Kyle Mills

Kyle Mills is an American thriller writer who, since 2015, has been the principal author continuing the Mitch Rapp series created by Vince Flynn, taking over after Flynn's death in 2013 and writing entries including The Survivor, Enemy of the State, Red War and Lethal Agent before passing lead-writing duties to Don Bentley. Mills was already an established bestselling thriller author before joining the Rapp franchise, known for his own standalone and series fiction, including Rising Phoenix, Sphere of Influence and the Vince Flynn-adjacent Fade, all built around similar counterterrorism and geopolitical-thriller territory. Readers new to Mitch Rapp should start with Vince Flynn's original American Assassin rather than jumping into Mills's continuation, since the character's arc and history carry through directly; those wanting Mills's own independent voice should look to Rising Phoenix or Sphere of Influence. Mills was chosen personally by Flynn's family and publisher to continue the series specifically because his own thriller style closely matched Flynn's tone, and reviewers have generally credited him with maintaining the franchise's quality and pace. There is no film or television adaptation of Mills's own contributions specifically, though the franchise inspired the 2021 film American Assassin, based on Flynn's earlier novel.