Jack Carr (writer)

Jack Carr
Carr (left) with author Doug Brunt at the SiriusXM studios in 2023
Born (1975-07-03) July 3, 1975
Minnesota, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Navy
Service years1996–2016
RankCommander[1]
UnitUnited States Navy SEALs
Known forThe Terminal List series
Conflicts
AwardsBronze Star Medal with V Device (2)[2]
Children3
Websitewww.officialjackcarr.com

Jack Carr (born 1975) is an American novelist, screenwriter, producer, podcaster, and former Navy SEAL sniper. He is the #1 New York Times[3] bestselling author of the James Reece series. His debut novel, The Terminal List, was adapted into the #1 streaming Amazon Prime Video series of the same name starring Chris Pratt.[4]

Biography

Early life and personal information

Jack Carr was born into a military family and his mother was a librarian which gave him access to many books. He developed interests in authors such as David Morrell, Tom Clancy, Ian Fleming, Nelson DeMille and Louis L'Amour. When Carr first learned about the United States Navy SEALs at the age of 7, he decided that that was the career he was going to pursue.[5][6]

Carr joined the U.S. Navy in 1996. He spent over 20 years in Naval Special Warfare Command.[7][8]

Carr presently lives in Park City, Utah, with his wife and children.[9] He also hosts a podcast called "Danger Close".[10][11]

Writing

Carr's first novel, The Terminal List, was published in 2018 by Simon & Schuster / Atria / Emily Bestler Books.[12]  The Terminal List was followed by True Believer, Savage Son, The Devil's Hand, In the Blood, Only the Dead, Red Sky Mourning, and Cry Havoc. Carr's novels feature a former Navy SEAL sniper named James Reece who becomes embroiled in the world of conspiracies, international espionage, and revenge. Cry Havoc is set in 1968 and is centered on James Reece's father, Navy SEAL Tom Reece, during the Vietnam War while attached to MACV-SOG.[13] All Carr's novels have been New York Times bestsellers. All Carr's audio books are read by Ray Porter and have been New York Times Audiobook bestsellers. The first in a new thriller series titled The Fourth Option, co-written with M.P. Woodward, will publish in 2026.[14]

Non-fiction

In March 2023 it was announced that Carr had signed a deal with Simon & Schuster / Atria / Emily Bestler Books for a series of terrorism focused non-fiction books. Targeted: The 1983 Beirut Barracks Bombing is the first in a series of books exploring seminal terrorist events written by Carr and Pulitzer Prize finalist James M. Scott.[15]

Podcasts

Danger Close: Beyond the Books with Jack Carr

Carr's podcast, Danger Close: Beyond the Book with Jack Carr, debuted in March 2021. Carr explores topics in long form conversation with special operations veterans, tacticians, strategists, historians, newsmakers, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, geopolitical analysts, intelligence professionals, and authors.[16]

The Terminal List Podcast

Carr's The Terminal List Podcast debuted in July 2022.[17] Carr, showrunner David DiGilio, and actor/producer/technical advisor and former Navy SEAL Jared Shaw break down each individual episode of the Amazon Prime Video series and share behind the scenes stories and insights from development through production. Chris Pratt anchors the final episode. The Terminal List Podcast debuted at number three in the TV & Film category on the Apple Podcasts charts.

Television

Screenwriting

Carr served as executive producer for the Amazon Studios adaptation of The Terminal List starring Chris Pratt. The series premiered on July 1, 2022 and was Amazon's #1 streaming series with 1.6 billion minutes of viewing its first week. Carr made a cameo appearance as an assassin in episode three. [18]

In January 2023, it was announced that Carr and The Terminal List showrunner David DiGilio would co-create a spin-off origin story series based on character Ben Edwards, portrayed by Taylor Kitsch, from The Terminal List for Amazon Studios with Carr as executive producer and writer. The Terminal List Dark Wolf premiered on August 27, 2025 and was a #1 Prime Video series. [19] Carr made cameo appearances in episodes four and seven.

In January 2023, it was announced that Chris Pratt would reprise his role as James Reece in a second season of The Terminal List titled The Terminal List Season Two: True Believer with Carr as executive producer and writer. Filming wrapped in October 2025.[20] 

Adaptations

The Terminal List was adapted for an eight-part series for Amazon Prime Video starring Chris Pratt in 2022.

The Terminal List Season 2 starring Chris Pratt, based on Carr's True Believer, is in post-production as of early 2026. [21]

Military career

Carr led special operations teams as a Team Leader, Platoon Commander, Troop Commander, and Task Unit Commander. He served as an enlisted SEAL sniper before being selected for Navy Officer Candidate School. He then led assault and sniper teams in Iraq and Afghanistan as a junior officer, practiced counterinsurgency in the southern Philippines as a platoon commander, and commanded a Special Operations Task Unit in the most Iranian influenced section of southern Iraq throughout the drawdown of U.S. Forces. He retired in June 2016 after 20 years of service.[22]

Awards and honors

Awards for Carr's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
2018 The Terminal List Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Author Nominee [23]
2019 The Terminal List Thriller Award for Best First Novel Finalist [24]
2019 The Terminal List Barry Award for Best Thriller Finalist [24]
2019 The Terminal List Audie Award for Thriller/Suspense Finalist [25]
2020 True Believer Barry Award for Best Thriller Finalist [24]
2022 The Devil's Hand Barry Award for Best Thriller Finalist [24]

Bibliography

The Terminal List series

James Reece series

Title Publication Date ISBN
1 The Terminal List March 6, 2018 1501180819
2 True Believer July 30, 2019 1501180843
3 Savage Son April 14, 2020 1982123702
4 The Devil's Hand April 13, 2021 1982123745
5 In the Blood May 17, 2022 1982181656
6 Only the Dead May 16, 2023 1982181699
7 Red Sky Mourning June 18, 2024 1668047071

Tom Reece series

  1. Cry Havoc (2025)

Targeted series (non-fiction)

  1. Targeted: Beirut (2024)[26]

Standalone

  1. The Fourth Option (with M. P. Woodward) (2026)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Jack Carr Week at Ballistic Magazine". October 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "TLP 311 - Author Jack Carr: True Believer". August 9, 2019.
  3. ^ Egan, Elisabeth (October 27, 2025). "Jack Carr Knows His Way Around a Battlefield, and a Military Thriller". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  4. ^ Bashforth, Emily (July 7, 2022). "Chris Pratt's 'anti-woke' action series The Terminal List panned by critics". Metro. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Spy, Ryan Steck, The Real Book (April 13, 2020). "SAVAGE SON: A Conversation with Jack Carr - Ryan Steck's The Real Book Spy". therealbookspy.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Baimbridge, Richard (September 14, 2023). "Navy SEAL Jack Carr's 8-Point Guide to Writing a Bestseller". AARP. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  7. ^ Carr, Jack. "Jack Carr". Jack Carr. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  8. ^ "#VeteranOfTheDay Navy Veteran Jack Carr – VA News". February 23, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  9. ^ "Reading with... Jack Carr". Shelf Awareness. April 24, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Carr, Jack. "Danger Close Podcast". Jack Carr. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  11. ^ Egan, Elisabeth (October 27, 2025). "Jack Carr Knows His Way Around a Battlefield, and a Military Thriller". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  12. ^ "The Terminal List: A Thriller | Murder By The Book". murderbooks.com. March 6, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  13. ^ Spy, Ryan Steck, The Real Book (November 7, 2024). "CRY HAVOC: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Jack Carr's Next Thriller Coming June 2025 - Ryan Steck's The Real Book Spy". therealbookspy.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ The Fourth Option. May 12, 2026. ISBN 978-1-6680-7201-1.
  15. ^ Targeted: Beirut. October 14, 2025. ISBN 978-1-6680-2436-2.
  16. ^ Ellefsen, Ashley. "THE DANGER CLOSE PODCAST". Jack Carr. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  17. ^ "Coming Soon: The Terminal List Podcast with Jack Carr". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  18. ^ "Chris Pratt and Jack Carr on Navy SEALs book-turned-TV-series 'The Terminal List'". The Washington Post. June 20, 2022. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  19. ^ Al-Ghamdi, Abdullah (September 2, 2025). "Prime's Newest Reacher Replacement Pummels Jensen Ackles' Action Series On Global Streaming". ScreenRant. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  20. ^ Sims, Brittany (January 30, 2026). "'The Terminal List' Season 2 Targets 2026 Release". TV Insider. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  21. ^ Jones, Tamera; Weintraub, Steven (January 23, 2026). "Chris Pratt Teases Season 2 of His Hit Prime Video Action Thriller Arriving Sooner Than Expected". Collider. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  22. ^ "The Terminal List, SOF Interview with former Navy SEAL Sniper and author, Jack Carr". Soldier of Fortune Magazine. June 28, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  23. ^ "The Terminal List (Terminal List, #1)". Goodreads. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  24. ^ a b c d "Jack Carr". Stop, You're Killing Me!. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  25. ^ "2019 Audie Awards". Audio Publishers Association. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  26. ^ Targeted: Beirut. September 24, 2024. ISBN 978-1-6680-2435-5.
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