June 19, 2013 will be remembered as a sad day for Mitch Rapp fans throughout the world. Vince Flynn, internationally bestselling author of the Mitch Rapp Series Suspense/Thrillers died of prostate cancer; he had been diagnosed in January 2011. Flynn released his latest book The Last Man in October 2012, and there is one new book scheduled for release in the fall of 2013. Besides millions of fans worldwide, several presidents were known for reading his books, as well as high-ranking government officials, some who thought Flynn’s scenarios got a little too close to reality.

Flynn, who grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, had dyslexia, and was a very unlikely candidate to become a bestselling author. His first book, Term Limits was rejected by over 60 publishers, according to his official website, and he finally published it himself and sold it out of the trunk of his car. It became a local Minnesota bestseller, and was then picked up by Simon & Schuster. Since then all of his books have become internationally acclaimed bestsellers.

Flynn’s thrillers are of the spy/espionage/international intrigue sub-genre, and Mitch Rapp, his main character, is a comic-book type superhero, saving the good guys and always getting himself out of dozens of close calls in each book. Rapp works for the CIA - he is an assassin and troubleshooter for the US, eliminating some of the worst characters on the planet. His missions are not only top secret, but even though he is CIA, he is usually on his own, since acknowledging him as an operative could cause major political damage to the government. Rapp does not follow the rules, and is always in trouble with someone in high government; there is usually a dishonest politician (imagine that!) in the story, and it’s always enjoyable when a corrupt politician is discovered and punished.

For those who are not familiar with Vince Flynn’s books, and are looking for a new well-written thriller series to read, the Mitch Rapp series is highly recommended. If possible, they should be read in order, since the first books give the history and background of Rapp. Most are quite fast reads, because Flynn’s style is easy to follow, and also because his books have so much going on, they are very hard to put down. The Mitch Rapp series books, in order, are as follows:

1. American Assassin
2. Kill Shot
3. Transfer of Power
4. The Third Option
5. Separation of Power
6. Executive Power
7. Memorial Day
8. Consent to Kill
9. Act of Treason
10. Protect and Defend
11. Extreme Measures
12. Pursuit of Honor
13. The Last Man