HE THOUGHT HE’D ESCAPED THE DARKNESS. HE WAS WRONG.

Former FBI agent Ryan Fletcher leaves the shadows of Seattle behind for the rolling hills and...

UTTER DARKNESS by Tony Knapp
Tony Knapp

Tony Knapp

Hello friends, my name is Tony Knapp, author and fellow book lover. 

Please note: I am NOT the Tony Knapp-Author who writes Adult Content!

My wife and I live in Tennessee, to be closer to family, and the setting of my newest Thriller, UTTER DARKNESS.  I love hanging out with my kids and grandkids and exploring historical sites. After 33 years as a teacher, school principal, and district administrator, I retired to do "other", less strenuous things! As an avid student of military history, I earned a Master's Degree in National Security and met many remarkable individuals whose primary goal was to serve their country and God with honor and dignity. My first book, An Autumn Mist, is an adventure about secrets, love, and loyalty. There, we meet individuals willing to sacrifice all they hold dear for something greater than themselves. Ultimately, this is a story about ordinary men and women who, when facing their greatest fears, do the extraordinary. A Summer Storm, the second in the Hawk McCullough Action Thriller series, continues the journey of Jason McCullough, Lizzy Locke, and Ryan Fletcher, once again pitting them against the evil and powerful force known to American intelligence as The Dragon. These friends face tragedy, sorrow, and heartbreak for the love of family, friends, and country. A Summer Storm introduces new characters who share the bonds of love and loyalty while struggling to keep necessary but troubling secrets in the world of spies and covert operations. A Tempest in Winter, the final book in the series, is the conclusion of the Hawk McCullough Action Thriller Series. In this book, our characters face terrifying new threats that will challenge their commitment to their country, their cause, and each other. 

In Fall 2025, I ventured into a new arena of Christian Suspense Thrillers with UTTER DARKNESS. One of my favorite characters, Ryan Fletcher, leads the cast in this new series that forces him to face his darkest nightmares and, in so doing, opens a realm he never knew existed.

Books

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UTTER DARKNESS

HE THOUGHT HE’D ESCAPED THE DARKNESS. HE WAS WRONG.

Former FBI agent Ryan Fletcher leaves the shadows of Seattle behind for the rolling hills and the quiet promise of Cedar Grove, Tennessee, determined, after three years of terror, to give his family the life they want: a normal one. As the town’s new police chief, he hopes the horrors of his...

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A Tempest in Winter (A HAWK MCCULLOUGH ACTION THRILLER Book 3)

In the explosive finale of the Hawk McCullough Action Thriller Series, a new enemy rises from the shadows. Pak Ro—The Shaman—has unleashed a calculated campaign of terror designed to drag the world into war on the Korean Peninsula. And this time, the cost will be staggering.

After a devastating attack on London leaves thousands dead, covert...

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A SUMMER STORM: ESCAPING THE EVIL A Hawk McCullough Action Thriller

FOR COVERT OPERATIVE JASON “HAWK” MCCULLOUGH, STOPPING THE DRAGON’S PLAN MEANT FACING REVENGE OF UNSPEAKABLE EVIL. TO SURVIVE MEANT TO ESCAPE.

In this espionage thriller, covert operative Jason “Hawk” McCullough, seriously wounded after thwarting a terrorist attack on his home city of Seattle, wakes to unspeakable terror. Following an epic battle...

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Series

An Autumn Mist: A Hawk McCullough Action Thriller Deception, Danger, and Destiny
A SUMMER STORM: ESCAPING THE EVIL A Hawk McCullough Action Thriller
A Tempest in Winter (A HAWK MCCULLOUGH ACTION THRILLER Book 3)

Hawk McCullough Action Thrillers

Hawk McCullough, a reluctant covert operator, falls in love with his dream woman. Unknowingly, this leads him down a path of treachery, intrigue, and mystery. As the series unwinds, Hawk finds himself in league with Lizzie, his one and only love, FBI Agent Ryan Fletcher,...

Praise

FOR UTTER DARKNESS:
The plot is a whirlwind of heart-pounding suspense, expertly paced to keep the reader guessing at every turn. Knapp weaves together a narrative that balances large-scale spiritual warfare with intimate, emotional moments, creating an investment in the characters' fates that is impossible to shake.

– Jim DG

FOR UTTER DARKNESS:
"Knapp it's been a pleasure reading your progression as an author. This fourth novel, in my humble opinion, is so polished. It is again apparent your research is thorough and dare I say your knowledge of scripture comes off as heartfelt. (Bad on me if I'm wrong.)
Though you've taken this small family of characters in a much different direction with a new life, I love the generous nod you've given to the characters, indeed 'friends', from your first series. You've seamlessly woven them together while still ensuring that Utter Darkness can stand completely on its own. All this while masterfully illustrating how our deep faith overcomes the tension and darkness of my favorite genres of thriller/suspense, that are all too real in this world we live in. No longer do I look forward to your next novel with curiosity but with eager anticipation! Well done and I'm happy to hit 5 stars, more if I could!"

– Natalie

UTTER DARKNESS
I love a book that teaches as well as entertains! This book is about justice, loyalty, and the powerful love of God that sustains us in a world that is filled with darkness. Mr. Knapp reminds us through his characters and their conflicts that we have the light of Christ that overcomes a darkness we can’t even see. I come away from this read with a new understanding of the spiritual realm and the power of God that overcomes it.

– Cindy Jeansonne

Latest Updates

BRONZE MEDAL AWARD WINNER 49vwlkgwni3qgl79lr134aleqpe6 55.62 KB
49vwlkgwni3qgl79lr134aleqpe6 55.62 KB
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD WINNER WOO-HOO! Great News!I was just informed that

WOO-HOO! Great News!

I was just informed that UTTER DARKNESS was awarded the Bronze Medal in Thrillers-Psychological books for the 2025 Global Book Awards.

The Unseen Realm Are we really thinking about what's happening outside of

Are we really thinking about what's happening outside of our physical senses?

The Book of Ephesians warns us: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the...

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