📖 Overview
Kyle Mills is an American thriller novelist born in 1966, known for writing both original political thrillers and continuing established series by other authors. His work includes the popular Mark Beamon FBI series and several standalone novels such as Rising Phoenix, Fade, and The Second Horseman.
Mills gained broader recognition when he was selected to continue the Mitch Rapp series following the death of original author Vince Flynn in 2013. He wrote nine books in the series before concluding his involvement with Code Red in 2023.
His background is uniquely suited to the thriller genre, having grown up as the son of an FBI agent in Oregon. Currently residing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Mills has also contributed to Robert Ludlum's Covert-One series, writing The Ares Decision, The Utopia Experiment, and The Patriot Attack.
The Mark Beamon series, featuring an FBI special agent, represents some of his most notable original work, including titles such as Rising Phoenix, Storming Heaven, Sphere of Influence, Free Fall, and Darkness Falls.
👀 Reviews
Readers highlight Mills' ability to continue established series, particularly the Mitch Rapp books after Vince Flynn's passing. On Goodreads and Amazon, fans note his action sequences and pacing match the original author's style.
Readers appreciate:
- Technical research and detail in military/espionage scenes
- Fast-paced plots without unnecessary subplots
- Character consistency when taking over existing series
Common criticisms:
- Some political viewpoints too overt in newer works
- Less character development than Flynn's original books
- Occasional plot points that strain credibility
Average Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.3/5 (across all books)
Amazon: 4.5/5 (across all books)
LibraryThing: 4.1/5
Recent reader reviews specifically praise The Survivor (4.4/5) and Red War (4.5/5) for maintaining the Rapp series' momentum. His original series like Mark Beamon books receive slightly lower ratings (3.9/5) but positive reviews for their standalone plots.
📚 Books by Kyle Mills
Mark Beamon Series:
Rising Phoenix - FBI agent Mark Beamon investigates a vigilante plot to eliminate America's drug problem using a lethal virus.
Storming Heaven - Beamon pursues a religious cult leader planning mass murder to spark a holy war.
Free Fall - A software billionaire's plot to destroy the U.S. economy puts Beamon on a race against time.
Sphere of Influence - Beamon confronts a conspiracy involving the Russian mob and nuclear weapons.
Darkness Falls - The FBI agent faces eco-terrorists threatening global devastation.
Mitch Rapp Series Continuation: The Survivor - Rapp hunts for a CIA traitor while dealing with top-secret information leaks.
Order to Kill - Rapp works to prevent Pakistan's nuclear weapons from falling into terrorist hands.
Enemy of the State - Rapp goes undercover to expose Saudi Arabia's secret funding of ISIS.
Red War - Russia's president launches aggressive military actions while battling a terminal illness.
Lethal Agent - Rapp confronts terrorists weaponizing a deadly virus during a presidential campaign.
Total Power - A cyberattack takes down America's power grid, leaving Rapp to prevent total chaos.
Enemy at the Gates - Rapp faces assassination attempts while investigating private military contractors.
Oath of Loyalty - Rapp protects the CIA director from a South American drug cartel's revenge.
Code Red - Rapp races to prevent China from starting World War III using artificial intelligence.
Covert-One Series: The Ares Decision - Lieutenant Colonel Jon Smith investigates a mysterious disease affecting U.S. soldiers.
The Utopia Experiment - Smith pursues developers of an augmented reality device causing deadly side effects.
The Patriot Attack - Smith works to prevent conflict between China and Japan over disputed islands.
Standalone Novels: Burn Factor - A computer analyst discovers a serial killer's connection to the FBI.
Fade - A former Navy SEAL faces a government conspiracy while investigating his father's death.
The Second Horseman - A professional thief must recover stolen nuclear weapons to save his father.
Storming Heaven - Beamon pursues a religious cult leader planning mass murder to spark a holy war.
Free Fall - A software billionaire's plot to destroy the U.S. economy puts Beamon on a race against time.
Sphere of Influence - Beamon confronts a conspiracy involving the Russian mob and nuclear weapons.
Darkness Falls - The FBI agent faces eco-terrorists threatening global devastation.
Mitch Rapp Series Continuation: The Survivor - Rapp hunts for a CIA traitor while dealing with top-secret information leaks.
Order to Kill - Rapp works to prevent Pakistan's nuclear weapons from falling into terrorist hands.
Enemy of the State - Rapp goes undercover to expose Saudi Arabia's secret funding of ISIS.
Red War - Russia's president launches aggressive military actions while battling a terminal illness.
Lethal Agent - Rapp confronts terrorists weaponizing a deadly virus during a presidential campaign.
Total Power - A cyberattack takes down America's power grid, leaving Rapp to prevent total chaos.
Enemy at the Gates - Rapp faces assassination attempts while investigating private military contractors.
Oath of Loyalty - Rapp protects the CIA director from a South American drug cartel's revenge.
Code Red - Rapp races to prevent China from starting World War III using artificial intelligence.
Covert-One Series: The Ares Decision - Lieutenant Colonel Jon Smith investigates a mysterious disease affecting U.S. soldiers.
The Utopia Experiment - Smith pursues developers of an augmented reality device causing deadly side effects.
The Patriot Attack - Smith works to prevent conflict between China and Japan over disputed islands.
Standalone Novels: Burn Factor - A computer analyst discovers a serial killer's connection to the FBI.
Fade - A former Navy SEAL faces a government conspiracy while investigating his father's death.
The Second Horseman - A professional thief must recover stolen nuclear weapons to save his father.
👥 Similar authors
Vince Flynn created the Mitch Rapp series that Mills later continued, featuring a CIA counterterrorism operative who takes direct action against threats. Flynn's original Rapp novels establish the character's origins and early missions, providing the foundation for Mills' later contributions.
Brad Thor writes the Scot Harvath series about a former Navy SEAL who works in counterterrorism operations for the U.S. government. His plots focus on current geopolitical threats and intelligence operations similar to Mills' work.
Daniel Silva writes the Gabriel Allon series about an Israeli intelligence operative who balances his work as an art restorer with covert missions. Silva's background research and attention to international politics mirror Mills' approach to contemporary threats.
Mark Greaney writes the Gray Man series about a former CIA operative who works as a private contractor on high-risk missions. Greaney's experience continuing Tom Clancy's work parallels Mills' role in continuing established series.
Ben Coes writes the Dewey Andreas series about a former Delta Force operator who confronts international threats and political conspiracies. His focus on detailed operations and government agencies aligns with Mills' style in the Mark Beamon series.
Brad Thor writes the Scot Harvath series about a former Navy SEAL who works in counterterrorism operations for the U.S. government. His plots focus on current geopolitical threats and intelligence operations similar to Mills' work.
Daniel Silva writes the Gabriel Allon series about an Israeli intelligence operative who balances his work as an art restorer with covert missions. Silva's background research and attention to international politics mirror Mills' approach to contemporary threats.
Mark Greaney writes the Gray Man series about a former CIA operative who works as a private contractor on high-risk missions. Greaney's experience continuing Tom Clancy's work parallels Mills' role in continuing established series.
Ben Coes writes the Dewey Andreas series about a former Delta Force operator who confronts international threats and political conspiracies. His focus on detailed operations and government agencies aligns with Mills' style in the Mark Beamon series.