Meet Jack
The Background
Jack MacTavish is a retired United States Army colonel and the author of high-stakes action-adventure novels and military and political thrillers. With more than 36 years of service in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, his fiction draws on real-world experience while delivering pace, atmosphere, and adventure.
His career spanned airborne, special operations, and joint environments, including assignments supporting U.S. Army Special Operations Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. His work took him across Afghanistan, Korea, Haiti, Central and South America, and the Middle East, and he has also supported missions within the Intelligence Community as a contractor.
Today, he brings that world to the page through stories defined by competence, consequence, loyalty, and high-stakes adventure.
The Books
ROYAL DIAMONDS
Action-Adventure • Espionage • Treasure Hunt
Royal Diamonds is Jack MacTavish’s debut action-adventure novel—an atmospheric, high-stakes treasure hunt that spans Charleston and the Caribbean, where family rivalries, hidden history, and obsession collide.
Built on authentic experience and written with cinematic momentum, Royal Diamonds blends adventure, espionage, romance, and danger into a modern thriller with classic soul.
The Books
TALES FROM THE CARIBBEAN
Espionage • Dark Humor • Caribbean Noir
Tales from the Caribbean is currently in production and will continue the MacTavish adventure universe—following a weary, recently retired CIA officer who keeps trying to disappear, only to be pulled back into the game by old ghosts, new money, and Caribbean trouble.
The Books
Hotel de Cuba
Espionage • Dark Humor • Caribbean Noir
Hotel de Cuba is currently in production and will continue the MacTavish adventure universe, where a retired CIA officer trying to vanish in the Caribbean gets dragged back into the game as Hollywood, the Agency, and the Mafia collide in Cuba.
Answer the call.
MacTavish lives in North Carolina, where he balances writing with family life and a deep love of travel, hunting and fishing, music, photography, and service. A dedicated watch enthusiast, he shares the world behind his stories through the Jack MacTavish Adventures brand on social media—connecting with readers through books, gear, places, and the everyday pursuit of adventure.
He is a proud advocate for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and veteran causes, and a committed supporter of fellow authors and creators, especially those from the military and intelligence communities.
His fiction is infused with authenticity drawn from firsthand experience—and from a life shaped by curiosity, discipline, and a relentless appetite for the next horizon.
The world behind the stories.
“A Fast, Fun, Expertly Crafted Ride.”
Jack Stewart, USA Today best-selling author of "Riptide"
“What a fabulous ride! International politics, secrets, treasure, and mysterious family history collide in this sea-faring, action-packed adventure. The first in what I hope will be many Jake Stede novels, Royal Diamonds is everything you want in a thriller.”
-Tosca Lee, NYT bestselling author of "The Line Between"
A swashbuckling modern thriller, Royal Diamonds blends history, espionage, and high-seas adventure into a non-stop thrill ride.
Ryan Steck, the Real Book Spy and author of Ted Bell's "Warm