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Phil Cuda

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Burning

Burning Series: High-Octane Crime Thriller Books & Action Thriller Series

Book cover for Burning: Seek and Destroy, Book 1 by Phil Cuda. The image shows a fiery title over a landscape featuring a black helicopter flying above the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Eiffel Tower.

Burning

Seek and Destroy ( Book 1 )

In January 2000, the Australian Federal Police dispatch two undercover agents to Townsville with a mission to dismantle a heroin smuggling ring. The operation quickly turns deadly, resulting in three deaths. Although the agents seize the drugs, the ruthless dealers are far from deterred.

The chase leads the agents north to Princess Charlotte Bay, where smugglers are also stealing crocodile eggs. Pursued by the drug dealers, their investigation uncovers a link to a massive diamond corporation with vested interests. This powerful entity is determined to eliminate any threats, including the agents.
As the agents gather crucial evidence, the corporation places a huge bounty on their heads, turning the mission into a deadly game of survival. Reinforcements from the AFP arrive, only to fall victim to the escalating violence. With every step, the agents face relentless killers, pushing their survival instincts to the limit.
In a world where survival is everything, the agents must outwit and outlast their pursuers to bring justice to light.
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Book cover for "Burning: Money to Kill For (Book 2)" by Phil Cuda. Features a collage with fiery red title text, a black helicopter flying overhead, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Eiffel Tower set over a cityscape and river.

Burning

Money To Kill For ( Book 2 )

The two agents have survived numerous battles against the formidable World Diamond Corporation. The ferocious anger of the De Chermonts grows with each failed attempt to eliminate them. Desperate to silence these relentless pursuers of justice, the corporation places a bounty of five million euros on each agent’s head, attracting every killer on earth.
As the agents fight to expose the corporation’s corruption and bring it down, they uncover a far more sinister operation: the illegal distribution of massive amounts of drugs into Northern Australia and beyond. The corporation’s deadly assassins are closing in, and the agents’ survival seems increasingly unlikely.
The stakes are raised even higher when the agents have their loved ones taken hostage by some of the killers. Amidst this deadly chaos, will the agents prevail against insurmountable odds, or will they fall victim to the corporation’s ruthless killers?
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Book cover for Burning: Killers Choice, Book 3 by Phil Cuda. The image shows a fiery title over a landscape featuring a black helicopter, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Eiffel Tower.

Burning

Killers Choice ( Book 3 )

After surviving countless battles against the ruthless World Diamond Corporation, two agents find themselves facing even greater peril. The corporation, enraged by the immense financial losses they’ve caused, places a staggering five million euro bounty on each of their heads. Now, they are the most wanted targets for killers around the world—including the corporation’s own deadly assassins.
As they dig deeper into the corporation’s operations, the agents uncover a shocking truth: the company isn’t just dealing in diamonds—it’s trafficking vast quantities of drugs into Australia, the USA, and beyond. Determined to bring it down, they find themselves caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, where survival is anything but certain.
When their girlfriends are taken hostage, the mission turns personal. With the odds stacked against them and death lurking at every corner, can the agents dismantle the corporation’s empire and save their loved ones—or will they fall victim to the relentless pursuit of their enemies?
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Book cover for "Burning: Mission to Kill (Book 4)" by Phil Cuda. Features a collage with fiery red title text, a black helicopter flying overhead, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Eiffel Tower set over a cityscape and river.

Burning

Mission to Kill ( Book 4 )

At great personal cost, Steven Burning and Stu Landers saved their loved ones. But just as Burning begins his new life with his wife Delvina on their honeymoon in Hawaii, tragedy strikes. Delvina is fatally shot, leaving Burning shattered and consumed by a single purpose: revenge. The killers, hired by the World Diamond Corporation, must pay.
Devastated, Burning embarks on a relentless mission to hunt down those responsible. But the danger only intensifies. The bounty on his head has doubled to ten million euros, attracting a legion of killers eager to cash in. Burning’s quest for vengeance turns into a deadly race for survival, with ruthless assassins and the De Chermonts closing in.
Can Burning survive long enough to avenge his wife’s death, or will the weight of hundreds of determined killers prove too much?
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Why Readers Love Phil Cuda’s Action Thriller Books

If you love fast-paced, high-stakes crime thriller books like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp, or Tom Clancy’s classic military sagas, the Burning series will keep you turning pages late into the night.

This series delivers everything readers want from modern crime and thriller books: relentless action, believable law enforcement operations, and ruthless international villains. Whether you are looking for explosive gunfights or deep undercover missions, Phil Cuda brings authentic intensity to every chapter.

Authentic Law Enforcement & Action Thriller Stories

Follow Australian Federal Police (AFP) undercover agents as they infiltrate international cartels, stop heroin smuggling rings, and take down corrupt global corporations with realistic tactical detail.

Relentless Bounties in Crime and Thriller Books

Experience non-stop tension as the stakes keep rising. From 5-million-euro hits to massive 10-million-euro global bounties, every shadow holds a new threat and every decision could be their last.

Cinematic & Fast-Paced Narrative

Written with screen-adaptation intensity, every book moves quickly with lethal showdowns, personal loss, and an uncompromising quest for justice.

Recommended Reading Order for the Best Action Thriller Books

While each book features a self-contained mission, reading the Burning series in order allows you to experience Steven Burning’s complete story arc—from early undercover assignments in Northern Australia to global mercenary warfare.

  1. Book 1: Seek and Destroy — Undercover AFP agents investigate a northern drug smuggling operation, uncovering a deadly link to a ruthless global diamond syndicate.
  2. Book 2: Money To Kill For — With a 5-million-euro bounty placed on their heads, the agents must survive relentless cartel hitmen while dismantling illegal pipelines.
  3. Book 3: Killers Choice — Professional duty becomes personal when loved ones are taken hostage in an all-out war against the World Diamond Corporation.
  4. Book 4: Mission to Kill — Consumed by revenge following a tragedy in Hawaii, Steven Burning faces a 10-million-euro bounty as hundreds of assassins hunt him down.

Discover Good Crime Thriller Books and Masterful Storytelling

Explore the Best Crime and Thriller Books by Phil Cuda

Inspired by rich family history and his grandfather’s real-life adventures, Australian author Phil Cuda creates gripping, high-octane fiction. With 11 published titles across the Burning series and The Cudoni Creed mafia historical saga, Cuda’s writing stands out for its realistic law enforcement background, complex characters, and cinematic pace designed for screen adaptation.
Meet Phil Cuda

Recommended Crime Thriller Books: Frequently Asked Questions

Are these some of the best crime thriller books to read right now?

Yes. Each book features a distinct mission and main storyline filled with tactical realism. To follow Steven Burning’s personal growth, relationship arcs, and the ongoing struggle against the World Diamond Corporation, we recommend starting with Seek and Destroy (Book 1).

Where can I find more good crime thriller books by this author?

All books in the Burning series can be purchased directly from our website as digital E-Books. Paperback and Hardcover editions are also available through Amazon and major online booksellers.

Are these action thriller books available for movie or TV adaptation?

Yes! Screenplay adaptations for the Burning series are available for film and television production teams. You can learn more by visiting our Screen Adaptation Page.

Ready to Dive into One of the Best Crime and Thriller Books?

Start reading the Burning series today with instant E-Book downloads or physical copies!
Start Reading Book 1 Now