The PJ Steele Series
Simple extradition
A routine prisoner extradition...
A plane crash in the Colombian jungle...
Nothing routine about what comes next.
When the aircraft carrying cartel accountant Esteban Rojas goes down in hos-tile territory, Deputy U.S. Marshal PJ Steele is the only thing standing between two dozen wounded Survivors and the sicarios already closing in. The cartel wants their man back. They don’t care who dies in the process.
Former Air Force Pararescue with eight years of combat medicine, tactical operations, and pulling people out of the worst places on earth, PJ falls back on every bit of that training. Triage the wounded. Arm the able. Move through the jungle with a cartel army on their heels and no extraction coming.
The briefing said, “Straightforward.” The jungle says otherwise. Some are trained to save every wounded soul; others to neutralize threats with cold, precise finality and without hesitation.
...PJ Steele is both.
Routine prisoner escort.
Deputy U.S. Marshal PJ Steele arrives in Tunisia for a long-overdue reunion with archaeologist Lauren Stewart, who is excavating a submerged Roman site off the coast. The brief respite ends with PJ tasked for a routine prisoner transfer, escorting arms trafficker Karim Al-Mansour from a remote desert facility to an American courtroom.
Ambushed on an isolated desert road by hired militia fighters. Outgunned, cut off with wounded, PJ draws on his Pararescue past to deal with both the wounded and the militia to get his team safely across the Sahara. He will have to leverage every bit of his SERE training to survive brutal heat, limited water, and relentless pursuit.
A desperate sat-phone call becomes the team's only lifeline, if Brennan can work back channels quickly, some of them might have a chance.
The desert changes everything. Al-Mansour is no longer simply a prisoner, he's a critical witness whose testimony threatens networks far larger than one arms route, and PJ's mission quickly shifts.
The briefing said, "Straightforward." Armed militia and the Sahara say otherwise. Some are trained to treat all the wounded; others are trained to apply force with cold precision.
-PJ Steele will have to be both if anyone is to survive.
Cold Defection
Coming later this year.
1st time fiction author
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Beckett enlisted at nineteen, serving in temporary and permanent duty locations across the globe. His nine-year military tenure provided the foundation for a career defined by operational expertise, eventually transitioning from the service into the world of Department of Defense (DOD) contracting.
After spending 25 years writing "professional fiction" in the form of proposals, process assessments, and feasibility studies for future systems that only existed on paper, he shifted gears to writing action-packed thrillers.
Proposing future-state solutions taught him that a great technical recommendation and a great novel share the same DNA: rigorous research, connecting disparate pieces of data, and building a persuasive, engaging narrative. Now, as the author behind the PJ Steele Thriller series, he uses those exact same analytical tools to craft fast-paced, research-backed fiction designed strictly to entertain.
Beckett is an instrument-rated pilot and certified rescue diver, skills that help inform the authenticity of his protagonist’s world. When he isn’t navigating the complexities of his next thriller, he can be found traveling throughout the world or at his home in Panama City Beach, Florida, where he has lived with his wife of over thirty years.
LATEST UPDATES
The Inspiration for PJ Steele
Diving into the real-life inspirations behind the character that started it all, from Turkey to publishing.
Some have asked me what was my inspiration for my character PJ Steele. When I was stationed in Turkey many years ago I was kind of adopted by the Davis family. Master Sergeant Cliff Davis a Vietnam era Medic and my NCOIC TSGT Linda Davis. I crashed many a night on their couch. I learned to scuba dive there and Cliff taught me on the Search & Rescue (mostly recovery by the time we got there) team. I learned so many things about life, death and underwater navigation. Cliff and Linda are no longer with us but they will forever be in my heart. Cliff’s medical expertise and 4 Purple Hearts and dedication to saving lives was definitely part of my inspiration for this character.
Writing the Modern Thriller
Chuck Beckett discusses how to research to maintain authenticity and tension while writing military fiction in an ever-changing world.
How long did it take to write this book? The character has been in my head for several decades. Ten years ago I attempted to fully retire. I went to the beach and wrote several chapters that show up throughout this book. During COVID I wrote a few more chapters and read and researched a lot about todays US Air Force Pararescuemen and US Marshal Service. It wasn't until about 18 months ago that I decided to finish it. Over the last three months I had several individuals read the first full draft and I made a few more updates. Finally I had a professional proofreader suggest edits. The best advice I can give is read as many books on the subject as you can get your hands on. I found the official Pararescue Medical Operations Manual and use it as a reference manual. Researched the US Marshals operations. I tracked and calculated the training timelines for PhD, USAF Pipeline training, Marshals Bootcamp, to list a few. Tried to add as much realism as I could.
Do you want to know more?
Do you want to read about how PJ Steele became a Deputy US Marshal and first met Lauren Stewart?
If you send your email to Chuck@PJSteeleNovels.com I'll do two things. One, I will send you a link to download the Novella - Violent Luxor Transition and two, future emails on new releases and information. I'll se
Connect with the Author
Whether you have a question about the PJ Steele series, feedback, or simply want to discuss military history and thriller writing, I'm interested in keeping in touch.
Email: chuck@pjsteelenovels.com
Under Construction.
The future will be here sooner than you think.