I absolutely love Rob Sinclair’s thrilling writing and can’t believe it’s almost two years since Rob last appeared on Linda’s Book Bag. Then I was reviewing The White Scorpion in a post you’ll find here. In other posts, Rob generously wrote a wonderful guest post about becoming a full time writer that you can read here and I have my review of Rob’s book Red Cobra, that you can read here. Rob previously stayed in with me to chat about The Green Viper in a post you can see here and today I’m delighted to welcome him back to tell me about his latest book. Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Rob Sinclair

Welcome back to Linda’s Book Bag Rob and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me once more.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought Renegade, the first book in the ‘Ryker returns’ thriller series, which is my most recent release (publication 30th March!).

Oh. Happy publication day Rob! I’ve enjoyed your Ryker Series so what can can we expect from an evening in with Renegade?

This is technically the ninth book I’ve written about James Ryker, though it definitely feels like the start of something new, which is a big reason why the publisher has branded this a the start of a new sub-series (Ryker Returns).

Readers first saw covert agent James Ryker under a different name – Carl Logan – in my Enemy series, which were the first books I wrote, several years ago now. Having seemingly walked away from his dangerous life for one of peace (which didn’t last long at all), he returned under the new identity of James Ryker for The Red Cobra, which subsequently spawned four more sequels.

I absolutely loved The Red Cobra. Such a thrilling read.

But by the point The White Scorpion came out in 2019, I knew that it was time for Ryker to once again move in a new direction.

Having read and adored The White Scorpion too, I agree. Tell us more about Ryker.

He’s a complex man, with a very dark and disturbing past, but Ryker, more than anything, wants to disassociate from that past and just be left alone. We see this tension in particular in Renegade, with the book starting with him working for his old agency on an ad-hoc basis, but with the title clearly referencing his internal struggle to toe the line his old bosses expect him to toe.

I can imagine that leads to quite a bit of excitement. I can’t wait to read Renegade.

Come the end of the book though… let’s just say Ryker’s future path is set, and it’s a very different path to the books that preceded it. To me, Ryker is a new man once more, and with that he’s going to be getting into a whole load of new scraps. I’ve already written book 2 in this new series, with book 3 well on the way as well!

That’s brilliant news.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it? 

I’ve brought an atlas. It might sound silly but I love atlases. I’ve always been fond of facts and statistics, and I’m fascinated by the world, our knowledge of it, and how our own views of our planet change over time. Why is this relevant to Ryker? Mainly because Ryker is so well-travelled. I can’t count how many countries I’ve thrown him into now on his adventures, and I always make a point of trying to tie the location to the story. I.e. if the book is going to be in Country A, there has to be a specific reason for it, not just because it sounds good. The Ryker books have taken place on every continent now, and for Renegade, I used a collection of locations from around Europe, from London, to Paris, to rural France, to the German Black Forest – each of the locations with their own unique traits in terms of both the places, but also the people and cultures. I put a lot of thought into doing the locations justice, so hopefully I’ve achieved that.

I know you have in the Ryker books I’ve read Rob and I love the way you manage to transport your reader to another place through your brilliant descriptions.

I’ve also brought a backpack. I’ve never called it this in a book, but think of it as a zombie survival kit. If you’ve never heard of one of those, you haven’t watched enough zombie apocalypse movies, but I’m sure you get the idea.

I don’t watch zombie films but I’ve had so many times when I’ve had to rush one of my parents to hospital in the past that we all have emergency bags packed now!

Ryker, at heart, is a nomad. He doesn’t call anywhere home, and although the Ryker Returns series starts with him seemingly settled in England, I can assure you it can’t and won’t last. He’s also not a materialistic man. He doesn’t care for possessions, but like any traveller, he needs something. I know fine well Ryker has his own zombie survival kit. That bag that’s by the front door, always ready and packed with the essentials he needs to survive. Cash, utility knife, compass, torch, first aid kit, a few clothes. Toothbrush? Maybe. All the basics, just in case the apocalypse really does happen. Or at least if the bad guys suddenly arrive at his door and he needs to make a quick getaway. Have you got your own zombie survival kit ready? If not, why not?!

Why not indeed! Thanks so much for staying in with me again Rob. I’ve loved hearing about Ryker’s new adventures and I cannot wait to read Renegade. I’m thrilled it’s on my TBR. Happy publication day once more.

Renegade

He’s back and better than ever.

James Ryker, a veteran intelligence agent now freelancer, working for the secretive Joint Intelligence agency on an op-by-op basis, finds himself embroiled in a complicated mission that will test him to his limit.

When a simple surveillance mission goes awry and the key target is kidnapped in broad daylight in a busy London square, Ryker knows he has his work cut out.

Ryker is tasked with figuring out what went wrong. But when his good friend Sam Moreno disappears without a trace, the mission becomes more personal than he could have imagined.

Torn between toeing the government line, and finding the answers he needs, Ryker realises there’s only one way to find those responsible and to punish them… His way.

James Ryker Returns in Renegade. 

This fast-paced, explosive thriller is the perfect follow-on for readers for the massive bestselling original Ryker series, but can also be read as the start of a thrilling new espionage series.  It will appeal to fans of books like the globe-trotting thriller I Am Pilgrim, as well as to fans of authors like Lee Child, Mark Dawson, L.T. Ryan and David Baldacci.

Published by Bloodhound Books today 30th March 2021, Renegade is available for purchase in all the usual places including here.

Rob Sinclair is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling Enemy series and James Ryker series of espionage thrillers as well as the globetrotting thriller hit Sleeper 13. His books have sold over half a million copies to date with many reviewers and readers having likened Rob’s work to authors at the very top of the genre, including Lee Child and Vince Flynn.
​
Rob began writing in 2009 following a promise to his wife, an avid reader, that he could pen a ‘can’t put down’ thriller. He worked for nearly 13 years for a global accounting firm after graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels. Rob now writes full time.

Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities, including New York, and is now settled in the West Midlands with his wife and young sons.

You can follow Rob on Twitter @RSinclairAuthor, visit his website and find him on Facebook and Instagram for more information.