Enemy at the Gates is not only one of the best political espionage thrillers of the year, but also one of the most impactful Mitch Rapp stories to date. Kyle Mills continues to push Rapp out of his comfort zone in spectacularly grounded ways with uncharted territory in both personal and operational aspects. Once the first page is turned, there is no putting it down until the very last sentence leaves you heartbroken.
Set months after Mitch Rapp saved America from the harsh events of Total Power, he is brought back into the fold when Irene Kennedy asks him to assist the world’s first trillionaire in rescuing a kidnapped American virologist whose pioneering work poses a threat to global pharmaceutical empires. Rapp undertakes the task in the beautifully badass fashion typical of the legendary protagonist. What was supposed to have been a simple rescue mission, cascades into a huge conspiracy with shifting allegiances and going straight up to the White House. With an old-fashioned mole hunt involving deceptive messages and staged events spearheaded by Mitch Rapp off the radar, the suspense keeps you reading well past midnight and long after the sunrise. Will Rapp be able to work his way up the conspiracy chain or is this enemy too powerful for Rapp’s own good?
The twists and turns keep coming at high speed but there is one particular twist that absolutely rocks the whole narrative off its hinges as Kyle Mills boldly sets up a deeply impacting storyline for the following books to continue, a fresh change from the previous just as excellent stories that were wrapped up in one book. Enemy at the Gates features a strong political backdrop reminiscent of Vince Flynn’s works, but this time Kyle Mills revitalizes the theme with a grander sinister agenda for The US President in tune with the current events, the likes of which have not been explored thoroughly in political thrillers today.
The mole hunt also presented an enthralling and personal vibe that brought back the charm of old school misdirection with modern precedent in espionage. Kyle Mills ages Rapp gracefully as an operative both physically and emotionally, not so abruptly as to suck the fun out of the creative action sequences but enough to see the cracks in Rapp’s demeanor as a weathered operative who has been living a perilous life of fake identities and burned friends for far too long, setting the roots for some unique follow-up stories.
Enemy at the Gates is concrete proof of Kyle Mills’ ingenuity at keeping Mitch Rapp fresh and relevant so long into the running series. Mitch Rapp has been my hero from the moment I read American Assassin and I have nothing but immense gratitude for Kyle Mills for never letting me down as a huge fan. I can’t wait to read what Rapp does next.
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