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John Milton book cover 1
John Milton book cover 2
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John Milton
Series · 26
books · 2013-2024

Books in series

1000 Yards book cover
#0.5

1000 Yards

2013

Meet John Milton He considers himself an artisan. A craftsman. His trade is murder. Milton is the man the government sends after you when everything else has failed. Ruthless. Brilliant. Anonymous. Lethal. You wouldn't pick him out of a crowd but you wouldn't want to be on his list. But now, after ten years, he's had enough - there's blood on his hands and he wants out. Trouble is, this job is not one you can just walk away from. He goes on the run, seeking atonement for his sins by helping the people he meets along the way. But his past cannot be easily forgotten and before long it is Milton who is hunted, and not the hunter. 1000 Yards This 17,000 word novella is an introduction to John Milton, the most dangerous assassin in the pay of Her Majesty's government. Milton is sent into North Korea. With nothing but a sniper rifle, bad intentions and a very particular target, will Milton be able to take on the secret police of the most dangerous failed state on the planet?
Tarantula book cover
#0.6

Tarantula

2014

MEET JOHN MILTON. He considers himself an artisan. A craftsman. His trade is murder. Milton is the man the government sends after you when everything else has failed. Ruthless. Brilliant. Anonymous. Lethal. You wouldn't pick him out of a crowd but you wouldn't want to be on his list. In this second dip into his case files (see 1000 Yards for a further free novella), Milton is sent to Italy to investigate the death of a colleague from Group 15, the secret assassination squad that liquidates those considered to be impediments to the furtherance of British interests. Milton discovers that the agent was involved with the Camorra, the powerful Mafia clan that controls the territory from Naples to the tip of the Italian boot. He identifies the assassin as a man nicknamed Tarantula. Now Tarantula, and his boss, are entries in Milton’s ledger. And all debts need to be paid. Also included: the first chapter of the first full-length Milton novel, THE CLEANER.
The Cleaner book cover
#1

The Cleaner

2013

Meet John Milton He considers himself an artisan. A craftsman. His trade is murder. Milton is the man the government sends after you when everything else has failed. Ruthless. Brilliant. Anonymous. Lethal. You wouldn't pick him out of a crowd but you wouldn't want to be on his list. But now, after ten years, he's had enough - there's blood on his hands and he wants out. Trouble is, this job is not one you can just walk away from. He goes on the run, seeking atonement for his sins by helping the people he meets along the way. But his past cannot be easily forgotten and before long it is Milton who is hunted, and not the hunter. The Cleaner A career of state-sanctioned murder has taken its toll. Milton is troubled by nightmares, a long line of ghosts who torment his dreams. He resolves to make his next job his last and, then, perhaps, he can start to make amends for everything that he has done. Sharon Warriner is a single mother in the East End of London, suicidal with fear that she's lost her young son to a life in the gangs. After Milton saves her life, he promises to help. But the gang, and the charismatic rapper who leads it, is not about to cooperate with him. As London burns through summer riots, Milton finds himself in unfamiliar territory, dealing with an unfamiliar foe. And when his employer sends another agent after him, the odds against him are stacked even higher.
Saint Death book cover
#2

Saint Death

2013

Librarian’s note: This is a previously-published edition of Kindle ASIN: B00EZQ2BZC. John Milton has been off the grid for six months. He surfaces in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and immediately finds himself drawn into a vicious battle with the narco-gangs that control the borderlands. He saves the life of an idealistic young journalist who has been targeted for execution. The only way to keep her safe is to smuggle her into Texas. Working with the only untouchable cops in the city, and a bounty hunter whose motives are unclear, Milton must keep her safe until the crossing can be made. But when the man looking for her is the legendary assassin Santa Muerta - Saint Death - that's a lot easier said than done.
The Driver book cover
#3

The Driver

2014

An alternate cover edition of ASIN B00HD93V1G can be found here: < a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...here John Milton had started to hope that he might have a future. He has a job driving a taxi around the streets of San Francisco. He has his anonymity and his solitude. Being invisible has become a comfortable habit. He doesn't want to be found. But when a girl he drives to a party goes missing, Milton is worried. Especially when two dead bodies are discovered and the police start treating him as their prime suspect. Milton is a fugitive from the British Secret Service and a man in his position needs extra attention like he needs a hole in the head. As unpleasant secrets leak out, and the body count rises, one thing is for sure: Milton might just be the right guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Driver is a taut, nail-biting adventure which once again stars Mark Dawson's irresistible hero, the maverick ex-MI6 assassin John Milton.
Ghosts book cover
#4

Ghosts

2014

John Milton is a ghost. He was Number One. The most dangerous assassin in Group Fifteen, the black-ops organisation that solves problems when diplomacy has failed. Now Milton is Her Majesty's most wanted fugitive - an anonymous loner with a deadly set of skills. So when he is arrested following a brawl in a Texas bar, the last person he expected to bail him out was a glamorous operative from the Russian Secret Service. Milton is blackmailed into finding his predecessor as Number One. But she's a ghost, too, and just as dangerous as him. He finds himself in deep trouble, playing the Russians against the British in a desperate attempt to save the life of his oldest friend. Some ghosts are better left alone. But now these two have been disturbed there's going to be hell to pay. This, the fifth book in the best-selling John Milton series, is his most action-packed adventure yet. Read about the damaged hero that reviewers are describing as 'the English Jack Reacher.'
The Sword of God book cover
#5

The Sword of God

2014

John Milton has blood on his conscience. He was an assassin for the British government for a decade until he got out. He treks into the Michigan wilderness for the solitude he needs to forget his guilt. He isn't looking for trouble, but trouble always seems to come looking for him. Morten Lundquist, a man with his own dark secrets, is a deputy in the town of Truth. He finds himself investigating Milton, but Lundquist has no idea how dangerous his quarry is. Double crossed and badly injured, Milton flees into the remote Porcupine Mountains with a posse on his tail. His enemies thought that they could hunt him down. They were wrong - and where John Milton is concerned, there are no second chances.
Salvation Row book cover
#6

Salvation Row

2014

Librarian’s note: This is a previously-published edition of Kindle ASIN: B00QVKR5TC. John Milton is trying to make amends for a career spent killing for the British Secret Service. He has a burning need to right wrongs - and rewrite his own bloody past. He finds himself in Louisiana – the Big Sleazy, the bayou, and the post-Katrina wreckage of the Gulf Coast - with a debt of honor to repay. Isadora Bartholomew, who saved his partner's life, needs his help. Joel Babineaux, a ruthless property magnate, is out to sink the charity she established to help rebuild the Lower Ninth Ward. Just when Milton thinks he has neutralised Babineaux’s scheming, a dangerous man from his past takes an unhealthy interest in his present. Claude Boon used to work for the Mossad and might be more than Milton can handle. And then the stakes get even higher… ‘Salvation Row’ is the most explosive thriller yet in Mark Dawson's bestselling John Milton series. It’s a book no self-respecting suspense fan will want to be without.
Headhunters book cover
#7

Headhunters

2015

Bury your enemies, and bury them deep. John Milton thought he was done with Avi Bachman. The most dangerous man he's ever known has been incarcerated in Angola, the brutal Louisiana prison. Inmates rarely leave Angola. Once you go in, the only way out is in a box. But Bachman is no ordinary prisoner. He was an assassin for the Mossad, and he has favours to call in. Milton is in the Australian outback with an old friend and his flirtatious kid sister, looking for a summer’s peace to put his troubled mind to rest. But Bachman has other plans. He thinks that Milton killed his wife, and now he wants revenge. From Australia to Israel, from Hong Kong to Croatia, here is the conclusion of this brutal chapter in Milton’s life. The two headhunters are on a collision course, and only one of them will walk away. Mark Dawson is the new master of the page-turning thriller and more than 350,000 copies of the Milton series have been downloaded since it was first published. Don’t start this book in bed - you will lose sleep.
The Ninth Step book cover
#8

The Ninth Step

2016

The ninth step of all twelve step programs requires addicts to make amends to the people they’ve hurt. John Milton’s been trying to do that for months, but it’s not a simple matter for him. Milton used to be an assassin, and most of the people that he hurt are dead. Milton is keeping a low profile in London. He is at his usual meeting when a man confesses the reason for his alcoholism: he was abused as a child. Milton offers to help, but when the man is found dead in circumstances that Milton considers to be suspicious, events take a turn that no-one could have anticipated. Milton’s attempted good deed becomes a quest to unveil corruption at the highest levels of government and murder at the dark heart of the criminal underworld. Prepare yourself for another hair-raising, heart-pounding adventure from the new master of the thriller. With over one million downloads and thousands of five star reviews, if you haven’t read Mark Dawson yet, what are you waiting for?
The Jungle book cover
#9

The Jungle

2016

An assassin haunted by his past. Two young refugees out of their depth and in need of his special talents. John Milton is no stranger to the world’s seedy underbelly. But when the former British Secret Service agent comes up against a ruthless human trafficking ring, he’ll have to fight harder than ever to conquer the evil in his path. After Milton meets a refugee who lost a sister to people smugglers, he travels through war-torn Libya and the murkiest parts of Italy and France to get the girl back. As enemies watch his every move, Milton confronts a group of Albanian pimps and smugglers so dangerous, they could easily make this mission his last. The Jungle is a gripping standalone thriller in Mark Dawson’s bestselling John Milton series. With cinematic set pieces, characters you'll grow to love, and edge-of-your-seat action, it’s easy to see why Dawson’s books have been downloaded more than one million times and optioned for a big screen film franchise. Buy The Jungle to watch “the British Jack Reacher” get pushed to the brink today.
Blackout book cover
#10

Blackout

2017

An offer he couldn't refuse. A murder he can’t remember…John Milton’s life is about to change. The former government assassin follows a lead to Manila that he hopes will change his life. But he never expected to wake up in an unfamiliar hotel room beside a murder victim. And, unfortunately for him, Milton doesn’t remember a thing about the night before. Thrown into a gruesome Filipino prison, he puts together the clues that led to his betrayal. With no allies and even less hope, Milton must use his wits to escape and take revenge on the men who put him there. If he doesn’t lose his life in the process… Blackout is the latest book in Mark Dawson’s gripping series of thrillers. If you like page-turning action, globetrotting spies, and perfectly-paced suspense, then you’ll love this series from a USA Today bestseller.
The Alamo book cover
#11

The Alamo

2017

New York isn’t ready for Britain’s most dangerous ex-assassin… John Milton has finally found a place to escape the bloodshed: off-season Coney Island. No tourists. No special ops. Just peace and quiet. But when a local boy witnesses a grisly murder, Milton can’t resist investigating. Milton uncovers a vicious drug kingpin and a group of crooked cops from a notorious precinct known as “The Alamo.” Against such dangerous foes, Milton’s quest for redemption could come to an end. The eleventh book in the USA Today bestselling John Milton series delivers thrills, action, and twists you just won’t see coming. “It’s impossible not to think of Lee Child’s super-selling Jack Reacher” - The Times “The literary sensation you’ve never heard of.” - The Telegraph
Redeemer book cover
#12

Redeemer

2018

John Milton is in Rio de Janeiro to strike a couple of things off his bucket list. He’s staying with an old army friend who runs a private security company with a contract to protect government officials. When one of the bodyguards doesn’t turn up for work, Milton offers to stand in. The job is routine: take the wife and daughter of an anti-corruption judge to a school recital. What could possibly go wrong? But the girl is snatched off the street and Milton is nearly killed. As he recovers at a Group Fifteen safe house, he works out what to do next. He has two objectives: first, he’s going to find the girl. And, second, he’s going to find the criminals who took her and punish them for what they’ve done. The conspirators think Milton is an old, washed-up drunk living on past glories. They couldn’t have made a worse mistake. Milton’s trip to Rio turns into a lethal quest that leads to the lawless favelas and the corridors of power, and then right into the horrific heart of darkness.
Sleepers book cover
#13

Sleepers

2018

When a Russian defector is assassinated in a sleepy English seaside town, Group Fifteen agents John Milton and Michael Pope find themselves in a rush to uncover the culprits and bring them to justice. Their investigation leads them to Moscow and a confrontation with Directorate S, the agency responsible for seeding Russian sleeper agents around the world. When lies and double crossing mean that no-one is what they seem, the two agents - alone and without backup – struggle to achieve their goals under the most dangerous of circumstances. Set one week before the opening of The Cleaner, this compulsive thriller turns back the clock to Milton as a barely functioning alcoholic, still tormented by the ghosts of the men and women he has killed in the service of his country. Milton must fight his own demons as well as the Russian assassin sent to eliminate him. Will he be able to complete his mission and escape with his life?
Twelve Days book cover
#14

Twelve Days

2018

John Milton hasn't seen Elijah Warriner for three years. The last time they met, Milton's efforts to keep the boy safe didn't go exactly to plan. Now Elijah is a promising boxer, preparing for the bout that will take him to the big time. Milton decides that he will spend the week before Christmas in London so that he can watch the fight. But Elijah's burgeoning fame has brought him to the attention of old acquaintances with long memories and grudges to bear. They have noticed Elijah, too, and decide that now is the time to settle old scores. Can Milton keep the young man and his mother safe, or will Elijah's old running mates get to him first?
Bright Lights book cover
#15

Bright Lights

2019

Is John Milton on the path to redemption or the road to revenge? John Milton has done some bad things in his life. Very bad things. Now he's looking for ways to make amends. But trouble always seems to be looking for him. Heading from San Francisco to Las Vegas, Milton's solo road trip takes an unexpected turn when he picks up Jessica Russo, a young woman in distress at the side of the road. She urgently needs a ride and he's happy to help her out. But what starts out as a simple favour quickly becomes something more sinister. Once they get to their destination, it's clear something isn't right. Working for the Vegas casinos has got Jessica's father wrapped up with the wrong people. A mistake that could prove fatal for him and his family. This is just the beginning of a dangerous journey that will take Milton from Sin City to Siena and beyond. As Milton goes deeper into a world of violence, ruthlessness and revenge, will he finally put his demons to rest? Or is he about to awaken the devil he's been trying to smother for so long? "Mark Dawson has all the skills. A great thriller writer on the top of his game." - Sunday Times bestselling author Steve Cavanagh
The Man Who Never Was book cover
#16

The Man Who Never Was

2020

Can the man who never was catch the criminals who never get caught? John Milton is used to operating in the shadows, weaving his way through dangerous places behind a fake identity. Now, to avenge the death of a close friend, he must wear his mask of deception once more. Beau Baxter was brutally murdered by a drugs cartel but that doesn’t stop Milton from blaming himself for his friend’s death. With the help of a trusted team of undercover experts and Beau’s son, Milton is determined to track down the killers. And he isn't just after the man who gave the order. He’s heading right for the top. Milton plans to follow the trail of cocaine from the nightclubs of Amsterdam all the way to its source in Colombia. Disguised as an ambitious buyer, he’s prepared to work his way up the cartel hierarchy one rung at a time. But the ladder can be slippery and, as Milton travels deeper into a world of violence, ruthlessness and greed, he finds himself in a jungle that could prove impossible to escape.
Killa City book cover
#17

Killa City

2021

A storm is brewing in the heartlands of America and John Milton senses something in the air… John Milton has a nose for trouble. He can smell it a mile away. And when he witnesses a suspicious altercation between a young man and two thugs in a car auction parking lot, he can’t resist getting involved. Milton came to Kansas City hoping to find a way out of danger. His recent vendetta against a cartel hitman who killed his friend has made him enemies in high places. Now he needs to find the only man who can get him out of this mess. But, like a moth to a flame, Milton is drawn to anyone who needs his help. And this time, he’s also drawing the attention of money laundering criminals who really mean business. Driven by a desire to atone for the darkness in his past, Milton is a man on a mission. But, in a city of undercover crime and corruption, what does that mean for his future? With danger all around him, will Milton’s burning conscience finally be the death of him?
Ronin book cover
#18

Ronin

2020

John Milton travels to Bali in search of a new identity, but he can't even manage the flight without finding someone who needs his help. A beautiful woman falls ill and confesses that she has swallowed packages of cocaine in order to smuggle it across the border. She has been forced to work as a mule by a Yakuza gang in Tokyo who are holding her child to guarantee her compliance. Milton decides that's unacceptable, and promises to lend her his help.
Never Let Me Down Again book cover
#19

Never Let Me Down Again

2021

Sometimes your past catches up with you. But John Milton has decided to catch up with his past. Eighteen years ago, on a mission in Iraq, Captain John Milton made a reckless decision with serious consequences. But it was Major Connor Gordon who really paid the price.
Bulletproof book cover
#20

Bulletproof

2021

John Milton thought he could run forever. He was wrong. For years, former secret service agent and trained killer John Milton thought he could outrun his past, his demons and his enemies. His enemies had other ideas. Captured and imprisoned by the organisation he once worked for, Milton must do one last job in exchange for his freedom. Bullheaded billionaire fixer Tristan Huxley is brokering a weapons deal between Russia and India. He needs protection and he wants Milton by his side. Huxley has trusted Milton with his life before but these days his world is more decadent and his enemies more dangerous, in ways that nobody could ever have suspected. Finally, the man who thought he’d never be forgiven has the chance to wipe the slate clean, once and for all. But is it really a case of no more running for Milton? Can the Group be trusted to keep their word and let him go? And who is it that really needs protecting? After all, nobody is bulletproof, not even John Milton.
The Sandman book cover
#21

The Sandman

2022

Two men out for revenge. But only one can win. When an inmate is found unresponsive in his high security cell at Belmarsh prison, he’s rushed to hospital for treatment. The prisoner is human trafficker and international fixer Tristan Huxley, a man a lot of people have good reason to want dead. But Huxley mysteriously never makes it to the hospital. He may have plenty of enemies but it seems he has some very powerful friends too. Huxley’s disappearance is bad news for anyone who betrayed him. One of those people is John Milton. Originally assigned to protect Huxley, things turned sour when he discovered the disturbing truth about his old friend's activities. Huxley isn’t someone who forgives and forgets. But neither is Milton - when someone deserves punishment, he’s compelled to deliver it, no matter where in the world that journey takes him. A dangerous man is on the loose and Milton isn’t the only one on his hit list. But could he be the only one capable of taking him out for good?
Uppercut book cover
#22

Uppercut

2023

John Milton is on the run again. Chasing clues to help him understand the new risks he faces, he finds himself in Dublin. Before he knows it, he is involved with a woman who has fallen foul of a dangerous local family. Please ignore the release date that you'll see below - Uppercut will be released in Spring 2023.
Bloodlands book cover
#23

Bloodlands

2024

The cold of Siberia meets the chill of betrayal. In a world where loyalty is fleeting and alliances are temporary, John Milton is on a mission that will bring him face-to-face with enemies old and new. When his friend, Alex Hicks, finds himself pursued by mysterious adversaries, the two men are thrust back into the web of international espionage. Navigating a perilous path that stretches from the war-torn streets of Ukraine to the icy wastelands of Siberia, Milton will stop at nothing to protect his friends and expose a conspiracy that could topple governments and jeopardize global security. As Russian intelligence crumbles from within and a new, unpredictable threat arises, can Milton outwit his most formidable enemies yet? From the clandestine corridors of French intelligence to the explosive frontlines of a covert war, Bloodlands will keep you on the edge of your seat, questioning where true loyalty lies. In a daring game of cat and mouse that sees Milton, Hicks, and an ensemble of unforgettable characters crossing paths and double-crossing enemies, the stakes have never been higher. Don't miss this lightning-paced instalment in the John Milton series—a tale of betrayal, survival, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
The John Milton Series #0.5-3 book cover
#0.5-3

The John Milton Series #0.5-3

2014

This 230,000-word collection includes the first THREE books in the best-selling John Milton series, plus the introductory novella, and is nearly 1000 pages (230,000 words) of espionage, revenge, thrills and spills. Save over 40% versus buying the single books. Meet John Milton He considers himself an artisan. A craftsman. His trade is murder. Milton is the man the government sends after you when everything else has failed. Ruthless. Brilliant. Anonymous. Lethal. You wouldn't pick him out of a crowd but you wouldn't want to be on his list. But now, after ten years, he's had enough - there's blood on his hands and he wants out. Trouble is, this job is not one you can just walk away from. He goes on the run, seeking atonement for his sins by helping the people he meets along the way. But his past cannot be easily forgotten and before long it is Milton who is hunted, and not the hunter. 'THE CLEANER' (Book 1) A career of state-sanctioned murder has taken its toll. Milton is troubled by nightmares, a long line of ghosts who torment his dreams. He resolves to make his next job his last and, then, perhaps, he can start to make amends for everything that he has done. Sharon Warriner is a single mother in the East End of London, suicidal with fear that she's lost her young son to a life in the gangs. After Milton saves her life, he promises to help. But the gang, and the charismatic rapper who leads it, is not about to cooperate with him. As London burns through summer riots, Milton finds himself in unfamiliar territory, dealing with an unfamiliar foe. And when his employer sends another agent after him, the odds against him are stacked even higher. 'SAINT DEATH' (Book 2) John Milton has been off the grid for six months. He surfaces in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and immediately finds himself drawn into a vicious battle with the narco-gangs that control the borderlands. He saves the life of an idealistic young journalist who has been targeted for execution. The only way to keep her safe is to smuggle her into Texas. Working with the only untouchable cops in the city, and a bounty hunter whose motives are unclear, Milton must keep her safe until the crossing can be made. But when the man looking for her is the legendary assassin Santa Muerta - Saint Death - that's a lot easier said than done. 'THE DRIVER' (Book 3) John Milton has started to hope that he might have a future. He has a job driving a taxi around the streets of San Francisco. He has his anonymity and his solitude. Being invisible has become a comfortable habit. He doesn't want to be found. But when a girl he drives to a party goes missing, Milton is worried. Especially when two dead bodies are discovered and the police start treating him as their prime suspect. Milton is a fugitive from the British Secret Service and a man in his position needs extra attention like he needs a hole in the head. As unpleasant secrets leak out, and the body count rises, one thing is for sure: Milton might just be the right guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. '1000 YARDS' (Bonus Novella) Milton is sent into North Korea. With nothing but a sniper rifle, bad intentions and a very particular target, will Milton be able to take on the secret police of the most dangerous failed state on the planet?

Author

Mark Dawson
Mark Dawson
Author · 62 books

For news and special offers join Mark's mailing list at: http://eepurl.com/Cai5X Mark Dawson was born in Lowestoft and grew up in Manchester and Chicago. He has worked as a lawyer and currently works in the London film industry. His first books, "The Art of Falling Apart" and "Subpoena Colada" have been published in multiple languages. He is currently writing two series. Soho Noir is set in the West End of London between 1940 and 1970. The first book in the series, "The Black Mile", deals with the (real life but little known) serial killer who operated in the area during the Blitz. "The Imposter" traces the journey of a criminal family (think The Sopranos in austerity London and you'd be on the right track). The John Milton series features a disgruntled special agent who aims to help people to make amends for the terrible things that he has done. Mark, as a child of the 80s, will freely admit that he watched a lot of The Equalizer in his youth. Mark lives in Wiltshire with his family. You can find him at www.markjdawson.com or www.facebook.com/markdawsonauthor.

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