Kyle Mills Books in Order: Mitch Rapp, Mark Beamon, Fade, and Political Thrillers
Kyle Mills is best known for taking over the Mitch Rapp series after Vince Flynn’s death, but his career began much earlier with his own FBI thriller series featuring Mark Beamon. He later created Salam “Fade” al-Fayed, a former Navy SEAL who first appeared in Fade and returned nearly two decades later in Fade In.
That makes Mills’s bibliography slightly unusual. Some of his most recognizable books are part of series created by other authors, particularly Mitch Rapp and Robert Ludlum’s Covert-One. For a clean Whimsy Read bibliography, those books are separated from his original series and standalone novels below.
Kyle Mills Books in Publication Order
If you want to experience Kyle Mills’s career from the beginning, this is the simplest publication order.
- Rising Phoenix (1997)
- Storming Heaven (1998)
- Free Fall (2000)
- Burn Factor (2001)
- Sphere of Influence (2002)
- Smoke Screen (2003)
- Fade (2005)
- The Second Horseman (2006)
- Darkness Falls (2007)
- Lords of Corruption (2009)
- The Ares Decision (2011)
- The Immortalists (2011)
- The Utopia Experiment (2013)
- The Patriot Attack (2015)
- The Survivor (2015)
- Order to Kill (2016)
- Enemy of the State (2017)
- Red War (2018)
- Lethal Agent (2019)
- Total Power (2020)
- Enemy at the Gates (2021)
- Oath of Loyalty (2022)
- Code Red (2023)
- Fade In (2025)
This gives you the 24 Kyle Mills-authored books currently listed in his bibliography.
Mark Beamon Books in Order
The Mark Beamon books were the foundation of Mills’s career. Beamon is an FBI agent, and the series combines investigations, political intrigue, terrorism, and international threats.
Kyle Mills himself recommends reading the five books in this order.
1. Rising Phoenix
Published in 1997, Rising Phoenix introduces FBI agent Mark Beamon. Beamon is tasked with stopping a radical organization that intends to poison America’s illegal drug supply, turning the country’s narcotics problem into a deadly weapon.
The novel established Mills’s interest in combining law enforcement investigations with large-scale political and national-security threats. It was also his debut novel.
2. Storming Heaven
In Storming Heaven, Beamon investigates a wealthy and politically connected cult after a young girl is kidnapped. What initially looks like a kidnapping develops into a much larger and more dangerous investigation.
The book continues Beamon’s character arc while expanding the political and institutional intrigue established in Rising Phoenix.
3. Free Fall
Free Fall takes Mark Beamon into the world of extreme climbing and political corruption. Beamon’s investigation of one of the world’s top climbers unexpectedly pulls him into a crooked presidential campaign.
Mills drew on his own interest in rock climbing for the novel, giving this installment a distinctive setting compared with the first two books.
4. Sphere of Influence
In Sphere of Influence, Beamon becomes involved in a complicated international investigation inspired in part by the kind of geopolitical thriller associated with Tom Clancy.
The novel is larger in scope than the earlier Beamon stories and puts the FBI agent against threats that extend well beyond a conventional criminal investigation. Mills has described it as one of the books he is particularly proud of.
5. Darkness Falls
Darkness Falls is the fifth Mark Beamon novel and the final book in the original series so far.
The story grew out of Mills’s interest in what might happen if the world’s oil supply were suddenly cut off. It combines environmental concerns, terrorism, political conflict, and the kind of high-stakes thriller plotting that characterizes the Beamon series. Mills has described it as the last Beamon book “so far.”
Fade Books in Order
The Fade series centers on Salam “Fade” al-Fayed, a former Navy SEAL and highly unconventional covert operative.
The series has three books. The second book, The Second Horseman, was originally often listed as a standalone, but Macmillan now identifies it as Fade, Volume 2, while current series databases place Fade In as Book 3.
1. Fade
Published in 2005, Fade introduces Salam al-Fayed, a former Navy SEAL who has become disillusioned and dangerous after his experiences in covert operations.
Mills originally intended the character’s story to end with this book. Years later, however, he reconsidered what had happened to Fade and decided to bring him back.
2. The Second Horseman
The Second Horseman shifts to Brandon Vale, a brilliant criminal mastermind who is forced out of prison to help stop a terrorist organization from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The novel has a very different setup from Fade, but it belongs to the same series and is officially listed as Fade, Volume 2 by Macmillan.
3. Fade In
Published in 2025, Fade In brings Salam al-Fayed back nearly twenty years after his first appearance.
After being declared clinically dead and waking badly injured, Fade is offered a new identity, advanced medical treatment, and another mission. The assignment places him against a highly dangerous international threat while forcing him to question the people who recruited him.
Mills has described Fade In as the beginning of a new series built around a character he had wanted to revisit for years.
Mitch Rapp Books by Kyle Mills
Kyle Mills wrote nine Mitch Rapp novels after Vince Flynn’s death. His first was The Survivor in 2015, and Code Red in 2023 was his final contribution to the series. Mills announced in 2023 that he was leaving the series, with Don Bentley taking over afterward.
1. The Survivor
The Survivor is Kyle Mills’s first Mitch Rapp novel. It continues the character’s story after Vince Flynn’s The Last Man and was Mills’s introduction to the responsibility of continuing one of modern political thriller fiction’s most established characters.
Mills has said that the reaction from Flynn’s readers to the book was far more positive than he had dared to expect.
2. Order to Kill
In Order to Kill, Rapp faces a dangerous international threat while dealing with the increasingly complicated political environment surrounding his work.
Mills was more comfortable with the character and the “Rappverse” by this point, and the novel continues the personal development that began in The Survivor.
3. Enemy of the State
Enemy of the State continues Mitch Rapp’s fight against threats to American national security while putting greater pressure on the political machinery surrounding him.
It also continues Mills’s effort to move Rapp toward a more balanced version of the character after the anger and instability seen in the later Vince Flynn novels.
4. Red War
Red War puts Mitch Rapp into a dangerous confrontation involving Russia. The novel expands the geopolitical scale of the series and gives Rapp another high-stakes international crisis to solve.
It was published in 2018 and became one of Mills’s major Mitch Rapp installments.
5. Lethal Agent
Lethal Agent continues the series with another international security crisis. Rapp has to respond quickly as the threat moves across borders and creates the possibility of devastating consequences.
The novel maintains the fast-paced political and military thriller style associated with the Mitch Rapp series.
6. Total Power
Total Power brings Mitch Rapp into another major national-security crisis. The story combines intelligence operations, political pressure, and a threat with potentially catastrophic consequences.
It was published in 2020 and is the sixth Mitch Rapp novel written by Mills.
7. Enemy at the Gates
Published in 2021, Enemy at the Gates continues Rapp’s increasingly complicated relationship with the international threats surrounding him.
The novel keeps the series focused on geopolitical conflict while continuing the character development Mills had built across his previous Rapp books.
8. Oath of Loyalty
Oath of Loyalty was published in 2022 and pushes Rapp into another dangerous conflict involving enemies who understand how valuable personal relationships can be.
The book is the eighth Mitch Rapp novel written by Mills and sets the stage for his final installment.
9. Code Red
Published in 2023, Code Red was Kyle Mills’s final Mitch Rapp novel. Mills deliberately designed it as a standalone-style adventure that would give the next author room to take the character in a new direction.
Mills described the book as the closing chapter of his era with Mitch Rapp. Don Bentley subsequently became the new writer of the series.
Should You Read the Earlier Vince Flynn Mitch Rapp Books First?
Yes, if you want the fullest experience.
Kyle Mills’s The Survivor is Mitch Rapp Book 14, not the beginning of the overall series. The first 13 books were written by Vince Flynn. Therefore, readers who want Mitch’s complete story should start with Transfer of Power and continue through Flynn’s books before reaching The Survivor.
For a Kyle Mills-only reading list, however, you can start with The Survivor.
Covert-One Books by Kyle Mills
The Covert-One series was created by Robert Ludlum and continued by multiple authors. Mills contributed three novels.
1. The Ares Decision
Published in 2011, The Ares Decision is Mills’s first contribution to the Covert-One series.
The novel follows Covert-One operative Colonel Jon Smith and CIA agent Randi Russell as they confront a threat involving a dangerous new biological weapon.
2. The Utopia Experiment
In The Utopia Experiment, Mills explores the dangerous intersection of technology and human consciousness.
An entrepreneur has developed technology capable of integrating computers and human minds, creating a threat that could fundamentally change what it means to be human. Mills specifically recommends this novel to readers interested in the darker side of technology.
3. The Patriot Attack
The Patriot Attack is Mills’s third Covert-One novel. The story involves a secret Japanese military project that has remained hidden for decades.
It combines international espionage with military technology and the geopolitical tension that readers expect from the Covert-One series.
Important: These are not the only Covert-One books. They are simply the three installments written by Kyle Mills. The complete series contains books written by Robert Ludlum and several other authors.
Kyle Mills Standalone Thrillers
Mills has also written five novels that are generally treated separately from his recurring series.
Burn Factor
Published in 2001, Burn Factor is a serial-killer thriller with a political dimension. FBI database programmer Quinn Barry discovers a connection between several murders and becomes increasingly concerned that uncovering the truth could cost her career or her life.
It is one of Mills’s few books to focus directly on a serial-killer investigation rather than international espionage.
Smoke Screen
Smoke Screen is a corporate thriller centered on the tobacco industry.
Unlike Mills’s more conventional political thrillers, the book is written in the first person and takes a closer look at corporate power, manipulation, and the consequences of exposing uncomfortable information. Mills has said that, despite being the last book he recommends to Vince Flynn fans, it may actually be his favorite of his own novels.
The Second Horseman
Older bibliography lists often place The Second Horseman among Mills’s standalones. It is worth correcting that classification for a current article: Macmillan identifies it as Fade, Volume 2, and current series databases place it between Fade and Fade In.
Lords of Corruption
Published in 2009, Lords of Corruption takes Mills into the world of international aid and corruption in Africa.
The story examines what happens when seemingly charitable organizations and powerful interests become entangled, creating a thriller that is more corporate and international than conventional FBI fiction. Mills has described it as The Firm meeting the African aid industry.
The Immortalists
The Immortalists follows Dr. Richard Draman, a physician desperately searching for a cure for his daughter’s terminal illness.
His search leads him to secret medical experiments conducted by an organization operating outside normal scientific and governmental oversight. The novel combines medical science, mystery, and thriller elements.
Kyle Mills Books by Series
| Series | Kyle Mills books |
| Mark Beamon | 5 |
| Fade | 3 |
| Mitch Rapp | 9 |
| Covert-One | 3 |
| Standalone novels | 4* |
| Total | 24 |
*The apparent four standalone novels comes from moving The Second Horseman into the Fade series. The current total of 24 Kyle Mills-authored books remains unchanged.
Do You Need to Read Kyle Mills Books in Order?
Only within a continuing series.
You should read the Mark Beamon books in order because Mark’s story develops across all five novels. The Fade books should also be read in order, particularly because Fade In returns to Salam al-Fayed after a long gap.
The Mitch Rapp books are best read in order as part of the larger Vince Flynn series. If you only want Mills’s contribution, begin with The Survivor and continue through Code Red.
The Covert-One books are different because the larger series is written by multiple authors. You can read Mills’s three contributions independently, although readers following the complete Covert-One story should use the full series order.
Where Should You Start With Kyle Mills?
For FBI crime thrillers
Start with Rising Phoenix. It introduces Mark Beamon and is Mills’s debut novel.
For modern political thrillers
Start with The Survivor if your goal is Mitch Rapp, but remember that it is Book 14 of the overall Rapp series.
For a newer series
Start with Fade. This is the best choice if you want Mills’s own modern espionage character rather than a series inherited from another author.
For a standalone
Burn Factor is a good choice if you want a self-contained thriller with an FBI investigation and serial-killer angle.
For Mills’s latest work
Start with Fade In. Published in 2025, it is the newest Kyle Mills novel currently available and represents his return to Salam “Fade” al-Fayed. Mills’s official site confirms that Fade In marked his move forward after leaving Mitch Rapp.
About Kyle Mills
Kyle Mills is an American thriller writer whose background and family life influenced his interest in law enforcement and intelligence. His father was an FBI agent, and Mills has written extensively about FBI agents, covert operatives, terrorism, political conflict, and international threats.
He began publishing with Rising Phoenix in 1997 and eventually became one of the authors associated with major continuing thriller franchises. He spent about a decade writing Mitch Rapp before leaving the series after Code Red and returning to his own Fade character.
FAQ About Kyle Mills Books
How many books has Kyle Mills written?
Kyle Mills has 24 books under his name through 2025, including his original novels and his contributions to Mitch Rapp and Covert-One.
What was Kyle Mills’s first book?
Rising Phoenix was Kyle Mills’s debut novel and was published in 1997. It introduced FBI agent Mark Beamon.
What is Kyle Mills’s latest book?
Fade In is Kyle Mills’s latest published novel. It was released in 2025 and brings back Salam “Fade” al-Fayed.
What is the order of the Mark Beamon books?
The Mark Beamon order is Rising Phoenix, Storming Heaven, Free Fall, Sphere of Influence, and Darkness Falls. Mills himself confirms this sequence on his FAQ page.
What is the order of the Fade books?
The current Fade order is Fade, The Second Horseman, and Fade In. The Second Horseman is officially listed as Fade Volume 2, despite older lists treating it as a standalone.
Did Kyle Mills write the entire Mitch Rapp series?
No. Mitch Rapp was created by Vince Flynn. Kyle Mills wrote nine Rapp novels from The Survivor through Code Red, then left the series. Don Bentley subsequently took over as the continuing author.
Is The Survivor the first Mitch Rapp book?
No. The Survivor is Mitch Rapp Book 14 overall. It is the first Rapp novel written by Kyle Mills, following Vince Flynn’s first 13 books.
Is The Second Horseman a standalone?
It was frequently listed as a standalone in older bibliographies, but current publisher information identifies it as Fade, Volume 2. For a current reading guide, it is better placed between Fade and Fade In.
Did Kyle Mills leave the Mitch Rapp series?
Yes. Mills announced in February 2023 that Code Red would be his final Mitch Rapp novel. He said he wanted to return to his own character, Fade, while Don Bentley would take over the Rapp series.
Final Verdict
Kyle Mills’s bibliography is worth separating into three distinct parts: his own original characters, his contribution to established franchises, and his standalone thrillers. The Mark Beamon books show where his career began, while the Fade series represents the character he returned to after leaving Mitch Rapp.
For readers who want his complete career, publication order from Rising Phoenix through Fade In is the clearest route. For readers mainly interested in his own continuing characters, read Mark Beamon → Fade, while Mitch Rapp should be treated as a separate continuation of Vince Flynn’s much larger series.
If your main interest is Mitch Rapp, start with Vince Flynn’s Transfer of Power rather than jumping directly into The Survivor. If you want a Kyle Mills series you can experience entirely on its own, Fade is the strongest place to begin.
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