Into the Fire

(Originally posted on October 24, 2016 as "A failed . . . Order to Kill".)
                     

Order to Kill written by Kyle Mills to continue Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp legacy is now available, and I have to give it a rare Five Stars. I loved this book.

Few men on earth can equal the status of the American assassin Mitch Rapp. He's known and feared throughout the world in spy circles. The Russian assassin Grisha Azarov is given the dubious order to kill Rapp. Not the first to receive such an order, he wonders if he'll be the last. The Russian "president" Krupin has a plan, but he wants Rapp out of the way in order to complete it. His country is failing economically and there is serious restlessness among the wealthy oligarchs as to whether or not Krupin should remain in his lofty position. When his top assassin is lined up to dispose of Rapp and orchestrate his plan to return the oil business to Russia, Azarov has serious doubts concerning its execution.

After an unsuccessful and perhaps ill-advised jaunt to South Africa, Mitch Rapp and Scott Coleman reunite to attempt to locate some missing Pakistani nukes being randomly transported around that country. An intense firefight causes near tragedy, Rapp gets a glimpse of the mysterious Russian assassin in action while securing one of the nukes and is amazed at what he sees.

Back in the states an odd and cryptic surprise is discovered after tearing down the nuclear device. It has to be put back together and returned to Pakistan while Rapp and Irene Kennedy do their best to figure out who the assassin is and who exactly he was targeting, not to mention what it had to do with the nukes.

The story jumps back and forth between Rapp's mission in this confusing venture and Grisha Azarov's instructions from the arrogant Russian president. When Mitch and Irene figure out the plan, they have to hastily construct their own in a short period of time with no margin for error. And, as usual, Rapp's plan is an ad-libbed deviation.

Order to Kill is a page turner, Mitch Rapp is captured perfectly (one of my favorite passages is on page 51), he's feeling the loneliness in this life he's built, and enduring the pain of some of the ugly choices he has to make. The ending is terrific, reminding me of Consent to Kill but without as much sadness. Kyle Mills has met the challenge of continuing the Mitch Rapp legacy and succeeded with passion and accuracy. I believe Vince would be proud of his efforts.

Father, the greatest thing I can ask is for Kyle Mills to know you. Please continue to bless his life and his writing and watch over him. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.