Award-Winning Thriller Mendacity Exposes the Hidden War Within

Retired Green Beret Bryan Clark’s debut novel Mendacity wins the International Impact Book Award for Best Military Thriller.

TAMPA, FL, UNITED STATES, April 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Mendacity: America’s Best Are Secretly Dwelling Among You, the explosive debut novel from retired U.S. Army Green Beret Bryan Clark, has been named a winner of the prestigious International Impact Book Award in the Military Thriller category. This recognition marks a powerful entrance into the literary world for Clark, whose transition from elite special operations to full-time author brings a level of authenticity and insight that is rare in modern fiction.

Set in the late 1990s, Mendacity rips through the façade of the U.S. war on drugs and dares to ask: what if the real enemy isn’t the one we’ve been trained to fight, but the one pulling the strings from within?

The story follows Special Forces operator Brayden Smith, a principled yet relentless warrior tasked with carrying out high-risk counter-narcotics missions in Colombia. As his unit dismantles cartel empires with brutal efficiency, Brayden begins to uncover anomalies—intel that doesn’t add up, targets that seem oddly convenient, and operations that serve agendas far more complex than advertised.

When a mission goes sideways and exposes a dark network hidden within the very agencies meant to uphold justice, Brayden finds himself questioning not just his orders, but the entire system he’s served faithfully for years. What begins as a black-ops takedown soon spirals into a gripping fight for truth, forcing Brayden to choose between obedience and honor.

“Mendacity is about betrayal at the highest levels,” says Clark. “It’s about the quiet corruption that seeps in when we start using the ends to justify the means—and what happens to the soldiers left to pick up the pieces.”

Grounded in Reality, Charged with Suspense

Clark’s experience as a Green Beret and intelligence operator lends Mendacity a unique edge. Readers aren’t just immersed in the thrill of high-stakes missions—they’re embedded in them. From the jungles of Colombia to shadowy U.S. boardrooms, the novel pulses with authenticity. The operational detail, tradecraft accuracy, and psychological toll faced by those behind enemy lines are drawn straight from a life spent in the shadows of modern warfare.

“I didn’t want to write a typical military thriller,” Clark explains. “I wanted to tell a story that felt raw and lived-in—something that captured the tension and moral complexity of the real work. There are no perfect heroes in this book. Just people trying to make sense of an increasingly murky world.”

A Debut with Cinematic Potential

With the moral gravity of Sicario, the cerebral tension of Zero Dark Thirty, and the relentless pace of The Bourne Ultimatum, Mendacity reads like a film waiting to be made. The vivid locations, emotionally complex characters, and jaw-dropping plot turns have already generated buzz among readers and industry insiders alike.

Early fans have likened Brayden Smith to a modern Jack Ryan—gritty, introspective, and deeply principled, but caught in a web of global intrigue he didn’t create. It’s no surprise that Clark has already fielded inquiries about adaptation potential.

“It’s got all the ingredients,” one early reviewer noted. “Explosive action, deep character arcs, and a chilling message about the cost of looking the other way.”

From Battlefield to Bookstores

Bryan Clark served over 25 years in the military, the bulk of which were spent in the U.S. Army’s elite Special Forces community. He conducted missions across Afghanistan, Iraq, Central and South America, and multiple undisclosed regions, operating at the spearpoint of America’s global war on terror and drug trafficking.

Throughout his service, Clark kept journals—raw, detailed accounts of his deployments, operations, and the emotional toll of leading in environments where right and wrong often blurred. These entries, along with the stories of fellow warriors and the systemic contradictions they faced, would eventually become the bedrock of Mendacity.

“I didn’t start out trying to write a novel,” Clark says. “I started writing because I needed to process what I’d seen. But the more I wrote, the more I realized there was a story that needed to be told—not just about war, but about the lies we tell ourselves to justify it.”

International Recognition

The International Impact Book Awards celebrate literary excellence and global resonance. Winning the award in the Military Thriller category places Mendacity in the company of some of the most compelling voices in genre fiction today. Judges praised the novel for its sharp writing, riveting plot, and moral depth.

“This is a story that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go,” said one judge. “Clark’s insider knowledge and emotional insight elevate Mendacity far above the typical military thriller. It’s urgent, important, and unforgettable.”

A Series with Momentum

Mendacity is just the beginning. Clark is currently working on the sequel, Mendacity II: The Seeds of Corruption, which will push Brayden deeper into the shadows as he begins to unravel the threads connecting narco networks, terrorist cells, and rogue U.S. officials orchestrating chaos for profit and power.

“I want readers to sit with the discomfort,” Clark says. “To ask themselves what happens when the people we trust to protect us start protecting something else entirely.”

As his protagonist grows darker and the stakes rise, Clark isn’t afraid to tackle themes many shy away from—moral injury, loyalty vs. truth, and the internal battle between duty and justice.

PR @Black Trident Publishing
Black Trident Publishing
+1 813-419-2862
info@blacktridentpublishing.com
Visit us on social media:
X
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube

Mendacity Book Trailer