Debut Novel Out Now
Jonathan Burke
J.A. Schinka
“There’s only one lead.The surviving agent thinks the Congressman’s killer looks a bit like the sniper from his commando unit years ago—last name possibly ‘Burke’ and first name ‘Jonathan’ or ‘Nathan.’ So, it’s a dead end—we have only the doubtful identification of a soldier from years ago.”
The Director rose from his chair, his voice exploding.
“Not acceptable! Who the hell is Jonathan Burke?”
What are they saying…
“A Cold War noir thriller, featuring an agent who succeeds with creatively engineered kills but only manages to survive 1960s London.” AS, Michigan
“Solidly in the tradition of Le Carre, Deighton, and Fleming, Jonathan Burke joins the ranks of unforgettable MI6 agents.” ETO, Chicago
“Can’t wait for the next one. That ending...brutal and brilliant. Expect the movie soon.” D.G, Tampa
Who is Jonathan Burke…?
MI6’s foremost assassin. Cool. Calculated. Ruthless. Feared throughout Europe, but unrecognizable. Not just another polished spy of popular fiction, but someone far more dangerous—and more human.
Trained how to kill in childhood, Burke excels as a British commando sniper. Recruited into MI6, he becomes the go-to assassin for surgically precise missions against Europe’s shadowy underworld. Posing as an engineer in 1960s swinging London, he struggles to balance the demands of his profession with the pursuit of a normal life. But as his missions take him to three continents and the heart of London’s Mayfair district, he becomes the unwitting target of a conspiracy from an unsuspected source.
When Burke’s successes mount, the conspiracy closes in, and he is forced to go rogue to take down an international money-laundering ring. The farther he proceeds, the more personal the mission becomes and, unknowingly, the closer he comes to discovering the shocking identity of his enemy.
About J.A. Schinka
J. A. Schinka lives on Florida’s Gulf Coast. He earned his undergraduate degree from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota and completed his doctorate in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Iowa. He then joined the faculty at the University of South Florida’s College of Medicine and the Tampa VA Hospital, where he developed clinical, training, and research programs. He is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed research articles, three textbooks, and numerous chapters and professional publications. His work has been cited more than ten thousand times in the scientific literature.
A lifelong reader of espionage fiction, Schinka has long admired the works of John le Carré, Len Deighton, Ian Fleming, Robert Ludlum, and, more recently, Mick Herron. The character of Jonathan Burke evolved over the years as a response to the overly polished portrayals of spies whose personal lives rarely felt authentic. After retiring—and in recovery from a serious health challenge—he finally sat down to attempt the first chapter. It went well. One year and ten drafts later, the novel was complete.
He and his wife still live in the house they built on a small lake shortly after they got married. There they garden, host their children and six grandchildren, plan trips to Europe, and enjoy the Florida sunshine. He’s an avid tennis player and a fan of college sports and Formula One racing—and, of course, spy thrillers.
Research for a second Jonathan Burke thriller is underway.