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Cover of American Assassin by Vince FlynnAmerican Assassin
Modern · Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

American Assassin

by Vince Flynn
2010 · 476 pages · Fiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Before he was a CIA superagent and a terrorist's worst nightmare, Mitch Rapp was a gifted college athlete with no cares in the world. Then tragedy struck. This prequel tells how Rapp was recruited and trained, and his first missions.

Why it's worth reading

It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and spent 18 weeks on the lists. It's the best place to start the Mitch Rapp series.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It was written later but comes first in the story. It became a 2017 film.

By the numbers

72.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1)18 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2010

Reads as

Gripping, Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is American Assassin worth reading?

Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and spent 18 weeks on the lists. It ranks #1,059 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is American Assassin about?

Before he was a CIA superagent and a terrorist's worst nightmare, Mitch Rapp was a gifted college athlete with no cares in the world. Then tragedy struck. This prequel tells how Rapp was recruited and trained, and his first missions.

How long does it take to read American Assassin?

About 12 hours (476 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after American Assassin?

If you liked it, try The Last Man by Vince Flynn, Extreme Measures by Vince Flynn or Only the Dead by Jack Carr.