Think Tank (Kevin Tumlinson) Books in Order

Think Tank is one of Kevin Tumlinson's more unusual thriller setups, because the series starts with a moral break instead of a murder or a chase. Matt Decker built a hugely successful think tank with one rule: no weapons development. When the people around him decide profit matters more than that line, he walks away and starts something new with a small handpicked team.

That choice defines the series.

Rather than building a standard action unit, Tumlinson builds a brain-first crew. Decker and his people use intelligence, technology, logistics, and stubborn idealism to tackle problems other institutions have ignored or mishandled. The stakes can still be life and death, but the books are less interested in brute force than in what smart people can do when they choose to intervene.

Karner Blue shows the model clearly. A missing blogger in Vermont, a rare butterfly, and a rescue mission that could land the team in legal trouble become the kind of case only this outfit would take. The series likes that kind of overlap, where science, politics, ethics, and danger all share the same space. Even when the tools feel advanced, the heart of the story is usually about whether these people can do meaningful good without becoming what they oppose.

That makes the tone a little different from Tumlinson's Dan Kotler or Alex Kayne books. Think Tank still moves like a thriller, but it has a more mission-driven feel. The team is trying to solve immediate problems while quietly testing a bigger idea: maybe small, targeted acts can change the world more effectively than giant systems do.

If that appeals to you, start with Karner Blue and keep going. The books are a good fit for readers who like smart teams, high-pressure decisions, and thrillers where intelligence is the first weapon people reach for.