Series of thrillers launches a new British action hero

James Steel has signed a three-book deal with Harper Collins to launch a new British action hero, Alex Devereux, a former British Army cavalry officer turned embittered mercenary.

In his first novel, December, a severe winter and a blockade on gas supplies by a new dictator ruling Russia have thrown Britain into crisis. Alex is used by the British government in a secret plot with a Russian oligarch to try to overthrow the dictator who has taken control of Russia. With the fate of Europe in his hands, Alex races against the clock towards a violent showdown in Moscow – with the highest imaginable stakes.

The book is a fast-paced, action thriller which also explores Russian history, culture, and the concept of Russkaya dusha, the idea of Russian soul – the essence of the nation.

December has gone straight into the leading book promotions in the UK: Waterstones Paperbacks of the Year and Tesco, an almost unheard of event for a debut novel by an unknown author. The Manchester Evening News commented: “Once in a while a new contender to the crown of spy thriller supremo comes along and with December James Steel places himself in pole position.”

You can find out more about James Steel, and about the Alex Devereux novels, on his website .

December is available now. The second Alex Devereux novel, Dark Heart, will be released next year followed by the third, The Mandate of Heaven.