From the research journal
30 Action Adventure Archaeological Thriller Series You Can Binge Read Right Now
Treasure Hunts, Ancient Mysteries & Pulse-Pounding Global Adventures
Do you love books by Clive Cussler, James Rollins, or Dan Brown? Are you a fan of movies like Indiana Jones, National Treasure, or Lara Croft: Tomb Raider?
Then you’re an action-adventure and archaeological thriller fan, like me. Here are 30 series you can binge read right now. I write in this genre and I read a lot of it, so this is the list I’d hand you if you asked me in person.
What they have in common: modern-day treasure hunts tangled up with ancient mystery, historical intrigue and archaeological discovery, relentless action and global conspiracies, daring protagonists up against formidable adversaries, and exotic locations from lost ruins to secret vaults. The stakes are always high and the action rarely lets up.
You’ll find ex-military heroes turned treasure hunters, archaeological mysteries rooted in real history, religious conspiracies and ancient artifacts, scientific thrillers that pair new technology with old secrets, strong female protagonists in the Lara Croft tradition, and long series built for binge reading.
The Essential Series (Top 10)
(1) Sigma Force Series by James Rollins (18 books)
Military thriller meets archaeological adventure, with a hard scientific edge. The Sigma Force novels follow a covert team of former Special Forces operatives, each trained in a scientific discipline, whose job is to protect the world from emerging threats by uncovering scientific secrets and ancient mysteries. Every mission pairs new technology with old history. Rollins is the writer to study if you want to see how it’s done at scale.
Start with: Sandstorm (Book 1)
Perfect for: Readers who love science-based thrillers with archaeological mysteries
Bonus: Rollins’ The Order of the Sanguines series (co-written with Rebecca Cantrell) is a supernatural religious thriller with the same fast-paced adventure.
(2) Robert Langdon Series by Dan Brown (6 books)
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon decodes ancient mysteries hidden in famous works of art and historical monuments. Religious thriller, art mystery and symbology, all at speed. Read them in order: Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, Inferno, Origin, The Secret of Secrets.
Perfect for: Readers fascinated by secret societies, religious history, and art mysteries
These books inspired my ARKANE thriller series, so I owe Dan Brown a debt.
(3) ARKANE Series by J.F. Penn (13 books)
Yes, this is my series, so I’m biased. Archaeological thriller, religious conspiracy and supernatural mystery. Morgan Sierra, ex-military psychologist, joins ARKANE, a secret British agency investigating supernatural mysteries and ancient religious artifacts around the world. Each mission is a modern-day, fast-paced thriller inspired by historical artifacts and places, religious conspiracy, and archaeology.
Readers tell me they come for the strong female lead and the real archaeological detail, and stay for the globe-trotting and the supernatural elements grounded in history.
Start with: Stone of Fire (Book 1) – Hunt for sacred stones from Pentecost
Latest: Spear of Destiny (Book 13)
Perfect for fans of: Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon, James Rollins’ Sigma Force, Indiana Jones/Lara Croft adventures
➡️ Explore the complete ARKANE series | Read Stone of Fire (Book 1)
(4) Dirk Pitt Series by Clive Cussler (27+ books)
Maritime adventure and underwater archaeology. The NUMA series follows Dirk Pitt, marine engineer and adventurer, as he uncovers ancient mysteries and thwarts sinister plots across the globe. This is the series that defined the archaeological thriller, and it still holds up.
Start with: Pacific Vortex! or Raise the Titanic!
Perfect for: Underwater adventure fans, maritime history enthusiasts
(5) Cotton Malone Series by Steve Berry (18+ books)
Former Justice Department operative turned antiquarian book dealer Cotton Malone digs into conspiracies rooted in historical secrets. Historical thriller, conspiracy, rare-book mystery. Each novel puts hard action next to a proper historical puzzle.
Start with: The Templar Legacy (Book 1)
Perfect for: History buffs who like a twisting plot with a rare manuscript at the centre of it
(6) Gabriel Allon Series by Daniel Silva (25 books)
Spy thriller first. Gabriel Allon is an art restorer and Israeli intelligence officer, so covert operations sit alongside a passion for art. These are slower than most books on this list, and better for it. European culture, art history, and religious themes run through all of them, and I’d call the series essential.
Start with: The Kill Artist (Book 1)
Perfect for: Readers who like their thrillers slower and smarter, with art and European settings
(7) Jack West Jr. Series by Matthew Reilly (7 books)
Jack West Jr., a former SAS soldier, goes on global quests full of ancient puzzles and deadly adversaries. Reilly writes at a sprint. These are about as fast-paced as the genre gets, with elaborate puzzles to solve and explosive action, and historical mysteries underneath it all.
Start with: Seven Deadly Wonders (Book 1)
Perfect for: Readers who want non-stop action and elaborate ancient puzzles
(8) Ben Hope Series by Scott Mariani (29+ books)
Action thriller with historical mystery and religious conspiracy. Ex-SAS operative turned rescue specialist Ben Hope takes on missions that mix historical and religious mysteries with modern-day threats. Fast, and Hope himself is the draw.
Start with: The Alchemist’s Secret (Book 1)
Perfect for: Fans of religious conspiracies and ex-military protagonists
(9) James Acton Thrillers by J. Robert Kennedy (40+ books)
Archaeological thriller with an academic hero. Professor James Acton, archaeologist and historian, keeps getting pulled into dangerous missions involving ancient artifacts and modern conspiracies. Kennedy is prolific and does his historical research. If you want a backlist you can disappear into for months, this is it.
Start with: The Protocol (Book 1)
Perfect for: Readers who want an extensive backlist to binge
(10) Joe Ledger Series by Jonathan Maberry (10+ books with two linked series)
Joe Ledger, a former Baltimore cop and Army Ranger, leads a covert task force (DMS) against global threats: bioterrorism, ancient conspiracies, advanced technologies, and sometimes a supernatural edge. This one leans darker than the rest of the top ten, closer to military horror than treasure hunt, with scientific conspiracy at the core.
Start with: Patient Zero (Book 1)
Perfect for: Readers who love military thrillers with horror/sci-fi elements
More Thrilling Series to Discover
(11) Dane Maddock Adventures by David Wood (20+ books)
Former Navy SEAL turned treasure hunter Dane Maddock hunts lost artifacts and ancient secrets with his partner Bones Bonebrake. Plenty of underwater adventure, plus a cryptozoology streak that gives these a different flavour from the rest.
Start with: Dourado (Book 1)
(12) Sean Wyatt Series by Ernest Dempsey (23+ books)
Archaeologist and former secret agent Sean Wyatt races to find and protect ancient treasures. Dempsey does the historical research and it shows.
Start with: The Secret of the Stones (Book 1)
(13) Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase Series by Andy McDermott (17+ books)
Archaeologist Dr. Nina Wilde and her ex-SAS bodyguard Eddie Chase race to uncover ancient artifacts and prevent global disasters. There’s more humour in these than in most of the genre, which is a relief after a run of grim ex-soldiers.
Start with: The Hunt for Atlantis (Book 1)
(14) Matt Drake Series by David Leadbeater (35+ books)
Another ex-SAS soldier, Matt Drake, this time chasing ancient artifacts, lost treasures and lost civilisations around the world. Leadbeater has written a lot of these, so there’s plenty to work through.
Start with: The Bones of Odin (Book 1)
(15) Payne & Jones Series by Chris Kuzneski (9 books)
Jonathon Payne and David Jones are former Special Forces operatives turned treasure hunters. Ancient puzzles, global conspiracies, and a double act at the centre rather than a lone hero.
Start with: The Plantation (Book 1)
(16) Vanessa Michael Munroe Series by Taylor Stevens (6 books)
Vanessa Michael Munroe is an information hunter and mercenary who takes dangerous global assignments involving deadly combat and complex conspiracies. Straight thriller, and more psychological depth than most on this list.
Start with: The Informationist (Book 1)
(17) Sam Reilly Series by Christopher Cartwright (29+ books)
Maritime thrillers. Former marine troubleshooter Sam Reilly follows clues from history to solve modern-day mysteries, with lost civilisations and puzzle-solving along the way.
Start with: The Last Airship (Book 1)
(18) Dominic Grey Series by Layton Green (6+ books)
Dominic Grey is a private investigator specialising in religious phenomena, which takes him into ancient rituals, secret societies and dark conspiracies. Occult mysteries with martial arts, and closer in mood to my own ARKANE books than most on this list.
Start with: The Summoner (Book 1)
(19) Dan Kotler Archaeological Thrillers by Kevin Tumlinson (13+ books)
Dan Kotler, archaeologist and researcher, digs into historical mysteries with modern-day implications. Archaeological mystery, ancient history and conspiracy.
Start with: The Coelho Medallion (Book 1)
(20) Harvey Bennett Thrillers by Nick Thacker (15+ books)
Former park ranger Harvey Bennett is a reluctant hero pulled into global threats linked to scientific discoveries and ancient mysteries. Scientific thriller more than treasure hunt.
Start with: The Enigma Strain (Book 1)
(21) Eden Black Archaeological Thrillers by Luke Richardson (7+ books)
Archaeologist and treasure hunter Eden Black uncovers ancient secrets and faces modern dangers, in British settings for a change. A female lead in a genre that doesn’t have enough of them.
Start with: The Ark Files (Book 1)
(22) The Belial Series by R.D. Brady (14+ books)
Archaeologist Delaney McPhearson uncovers secrets that could alter history. Biblical archaeology and mythology on one side, modern science on the other.
Start with: The Belial Stone (Book 1)
(23) Phoenix Quest Series by K.T. Tomb (7+ books)
Thalia Phoenix owns a collectibles shop and hunts relics on the side. Amateur archaeologist, female treasure hunter, fast-paced adventures.
Start with: Tomb of the Queen (Book 1)
(24) VanOps Series by Avanti Centrae (3+ books)
Covert ops. The VanOps team tackles threats linked to ancient mysteries and modern science, with historical intrigue and a scientific-thriller edge.
Start with: VanOps: The Lost Power (Book 1)
(25) Tyler Locke Series by Boyd Morrison (4 books)
Engineer Tyler Locke uses his skills to solve ancient puzzles and prevent catastrophic events. An engineering thriller, so the tech is the point.
Start with: The Ark (Book 1)
(26) Alex Hunter Series by Greig Beck (11+ books)
Alex Hunter (The Arcadian) is an elite soldier with extraordinary abilities who leads a team against everything from ancient mysteries to scientific dangers. Military sci-fi with a strong cryptid-horror streak.
Start with: Beneath the Dark Ice (Book 1)
(27) Chase Baker Thrillers by Vincent Zandri (11+ books)
Chase Baker is a writer and adventurer who travels the world uncovering ancient secrets and hidden treasures, with plenty of Italian settings. A hero who writes for a living, which I have a soft spot for.
Start with: Chase Baker and the God Boy (Book 1)
(28) Thomas Lourds Series by Charles Brokaw (4 books)
Dr. Thomas Lourds, renowned linguist and archaeologist, uncovers ancient texts that lead him into trouble. Languages and religious artifacts drive the plots.
Start with: The Atlantis Code (Book 1)
(29) Jack Howard Series by David Gibbins (10+ books)
Marine archaeologist Jack Howard dives into history, literally, uncovering lost civilisations and ancient artifacts underwater.
Start with: Atlantis (Book 1)
(30) Sam Harris Adventures by P.J. Skinner (7+ books)
Geologist Sam Harris takes on treacherous mineral exploration and archaeological discoveries, mostly in African settings. A geology thriller, which is a rare thing.
Start with: Fool’s Gold (Book 1)
How to Choose Your Next Series
If You Love Dan Brown’s Religious Mysteries:
→ Try: ARKANE Series, Dominic Grey, Thomas Lourds, Ben Hope
If You Want Military Thrillers:
→ Try: Sigma Force, Joe Ledger, Matt Drake, Jack West Jr.
If You Love Underwater Adventures:
→ Try: Dirk Pitt, Dane Maddock, Jack Howard, Sam Reilly
If You Want Strong Female Leads:
→ Try: ARKANE (Morgan Sierra), Nina Wilde, Eden Black, Vanessa Munroe, Phoenix Quest
If You Love Historical Depth:
→ Try: Cotton Malone, Gabriel Allon, Ethan Gage, Dan Kotler
If You Want Non-Stop Action:
→ Try: Jack West Jr., Matt Drake, James Acton, Harvey Bennett
Start Your Adventure Today
If you’d like to try my own books, ARKANE is the place to start.
➡️ Discover my ARKANE thriller series