Vince Flynn, author of 'Mitch Rapp' political thrillers, dies

Vince Flynn had recently released his newest book, 'The Last Man,' and his novels about the CIA were once called 'a little too accurate' by former president George W. Bush.

Political thriller writer Vince Flynn died today at age 47.

Flynn was behind the bestselling Mitch Rapp series, titles of which included “Kill Shot” and “Pursuit of Honor.” The most recent in the Rapp series, “The Last Man,” was published this past November.

“As good as Vince was on the page – and he gave millions of readers countless hours of pleasure – he was even more engaging in person," Simon & Schuster president and CEO Carolyn Reidy told the Associated Press. "Yes, we will miss the Mitch Rapp stories that are classic modern thrillers, but we will miss Vince even more."

Flynn was born in St. Paul, Minn. and attended the University of St. Thomas, earning a degree in economics. It was as he was working as a real estate agent that he began writing his book “Term Limits” and he later self-published it. He was signed to Simon & Schuster after the novel experienced successful sales. 

Former president George W. Bush, who enjoyed his novels, called Flynn’s books “a little too accurate” and, according to Flynn, Bush once asked the author where he got his information when he wrote about CIA agent Mitch Rapp.

“I started to stutter,” Flynn said, according to USA Today.