Beyond All Measure

Beneath the Arctic ice lies the world's largest untapped oil reserve — and an exiled prince willing to crack open the ocean floor to claim it, even if it takes the world down with him.

For fans of Tom Clancy's geopolitical intrigue, Michael Crichton's environmental stakes, and the covert operations intensity of Vince Flynn and Mark Greaney. Beyond All Measure takes CIA operative Blake MacKay and Canadian intelligence agent Evelyn Cathey from the fjords of Norway to the edge of the North Pole — chasing a conspiracy that could trigger a catastrophe no government is prepared for.

When scientist Richard Cathey discovers the reserve from his Arctic drill ship, he doesn't know he's already been found. An exiled Saudi prince named Awadi Salib has his own plans for that oil — and the stolen research submarine to make them happen.

The problem: the reserve sits directly atop a massive magma chamber. Drill into it wrong, and coastal cities flood. The planet destabilizes. Millions die.

Richard's sister Evelyn — a CSIS operative — races to unravel the conspiracy before it's too late. Alongside CIA operative Blake MacKay, she tracks Salib from the Faroe Islands to the fjords of Norway and into the frozen heart of the Arctic, where mercenaries are closing in and every government on Earth is one wrong move from catastrophe.

One submarine. One drill. One shot to stop it — at the top of the world.

Beyond All Measure is a geopolitical espionage thriller built for readers who want Tom Clancy-scale stakes, Crichton-style environmental dread, and an operative who never stops moving.

"Couldn't put it down! I actually took my Kindle to work so I could read on breaks." — S. Watkins

"Captivating story with excellent writing quality." — Verified Reader

Part of the Covert World series. New to Blake MacKay? Download the free novella Intercept at tatescovertworld.com/intercept.

"PERFECT FOR READERS WHO…"

• Love Mitch Rapp and Scot Harvath novels and want a CIA operative with the same lethal efficiency — plus a razor-sharp female CSIS partner who holds her own
• Miss Tom Clancy at his geopolitical best — multiple power players, a ticking clock, and a catastrophe that starts with one compromised drill head
• Reach for Michael Crichton when they want science to be the villain — the magma chamber isn't a plot device, it's a countdown
• Want their arctic thriller adventure to feel genuinely global — Norway, the Faroe Islands, Venezuela, Switzerland, the North Pole
• Are hooked on the Covert World series and want to see Blake MacKay pushed further than ever — this time with someone who can keep up

Thom Tate writes spy thrillers with the impact of blockbuster action—fast, immersive, and charged with tension that keeps you turning pages long past midnight. His stories plunge readers into covert missions, shadow operations, and global conspiracies where every choice carries lethal consequences. Across novellas like Intercept and full‑length thrillers such as The Auroral Contingency, Spear Garden, and Beyond All Measure, Thom has earned a reputation for putting readers in the boots of operatives who fight on the world's most volatile front lines.
At the heart of his Covert World series is CIA operative Blake MacKay—often described as a blend of Bond and Bourne. Deadly, intelligent, and relentless, he's the operative you want when the world hangs by a thread.
Thom's upcoming prequel, Who Is Blake MacKay, arriving mid‑2026, reveals the origin story readers have been waiting for—the mission that forged Blake into the CIA's most indispensable asset.
Driven by deep research and a passion for authenticity, Thom writes with the precision of a tactician and the instincts of a storyteller who knows how to make every explosion, betrayal, and impossible choice hit hard.