Don Bentley steps into the formidable shoes of continuing Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp saga with Capture or Kill, and he does so with confidence, grit, and reverence for the late author’s legacy.
Taking over from Kyle Mills, Bentley brings his own military and intelligence background to the table, refreshing the franchise while staying true to the spirit of Flynn’s iconic counterterrorism operative.
In Capture or Kill, Mitch Rapp faces one of his most perilous assignments yet. A mission in Syria—aimed at eliminating a high-level ISIS planner—spirals into a wider geopolitical nightmare. What begins as a standard black-ops takedown evolves into a deadly chase across multiple fronts, involving terrorists, shadowy foreign actors, and the ever-present obstacles of Washington politics.
The “capture or kill” directive underscores the moral ambiguity Rapp has always navigated, but Bentley sharpens the stakes with timely echoes of today’s global security challenges.
Mitch Rapp remains the beating heart of the series—ruthless, efficient, and uncompromising in pursuit of America’s enemies. Yet Bentley also reminds us that Rapp is not a machine. The years of combat, loss, and sacrifice weigh on him, even as he pushes forward with unrelenting determination. This human element gives readers a protagonist who is not only lethal but also deeply compelling.
His relationships with old allies—such as CIA director Irene Kennedy—anchor him, while new dynamics introduce fresh tension. Bentley wisely honours these long-standing connections while injecting his own sense of character interplay.
Bentley’s greatest strength is his authenticity. Having served as an Army Apache helicopter pilot and FBI agent, he knows the language, rhythm, and intensity of the operational world. The action sequences in Capture or Kill crackle with precision and urgency—whether it’s a raid, an ambush, or the tense chess match of espionage. Readers feel the tactical detail without being bogged down by jargon, a hallmark of Vince Flynn’s original style that Bentley clearly respects.
Thematically, the novel continues the Mitch Rapp tradition of exploring the cost of absolute vigilance in a dangerous world. The blunt calculus of “capture or kill” raises uncomfortable but necessary questions: How far should a nation go to protect itself? What lines can an operative cross without losing his soul? Bentley threads these dilemmas into the story without slowing its momentum, giving the novel moral weight alongside its action-packed pace.
The pacing is relentless. Short, punchy chapters propel the reader forward, echoing the urgency of Rapp’s mission. Bentley’s prose is lean and muscular, perfectly suited for a character who wastes no words and takes no prisoners. Fans of the franchise will recognise the familiar beats—bureaucrats obstructing operations, allies whose loyalty is tested, enemies hiding in the shadows—but Bentley’s voice injects new urgency. This is not an imitation; it is a continuation with a modern edge.
If there is a minor critique, it is that Bentley leans heavily into nonstop action, leaving little breathing room. But for many Mitch Rapp readers, that intensity is exactly what they crave. The book delivers on its promise: a fast, brutal, and timely thriller that never forgets its hero’s humanity.
In the end, Capture or Kill proves Don Bentley is the right writer to guide Mitch Rapp into the future. He respects Flynn’s vision, builds on Kyle Mills’ stewardship, and carves out his own space in the franchise. For long-time fans and newcomers alike, this is a Rapp adventure that delivers everything you expect—and more.