Order to Kill

Starred review from August 29, 2016
The rousing 15th entry in the late Vince Flynn’s bestselling series, the first by Mills (who completed 2015’s The Survivor), pits CIA officer Mitch Rapp against Grisha Azarov, Russian president Maxim Krupin’s personal assassin, and for once Mitch isn’t the odds-on favorite. Krupin has an ingenious plan involving the theft of Pakistani nuclear warheads and the deployment of dirty bombs in Saudi Arabia’s oil fields. The goal is to destroy the Saudis’ capability and enhance Russia’s ability to fulfill the world’s need for oil. As always, foiling this scheme falls on Mitch’s legendary shoulders, and watching him go about his lethal business is just as compelling as when Flynn was doing the writing. Mitch has to deal with a tragic love interest, Leah; rescue his best friend, Scott Coleman; capture a stolen nuke; escape from ISIS-controlled Iraq; and defeat the most deadly foe he’s ever battled. No problem. Satisfied fans will hope that Mills will fulfill their continuing Mitch Rapp needs far into the future. Agent: Sloan Harris, ICM.