We are excited to announce that starting in 2025 we will begin a new feature, where Don Bentley will answer a fan question each month. Submit your burning question for Don via the contact form.
Don Bentley’s CAPTURE OR KILL Book Tour
Don will have seven Capture Or Kill book-signing events and he will be “in conversation” with many of your favorite thriller authors. If you cannot attend, you can order your signed editions from the stores.
Tuesday, September 3
6:00 PM CT
Once Upon A Crime
604 West 26th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55405
Event Link
Signed Book Link
Wednesday, September 4
7:00 PM PT
Poisoned Pen
4014 N. Goldwater #101
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
In coversation with Brad Taylor, Andrews & Wilson and Kyle Mills
Event Link
Signed Book Link
Thursday, September 5
6:30 PM CT
Murder By The Book
2342 Bissonnet Street
Houston, TX 77005
In conversation with George Blitch
Event Link
Signed Book Link
Friday, September 6
7:00PM CT
Half Price Books
5803 E Northwest Hwy
Dallas, TX 75231
In conversation with David McCloskey
Event Link
Call For Signed Books: (214) 379-8000
Saturday, September 7
7:00 PM CT
Lark & Owl
205 W. 6th Street, Suite 101
Georgetown, TX 78626
In conversation with Jeff Abbott
Event Link
Signed Book Link
Monday, September 9
2:00 PM ET
Barnes & Noble The Villages
Lake Sumter Market Square, #2264, 1055 Old Camp Rd
The Villages, FL 32162
In coversation with Jack Stewart
Event Link
Signed Book Link
Tuesday, September 10
6:30PM ET
Half Price Books – Mason
8211 Arbor Square D
Mason, OH 45040
Event Link Coming Soon
Call For Signed Books: (513) 770-4390
Steven Weber Returns!
Breaking news for audio fans: award-winning actor Steven Weber is back to narrate Capture Or Kill.
We will have an audio book preview for you soon. In the meantime, watch him talk about the audiobook and preorder your copy.
Don Bentley: Honoring Army Captain Mark A. Garner
Those of you who have read my other books, know that I frequently give real veterans cameos in my novels.
Beginning with Tom Clancy Weapons Grade, I started to honor fallen service members, with their family’s permission, by making them characters in my books.
In Capture or Kill, I chose to honor Army Captain and West Point graduate Mark A. Garner.
Mark and his beautiful wife Nickayala Myers-Garner were our neighbors during my last tour of duty in Germany. They were hometown sweethearts from the small town of Elkin, North Carolina.
Mark was a Ranger qualified infantry officer and he deployed with the company he commanded to Afghanistan shortly after I rotated home from Germany.
On July 6, 2009, Mark was killed in an IED attack.
He was just thirty years old.
Nickayla handled Mark’s death with unbelievable grace and poise.
Rather than return back to America, Nickayla elected to remain in Germany where she teaches grief counseling workshops to other military spouses.
You can read more about Mark & Nickayla’s story here.
With the recent Memorial Day weekend, I couldn’t help but think of an old proverb that says that people actually die twice.
Their first death occurs at their final breath.
The second when people no longer speak their names.
As you enjoy time with your family this holiday weekend, please take a moment to remember Mark and his sacrifice.
Then say his name.
Don Bentley: A Bit About Me
Fellow Vince Flynn Fans—
Now that I’ve sent the first draft of Capture Or Kill to editor extraordinaire Emily Bestler, I feel like I can finally catch my breath.
To celebrate, I thought I’d use this month’s postto introduce myself.
I’m a dad to three amazing kids. My son is in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, and he’ll be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps once he graduates. My oldest daughter is studying engineering at the University of Arkansas and my youngest is finishing high school.
I’m extremely proud of all three of them, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.
My wife and I are high school sweethearts and we’ve been married almost 28 years. She’s an elementary school teacher who specializes in helping Dyslexic kids learn to read. She’s my first reader and my target audience. If reading one of my books makes her laugh, cry, or stay up way too late turning pages, I know I’ve hit the mark.
Speaking of my books, Capture Or Kill will be my 9th published novel. Prior to taking the reins from Kyle Mills, I wrote four books in my Matt Drake series and four for the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan, Jr. universe.
Besides writing, I’ve held a number of fun jobs including Army Apache helicopter pilot, FBI Special Agent and SWAT team member, and defense contractor just to name a few. My wife likes to say that I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to be when I grew up, and while that might be true, I look at my career through a different lens. Each one of my jobs taught me about the kind of people who would eventually become characters in my books.
I am no Mitch Rapp, but I have stood in the same room with men who could be.
Some of those men I’m lucky enough to call friends.
If you’re interested in hearing more about the jobs and people who’ve shaped me, and maybe a flying story or two, feel free to stop by my website and check out the podcasts and interviews. This is great place to start: https://donbentleybooks.com/forgotten-war-interviews-podcasts/.
In closing, I always love to hear from readers and fellow Mitch Rapp aficionados. Please feel free to reach out via donbentleybooks@gmail.com anytime.
I try to respond to every person who drops me a note.
Have a fantastic April!
Best,
Don
Don Bentley: CAPTURE OR KILL - My Love Letter To The Universe Vince Created
Fellow Vince Flynn fans,
I need to let you in on a little secret—I love the movie Top Gun. I’m a kid of the eighties and that film more than perhaps any other influenced my decision to join the military and become a pilot.
Even today, my wife and kids expect me to answer ‘no’ with a single phrase.
Negative, Ghostrider.
And if I’m really hot and bothered, they get one additional line of dialog.
The pattern is full.
Now, I’m going to let you in on one more secret—I was dreading the release of Top Gun: Maverick. I loved the original movie so much, and I was terrified that the new version would destroy my childhood memories of the first film.
It did not.
Instead, the writers, directors, and actors of Top Gun: Maverick made the film a visual love letter to its predecessor. The movie saluted all the fond memories 80’s kids like me had of the original while still taking care to break new ground from a story perspective and introduce us to new characters. Top Gun: Maverick was respectful of the original film while acknowledging that movie goers did not want to part with their hard-earned cash for just a rehash of the first movie.
I absolutely loved Top Gun: Maverick.
Which brings me to Capture Or Kill.
Friends, this book is my love letter to the universe Vince created and the characters he populated it with. If you, like me, are a Mitch Rapp superfan, I hope you’ll love journeying back to 2011 in order to answer the question I’ve wrestled with for the last thirteen years:
What was Mitch Rapp doing during the raid to Capture Or Kill Osama bin Laden?
I can’t wait for you to find out!
Best.
Don
Kyle Mills: A New Year. A New Project.
As 2024 approaches, I sit here penning my last entry for the Vince Flynn newsletter. After a decade at the helm of the series, it’s hard to believe. Not only that I’ve spent a third of my career with Mitch and the gang, but that my time with them is over.
Hopefully not with readers, though. It’s been incredible getting to know so many of you—some personally, others through social media, and still others from comments, critiques, and emails. I hope you’ll sign up for my e-news at KyleMills.com and come along with me as I write and release my next book featuring Fade—the protagonist of my new series. And, as always, I’ll continue to be on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram at @KyleMillsAuthor.
A lot of people have asked me how I feel about leaving the series and the answer is that I’m not entirely sure. Quitting the best job in the world was a hard thing to do but as I embark on a new project, I realize that it was right for both me and for Mitch. It was time for someone else—in this case the amazing Don Bentley—to provide a fresh perspective and move the narrative in new directions.
Over the last decade, the legendary assassin evolved, just like the rest of us do during the course of our lives. For me and for readers, these characters have become very real. Like a group of good friends that we only see once a year. As much as I’ve enjoyed writing the series, I’m also looking forward to going back to being a fan—to feel the anticipation of a new adventure hitting the shelves and clearing my calendar to fly through it.
Thank you all for the years of encouragement and enthusiasm. It’s kept me on track, made it fun, and gotten me through moments where the responsibility of carrying Mitch forward seemed overwhelming.
Here’s wishing you a festive start to 2024. While the world may be a bit chaotic right now, we can be grateful for friends, family, and the terrific thriller community we all belong to.
Thanks for everything and Happy New Year!
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
Kyle Mills: Code Red Video and Radio Interviews
This year’s book tour for Code Red was a fantastic wrap-up to my time directing the Rappverse. I visited with some of my favorite interviewers and got a chance to chat face-to-face with readers.
We talked Mitch—where he’s been, where I’ve taken him over my decade-long tenure, and where he might be going in the future. We also spent some time digging into my new project—the resurrection of my character Fade from a book I wrote years ago. It was fun to compare and contrast the two protagonists. They have similar deadly skills but very different personalities and outlooks. It’ll be interesting to switch gears a bit after being so immersed in Mitch’s world.
Come January I won’t be doing monthly updates in Vince’s newsletter, but you can sign up for my e-news at kylemills.com if you’d like to stay in touch. Thanks to everyone who helped make this a tour to remember. Now, if you missed the fun, here are some interviews to bring you up to speed on all things Rapp.
Video Interviews
Hugh Hewitt Show
“Congratulations, this is superb,” Hugh told me right out of the gate. He said he rarely reads thrillers in one day but this one was an exception. “This is a plausible and very troubling plot. Where did you come up with it?”
I wanted to explore Russia’s use of asymmetrical warfare in this story because it’s becoming such an important part of their offensive capability. The war in Ukraine has proved that their military is third rate, but we’ve seen how effective they can be with more underhanded tactics.
I was interested in expanding on that, and the narcotics trade in Syria was a perfect setting.
Poisoned Pen
This year Don Bentley and I teamed up to chat with fans about Code Red and his latest Clancy novel Weapons Grade. I’m used to traveling solo on tour and it was a fun change of pace to spend some time with my successor while on the road. As always, I enjoyed stopping by Poisoned Pen for an evening, but it was bittersweet knowing that it was my final Rapp tour.
The Thriller Zone Podcast
In a new-to-me podcast this year, I chatted with host David Temple about what I think made Vince’s series so popular from the start. We also talked about why deconstructing successful novels to learn how they’re structured is so important. As we wrapped up, he asked me to share my favorite piece of advice on writing. Tune in to hear it.
John Nantz Podcast
A retired FBI agent, John Nantz is now pursuing his second act in the world of writing and podcasting. We talked about how I never aspired to be an author, but how I managed to overcome some dark early days and turn an experimental novel into a successful career. We also speculated about AI and how it’s set to change the world.
Course of Action Podcast
I met fellow writer Jeff Clark two years ago at Bouchercon, a popular mystery conference. Since then, he’s added podcasting to his creative endeavors, and I was excited to receive an invitation to chat on-air with him.
We talked some about the craft of writing such as outlining, structure, and adapting to Vince’s style. We also went deep into what I’ve learned from Vince over the years and what it’s been like dealing with the expectations of fans.
Author Ecke Podcast
I joined author and podcast host Travis Davis for the first time this year. We talked about researching books—a favorite part of the writing process for both of us—and we wrestled with why the West still holds onto the myth that Russia is a major military power. He also asked a question I don’t think anyone has asked me before: What would I write if I didn’t write thrillers? Listen in and find out.
Audio Interviews
Comm Majors Podcast
Host Brian Costello has been a Mitch Rapp Ambassador for many years now. His vast knowledge of the series makes for intriguing discussions. He has a way of seeing behind the writing curtain that always produces unique—and sometimes challenging—questions. I talked to Brian and cohost Jim about many things, including how I had to cut the Wagner Group out of Code Red. A huge threat to thriller writers is current events overtaking their story before it’s published. Who could have predicted the Wagner uprising earlier this year?
No Limits: Thriller Podcast Episode 123
“This book is a banger!”
Music to my ears…
Hosts Chris and Mike pointed out that I’d added 3,440 pages to the Rappverse, which seemed kind of shocking when said out loud. They also told me that this book took them home because it felt like old-school Vince. The truth is, I sweated blood over this one because it was really important to me that I leave on a high note.
They also asked how it felt writing the last page. I’ll be honest, it felt weird. I spent the last decade with Mitch. It’s like losing the friend I hang out with all the time.
Our lively conversation was full of spoilers, so if you haven’t read the book yet, come back to this interview once you’re done. And the farewell limerick and chat at the end with a few superfans will always be a favorite moment of mine.
Red Carpet Crash
I always enjoy this conversation, and it’s become a regular on my media tours. We discussed the plot of Code Red, of course, and how happy I am that Don Bentley is the author Vince’s estate has chosen to take over the series. We also talked about Scott Coleman, Mitch’s favorite teammate, as well as my character Fade and how long he’s been trapped in the back of my mind, fighting to get out.
Bumper to Bumper with Dan Barreiro
Dan’s drive-time show is a long-standing tradition and a favorite stop on the tour trail. This year was even more fun because Don Bentley joined us for our annual chat. We talked about my transition from Rapp to my upcoming series and how Don landed the job. Find the interview at the 23:45 mark.
Story Craft Cafe
I’ve been talking to host Hank Garner since he started his original podcast—Author Stories—a decade ago. We kicked off this year’s interview with a look at asymmetrical warfare and how Captagon, the drug at the center of Code Red, proved to be the perfect threat to lure Rapp back to the Middle East. We also talked about how a guy like Mitch could realistically get mixed up in the underworld of drugs, how writers create believable stakes for longtime series characters, and much more.
Print Interviews and Reviews
John Nantz Townhall Review
“A bullet train to high adventure…”
The Real Book Spy Review
“This is a mic-drop moment for Kyle Mills…”
David Darling Books Q&A
“How do you maintain tension throughout the story without exhausting the reader?” writer David Darling asked. I answered this and a few other questions related to craft, my new release, and more.
Elise Cooper/Military Press Q&A
There, I said it. I do not like Russians because they are the vandals of the world…
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
Kyle Mills: Code Red Tour Highlights
The Torch Passing Tour—the last time I’ll be on the road with Mitch—kicked off on September 11. Don Bentley joined me for the events, and it was a welcome change of pace to have a partner in crime while I celebrated my final contribution to the series. I was touched by the number of ambassadors and fans who showed up along the way. Some drove many hours and others even flew to the events. It was a blast to finally meet some readers I’d only known from social media!
Rapp-parazzi, the official fan photographers who snapped photos at the tour events, did an exceptional job in documenting the moment. Rumor has it one photographer, @RobertGoluba, listed this prestigious position on his LinkedIn profile. Many of the photos in this roundup were taken by the Rapp-parazzi crew so let’s give them a big round of applause. THANK YOU!
L to R: @RobertGoluba at Poisoned Pen, @sherrifoster14 at Once Upon A Crime, and @dawn_alcorn at Lark & Owl.
THE FIRSTS
This year I came across quite a few ‘firsts’ among the posts, photos, and comments online. Once again, Rapp’s funny, good-natured, and talented fans did not disappoint. I appreciate the time you put into sharing your passion for reading. This has been a send-off to remember!
First Book Cookie
Many of you know @dawn_alcorn as the amazing fan who makes cakes decorated with book covers to celebrate upcoming new releases. This year, she not only flew to Texas to be with us, she also brought a giant Code Red cookie, a bunch of airplane cookies, and a bottle of wine. Photos: @dawn_alcorn
First Code Red T-Shirt
@sherrifoster14 designed cool Code Red T-shirts and then flew to Minneapolis so she could deliver them to us in person. In Texas, @eojhtims unveiled yet another Code Red T-shirt.
First Bodyguard On Tour
Don Bentley makes for an intimidating bodyguard. Good thing, because the crowd at Once Upon A Crime got a little rowdy! Photo: @sherrifoster14
First Suitcase Of Books
@stuffmycpasays and @TacticalNerd45 were teasing this suitcase full of books on social media for days prior to the Once Upon A Crime event. Don and I signed lots of our novels for these two super fans, and their luggage stole the show. Photos: @sherrifoster14
First Time Influencer
I’ve been told that the St. Thomas Academy bookstore ran out of Mitch Rapp Lives T-shirts after fans saw this photo on Pub Day. St. Thomas was where Vince went to high school. This shirt was originally sold during the launch event for The Survivor, which was held in the school’s auditorium.
First Rapp-Inspired Word
Shakespeare’s got nothing on these guys. @AtriaMysteryBus invented the word ‘ambass’ and @ThrillerPodcast defined it.
First Need For Cliff’s Notes
Busy ambassadors were racing to finish Code Red before the Minnesota event. @AtriaMysteryBus needs to create a cheat sheet in the future for these kinds of desperate situations.
First 100% Unauthorized Corporate Partnership
Apparently, Code Red pairs quite well with Mountain Dew’s Code Red. The question is: Did fans stay up all night reading due to the riveting story or the caffeine?
First Rapp-Inspired Fitness Plan
When life gives you literary inspiration, be the hero of your own success story. Congratulations @TNBlacksmith, you’re killing it!
First Official Ambassador Rule
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Hanging Out With Tolstoy
Bringing A Book TO The Bookstore
hen the book you’re reading is more engrossing than all the others in the store…
Goals
@FamilyOlesen’s year-long quest to read through the entire Rapp saga’s 8,864 pages before starting on Code Red was completed in July. Obsession is contagious. @stuffmycpasays has committed to this year’s Rapp9216 reading challenge and for all we know, there are many others.
Limerick
In depth analysis... Poetry... Is there anything the guys over at @ThrillerPodcast can’t do?
Where Are You Reading Rapp?
It’s always interesting to see Mitch making his way around the world in the company of readers.
Pets Loyal To Rapp
Here’s a look at some of the well-read pets in the thriller community…
#1 LOOKS GOOD ON RAPP
With the support of many fans, Code Red landed in the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list on October 1, 2023. I couldn’t be happier with this result for my last mission with Mitch. Writing the series has been a highlight of my career, and it’s been a pleasure getting to know so many of you.
PHOTO GALLERY
Poisoned Pen photos by @RobertGoluba
Once Upon A Crime photos by @sherrifoster14
Once Upon A Crime photos by @sherrifoster14
Once Upon A Crime photos by @sherrifoster14
Lark & Owl photos by @dawn_alcorn
Lark & Owl photos by @dawn_alcorn
Kyle Mills: Grateful And Celebrating
We’re #1!!!
Well, at least on the New York Times bestseller list.
This is an amazing way to end my Mitch Rapp journey and I owe it all to the fans for sticking by me and the series. Your passion has kept Vince’s legacy alive for my time at the helm and I know it will continue as Don Bentley crafts his version of the Rapp-verse.
A special thanks to the Mitch Rapp Ambassadors for the Code Red reviews, posts, and emails. Your energy and openness are a big part of why the thriller community continues to be such a fun, friendly group to be part of.
Cheers to you all. My 10 years of getting to know Rapp fans has been the highlight of my career!
Tholos restaurant in Chania, Crete.
Kyle Mills: Researching CODE RED
The inspiration for Code Red was my fascination with asymmetrical warfare. In the current context, traditional wars are necessarily losing propositions. Asymmetrical warfare is different. It can be waged cheaply, stealthily, and without serious repercussions. It can also be extremely effective. If you want to win a fight, you go after an opponent’s weakness not their strength. To attack the US, for instance, you wouldn’t want to go toe-to-toe with our military. Our political divisions are a much softer target.
Creating A Weapon
I wanted to come up with something new—a chink in the armor of Western powers that hadn’t yet been exploited by our enemies. That led me to start researching the skyrocketing addiction problems in the industrialized world. How could the Russians use that weakness to get to us?
The answer came in the form of Captagon, an extremely popular narcotic in the Middle East that has been heavily connected to terrorism and the Syrian government. It was fascinating to study the drug’s role in propping up insurgencies and extremist governments as well as Syria’s slow conversion into a narco-state.
But if you’re going to use a recreational drug to attack the West, would Captagon be the right choice? To answer this question, I looked mostly at the rise of fentanyl. It’s a much more destructive compound than Captagon, but that’s just a tragic side effect of the euphoria it produces. What if the Russians used their scientists to design a narcotic with the goal of making it extraordinarily addictive and dangerous? Delving back into Captagon’s history as a legal pharmaceutical, its devastating qualities, and its eventual removal from the market gave me a lot of ideas.
Missed Opportunity
Syria was another fascinating thing to do a deep dive into and was a missed opportunity from my past. In the fall of 2009, my wife and I planned a three-week driving trip around Syria. It was an exciting prospect—exotic atmosphere, good food, Roman ruins, and some of the best-preserved European castles in the world. As our departure date crept up, though, I got slammed with work and we rescheduled for 2011. Nothing to worry about, right? Syria was the most stable country in the Middle East.
Sadly, that was the year the Syrian Civil War erupted. While I didn’t get to go personally, it was really interesting to dig into the uprising’s causes, aftermath, and its place in the Arab Spring. I desperately wish I could have seen it before all the shelling—particularly Aleppo and the Roman ruins in Palmyra. In the end, though, it wouldn’t have done much good for the writing of the book. Much of this once beautiful country has been turned to rubble.
Sometimes It’s Easy
If you’re open to inspiration and keep your eyes peeled, the answer you need just might land in your lap. Most often that happens to me with settings. Walking past a rusting playground on a rainy day in Istanbul. A posh nightclub in Monaco. A little surf town in Costa Rica. Everything gets filed away in my mind for later.
This time it was a restaurant in Crete. It had been built into the ruins of an ancient building without much in the way of repairs. I thought the look of it was really unique but had no idea why I’d ever have a need for it. When Mitch sits down in a restaurant in Syria, though, the memory came flooding back. While the design was stylish in Greece, it would be mandatory in Syria—a bombed-out country with few resources to rebuild.
Tholos restaurant in Chania, Crete.
The World of Cargo
Something I learned that I knew nothing about was how docks unload large cargo ships. It’s an extremely complicated process that uses machinery that the average person would never run into. Further, I was envisioning a specific port in Europe. Thank goodness for YouTube. It’s amazing how many people film the things they do and post them on the Internet. Fortunately, that includes people who drive the trucks that are loaded with the goods that come in on those massive ships.
Realism Through Small Details
Oddly, the bulk of my time is spent on little things that most readers barely notice. What kind of guns do Syrian special forces use? How much would the watch Mitch is wearing cost? What restaurant would have a good view of the dock I wrote about and what does it look like? How long would it take to drive from Damascus to the center of Syria? At the end of my first draft, I had around 450 of these little queries to myself. It can take as much as a week to clear them all.
To me, these are the kinds of details that give a book the immersive realism I strive for. I love to get lost in a world created for me by one of my favorite authors, and I find that I’m jerked out of the moment when I run across an incorrect detail. Hopefully, you won’t find any in Code Red.
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
Steven Weber To Narrate Code Red
We’re so excited to announce that award-winning actor Steven Weber is narrating the audiobook edition of Code Red, coming 9/12! Check out this behind-the-scenes video of him recording, then order your copy.
We’d like to thank George Guidall for his many years voicing the Mitch Rapp series. Here’s his message to all of you:
"I have thoroughly enjoyed bringing Mitch Rapp and his buddies to you through the years. However, I feel the need now to pass the Vince Flynn Glock 17 baton over to another performer who will be closer vocally to the younger assassin than yours truly.
I hope we'll meet many times again in our audiobook universe and I thank you all for your kind comments.
Make peace . . . " – George Guidall
Kyle Mills: My Brain Is Getting Younger
As many of you know, for the past five years I’ve been splitting my time between Granada, Spain, and the US. I will never fully trade in my Wyoming lifestyle, but there are also many things to love about our European base. The slower pace of life. Beautiful roads to cycle on. Great wine. A society that prioritizes time with family and friends. But it also presents challenges. A different language and legal structure, new ways of doing the simple tasks we take for granted, and the complexities of being an immigrant.
Research tells us that one of the best things you can do to help your brain age well is seek out novel experiences. At my house we often joke about how all our frustrations and confusion are medicinal and how we’ll be better off for accepting the challenge. Along with flexing my brain while outlining my next book, here’s some of the “medicine” I’ve been subjected to lately…
A Renovation Project. In Spanish.
In 2022, we decided to commit to Granada and buy a place to live. When we started looking, a renovation was out of the question. Anyone who’s done one knows they are frustrating and expensive under the best of circumstances. In Spain, though, all that is multiplied by ten. Not only because of the language, but the fact that so much is done differently here. Getting the water company to hook up a downtown apartment? Three months minimum. And I had to ask our contractor to repeat himself multiple times when he told me that he builds all interior walls out of brick. I assumed I was mistranslating because that made no sense to me.
But, miraculously, everything seems to be more or less on track. Hopefully sometime in September we’ll be out of temporary housing and into our new place.
Immigration Panic
I wanted to take a photo of me sitting among all the other immigrants at the extranjería office, but I didn’t dare. This is very much a place where you just wait quietly with your mountain of documents and pray you get a government official who’s in a good mood.
It’s an unpleasant process that everyone should live through at least once in their lifetime to gain perspective. And let’s face it, if I get deported, it’s back to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Not Guatemala or Sudan. My experiences have been incredibly nerve-wracking, but for many it must be downright terrifying.
Driving Challenges
I really enjoy strolling in cities, but it can be inconvenient when there’s too much to carry and it’s unbearably hot. It would be nice to have a car, but then I remember the many narrow streets. This one is particularly small, and tourists tend to ignore the warning sign at its entrance. A round placard with 1,8m on it means the street narrows to 1.8 meters or less than six feet. Cars get stuck here all the time and there are long scrapes on the buildings to prove it. I have no idea how they get them out. One day, I’ll have to stop at a café and watch with a glass of wine in hand.
Culinary Exploration
While I enjoy the strange and fascinating world of travel, I know many people don’t share my enthusiasm for exotic food. We’ve done a pretty good job of leaving behind our staples and adapting to the ingredients available here. But I’m still not sure what to do with the whole piglets that I find in the frozen food section.
Miscommunication
At times, I have strange experiences that make me question my ability to speak Spanish. I always assume because I’m working in a second language that the error is mine, but often, I discover that it’s not just a translation issue.
This happened again a few days ago when I went to the appliance store to buy a dryer. I explained at length what I was looking for and the guy just stared at me like I was nuts and kept saying “heat pump.” Of course, I replied that I already had a heating system. I just needed a clothes dryer. After a lengthy discourse, I discovered that the Spanish don’t really have dryers that vent outside and that they use heat pump technology to dry their clothes. I’m pretty sure that salesman has never been so happy to see a customer finally leave his store.
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
Kyle Mills: On The Move Again
As many of you already know, I split my time between the US and Granada, Spain. My most recent move to Europe happened in late spring. Now that I’ve unpacked and settled in, I’ve started putting the final touches on Code Red. I’ll head back to the States later this summer to kick off my final book tour for the Rapp series.
We’re adapting to the rhythm of a different culture and language once again just as many locals are clearing out of the city to escape the heat. It seems like all that pent-up travel demand we’ve been reading about has finally come to be. The streets are full of people from all over the world checking out the historic sites, sipping gin and tonics, and enjoying a little paella and flamenco.
One last look at my beloved Tetons until next summer… I’ve received mail and social media comments from fans asking why I’ve left the US. I’m not leaving America behind. I’m just a person who loves variety and a good challenge. Living in a foreign country makes you realize how much you take for granted the ease of life in your home country. From serious stuff like dealing with immigration to trivial issues like buying appliances. Not only do you have to do it all in Spanish, but everything works a little differently here. Ask someone to sell you a clothes dryer with a vent and they look at you like you’re nuts. Then you’re standing there wondering if your crappy Spanish failed you or if their dryers don’t work the same way as ours.
It was good to finally have a chance to relax because my spring was a blur this year. Packing up the house, saying goodbye to friends, and gathering the paperwork that allows us to stay in Europe didn’t leave much time for skiing or biking.
We arrived just in time for feria and Corpus Christi celebrations that take place across Andalucía. Think dancing, eating, and drinking until the wee hours of the morning. And then getting up the next day to do it all over again.
This year we’re living in the city center rather than the atmospheric 800-year-old barrio where we normally stay. Clanging church bells and revving motorbikes are the backdrop, while lively conversations flowing from bars and restaurants keep the energy high. The neighborhood also has an evolving canvas of vibrant street art.
One reason we’ve chosen Granada as our Spanish base is that we can easily escape the city on a bike. There are lots of gravel roads, and the surrounding landscape’s spectacular patchwork of pueblos, orchards, and olive groves make for beautiful and challenging rides. Spain is the largest producer of olives in the world, but unfortunately, this year’s harvest has been on shaky ground due to an ongoing drought. Fingers crossed that recent rains will save the crop. I’m not sure what I would do without my Spanish olives.
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
Kyle Mills: Behind The Book CODE RED
Code Red was an interesting novel to conceptualize. Because I was considering making it my last entry in the series, I found myself looking back at where I’d been—from finishing the arc Vince started in The Last Man, to Mitch going toe-to-toe with an opponent who was nearly his equal, to the desperate race to stop a Russian invasion of Europe. Over my time guiding the series, the character has evolved from a man still enraged and frustrated by the death of his wife to someone who’s found the stability of a new family and maybe even a little peace.
In the meantime, America has endured a decade of violent geopolitical changes from both inside and outside its borders. The direct threat from Islamicists has given way to growing political dysfunction, an increasingly belligerent China, and advancing technology that seems to be careening out of control.
What’s Mitch Rapp’s role in this new reality?
In the end, I decided it wasn’t my place to find out. I wanted to leave Mitch’s new custodian a solid platform to launch from without locking him into any particular course.
This gave me the opportunity to end with a stand-alone adventure that puts Mitch back in Arab territory but with a few modern twists. The goal was to tip my hat to Vince’s earlier books by creating an operation that involves a lot of fireworks and returns Mitch to his roots.
Which brings my era to a close. It’s hard not to feel a little sadness, but I’m excited to move forward with my Fade series. While I’ll miss writing about Mitch and the gang, I’m really looking forward to going back to reading about them.
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
Kyle Mills: Stranger Than Fiction 2023 - Predictions Part 2
After announcing my departure from the Mitch Rapp series and putting the finishing touches on the Code Red manuscript, I’m finally back with the second installment of this year’s predictions recap. While there’s always a certain satisfaction to accurately foretelling world events, it’s also a little disconcerting. I want my books to have that ripped-from-the-headlines authenticity, but sometimes I wish the headlines were a little less terrifying.
In my last blog, I covered the biggest dumpster fire of a prediction since I anticipated 9/11—the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This month I’ll be exploring a prophecy that hits a little closer to home—the threat to America’s electrical grid.
Total Power
I’ve been thinking about the vulnerabilities of America’s power supply for a long time now. In 2007, I wrote Darkness Falls, a novel about an environmental terrorist group’s attempt to wipe out the world’s oil supply. My protagonist foils their plot, but over the years I began to muse about what would have happened if he’d failed. What America would look like without the energy that propels it.
I finally got my opportunity to explore the subject in Total Power. Again, I selected a domestic terrorist—this time John Alton, a brilliant, twisted megalomaniac. Why not a foreign power? Because it didn’t feel as plausible to me. Players like Russia, China, or Iran might be capable of this kind of attack, but it would be hard to justify it in light of the likely retaliation from both the US and our allies. Not to mention the devastation to the world economy that would occur if its primary driver were taken offline.
This turned out to be prescient. When I was writing the book, my research suggested that there had been very few physical attacks on our grid. Certainly, we have extensive evidence of our enemies attempting to infiltrate our systems, but actual assaults were few in number and limited in scope.
Since then, there has been a noticeable uptick in the targeting of our grid and, as I predicted, the threat has proved to be internal. Instead of my bored genius, though, it often comes from militias bent on fomenting an uprising against the US government.
While still disorganized and tracked by the FBI, these groups are a growing danger. Our grid consists of some 450,000 miles of electrical lines, 6,400 power plants, and 55,000 substations, and its vastness doesn’t translate into security. A government analysis suggests that as few as nine substations would have to be targeted to cause a nationwide blackout. That kind of attack seems well within the capabilities of a small, home-grown group of radicals. In fact, two men were recently convicted of planning just such an operation.
Fortunately, I’m not the only person thinking about this problem. The government is currently making progress in improving our defenses. Unfortunately, as this article points out, the focus has been on cyber threats and extreme weather—not physical security.
In the first eight months of 2022, there were 101 cyber and physical assaults on our power infrastructure. That number doesn’t include the North Carolina substations that were knocked out in early December, leaving around 45,000 people without power, nor does it include the Pacific Northwest attacks over Christmas. Since the end of August, there were at least eighteen more attacks in various states across the nation.
I have to admit that Total Power is the only novel I’ve written that’s made me take action in my own life. My house now contains quite a bit more in the way of emergency supplies and backup power than it did before I started researching the book.
Enemy of the State
Moving on to something a little lighter…
Remember when Mitch rode an electric motorcycle to silently stalk a terrorist through the Iraqi desert? A model like the one he used is currently being tested by the US military and others are finding their way onto the battlefield in Ukraine. There’s even a motorcycle rack designed to be fitted to Black Hawk choppers. It debuted at the Dubai Airshow in 2021 and appears to be made specifically for the bike used by Mitch back in 2017.
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
Kyle Mills: Gone Biking
First I hit SEND to my editor Emily Bestler and then I hit the trail.
The Code Red manuscript is officially in production!
Look for Rapp's next mission at a bookstore near you on September 12, 2023 and preorder now.
📷El Camino del Cerro Trail in Tucson, AZ.
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
BREAKING: Mitch Rapp News
I can’t believe it, but I’ve reached the end of an era. One of the best of my life.
As many of you know, I’m currently finishing up Code Red, Book 22 in the Mitch Rapp saga. After a lot of thought, I’ve decided that it’s going to be my final contribution to the series.
The first thing that comes to mind as I write these words is gratitude. It was incredibly intimidating to be offered an opportunity to take on one of the most iconic thriller series in the world. Not only because I was afraid that I might not be able to pull it off, but because I wasn’t sure anyone would want me to.
How wrong I was.
Less than an hour after the announcement, I began receiving emails from Vince’s fans saying how much Mitch Rapp meant to them and how excited they were that he would continue. Vince’s family, who I’ve since had the privilege of getting to know, also reached out to express how happy they were that Vince’s legacy would live on. I was overwhelmed by the warmth of my reception and without it I’m not sure I ever would have finished The Survivor.
So why now? Why leave the best job I’ve ever had, the best team I’ve ever worked with, and the best fans in the genre? It may be that I’m just nuts.
But the other reason is that I’ve had a character bouncing around in my head for years now and I can’t seem to shut him up. When I wrote the last page of Fade in 2003, I left my SEAL protagonist bleeding out on a tile floor. I thought he was gone forever, but I could never completely shake him. Eventually, I came to see him lying in a coma—a hazy image that, instead of diminishing, became increasingly sharp. He’s been silent for almost twenty years, and now feels like the right time for him to wake. The world has changed radically since I wrote that novel but, ironically, the eponymous character is the perfect person to take it on. Check out the blog on my website if you’d like more details on what I have planned for the series but, for now, I think I know the question burning in your mind:
What will happen to Mitch Rapp?
The answer is very, very good things.
Appropriate drum roll, please…
I’ll be passing the baton to my good friend Don Bentley. For those who haven’t read his Matt Drake series or his contributions to the Tom Clancy universe, you’re missing out. He’s an exceptionally talented writer with a background in both the army and FBI, making him perfect for the job. Further, Emily Bestler—Vince’s editor and the keel that’s kept the series on track since the beginning—will continue running the show. So readers will get the best of all worlds: fresh ideas and perspectives, but ones that are still anchored to the foundations that have proven themselves time and time again.
And, of course, I’ll continue to be there for everyone involved—Don, Emily, and readers.
I have to admit that I’m kind of excited. After all this time as the master of the Rappverse, I’m looking forward to being a fan again. There’s nothing quite like rushing out to a bookstore on pub day, clearing my calendar, and plopping on the sofa to join Mitch on his latest adventure. Until now, I didn’t realize how much I missed it.
Thanks to everyone. It’s been both an honor and one hell of a ride.
Man, I am so excited for this opportunity. Vince Flynn is my all-time favorite author, and I am humbled at the chance to continue his legacy. I don’t remember when I read my first Vince book, but I remember how it felt—like biting into a live wire. Discovering Mitch Rapp forever changed me both as a reader and a writer. Vince took the genre that Tom Clancy invented and adapted it to the Global War on Terror. Mitch Rapp was the protagonist that all of us who served at the pointy end of our nation’s spear wanted to be.
When I was stationed in Afghanistan, there was a little lending library a short walk from my b-hut, and it was chock full of dog-eared Vince Flynn paperbacks. I mainlined those suckers, and judging by their worn condition, I wasn’t the only one who lived vicariously through Mitch. I would have never believed back then that seventeen years later I’d be entrusted by Vince’s family and his incredible editor, Emily Bestler, to take the reins from Kyle Mills. I am so excited to get started, and I CAN’T WAIT to get my hands on Code Red to see what Mitch, Irene, and Scott are up to now!
Kyle Mills: Stranger Than Fiction 2023 - Predictions Part 1
The predictions business has been pretty good to me this year. Several of my novel concepts have hit the news cycle and, in the case of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, stayed there. While it’s gratifying to see my research produce books that are relevant in today’s world, it’s also disheartening. Reading about Mitch Rapp kicking butt in Eastern Europe is a lot of fun, but the reality of war isn’t. It’s a brutal, gut-wrenching enterprise that takes an unimaginable toll on the innocent.
So, let’s kick this year off with the biggest story of 2022…
RED WAR
My book, Red War, was published in September of 2018. I’d been wanting to write a story about a conflict in Europe for some time, but wasn’t sure how to realistically ignite it. Russia was the obvious catalyst, but why would someone with a reputation for rationality like Vladimir Putin (Maxim Krupin in the novel) do something so reckless?
Of course, there’s the motivation of pure megalomania. Giving a dictator great power for a long period of time has a way of twisting their perceptions. The old adage “absolute power corrupts absolutely” exists for a reason. And for someone like Saddam Hussein or the Kims in North Korea, that would have been plenty. But Russia’s a nuclear power and major player on the world stage. The idea that they’d embark on something this destructive in order to satisfy one man’s ego and delusions of empire seemed far-fetched.
In the end, illness seemed to be the most plausible motivation for my villain. A leader like Vladimir Putin rules very much through his aura of power. Shirtless horseback rides and his reputation as former KGB. Triumphant martial arts and hockey videos. He’s a man who’s seductive to worship and easy to fear.
But what if that aura of power and nationalism was suddenly taken from him? Without it, he would become vulnerable. But even if he were successful in holding off his enemies, with nothing to lose, his caution might give way to adventurism.
Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, an unnamed oligarch was secretly recorded spilling the news that Putin was very ill and a Russian investigative outlet said Putin had seen an oncologist thirty-five times in the past few years. While the Kremlin would never admit this and still hasn’t, speculation intensified when videos showed a soft, puffy Putin making odd movements and gripping furniture in what looked like an attempt to control tremors.
Another prediction in my book related to the weakness of Russia’s military. The West has long suffered from a Soviet hangover that’s led us to treat Russia as though it’s still a superpower. Even prior to the war, they only had an economy about the size of Texas’ and a military budget that was less than one tenth of America’s. Sure, they have nukes, but their conventional capability has always been grossly overestimated. In reality the Russian army is wildly corrupt, poorly trained, poorly equipped, and poorly motivated. The idea that they could go toe to toe with NATO, particularly on the high-tech battlefield of today, has always been laughable. And now we see that writ large. The truth is that their nuclear arsenal is the only thing that’s preventing the US and its allies from wiping out their entire invasion force over the course of a long weekend.
THE UTOPIA EXPERIMENT
Years ago, I wrote three books based on high-concept plotlines rooted in technology. The Utopia Experiment explored what it might be like to have a computer interface implanted directly into your brain. Called the Merge, it was capable of overlaying a user’s vision with computer-generated images, bypassing their ears and sending sound straight into the auditory cortex, and directly integrating with various peripherals—a feature that had significant military applications.
This may not be limited to the realm of fiction for much longer. In December, Elon Musk’s company Neuralink announced that it’s preparing to start testing brain implants in humans. Musk claims that he’ll be able to restore sight as well as movement in people who have lost those capabilities.
The world is changing, and technology is advancing so fast that it’s hard to stay ahead of it. Every year, I worry more that reality will catch me between the time I conceptualize a book and get it on the shelves. Sometimes it’s hard not to look back fondly on the precarious stability of the Cold War and wonder how masters like Tom CIancy and John le Carré saw the world. Did it feel as breakneck to them then as it does to me now?
If you’re not following Kyle, connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or his website.
Kyle Mills: The Expanding World Of Rapp
Once a year I like to take stock of what I’ve done over the past twelve months. Sometimes it’s hard to quantify what I’ve accomplished but that’s not true with the Rapp series. When you pile it up, the stack actually gets taller. My annual Most-Complete-Collection-Of-Rapp-Novels-In-The-World pic, has become the hourglass that measures my journey through life.
Mitch’s universe is now this high.
This teetering column of ink has chronicled every phase of Mitch’s life. His brash youth, his transformation into the world’s most effective killer, the death of his wife and unborn child. Now, we see a man with a devoted partner, a girl he’s come to think of as his daughter, and the ability to see gray where only black and white existed before.
After finishing the initial draft of The Survivor, I had the honor of possessing the most complete collection of Rapp novels in the world for the first time.
When I inherited Mitch, he was angry and alone. His frustration with his inability to right every wrong was in danger of destroying him. I needed to pull him back from the brink and provide him with new challenges like coming up against an assassin that was his equal, shutting down a Russian attack on its neighbors, and preventing the destruction of our power grid in the US.
The Red War manuscript—a story that, sadly, feels very relevant at this moment.
The geopolitical landscape continues to change at a historic pace and Mitch has to change with it. Now, he’s forced to examine his place in the world and admit that not all threats come from outside.
The Total Power manuscript just before the world was introduced to COVID-19.
No matter how the Rappverse evolves, there’s one consistent message: While the fight may be long and bloody, honor, courage, and patriotism will always prevail.
Enemy at the Gates side table, my pandemic project.
