviving the Lion's Den

By Matt Scott,

Book cover of Surviving the Lion's Den

What is my book about?

My debut novel has all the elements of a wide-reaching political conspiracy thriller: a kidnapped CIA agent, an American seeking…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Manchurian Candidate

Matt Scott Why did I love this book?

While the argument can be made that Julius Caesar was the original conspiracy thriller, this book set the stage for conspiracy theories in the modern era. With two film adaptations and multiple TV references, there’s a reason the book’s premise has imbedded itself into our popular culture.

A recurring question was constantly popping into my head as I was reading it: How deep does the deep state really go? One thing is for certain, you’ll never look at an election the same way again. 

By Richard Condon,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Manchurian Candidate as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Brilliant...wild and exhilarating' New Yorker

Sgt Raymond Shaw is a hero of the first order. He's an ex-prisoner of war who saved the life of his entire outfit, a winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the stepson of an influential senator...and the perfect assassin. Brainwashed during his time as a POW he is a 'sleeper', a living weapon to be triggered by a secret signal. He will act without question, no matter what order he is made to carry out.

To stop Shaw, his former commanding officer must uncover the truth behind a twisted conspiracy of torture, betrayal and…


Book cover of Absolute Power

Matt Scott Why did I love this book?

I’ll be honest: I read this book out of pure nostalgia. David Baldacci’s novels have sold over 150 million copies, so I wanted to go back to his debut novel to see how it all started, and it didn’t disappoint. Though it had the luck of being released during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, the novel lives well on its own merits.

At the time of its release, most political thriller books utilized protagonists fighting on behalf of their president to save the day, but this one turned the tables on its readers and not only made the president the villain but explored the filthy side of politics and the lengths to which administration officials will go to protect the presidency.

By David Baldacci,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Absolute Power as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When burglar Luther Whitney breaks into a Virginia mansion, he witnesses a brutal crime involving the president -- a man who believes he can get away with anything -- and now, Luther may be the only one who can stop him in this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller.

In a heavily guarded mansion in the Virginia countryside, professional burglar and break-in artist Luther Whitney is trapped behind a two-way mirror. What he witnesses destroys his faith not only in justice, but in all he holds dear.

What follows is an unthinkable abuse of power and criminal conspiracy, as a…


Ad

Book cover of The Widow Maker

The Widow Maker By Janet Fix, Cheryl Bradshaw,

Liza O’Connell was a horror buff in every sense of the word. But there was one deadly nightmare she would never be able to talk about … her own. A friend murdered. A business in trouble. A marriage struggling to survive. And that’s just the beginning. 

When salon owner Carrie…

Book cover of The Pelican Brief

Matt Scott Why did I love this book?

The best aspect to love about this book is that a curious twenty-four-year-old law student not only does what others couldn’t do, solve the murders of two Supreme Court justices, but her doing so manages to put one of the world’s richest men on the run from federal officers and keep the president from running for reelection.

Grisham finds a way to give hope to all the amateur sleuths and conspiracy theorists in the world that they can crack the code that elite professionals who are trained to do so somehow cannot.

By John Grisham,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Pelican Brief as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

_______________________________________
Two Supreme Court Justices are dead, their murders unsolved.
But one woman might have found the answer - if she can live to tell it.

Darby Shaw is a brilliant New Orleans legal student with a sharp political mind. For her own amusement, she draws up a legal brief showing how the judges might have been murdered for political reasons, and shows it to her professor. He shows it to his friend, an FBI lawyer.

Then the professor dies in a car bombing.

And Darby realises that her brief, which pointed to a vast presidential conspiracy, might be right.…


Book cover of State of the Union

Matt Scott Why did I love this book?

If you are looking for wild, off-the-charts international conspiracy thrillers, look no further. What makes me cling to this book is Thor’s imagination.

His premise is simple: What if the Soviet Union didn’t fall and the headlines to the contrary were all part of a plot by the Russian government to rebuild Russia and bring the United States to its knees by using the economic aid gifted to them by other world governments? Thor will make you believe that the absurd is possible. 

By Brad Thor,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked State of the Union as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

America's worst nightmare has just become a terrifying reality-an unlikely terrorist enemy now holds a knife against the country's throat. With both diplomatic and conventional military options off the table, the president calls upon Scot Harvath to disable a brilliantly orchestrated conspiracy intended to bring the world's greatest superpower to its knees.

Teamed with beautiful Russian Intelligence agent Alexandra Ivanova and a highly trained CIA paramilitary detachment, Harvath embarks on an adrenaline-fueled search that spans the world, which leads to a final, deadly showdown on American soil. With unforgettable twists and turns and plenty of suspense, State of the Union…


Ad

Book cover of The River of Eternity

The River of Eternity By Bruce Balfour,

1184 BCE. Ramesses III, who will become the last of the great pharaohs, is returning home from battle. He will one day assume the throne of the Egyptian empire, and the plots against him and his children have already started. Even a god can die.

Ray was raised with the…

Book cover of The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington

Matt Scott Why did I love this book?

This may be the only nonfiction book on my list, but it reads like fiction. Meltzer has a fantastic mind for exploring aspects of history that have either been forgotten or have gone unexplored, and this book is no exception. I was immensely taken aback by the hardships that Washington encountered daily in confronting the British threat and keeping America together during the Revolutionary War.

At the same time, I was amazed at the man’s courage and willpower to endure the challenges he faced. By the end of the book, you will undoubtedly ask yourself, “What would America look like without George Washington?”

By Brad Meltzer, Josh Mensch,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The First Conspiracy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Taking place during the most critical period of our nation’s birth, The First Conspiracy tells a remarkable and previously untold piece of American history that not only reveals George Washington’s character, but also illuminates the origins of America’s counterintelligence movement that led to the modern day CIA.

In 1776, an elite group of soldiers were handpicked to serve as George Washington’s bodyguards. Washington trusted them; relied on them. But unbeknownst to Washington, some of them were part of a treasonous plan. In the months leading up to the Revolutionary War, these traitorous soldiers, along with the Governor of New York,…


Explore my book 😀

Surviving the Lion's Den

By Matt Scott,

Book cover of Surviving the Lion's Den

What is my book about?

My debut novel has all the elements of a wide-reaching political conspiracy thriller: a kidnapped CIA agent, an American seeking revenge in Iran, a corrupt U.S. Senator, and an Iranian Revolutionary Guard General determined to restore the Persian Empire.

These characters become entangled in a plot that leads to a daring and unconventional escape before the diabolical plan can unfold.

Book cover of The Manchurian Candidate
Book cover of Absolute Power
Book cover of The Pelican Brief

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,588

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 You might also like…

Book cover of The Road from Belhaven

The Road from Belhaven By Margot Livesey,

The Road from Belhaven is set in 1880s Scotland. Growing up in the care of her grandparents on Belhaven Farm, Lizzie Craig discovers as a small girl that she can see the future. But she soon realises that she must keep her gift a secret. While she can sometimes glimpse…

Book cover of Lethal Legacy

Lethal Legacy By H.R. Kemp,

Buried Secrets. A web of deceit, betrayal, and danger. Can she survive her fight for justice and truth? Laura thought she knew everything about her late husband before he died. Now, her life and the lives of those she loves are in danger. As Laura delves into his previous role…

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in political corruption, the American Revolution, and the Cold War?

The Cold War 264 books