Bear In The Dragon's Shadow: Where Deception Meets Strategy

The explosive first novel in the Matt Scales Thriller series

The attack already happened. America just doesn't know it yet.

When a Russian intelligence officer vanishes after a deadly raid in Ukraine, the world believes he is dead.

He isn't.

Sergei Lebedev resurfaces inside the United States and unleashes a cyberattack that collapses the American power grid. Cities go dark. Defenses go blind. And as panic spreads, China moves on Taiwan.

Defense Clandestine Service operator Matt Scales knows the blackout isn't the real attack. It's the opening move.

Still reeling from the death of his teammate, Matt uncovers the truth: the same code crippling America is already inside Taiwan's infrastructure. This isn't opportunism. It's a coordinated Russian-Chinese operation designed to paralyze U.S. response and assassinate Taiwan's president before the world realizes war has begun.

To stop it, Matt teams with April Knight — former SEAL Team Six Black Squadron — and Chin Ho, the DOE physicist who first identified the grid-killing virus. But the deadliest threat isn't overseas. There's a traitor inside their own ranks.

They have hours. Millions have no idea.

From the battlefields of Ukraine to the streets of Santa Barbara, Bear in the Dragon's Shadow delivers tactical realism, relentless pacing, and high-stakes geopolitics. Perfect for readers of Jack Carr, Don Bentley, Mark Greaney, and Brad Taylor.

Read it now — before the next war begins without warning.

Book 2 in the Matt Scales Thriller Series — coming August 2026