On July 29th, get ready to meet ex-navy SEAL Salam al-Fayed, or “Fade” as his friends call him, star of Fade In, the latest thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kyle Mills.
Mills—who launched his writing career back in 1997 with his bestselling debut, Rising Phoenix—is just coming off of a critically acclaimed nine-book run in Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series, including 2023’s Code Red, a job he took following Flynn’s passing in 2013. That stretch, which helped elevate Mills into one of the premier writers on the thriller scene today, will no doubt bring my eyeballs to the author’s next endeavor, Fade In, which may very well be the start of an action-packed new series.
In tandem with the cover reveal that went out via Mills’ official newsletter (sign up for that here) last week, I was able to chat with Kyle about his latest book, a heart-stopping masterclass in adrenaline-fueled storytelling that’s perfect for fans of Daniel Silva and Brad Thor, and I asked him about the differences between a guy like Mitch Rapp and his own character, Fade. I also asked him what he hopes sticks with readers who dive into Fade In this summer. See his answers to those questions and more below.
(Note: Check back next week for a full, spoiler-free review of Fade In right here on TRBS!)
Fade In by Kyle Mills
Release Date: July 29th, 2025
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kyle Mills delivers a knockout punch with Fade In, a blistering new thriller that will give fans of his Mitch Rapp novels a new favorite hero.
When ex-navy SEAL Salam al-Fayed–Fade to his friends–steps in front of a sniper’s bullet, he assumes all his problems are solved. Having already been declared clinically dead twice in his career, he’s hoping the third time will be the charm.
Instead, he wakes in a hospital having gone from being one of the deadliest operatives in US history to a man incapable of even standing without assistance. Alone and wanted by authorities, he’s destined to spend the rest of his life lying in a prison infirmary.
So, when a shadowy organization offers him a new identity and next-generation medical care, he has no choice but to agree. Nothing’s free, though. After a grueling rehabilitation, he’s drafted into an elite paramilitary unit. But who’s in charge?
When a dire threat explodes out of China, his question is quickly answered: A select group of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people has decided that governments are no longer capable of controlling the chaos erupting around the globe. It’s a power vacuum that poses a mortal danger to all humanity and one they intend to fill.
With panic rising, the leaders of both democracies and dictatorships prove equally willing to destroy anything and anyone to save themselves. Forced into action before he’s fully ready, Fade finds himself at the sharp end of a mission to stop a menace unlike any faced before. If he fails, the consequences will be unimaginable. But what if he succeeds?
No one elected the people he’s working for. And God sure as hell didn’t ordain them. Has he signed on to save the human race or to help quietly enslave it?
Fade In tackles the complex threats posed by the modern era and introduces a character destined to take his place among legends like Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher, and Gabriel Allon.
Author Q&A with Kyle Mills
TRBS: After nine Mitch Rapp books, set in Vince Flynn’s universe, what was it like to return to your own characters and universe?
Kyle Mills: It was really interesting. I wrote Rapp with the goal of staying true to Vince’s style to the point that I wondered if our voices might have merged. My hope was that after a month or two I’d find my footing, but the process was much faster. It turned out that Fade wasn’t just still in me, he was aching to escape.
TRBS: Now that Fade is back in action, do you see him becoming a franchise guy for you?
Kyle Mills: Absolutely. He’s been dormant, waiting for the right moment to emerge. The world seems to become weirder, more unpredictable, and more dangerous with every passing year. Fade is the perfect character to navigate that battleground because he himself is weird, unpredictable, and dangerous.
TRBS: For those who don’t know Fade, but know you because of your Mitch Rapp books, can you explain how your character differs from Flynn’s hero?
Kyle Mills: They have the same deadly skillset, but that’s where the similarities end. The government used Fade up and discarded him without a thought. After that, his life fell apart in a way that made it hard to see a path forward. More than that, it made him wonder if he even wanted a path forward.
In this book we see him trying to pick up the pieces while being pummeled by forces he didn’t even know existed. Unlike the always-squared-away Rapp, Fade’s never quite sure if he’s swimming with the current or being dragged under by it. Killing is easy for him, but everything else is hard.
TRBS: You’ve always given readers something to think about beyond the last page. What are you hoping sticks from Fade In?
Kyle Mills: The advancement of technology is moving at a speed that’s unprecedented in human history and this is going to put incredible power in the hands of individuals. Soon, it won’t be random shootings or a person running his vehicle into a crowd. It will be elaborate AI designed and coordinated attacks. Massive disinformation campaigns run by a single person out of his basement. Advanced weapons cobbled together with parts and instructions from the Internet.
And our government and media will do nothing. They’re too busy fanning the flames of our internal divisions for their own benefit.
TRBS: Lastly, now that you’ve got a new book slated for release, what’s next for you?
Kyle Mills: More Fade! In fact, I just finished the outline for his next adventure. It’ll be fun to see if he can finally pull himself together and, if so, where that will lead him. He has a lot of potential—both behind a gun and behind the curtain.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor in addition to running TRBS. He is the author of FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” LETHAL RANGE, OUT FOR BLOOD, and TED BELL’S MONARCH. For more information, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and BookBub. To interact with other readers and talk about your favorite books and authors, join The Real Book Spy’s Discord server.