In this exclusive WorldAuthors.org interview, we speak with Ryan Kevin Sutcliffe, a rising British author whose storytelling blends grit, emotion, and heart-pounding suspense. At just 26, Ryan has already made his mark in the crime-thriller genre with his debut novel Three Grifters and his latest release, Lone Wolf.
The book follows former MI5 agent Cody King, a man on a relentless mission for justice after a heist goes tragically wrong. Blending espionage, revenge, and redemption, Lone Wolf takes readers on an intense, cinematic journey through the shadows of betrayal and the depths of human resilience.
In this conversation, Ryan opens up about his writing journey, the inspiration behind Cody King, and the moral complexity of vengeance and justice that drives his gripping new novel.
HELLO RYAN KEVIN SUTCLIFFE, WELCOME TO WORLDAUTHORS.ORG! FOR READERS WHO ARE MEETING YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME, COULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY AS A WRITER?
Certainly, I’m Ryan Sutcliffe, aged 26, from a small, beautiful town called Walsden in West Yorkshire. Ever since I was a little child, the first dream I ever had was to become an author, when I used to write comics for my beloved Nan. In September of 2024, I achieved that dream with my debut crime thriller Three Grifters, and as of June of this year, my second book Lone Wolf.
LONE WOLF IS AN INTENSE AND FAST-PACED THRILLER THAT DIVES INTO REVENGE, JUSTICE, AND LOYALTY. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS STORY, AND WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR CODY KING’S CHARACTER COME FROM?
In my mind, Cody King is the ultimate bad ass. Don’t get me wrong, we all love the typical hero, but for me, it’s the characters with flaws and faults that are more exciting to write for because there are so many avenues to explore with that. So, when I was crafting the character of Cody King, I wanted to mould this gritty, emotional, hard but not invincible hero who has these flaws, because that’s what keeps the readers invested in the story. He is beatable, he is vulnerable, he is human.
THE STORY BEGINS WITH A HEIST GONE WRONG, A CLASSIC SETUP THAT QUICKLY TURNS DARK AND EMOTIONAL. WHAT DREW YOU TO COMBINE THE WORLDS OF ESPIONAGE, CRIME, AND PERSONAL REDEMPTION IN ONE NARRATIVE?
Wonderful question. For me, when you strip off all the crime, espionage, and revenge, you are left with a story about a man — a man whose heart is burdened with regret and who has lost everything, going on a personal journey of redemption. He’s human at the end of the day, and this story, as much as it’s filled with action, espionage, and betrayal, is a human story about a man’s redemption whilst dealing with the trauma of his past. Telling that story in the world of a crime thriller was such an exciting prospect because that’s really the only way I could portray everything I wanted to portray in this story.
WITHOUT GIVING AWAY SPOILERS, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE “WOLFPACK” AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT IN THE STORY, BOTH LITERALLY AND SYMBOLICALLY?
Yes, the “Wolfpack” is the name of the crew that Cody King is part of for the museum heist that inevitably goes fatally wrong when Cody’s brother is killed during it. On a deeper level though, the “Wolfpack” is the embodiment and symbol of Cody’s issues with trust. Right from the opening chapter, we learn of Cody’s horrific past with betrayal, so I’d say that the “Wolfpack,” to Cody, are the personification of his trauma — and to overcome that, he must get rid of them and make them pay.
REVENGE THRILLERS OFTEN EXPLORE MORAL GREY AREAS. HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE THEMES OF JUSTICE AND VENGEANCE IN LONE WOLF?
Moral grey characters and themes have always intrigued me greatly because there is so much a writer can explore with that. Characters are all about layers, and as much as we all love the stereotypical hero, those tropes can become stale quickly, whereas a character who may have some morally grey attributes keeps the readers interested and invested in the story you want to tell. I find that more apparent when writing villains as well, I have so much fun creating villains because I believe there is more freedom and intrigue in writing a villain, even though I do still love the heroes, of course.
EVERY AUTHOR LEAVES A PART OF THEMSELVES IN THEIR STORIES. IS THERE ANYTHING PERSONAL OR AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL THAT INFLUENCED LONE WOLF OR CODY KING’S JOURNEY?
Great question. So, in the story, Cody King lives in the fictional city of Ruby, and I named the city after my beloved Nan. That was her nickname, you see, and that was my way of leaving a bit of myself in the story as an acknowledgment to her. We were very, very close, and she has had an astronomical impact on my life and continues to do so long after her death.
FINALLY, WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL TAKE AWAY AFTER FINISHING LONE WOLF?
AND ARE YOU ALREADY WORKING ON A SEQUEL OR ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
I hope that readers enjoy the fast-paced, intense yet human story and are left wanting more and wondering what’s next because, yes, I do have a sequel in the works. At the moment, Lone Wolf: No Mercy is projected to have a summer 2026 release, and we will pick up with Cody King dealing with the earth-shattering events of Lone Wolf’s ending. I guarantee it will be even more action-packed and intense than the first.
You can buy the book at Amazon