Mitch Rapp Books in Order
Mitch Rapp is a CIA counterterrorism operative who does the jobs no one else will touch. After losing his girlfriend in the Pan Am 103 bombing over Lockerbie, he was recruited into a black-ops program and transformed into America's most lethal weapon against terrorism. He operates in the shadows, kills without remorse, and answers to almost no one.
Vince Flynn created the character in 1999 with Transfer of Power, where Rapp infiltrates a White House held hostage by terrorists. Flynn wrote 13 novels before his death from prostate cancer in 2013 at age 47. Kyle Mills took over and added nine more installments, maintaining the series' brutal pacing and political authenticity. Don Bentley, a former Army Apache pilot and FBI special agent, began writing the books in 2024.
The series now spans 25 novels. Each one can work as a standalone, though readers get more out of the recurring cast: Irene Kennedy (CIA Director), Stan Hurley (Rapp's ruthless trainer), and Scott Coleman (former SEAL Team Six leader). Two prequels, American Assassin and Kill Shot, explore Rapp's origin and were written after several later books, which is why reading order guides matter here.
These are hard-edged thrillers with graphic violence, authentic tradecraft, and morally gray choices. Fans include former presidents, intelligence professionals, and millions of readers who appreciate a hero willing to do terrible things to protect his country.