The Method
A Thriller
Published on 26. March 2026
Book
Hardback
416 pages
978-0-06-339302-8 (ISBN)
Description
From the author of The Night Agent-the #1 global Netflix sensation-comes an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a young actress who must go undercover in a deadly world of espionage to save her best friend...and herself.
A silent war.
An unlikely spy.
She's done playing by their rules.
Actress Anna Vaughn is fearless-on screen, at least. She tends to play doomed brunettes with a badass streak, and has put in countless hours training for parts and learning how to fight, shoot, and drive like a pro.
She likes to believe she is as tough as her characters, but off-camera she leads a far quieter life: trying to keep her acting career alive so she can take care of her younger sister.
When her best friend Natalie, her rock, disappears after a night out with a mysterious new man, the signs point to foul play and a circle of spies operating in Manhattan. Anna must use all the tricks she's learned for her roles to hunt for her missing friend. She quickly learns the dangers are all too real.
She crosses paths with Kevin Matthews, an FBI agent on the same trail, tracking a string of killings and disappearances and a powerful clique of oligarchs. With Matthews as her handler, she has only days to prepare for the greatest performance of her life-going undercover. She will follow in her friend's footsteps through the gilded mansions, yachts, and secret clubs of New York to infiltrate the conspiracy and bring Natalie home.
As the killers close in, her only chance for survival is to become as lethal as the characters she once played.
No camera. No script. Just instinct.
A silent war.
An unlikely spy.
She's done playing by their rules.
Actress Anna Vaughn is fearless-on screen, at least. She tends to play doomed brunettes with a badass streak, and has put in countless hours training for parts and learning how to fight, shoot, and drive like a pro.
She likes to believe she is as tough as her characters, but off-camera she leads a far quieter life: trying to keep her acting career alive so she can take care of her younger sister.
When her best friend Natalie, her rock, disappears after a night out with a mysterious new man, the signs point to foul play and a circle of spies operating in Manhattan. Anna must use all the tricks she's learned for her roles to hunt for her missing friend. She quickly learns the dangers are all too real.
She crosses paths with Kevin Matthews, an FBI agent on the same trail, tracking a string of killings and disappearances and a powerful clique of oligarchs. With Matthews as her handler, she has only days to prepare for the greatest performance of her life-going undercover. She will follow in her friend's footsteps through the gilded mansions, yachts, and secret clubs of New York to infiltrate the conspiracy and bring Natalie home.
As the killers close in, her only chance for survival is to become as lethal as the characters she once played.
No camera. No script. Just instinct.
Reviews / Votes
"In The Method, Matthew Quirk takes readers from Hollywood sets into the shadowy world of espionage in a story of courage, sacrifice, and the thin line separating those who pretend from those who don't. This is Quirk at the top of his game. Add The Method to your must-read list today! An absolute winner!" - Jack Carr, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Cry Havoc and The Terminal List series"Another winner from Matthew Quirk! Fresh off the success of The Night Agent, Quirk returns with a rapid-fire thriller of international intrigue that pits a near-mythical assassin against an unlikely heroine: Anna, an actress/stunt woman who's better at playing a badass than being one. But never fear-there's a method to her madness." - Lisa Gardner, #1 NYT bestselling author of Kiss Her Goodbye
"Tense, twisty, and pacy-we watch breathlessly as entertainment turns to reality for one brave woman. An excellent thriller - highly recommended." - Lee Child, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of the Jack Reacher series
"The Method is classic Quirk - great premise, nonstop action, twists and turns from page one. Anna Vaughn, action actress gone rogue into a deadly underworld, is an intriguing new character, rounding out this scorching barnburner you won't want to put down." - Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling Author of the Orphan X Series
"Packed with deadly twists, this thrill ride will have you wondering who can be trusted and who is giving a deadly good performance." - Apple Books
"A pulse-pounding knockout that's part Hollywood thriller, part high-stakes spy game. Glamorous and gritty, The Method delivers relentless tension, jaw-dropping twists, and a heroine you'll root for on every page. Honestly? It might be the first must-read thriller of 2026" - The Real Book Spy
"All of Quirk's espionage writing talents are on display....The action is nonstop, and the suspense ramps up to nearly unbearable levels until the stunning and satisfying climax." - Bookreporter
"The Method is a fast-paced thriller at its best." - The Denver Post
"The first great thriller of 2026." - Red Carpet Crash
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
538 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-06-339302-8 (9780063393028)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Matthew Quirk is the New York Times bestselling author of Inside Threat, Red Warning, Hour of the Assassin, The Night Agent, Dead Man Switch, Cold Barrel Zero, The Directive, and The 500. He spent five years at The Atlantic reporting on crime, private military contractors, terrorism prosecutions, and international gangs. He lives in San Diego, California.