Alex Shaw

Alex Shaw is a British thriller writer whose fiction explores the worlds of special forces, intelligence agencies, and international espionage. His novels are set in locations such as Kyiv, intelligence offices, and front-line conflict zones around the globe. Before becoming an author, Shaw spent several years in Kyiv, Ukraine, teaching drama and running a business consultancy before joining a division of Siemens. His professional experience includes conducting business across the former USSR, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as residing in Qatar and the UAE. This diverse background informs his work with a level of authenticity in the action-thriller genre.

Shaw began writing after noticing that contemporary thrillers rarely depicted Ukraine and its neighboring countries accurately. He chose to set his stories in the places he knew, using authentic details and languages. This approach led to the creation of the Aidan Snow novels, including "Cold Blood," "Cold Black," and "Cold East," which follow an ex-SAS soldier turned MI6 officer through bank heists, terror plots, and shifting alliances in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. These titles are published in English by HQ Digital HarperCollins and in German by Luzifer Verlag.

Shaw is the author of four international thriller series featuring Wolf Six, Aidan Snow, Jack Tate, and Sophie Racine. "Total Blackout," the first Jack Tate thriller, was shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for Best Published Novel. His novel "Wolf Six," the first Ruslan Akulov thriller, has been nominated for the Barry Award for Best Paperback Original Mystery. Shaw is also the author of the standalone novel "Delta Force Vampire: Insurgency." His work has been recognized by authors in the thriller and espionage fiction community.

Shaw is a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers' Association, serving as the convenor for the Gulf Chapter of the CWA. His writing has appeared in thriller anthologies such as "Death Toll," "Death Toll 2," "Death Toll 3," "Capital Crimes," and "Action Pulse Pounding Tales 2." Shaw has also launched an action-focused series for Boldwood Books, beginning with "Wolf Six." His career is built on real-world experience, detailed research, and a deep understanding of the regions featured in his novels, establishing him as a significant voice in action and espionage fiction.