The Council

By: Matthew Betley

Narrated by: George Newbern

From award-winning author Matthew Betley—creator of the popular Logan West series—comes The Council, an action-packed thriller perfect for fans of Jack Carr and the Tier One series.

Dating back to our country’s founding, the Council has been the puppet master behind nearly every seat of power in Washington for centuries, doing what it must for the good of the country. Made up of senators, Supreme Court justices, cabinet members, and wealthy corporate executives, the Council’s orders are enforced by the Custodian, whose lineage can be traced all the way back to the Revolutionary War. A true believer in the Council’s code, the current Custodian serves one master at all costs.

But years of absolute power and influence have corrupted and warped the mission of the Council. They don’t merely recruit retired Special Forces operators and Navy SEALs to do their dirty work, they resort to coercion and psychological pressure. But when a Council member, and US Senator, creates a controversial plan to expand the Council globally—though the methods of her strong-arm campaign break all the rules—the Council’s elite special forces team, led by Owen Pierce, find themselves in an ethically and morally compromising position.

When the team find themselves the Council’s prey instead of predator, Owen swears to put the Council out of business, if it’s the last thing they do.

©2026 Matthew Betley (P)2026 Blackstone Publishing