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Mitch Rapp #7
Memorial Day
An alternate cover edition can be found here.
Fighting terrorism on foreign ground, CIA superagent Mitch Rapp does whatever it takes to protect American freedom. MEMORIAL DAY CIA intelligence has pointed to a major terrorist attack on the United States, just as the nation's capital prepares for a grand Memorial Day tribute to the veterans of World War II. Racing to Afghanistan, Mitch Rapp leads a commando raid on an al Queda stronghold in a remote border village -- and defuses plans for a nuclear strike on Washington. The crisis averted, the special ops work is done. But Rapp knows, in the face of a new kind of enemy, nothing is as it seems -- and it's up to him alone to avert a disaster of unimaginable proportions.
Fighting terrorism on foreign ground, CIA superagent Mitch Rapp does whatever it takes to protect American freedom. MEMORIAL DAY CIA intelligence has pointed to a major terrorist attack on the United States, just as the nation's capital prepares for a grand Memorial Day tribute to the veterans of World War II. Racing to Afghanistan, Mitch Rapp leads a commando raid on an al Queda stronghold in a remote border village -- and defuses plans for a nuclear strike on Washington. The crisis averted, the special ops work is done. But Rapp knows, in the face of a new kind of enemy, nothing is as it seems -- and it's up to him alone to avert a disaster of unimaginable proportions.
608 pages, ebook
First published May 4, 2004
4427 people are currently reading
9859 people want to read
About the author
Vince Flynn
42 books6,961 followersThe fifth of seven children, Vince Flynn was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1966. He graduated from the St. Thomas Academy in 1984, and the University of St. Thomas with a degree in economics in 1988.
After college he went to work for Kraft General Foods where he was an account and sales marketing specialist. In 1990 he left Kraft to accept an aviation candidate slot with the United States Marine Corps. One week before leaving for Officers Candidate School, he was medically disqualified from the Marine Aviation Program, due to several concussions and convulsive seizures he suffered growing up. While trying to obtain a medical waiver for his condition, he started thinking about writing a book. This was a very unusual choice for Flynn since he had been diagnosed with dyslexia in grade school and had struggled with reading and writing all his life.
Having been stymied by the Marine Corps, Flynn returned to the nine-to-five grind and took a job with United Properties, a commercial real estate company in the Twin Cities. During his spare time he worked on an idea he had for a book. After two years with United Properties he decided to take a big gamble. He quit his job, moved to Colorado, and began working full time on what would eventually become Term Limits.
Like many struggling artists before him, he bartended at night and wrote during the day. Five years and more than sixty rejection letters later he took the unusual step of self-publishing his first novel. The book went to number one in the Twin Cities, and within a week had a new agent and two-book deal with Pocket Books, a Simon & Schuster imprint.
Vince Flynn passed away on June 19, 2013 after a three year battle with prostate cancer.
After college he went to work for Kraft General Foods where he was an account and sales marketing specialist. In 1990 he left Kraft to accept an aviation candidate slot with the United States Marine Corps. One week before leaving for Officers Candidate School, he was medically disqualified from the Marine Aviation Program, due to several concussions and convulsive seizures he suffered growing up. While trying to obtain a medical waiver for his condition, he started thinking about writing a book. This was a very unusual choice for Flynn since he had been diagnosed with dyslexia in grade school and had struggled with reading and writing all his life.
Having been stymied by the Marine Corps, Flynn returned to the nine-to-five grind and took a job with United Properties, a commercial real estate company in the Twin Cities. During his spare time he worked on an idea he had for a book. After two years with United Properties he decided to take a big gamble. He quit his job, moved to Colorado, and began working full time on what would eventually become Term Limits.
Like many struggling artists before him, he bartended at night and wrote during the day. Five years and more than sixty rejection letters later he took the unusual step of self-publishing his first novel. The book went to number one in the Twin Cities, and within a week had a new agent and two-book deal with Pocket Books, a Simon & Schuster imprint.
Vince Flynn passed away on June 19, 2013 after a three year battle with prostate cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,248 reviews
February 7, 2020
Book 7 in the Mitch Rapp series first published 2004.
Another seat of your pants thriller staring Mitch Rapp, the USA’s top assassin.
There are two groups of people that are at the top of Mitch Rapp’s hate list.
One: Fundamentalist Islamic terrorists.
Two: A politically correct bureaucracy that is more interested in protecting itself rather than protecting the nation.
And both of these groups are about to make life very difficult for Mitch Rapp.
When a low level terrorist falls into Mitch’s lap it doesn’t take him long to uncover what will be the biggest catastrophe in US history.
When Mitch reveals to the President what is at stake and what he proposes to do about it he is met with outright indignation from the very people that should be supporting him. But Mitch is not about step aside from what must be done.
What follows is a highly charged, very politically incorrect, hunt for what could be Armageddon come true.
Fanciful but very entertaining.
A recommended 4 star read.
Another seat of your pants thriller staring Mitch Rapp, the USA’s top assassin.
There are two groups of people that are at the top of Mitch Rapp’s hate list.
One: Fundamentalist Islamic terrorists.
Two: A politically correct bureaucracy that is more interested in protecting itself rather than protecting the nation.
And both of these groups are about to make life very difficult for Mitch Rapp.
When a low level terrorist falls into Mitch’s lap it doesn’t take him long to uncover what will be the biggest catastrophe in US history.
When Mitch reveals to the President what is at stake and what he proposes to do about it he is met with outright indignation from the very people that should be supporting him. But Mitch is not about step aside from what must be done.
What follows is a highly charged, very politically incorrect, hunt for what could be Armageddon come true.
Fanciful but very entertaining.
A recommended 4 star read.
April 14, 2014
8/10
After a lacklustre outing in the previous book it was good to have Mitch Rapp back up to full throttle. If anything, this was Mitch Rapp turned up to 11.
The plot was everything you could want in this sort of story, a one man army interrogating hostages to find out about a plot to let some big bombs of in Washington on Memorial Day and then the fun and frolics of trying to stop these events from unfolding.
I say this was Mitch Rapp turned up to 11 because, well he doesn't like terrorists in any of the previous books but, in this one he just goes mental on them. Terrorism take note, Mitch Rapp is mad. Straight off the bat he's at them and just blowing them away like I would delete an email at work. And this is just the start! Low behold anybody who tries to question his methods, such as say POTUS, he will go mental on you too, but not to the same extreme.
I was worried on how the series was going to pan out after the last book but I am happy with a return to form here. Great speed to the story and an intriguing plot with enough red herrings to keep you guessing. Interesting also that there was no appearance here of Mitch's wife who has nothing to bring to the party in my eyes anyway.
Great escapism for a couple of days, it won't blow you away; but Mitch Rapp might if you question his methods! I look forward to continuing this series once again!
If you like this try: "The Bone Collector" by Jeffery Deaver
After a lacklustre outing in the previous book it was good to have Mitch Rapp back up to full throttle. If anything, this was Mitch Rapp turned up to 11.
The plot was everything you could want in this sort of story, a one man army interrogating hostages to find out about a plot to let some big bombs of in Washington on Memorial Day and then the fun and frolics of trying to stop these events from unfolding.
I say this was Mitch Rapp turned up to 11 because, well he doesn't like terrorists in any of the previous books but, in this one he just goes mental on them. Terrorism take note, Mitch Rapp is mad. Straight off the bat he's at them and just blowing them away like I would delete an email at work. And this is just the start! Low behold anybody who tries to question his methods, such as say POTUS, he will go mental on you too, but not to the same extreme.
I was worried on how the series was going to pan out after the last book but I am happy with a return to form here. Great speed to the story and an intriguing plot with enough red herrings to keep you guessing. Interesting also that there was no appearance here of Mitch's wife who has nothing to bring to the party in my eyes anyway.
Great escapism for a couple of days, it won't blow you away; but Mitch Rapp might if you question his methods! I look forward to continuing this series once again!
If you like this try: "The Bone Collector" by Jeffery Deaver
July 14, 2019
I read this one out of order, still good though.
I think a lot of us hope there's a Mitch Rapp out there sometimes, but then we remember that mostly things come down to the people "over" the field operatives.
Good book. Still Flynn.
I think a lot of us hope there's a Mitch Rapp out there sometimes, but then we remember that mostly things come down to the people "over" the field operatives.
Good book. Still Flynn.
January 15, 2009
Here's my review system--I score on four categories and average them together for the number of stars. The four categories are: character development (are the characters deep and complex, plot (is it interesting), voice (is the narration smooth and engaging) and cliche level (is it predictable.)
Character development: 3 stars-- No surprises here...thriller stuff...not a ton of depth
Plot: 3 stars-- Okay...some suspense but no great twists
Voice: 5 stars-- Great--pleasant to read
Cliche level: 2 stars-- Bad terrorists, stiff bureaucrats, angry heros...the usual fare...
It was okay but not super...the usual thriller stuff which isn't my fave.
...If you like Robert B Parker, Janet Evanovich or Michael Connelley you might like "On The Ropes" and "TKO"...
Character development: 3 stars-- No surprises here...thriller stuff...not a ton of depth
Plot: 3 stars-- Okay...some suspense but no great twists
Voice: 5 stars-- Great--pleasant to read
Cliche level: 2 stars-- Bad terrorists, stiff bureaucrats, angry heros...the usual fare...
It was okay but not super...the usual thriller stuff which isn't my fave.
...If you like Robert B Parker, Janet Evanovich or Michael Connelley you might like "On The Ropes" and "TKO"...
January 3, 2017
Absolutely fantastic!
I heart Vince Flynn. Rapp is such a kick ass character and I can't wait to read the next book.
The way Rapp has developed over time is very well done.
I am sceptical that they'll do Rapp and Flynn justice in the upcoming film however....
I heart Vince Flynn. Rapp is such a kick ass character and I can't wait to read the next book.
The way Rapp has developed over time is very well done.
I am sceptical that they'll do Rapp and Flynn justice in the upcoming film however....
October 16, 2012
Vince Flynn's novels concerning the American Assassin Mitch Rapp are amongst my favorite books to read. I originally grabbed a Flynn novel off the new fiction book rack at my local library and immediately fell in love with author and his Mitch Rapp character which lead me to read every book in the Mitch Rapp series.
Mitch Rapp is a low-profile, non-documented CIA operative who is sent around the world to hunt and kill terrorists bent on destroying the United States. He is the person we all want on our side, but none of us truly wants to admit exists.
In Memorial Day, Rapp is told about a possible nuclear attack on Washington, D.C. during a Memorial Day celebration and the unveiling of a wall of WWII heroes. Heading into a remote village in Afghanistan, Rapp locates an Al Quada stronghold and easily defuses the plot in America.
While the politicians do their back-slapping good-ole-boy gig; feeling that they have once again been spared, Rapp realizes that the plot was too easily defused, meaning that the true attack is still in progress.
Flynn takes his readers into the realm that no one wants to acknowledge truly exists with page turning adventure and psychological thrills that begin on page one and cease on the last page. Flynn offers his readers a chance to think, feel and acknowledge that 9/11 was not the only attack Americans have had to deal with.
Mitch Rapp is a low-profile, non-documented CIA operative who is sent around the world to hunt and kill terrorists bent on destroying the United States. He is the person we all want on our side, but none of us truly wants to admit exists.
In Memorial Day, Rapp is told about a possible nuclear attack on Washington, D.C. during a Memorial Day celebration and the unveiling of a wall of WWII heroes. Heading into a remote village in Afghanistan, Rapp locates an Al Quada stronghold and easily defuses the plot in America.
While the politicians do their back-slapping good-ole-boy gig; feeling that they have once again been spared, Rapp realizes that the plot was too easily defused, meaning that the true attack is still in progress.
Flynn takes his readers into the realm that no one wants to acknowledge truly exists with page turning adventure and psychological thrills that begin on page one and cease on the last page. Flynn offers his readers a chance to think, feel and acknowledge that 9/11 was not the only attack Americans have had to deal with.
March 16, 2018
George Guidall's excellent narration.
Published in 2004, this story was meant to be a warning for a political change for America. I do not think that he saw the Obama administration coming.
A great piece of relevant thriller that very well could be tweaked to a "this is the attack was not avoided". 12/7/41 Pear Harbor, Hi., May 1940 Germans flank the Maginot Line, October 1950, Chinese enter Korea to aid the North Koreans. All three of these events were assessed and foreseen by brilliant
military minds, yet election conscious minded politicians made no attention. i.e. Intelligence officer George Patton, submitted a report, in 1937, about how the Japanese could and would, invade the Hawaiian Island Military Division. Roosevelt's administration ignored this even though they had chosen a side in opposition to Japan's military expansion.
Published in 2004, this story was meant to be a warning for a political change for America. I do not think that he saw the Obama administration coming.
A great piece of relevant thriller that very well could be tweaked to a "this is the attack was not avoided". 12/7/41 Pear Harbor, Hi., May 1940 Germans flank the Maginot Line, October 1950, Chinese enter Korea to aid the North Koreans. All three of these events were assessed and foreseen by brilliant
military minds, yet election conscious minded politicians made no attention. i.e. Intelligence officer George Patton, submitted a report, in 1937, about how the Japanese could and would, invade the Hawaiian Island Military Division. Roosevelt's administration ignored this even though they had chosen a side in opposition to Japan's military expansion.
January 28, 2008
Vince Flynn writes about a character called Mitch Rapp who is a tough go-get-em kinda guy. Total tough guy that gets the job done. I love a good character series and Flynn creates a great series with this character. All the books are good!
August 14, 2011
Another satisfying romp with one of my favorite 'cut through the red tape and get things done' characters; Mitch Rapp. This time Mitch is confronted with the threat of a nuclear device being detonated in the nation's capital. The regular Vince Flynn themes are present... Politicians are not experts in protecting our country; the Patriot act is a good thing; Islam is a peaceful religion except for the radical elements; and liberals are just getting in the way of truly protecting our great nation.
Despite all of these right-wing stereotypes Flynn delivers a truly page turning experience. Maybe the book is a bit preachy, but it certainly delivers on excitement and the testosterone drenched excitement that one has come to expect from a Vince Flynn novel.
An added bonus: I was taken aback by how some of the assumptions (?) made in the novel (That Pakistan is not really an ally) has proven true in the contemporary news media. For a novel published in 2004, it seems that on some level Mr. Flynn has a handle on the current geopolitical situation.
Despite all of these right-wing stereotypes Flynn delivers a truly page turning experience. Maybe the book is a bit preachy, but it certainly delivers on excitement and the testosterone drenched excitement that one has come to expect from a Vince Flynn novel.
An added bonus: I was taken aback by how some of the assumptions (?) made in the novel (That Pakistan is not really an ally) has proven true in the contemporary news media. For a novel published in 2004, it seems that on some level Mr. Flynn has a handle on the current geopolitical situation.
October 24, 2021
This took a little longer to read than I planned. The Afghanistan pullout took place while I was reading this, and the reality seemed to take much of the fun away from reading about Afghani Al Qaeda terrorists trying to set off a nuclear weapon in DC.
On looking back, I finished the previous Mitch Rapp book 'Executive Power', about this time last year. I enjoyed this more, Mitch's wife plays a much smaller role without all the whining. This is the sixth book I've read in the series, and at this point they seem to follow a predictable pattern. I have several more of the Mitch Rapp books on hand so I will continue with the series at some point.
On looking back, I finished the previous Mitch Rapp book 'Executive Power', about this time last year. I enjoyed this more, Mitch's wife plays a much smaller role without all the whining. This is the sixth book I've read in the series, and at this point they seem to follow a predictable pattern. I have several more of the Mitch Rapp books on hand so I will continue with the series at some point.
October 13, 2010
Vince Flynn has gone too far! At least that’s what the Dept of Energy thinks. The Department of Energy keeps track of our nuclear weapons. Memorial Day was too exacting in it’s details that the agency put the book on “security review” because they suspected that maybe Flynn’s sources may have told him some classified information. It was probably over something boring.
I can imagine some pencil necked geek saying, “How doe's he know what the blast radius of a 20 Kiloton nuclear weapon is?“
Mitch Rapp is a CIA operative, a nice name for an assassin. As he goes about interrogating prisoners we find that the novel is an argument for the use of torture, The theme of the story is that Washington needs to keep it’s hands off the CIA entirely.
This is the only book I’ve read of Flynn’s. Like a jewel it’s beauty is in the details. It’s full of fascinating little facts about the inner workings of FBI, CIA, and yes the Department of Energy. I liked the book in much the same way I like to watch a Batman movie. It was a fun read but I didn’t really warm-up to most of the characters. The only one that seemed real was his boss, the director of the CIA, Irene Kennedy. Mitch himself was a two-dimensional carboard character. It seems that all we know about him is that he likes to kill terrorists.
It’s a great read I give it a thumbs up. After reading it I’m sure you will be suspecting your neighbors of being part of a sleeper cell.
I can imagine some pencil necked geek saying, “How doe's he know what the blast radius of a 20 Kiloton nuclear weapon is?“
Mitch Rapp is a CIA operative, a nice name for an assassin. As he goes about interrogating prisoners we find that the novel is an argument for the use of torture, The theme of the story is that Washington needs to keep it’s hands off the CIA entirely.
This is the only book I’ve read of Flynn’s. Like a jewel it’s beauty is in the details. It’s full of fascinating little facts about the inner workings of FBI, CIA, and yes the Department of Energy. I liked the book in much the same way I like to watch a Batman movie. It was a fun read but I didn’t really warm-up to most of the characters. The only one that seemed real was his boss, the director of the CIA, Irene Kennedy. Mitch himself was a two-dimensional carboard character. It seems that all we know about him is that he likes to kill terrorists.
It’s a great read I give it a thumbs up. After reading it I’m sure you will be suspecting your neighbors of being part of a sleeper cell.
January 30, 2012
This book was too formulaic for my tastes. All characters were nothing short of arrogant, ego-driven, "superstars". They were sickishly more attractive, more athletic, more intelligent, and more connected than 99.99% of the real world population. They were spending an impossible 26+ hours a day working yet still managed to have time to be in impeccable physical condition. Not a single character managed to say anything insightful nor did they possess the ability to be introspective about their circumstances. As a result, I was not able to emotionally connect with a single character in the novel.
I know that I am supposed to suspend disbelief, but I really struggle with the fact that Rapp had that much unadulterated control. He was involved in nearly every aspect of the process. That just doesn't seem plausible to me.
On the bright side, this book prompted me to learn a bit about Acute Radioation Syndrome. It also made me ponder our current geopolitical environment. Is it really to one's advantage to follow rules by the book when dealing with such matters? The author certainly supported the Patriot Act in this novel. It definitely brings up ethical considerations...
I know that I am supposed to suspend disbelief, but I really struggle with the fact that Rapp had that much unadulterated control. He was involved in nearly every aspect of the process. That just doesn't seem plausible to me.
On the bright side, this book prompted me to learn a bit about Acute Radioation Syndrome. It also made me ponder our current geopolitical environment. Is it really to one's advantage to follow rules by the book when dealing with such matters? The author certainly supported the Patriot Act in this novel. It definitely brings up ethical considerations...
February 8, 2009
The nation's capital is buzzing with Memorial Day preparations. Despite the energy of the city, CIA operative Mitch Rapp senses trouble and the intelligence gathered is pointing to a major terrorist attack on the United States. Rapp wants to get to the sources and immediately leaves for Afghanistan, where he leads a Special Forces unit on a daring commando raid across the border into a remote Pakistani village. Their target: an Al Qaeda stronghold, once there, Rapp and his team discover plans for a catastrophic nuclear attack on Washington DC. With Memorial Day closing fast, a way must be found to prevent a disaster of unimaginable proportions. The counterterrorism team is on a quest to prevent a tragedy...
Vince Flynn is a great action thriller writer. Fans of the TV program "24" will love this fast pace book, action is quick and dirty, highly entertaining. The main characters are: Rapp an unbelievable super hero, Irene Kennedy Rapp's handler and boss, a woman with an exceptional outlook towards his attitude and President Hayes a trusting man giving Rapp unrealistic freedom to act. The book is fun to read, a real cliff-hanger, very hard to put down.
Vince Flynn is a great action thriller writer. Fans of the TV program "24" will love this fast pace book, action is quick and dirty, highly entertaining. The main characters are: Rapp an unbelievable super hero, Irene Kennedy Rapp's handler and boss, a woman with an exceptional outlook towards his attitude and President Hayes a trusting man giving Rapp unrealistic freedom to act. The book is fun to read, a real cliff-hanger, very hard to put down.
June 3, 2018
4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)
The Real Book Spy recommended this book for Memorial Day reading and he was not wrong. This was a fantastic, nail-biter from the word go! What happens when you have al Queda (this was written in 2004) smuggling a nuclear bomb in to the US, the expiration of The Patriot Act, the beginning of an election cycle and The Memorial Day dedication of the WWII monument? You get all kinds of fireworks! Mitch Rapp is the baddest of the bad-a$$es out there! He does whatever it takes to get the job done and doesn't hold back on what he's thinking...which makes for some interesting conversations with the President (sir!) I loved this book! I have not read any of the earlier books in the series except American Assassin and didn't feel like I was missing anything important to the story. You can bet I am now going back to get myself all caught up on this series!
The Real Book Spy recommended this book for Memorial Day reading and he was not wrong. This was a fantastic, nail-biter from the word go! What happens when you have al Queda (this was written in 2004) smuggling a nuclear bomb in to the US, the expiration of The Patriot Act, the beginning of an election cycle and The Memorial Day dedication of the WWII monument? You get all kinds of fireworks! Mitch Rapp is the baddest of the bad-a$$es out there! He does whatever it takes to get the job done and doesn't hold back on what he's thinking...which makes for some interesting conversations with the President (sir!) I loved this book! I have not read any of the earlier books in the series except American Assassin and didn't feel like I was missing anything important to the story. You can bet I am now going back to get myself all caught up on this series!
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June 28, 2017
Audio Book - 13 hours 10 minutes - 4 stars out of 5.
A good example of the Mitch Rapp genre. Lots a credible and incredible action that kept me listening way beyond my sleep time! I had listened to it before but circumstances meant I took way too long to finish it. I tackled it again due to the need to stay in bed for a few days so I managed to finish it in about a day and a half. I am not into clichés much but the latter half of the book was the audio equivalent of a "page turner" for me and there was much more to the story this time than a couple of years ago. Recommended.
A good example of the Mitch Rapp genre. Lots a credible and incredible action that kept me listening way beyond my sleep time! I had listened to it before but circumstances meant I took way too long to finish it. I tackled it again due to the need to stay in bed for a few days so I managed to finish it in about a day and a half. I am not into clichés much but the latter half of the book was the audio equivalent of a "page turner" for me and there was much more to the story this time than a couple of years ago. Recommended.
February 23, 2023
after a VERY SLOW BEGINNING this turned out to be a real rip-roaring, edge-of-your-eat novel. As always Mitch Rapp is the epitome of balls to the wall alpha male character. This tale weaves itself from the Nuke test facilities in Russia to the swamps of Florida to the radioactive trucks in Atlanta to four cargo ships with nuke parts to a maniacal Arab who has master-minded the whole spiel but is dying of radiation poisoning. Rapp is at his finest- not only taking on the bad guy Muslim terrorists but the swamp rat wimps of Washington DC (a common theme throughout the series).
If you can get past a very uneventful first portion of the book, the action will heighten and you'll be taken on another Vince Flynn wild ride.
If you can get past a very uneventful first portion of the book, the action will heighten and you'll be taken on another Vince Flynn wild ride.
April 28, 2010
Vince Flynn writes political intrigue better than anyone I've read. His main character, Mitch Rapp is a no bullshit type of guy who I really like. Flynn's knowledge of his subject matter really impresses me as being realistic, but if it's made up, he sure fools me. I think his books are all great reads although this may have been my least favorite so far. Maybe I'm getting over dosed on the overall concept but I think in the case of Memorial Day, I missed the personal interactions with his wife (there was almost none) and also with Irene Kennedy. I would also have liked more about Kennedy's views on things. Overall though I really love these books and plan on reading at least the next one, which I think is Consent to Kill. The writing style is straight forward and to the point, not full of literary descriptions - a full of action thriller which keeps you turning the pages and best of all, a hero who gets the bad guys.
June 5, 2009
Although liberals and the ACLU would no doubt be horrified by the tactics of our protagonist, Mitch Rapp, I firmly believe that the general population of readers will find themselves cheering his methods of extracting information as he attempts to track down a group of terrorists attempting to cripple the infrastructure of the U. S. and kill hundreds of thousands by setting off an atomic device in Washington D.C. (No more plot details from here on).
My first Vince Flynn book, Term Limits, hooked me completely and I have been a Vince Flynn fan ever since. Once again, he has crafted a clever story that could easily have been taken from your daily paper.
If you like complex, action packed thrillers featuring the most elite of alpha males, then Mitch Rapp is your kind of man, and Memorial Day is your kind of book.
My first Vince Flynn book, Term Limits, hooked me completely and I have been a Vince Flynn fan ever since. Once again, he has crafted a clever story that could easily have been taken from your daily paper.
If you like complex, action packed thrillers featuring the most elite of alpha males, then Mitch Rapp is your kind of man, and Memorial Day is your kind of book.
October 16, 2024
In 2013, I was a smoker. Hated smoke inside the house, so I would smoke on my porch and read. I was mostly reading David Baldacci then, and I was looking for a new writer because I was almost done with his books. My neighbor recommended Vince Flynn, and I read all of his books in a summer. Mitch Rapp was one of my favorite characters.
I was so saddened to learn when he died. I have no idea who has been keeping up his series after he passed away. Not sure I'd want to continue them. Kind of like Steig Larsson's series, I suspect it will fall short of the author's original vision.
Because I read all these books in 2013, I'll be copying/pasting this review into all of the 13 Mitch Rapp books I read.
I was so saddened to learn when he died. I have no idea who has been keeping up his series after he passed away. Not sure I'd want to continue them. Kind of like Steig Larsson's series, I suspect it will fall short of the author's original vision.
Because I read all these books in 2013, I'll be copying/pasting this review into all of the 13 Mitch Rapp books I read.
March 23, 2011
If I had been against the torturing of suspected and/or known terrorists before reading this book, I would not be now. It's a terrific thriller and totally relevant to the current times in which we live. It isn't always pretty and most of the time horrendously ugly and violent but there are times when extraordinary measures are appropriate for the sake of winning a war against an incredible evil.
August 20, 2012
I love this genre...Vince Flynn is a master. Long live Mitch Rapp! :-)
August 22, 2014
Another white knuckled thriller...after reading Baldacci's Zero Day with John Puller, it is too bad that Rapp and Puller couldn't meet...two bad asses who don't put up with BS.
June 8, 2022
Rapp saved another day for the US President.
September 22, 2017
REVIEW OF SEPT 21, 2017 RELISTEN: 5 STARS 
Even better this time around!
-----------------------------------------------
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; NOVEMBER 18, 2015
Narrator: George Guidall
After the last 2 books, I was a little anxious about how the series would go. Thankfully, Memorial Day restored some semblance of assurance that Flynn won't let me down. One positive sign was that Anna wasn't present though Mitch is still wrestling with his wife's unhappiness over his career and is constantly telling her he's sorry.
I enjoyed the bomb threat plot, or rather, I enjoyed Rapp's 'take charge not take shit' attitude and his refusal to play the games that politicians and the Washington DC hacks live on. It's highly unpolitical of me but when Rapp told Al-Adel "We will nuke your beloved kingdom all the way back to the stone age" I wondered if the US could do just that to Syria and wipe ISIS out. But that's just my reaction as I watched the Paris attack.
Back to Mitch - I'm not happy about Mitch relegated to that new role of it where he has to fight those morons at the White House. He wants to quit because he's had enough and so have I. Irene Kennedy is trying to persuade him to stay but Mitch has had it up to here. Add in that Stealey woman whom he detests but doesn't know she's gotten it into her head that she wants him in her bed, I fear for Mitch.
I want Mitch back where he was - unknown and free to run his op the way he knows - and does - best but I don't know how that can happen after his cover was blown by Congressman Rudin in Separation of Power (#5).
Even better this time around!
-----------------------------------------------
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; NOVEMBER 18, 2015
Narrator: George Guidall
After the last 2 books, I was a little anxious about how the series would go. Thankfully, Memorial Day restored some semblance of assurance that Flynn won't let me down. One positive sign was that Anna wasn't present though Mitch is still wrestling with his wife's unhappiness over his career and is constantly telling her he's sorry.
I enjoyed the bomb threat plot, or rather, I enjoyed Rapp's 'take charge not take shit' attitude and his refusal to play the games that politicians and the Washington DC hacks live on. It's highly unpolitical of me but when Rapp told Al-Adel "We will nuke your beloved kingdom all the way back to the stone age" I wondered if the US could do just that to Syria and wipe ISIS out. But that's just my reaction as I watched the Paris attack.
Back to Mitch - I'm not happy about Mitch relegated to that new role of it where he has to fight those morons at the White House. He wants to quit because he's had enough and so have I. Irene Kennedy is trying to persuade him to stay but Mitch has had it up to here. Add in that Stealey woman whom he detests but doesn't know she's gotten it into her head that she wants him in her bed, I fear for Mitch.
I want Mitch back where he was - unknown and free to run his op the way he knows - and does - best but I don't know how that can happen after his cover was blown by Congressman Rudin in Separation of Power (#5).
May 30, 2016
I can describe Memorial Day simply with “action-packed intensity,” but that would make for a boring review, wouldn’t it?.
First of all, this is one of the very rare occasions where I picked an audio book both my husband and I enjoyed. We love listening to books on our road trips; however, it usually ends up with him listening to something about vampires, or me becoming terrified by something by Stephen King. Thanks to Flynn, that didn’t happen this time. We both loved this book!
An exciting story of good versus evil for the good of America is sure to please everyone. I highly recommend this for your next road trip or just as a quick read (or listen) for a day at the beach. It’s a huge 5 Boundless Stars from me....Beth
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First of all, this is one of the very rare occasions where I picked an audio book both my husband and I enjoyed. We love listening to books on our road trips; however, it usually ends up with him listening to something about vampires, or me becoming terrified by something by Stephen King. Thanks to Flynn, that didn’t happen this time. We both loved this book!
An exciting story of good versus evil for the good of America is sure to please everyone. I highly recommend this for your next road trip or just as a quick read (or listen) for a day at the beach. It’s a huge 5 Boundless Stars from me....Beth
http://www.boundlessbookreviews.com
https://www.facebook.com/BBReviews
December 18, 2019
Another good installment of the Mitch Rapp series. Although at times the plot can be a little predictable the action makes up for that. These books seem to have a very quick pace and keep me wanting to read. The author does a good job at building the suspense in parts to keep you engaged. So far with each of these books the author has built on the characters and we learn a little more about them and their personalities each time. It was a very fun read. Something about this series keeps me coming back for more
April 26, 2013
This series just keeps getting better. Yes, the characters tend to be one-sided in that they are wearing either white or black hats. Yet, the story moves along quickly with a peppering of personality clashes, shady politics, subplots, much tension--you know the drill. The author makes the story complex enough so that, even when you know what's going to happen, you don't know how it's going to happen. At this point I am hooked on this series and will go on to the next one.
February 24, 2018
This might be my favorite in the Mitch Rapp series!
November 25, 2023
It was fine. The Mitch Rapp books are all fine.
July 31, 2015
THE BIG BANG
"I have become death. Destroyer of worlds".
The atom bomb. Robert Oppenheimer's baby has been a fixture of spy fiction ever since Ian Fleming had SPECTRE send one to Miami in "Thunderball". As a tool to create a mass casualty incident, it has almost no equal, and is a terrorist's wet dream. Unlike biological warfare, which can be stopped and contained, there's no coming back when the plutonium hits critical mass. However, in terms of deployment methods and obtaining one in the first place....that's thankfully miles more difficult. Do you want to pull off an airburst blast to spread the radiation? Or do you want to use the camouflage of an innocent looking boat to get in close? The crazed extremists of your standard nuclear terrorism novel have a lot of considerations to take into account once they get their hands on the good stuff.
Memorial Day. This is perhaps the book where the founder of the counter-terrorist sub-genre of spy fiction, Vince Flynn, finally started getting noticed. While his previous work had been mostly solid, Memorial Day managed to bring to the table a concept which would be just as compelling as terrorists having the run of the White House. Similar to Frederick Forsyth's Day Of The Jackal in structure, it explores a down to earth scenario where the terrorists have a plan which gives them the best odds of decapitating the American government with a WMD. Now to the review. What would be the biggest obstacle to prevent massive loss of life? The enemy outside? Or the enemy within?
The novel stars in the Caribbean. A pleasure boat Captain gets shanked by his customer who takes the wheel and sets a course for Florida. On a plane into LAX, a Pakistani nuclear scientist with a plan enters the hated house of war and in a Virginian country house...a ISI officer rats them out to Mitch Rapp who was seconds away from shooting him. Knowing that there might be a WMD in bound, he follows the lead given by the ISI man to the Afghanistan Pakistan border. With the help of US Army Rangers, he attacks a village containing two of the masterminds behind the plot. Capturing them and getting intel which confirms the use of a atom bomb, Mitch does one of his renowned interrogations and successfully acquires the name of the target, sending it hours before the container ship the bomb was on docks. Intercepting it, the day seems saved. But too soon. It's revealed there's a second nuclear bomb in place. Rapp realizes this as well. Unfortunately he's hit a snag, due to the Attorney General and his henchwoman out to skewer him and DCI Kennedy for the decisions he made in Afghanistan. Even the President has grown tired of the man who saved his life. But no Politician in DC has made an obstacle which Rapp hasn't overcome. And with the fate of the American government and the lives of two world leaders in the balance on Memorial Day, Rapp isn't going to let anything stop him in the most important assignment he's undertaken.
In terms of plot, Memorial Day is in some ways a superior affair to "Executive Power". While there's slightly less killing, it has a much more well organized plot without the notorious disjointed structure of the previous book. Like the fuse of a firework, it methodically progresses to the big bang, namely the best climax the author every wrote. Settings? Well apart from a brief glimpse at Afghanistan, the story mostly takes place in America. From a classic Flynn insider's look at the nuclear bomb proof Mount Weather facility to a race over the skies of Washington between Mitch Rapp in one of the world's fastest helicopters and the world's deadliest beer cooler, the author continues to lets us take a look behind the curtain and would probably happen if the occupants of the corridors of power were faced with the possibility of being blown away. As for the research, this book is a particular standout, even by the standards of the series. Hell, the author even made an action scene remarkably similar to the Operation Neptune Spear which occurred years later. Flynn, like Forsyth in the day of the Jackal mapped out the worst case scenario which gives the antagonists the best chance of success. Little details like how to acquire the nuke, take advantage of certain failures in border control measures and decide upon what would be the most devastating deployment method to target Washington are the sort of thing which made Flynn the kind of American spy fiction when he was alive. Well thought out and yet down to earth. It's the sort of thing you hope those in power have read and prepared for.
Now for the characters. First Mitch. This is the book where he finally comes into his own as a character. I've always considered him one of the potential inspirations for Jack Bauer, and this is the book where it's most apparent. From deftly managing the hunt for the terrorists, fending off two ravenous bureaucrats and keeping his cool in the ultimate ticking time bomb scenario, Rapp is the sort of person you hope exists, a best case scenario in the form of a spy fiction character. Competent, fanatical at doing his job and willing to do whatever it takes to save lives, the only difference between he and Jack Bauer is the fact that Rapp has the superior political protection and patrons with the clout to smack down the legion of enemies he's built up in the corridors of power.
Next, we have the enemy within. Meet the double-act of Attorney General Stokes and Peggy Stealey. One's a glory hound whose bad decisions begin to pile up and become a hindrance to the effort at stopping the nuclear weapon, while the other makes the catastrophic decision of trying to destroy Mitch Rapp out of ideological reasons. Like with Sherman Baxter in Transfer Of Power, Flynn uses them to demonstrate what happens when the professionals have to contend with a top brass who dabble in areas they should stay clear of. And in typical fashion, Mitch brings amateur hour to a smashing close.
Finally, we have the main bad guy. After Jabril from Executive Power, Flynn returned to the irredeemable bad guy. But there's a good reason for this. Meet Mustafa al-Yamani. A thinly disguised stand-in for Osama Bin Laden, he's decided to go for the jugular in the fight with the great satan. Unlike Bin Laden who could only manage to decentralize his organization in order to make it a constant thorn in the side of the West, with a nuclear Weapon, al-Yamani can do what his real life inspiration never could Go for the jugular. Flynn uses him to illustrate a simple lesson. Non state actors with nuclear weapons are a nightmare, something that has become relevant with Daesh reportedly acquiring chemical weapons and using them on the Kurds.
So overall, my verdict on Memorial Day? A great counter-terrorist thriller on the classic worst case scenario. Well structured and astoundingly well researched it is one of the few novels which deals expertly with its subject matter without going over the top, or understating the threat. In the next review, I'll be dealing with Flynn's magnum opus, his "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Consent to kill.
RECOMMENDED.
"I have become death. Destroyer of worlds".
The atom bomb. Robert Oppenheimer's baby has been a fixture of spy fiction ever since Ian Fleming had SPECTRE send one to Miami in "Thunderball". As a tool to create a mass casualty incident, it has almost no equal, and is a terrorist's wet dream. Unlike biological warfare, which can be stopped and contained, there's no coming back when the plutonium hits critical mass. However, in terms of deployment methods and obtaining one in the first place....that's thankfully miles more difficult. Do you want to pull off an airburst blast to spread the radiation? Or do you want to use the camouflage of an innocent looking boat to get in close? The crazed extremists of your standard nuclear terrorism novel have a lot of considerations to take into account once they get their hands on the good stuff.
Memorial Day. This is perhaps the book where the founder of the counter-terrorist sub-genre of spy fiction, Vince Flynn, finally started getting noticed. While his previous work had been mostly solid, Memorial Day managed to bring to the table a concept which would be just as compelling as terrorists having the run of the White House. Similar to Frederick Forsyth's Day Of The Jackal in structure, it explores a down to earth scenario where the terrorists have a plan which gives them the best odds of decapitating the American government with a WMD. Now to the review. What would be the biggest obstacle to prevent massive loss of life? The enemy outside? Or the enemy within?
The novel stars in the Caribbean. A pleasure boat Captain gets shanked by his customer who takes the wheel and sets a course for Florida. On a plane into LAX, a Pakistani nuclear scientist with a plan enters the hated house of war and in a Virginian country house...a ISI officer rats them out to Mitch Rapp who was seconds away from shooting him. Knowing that there might be a WMD in bound, he follows the lead given by the ISI man to the Afghanistan Pakistan border. With the help of US Army Rangers, he attacks a village containing two of the masterminds behind the plot. Capturing them and getting intel which confirms the use of a atom bomb, Mitch does one of his renowned interrogations and successfully acquires the name of the target, sending it hours before the container ship the bomb was on docks. Intercepting it, the day seems saved. But too soon. It's revealed there's a second nuclear bomb in place. Rapp realizes this as well. Unfortunately he's hit a snag, due to the Attorney General and his henchwoman out to skewer him and DCI Kennedy for the decisions he made in Afghanistan. Even the President has grown tired of the man who saved his life. But no Politician in DC has made an obstacle which Rapp hasn't overcome. And with the fate of the American government and the lives of two world leaders in the balance on Memorial Day, Rapp isn't going to let anything stop him in the most important assignment he's undertaken.
In terms of plot, Memorial Day is in some ways a superior affair to "Executive Power". While there's slightly less killing, it has a much more well organized plot without the notorious disjointed structure of the previous book. Like the fuse of a firework, it methodically progresses to the big bang, namely the best climax the author every wrote. Settings? Well apart from a brief glimpse at Afghanistan, the story mostly takes place in America. From a classic Flynn insider's look at the nuclear bomb proof Mount Weather facility to a race over the skies of Washington between Mitch Rapp in one of the world's fastest helicopters and the world's deadliest beer cooler, the author continues to lets us take a look behind the curtain and would probably happen if the occupants of the corridors of power were faced with the possibility of being blown away. As for the research, this book is a particular standout, even by the standards of the series. Hell, the author even made an action scene remarkably similar to the Operation Neptune Spear which occurred years later. Flynn, like Forsyth in the day of the Jackal mapped out the worst case scenario which gives the antagonists the best chance of success. Little details like how to acquire the nuke, take advantage of certain failures in border control measures and decide upon what would be the most devastating deployment method to target Washington are the sort of thing which made Flynn the kind of American spy fiction when he was alive. Well thought out and yet down to earth. It's the sort of thing you hope those in power have read and prepared for.
Now for the characters. First Mitch. This is the book where he finally comes into his own as a character. I've always considered him one of the potential inspirations for Jack Bauer, and this is the book where it's most apparent. From deftly managing the hunt for the terrorists, fending off two ravenous bureaucrats and keeping his cool in the ultimate ticking time bomb scenario, Rapp is the sort of person you hope exists, a best case scenario in the form of a spy fiction character. Competent, fanatical at doing his job and willing to do whatever it takes to save lives, the only difference between he and Jack Bauer is the fact that Rapp has the superior political protection and patrons with the clout to smack down the legion of enemies he's built up in the corridors of power.
Next, we have the enemy within. Meet the double-act of Attorney General Stokes and Peggy Stealey. One's a glory hound whose bad decisions begin to pile up and become a hindrance to the effort at stopping the nuclear weapon, while the other makes the catastrophic decision of trying to destroy Mitch Rapp out of ideological reasons. Like with Sherman Baxter in Transfer Of Power, Flynn uses them to demonstrate what happens when the professionals have to contend with a top brass who dabble in areas they should stay clear of. And in typical fashion, Mitch brings amateur hour to a smashing close.
Finally, we have the main bad guy. After Jabril from Executive Power, Flynn returned to the irredeemable bad guy. But there's a good reason for this. Meet Mustafa al-Yamani. A thinly disguised stand-in for Osama Bin Laden, he's decided to go for the jugular in the fight with the great satan. Unlike Bin Laden who could only manage to decentralize his organization in order to make it a constant thorn in the side of the West, with a nuclear Weapon, al-Yamani can do what his real life inspiration never could Go for the jugular. Flynn uses him to illustrate a simple lesson. Non state actors with nuclear weapons are a nightmare, something that has become relevant with Daesh reportedly acquiring chemical weapons and using them on the Kurds.
So overall, my verdict on Memorial Day? A great counter-terrorist thriller on the classic worst case scenario. Well structured and astoundingly well researched it is one of the few novels which deals expertly with its subject matter without going over the top, or understating the threat. In the next review, I'll be dealing with Flynn's magnum opus, his "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Consent to kill.
RECOMMENDED.
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