What do you think?
Rate this book
The Second Horseman
Brandon Vale is a career thief---the best there is. Or at least he was before he was thrown in prison for a jewel heist gone bad. And even more embarrassing, he had nothing to do with it. His time inside is going fairly quietly until the night he’s broken out against his will by Richard Scanlon, the now-retired FBI agent who framed him in the first place.
Scanlon, who still has ties to the United States intelligence community, has discovered that a Ukrainian crime organization is auctioning twelve nuclear warheads to the highest bidder, but he can't convince the government that the sale isn't a hoax. The only way he can get his hands on the $200 million necessary to take the warheads off the market is to do something that goes against everything he stands for: steal it.
The choice Brandon is given is simple: help Scanlon and hope to live through it, or turn himself in and face the repercussions of his "escape."
Suddenly, Brandon finds himself with only weeks to plan a Las Vegas heist that that he’s been dreaming about for years, but has always thought was probably impossible. And to make matters worse, Scanlon insists on choosing his team personally. Led by the relentlessly intelligent and undeniably beautiful Catherine Juarez, not a single one of the former government operatives he picks has so much as shoplifted a pack of gum in their lives.
As the day of the heist approaches, Brandon’s carefully constructed plans begin to break down and he suspects that the elaborate double-cross he’s devised to save himself could cost millions of lives. He finally has to ask himself just how far he’s willing to be dragged into a game that he can only lose.
With this heart-stopping, all-too-real novel, Kyle Mills proves once again that he is one of the freshest and most original thriller writers working today.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published August 8, 2006
225 people are currently reading
526 people want to read
About the author
Kyle Mills
33 books2,510 followersI grew up in Oregon but have lived all over—D.C., Virginia, Maryland, London,
Wyoming. My father was an FBI agent and I was a bureau kid, which is similar to being an army brat. You tend to spend your time with other bureau kids and get transferred around a lot, though, I fared better on that front than many others.
One positive aspect of this lifestyle is that you can’t help but absorb an enormous amount about the FBI, CIA, Special Forces, etc. Like most young boys, I was endlessly fascinated with talk of chasing criminals and, of course, pictured it in the most romantic terms possible. Who would have thought that all this esoteric knowledge would end up being so useful?
I came into writing from kind of a strange angle. When I graduated from college in the late eighties, I had the same dream as everyone else at the time—a corporate job, a nice car, and a house with lots of square footage.
It turns out that none of that really suited me. While I did go for the corporate job, I
drove a beat-up Jeep and lived in a tiny house in a so-so Baltimore neighborhood. Most of the money I made just kind of accumulated in my checking account and I found myself increasingly drawn to the unconventional, artistic people who lived around me. I was completely enamored with anyone who could create something from nothing because I felt like it was beyond me.
Enter rock climbing. I’d read an article on climbing when I was in college and thought it looked like an incredible thing to do. Someday, I told myself, I would give it a try. So one weekend in the early ’90s, I packed up my car, drove to West Virginia, and spent a
weekend taking lessons. Unknown to me at the time, this would be the start of an
obsession that still hangs with me today. I began dating a girl who liked to climb and we decided we wanted to live somewhere with taller rocks and more open space.
Moving to Wyoming was the best decision we ever made. The place is full of the most amazing people. You might meet someone on a bike ride and find out they were in the Olympics, or climbed Everest, or just got back from two months trekking in Nepal. In a roundabout way, it was these people who made it possible for me to write a novel. They seemed to have no limitations. Everything was possible for them and I wanted to be that type of person, too.
I was working for a little bank in Jackson Hole, spending my days making business loans and my afternoons and weekends climbing. For some reason, it finally occurred to me that I’d never actually tried to be creative. Maybe I could make something from nothing. Why not give it a shot?
My first bright idea was to learn to build furniture. That plan had some drawbacks, the most obvious of which being that I’m not very handy. It was my wife who suggested I write a novel. It seemed like a dumb idea, though, since I majored in finance and had spent my entire college career avoiding English courses like the plague. Having said that, I couldn’t completely shake the idea. Eventually, it nagged at me long enough that I felt compelled to put pen to paper. Eight months later, I finished Rising Phoenix and about a year after that I managed to get it published.
The success of Rising Phoenix and my subsequent books has allowed me to make my living as a writer, which isn’t bad work if you can get it. Other than that, my life hasn’t changed all that much. Aging elbows have forced me to replace climbing with backcountry skiing and mountain bike racing. I got the not-so-smart idea of restoring an old pickup to replace the dying Jeep. And, I still live in Wyoming...
Wyoming. My father was an FBI agent and I was a bureau kid, which is similar to being an army brat. You tend to spend your time with other bureau kids and get transferred around a lot, though, I fared better on that front than many others.
One positive aspect of this lifestyle is that you can’t help but absorb an enormous amount about the FBI, CIA, Special Forces, etc. Like most young boys, I was endlessly fascinated with talk of chasing criminals and, of course, pictured it in the most romantic terms possible. Who would have thought that all this esoteric knowledge would end up being so useful?
I came into writing from kind of a strange angle. When I graduated from college in the late eighties, I had the same dream as everyone else at the time—a corporate job, a nice car, and a house with lots of square footage.
It turns out that none of that really suited me. While I did go for the corporate job, I
drove a beat-up Jeep and lived in a tiny house in a so-so Baltimore neighborhood. Most of the money I made just kind of accumulated in my checking account and I found myself increasingly drawn to the unconventional, artistic people who lived around me. I was completely enamored with anyone who could create something from nothing because I felt like it was beyond me.
Enter rock climbing. I’d read an article on climbing when I was in college and thought it looked like an incredible thing to do. Someday, I told myself, I would give it a try. So one weekend in the early ’90s, I packed up my car, drove to West Virginia, and spent a
weekend taking lessons. Unknown to me at the time, this would be the start of an
obsession that still hangs with me today. I began dating a girl who liked to climb and we decided we wanted to live somewhere with taller rocks and more open space.
Moving to Wyoming was the best decision we ever made. The place is full of the most amazing people. You might meet someone on a bike ride and find out they were in the Olympics, or climbed Everest, or just got back from two months trekking in Nepal. In a roundabout way, it was these people who made it possible for me to write a novel. They seemed to have no limitations. Everything was possible for them and I wanted to be that type of person, too.
I was working for a little bank in Jackson Hole, spending my days making business loans and my afternoons and weekends climbing. For some reason, it finally occurred to me that I’d never actually tried to be creative. Maybe I could make something from nothing. Why not give it a shot?
My first bright idea was to learn to build furniture. That plan had some drawbacks, the most obvious of which being that I’m not very handy. It was my wife who suggested I write a novel. It seemed like a dumb idea, though, since I majored in finance and had spent my entire college career avoiding English courses like the plague. Having said that, I couldn’t completely shake the idea. Eventually, it nagged at me long enough that I felt compelled to put pen to paper. Eight months later, I finished Rising Phoenix and about a year after that I managed to get it published.
The success of Rising Phoenix and my subsequent books has allowed me to make my living as a writer, which isn’t bad work if you can get it. Other than that, my life hasn’t changed all that much. Aging elbows have forced me to replace climbing with backcountry skiing and mountain bike racing. I got the not-so-smart idea of restoring an old pickup to replace the dying Jeep. And, I still live in Wyoming...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 30, 2023
Book Review - “The Second Horseman” is a one off exciting tale by Author Kyle Mills (Vince Flynn Mitch Rapp series) about a career thief named Brandon Vale who was considered one of the best there is. Unfortunately, in this fresh new and different thriller tale, Vale is serving out a prison term for a robbery gone bad, albeit one that he didn't commit. But then he is broken out of prison against his will by the former FBI agent who framed him in the first place. Richard Scanlon, who still has ties to the U.S. intelligence community, has discovered that a Ukrainian crime organization is auctioning off 12 nuclear warheads to the highest bidder, but he can't convince the government that the sale isn't a hoax. The only way he can get his hands on the $250 million necessary to take the warheads off the market is to arrange for Vale to steal it. And this is where the excitement begins! A much different kind of action thriller that I’m use to reading but different doesn’t always mean bad! Mills wrote this unusual thriller long before he started on the Mitch Rapp series and it’s not bad. Again, not my usual read but since I caught the book on bargain sale at Walmart for $5.97, it’s a really cool looking hardcover, plus it’s by a fantastic author who is killing it with the Mitch Rapp series, I decided to take a chance and I was glad that I did! Vale is not only ‘slippery’ as a snake but he’s smart, tough and resourceful. Experienced spies met their match with this guy and there is no doubt that he wouldn’t be a great spook himself if that’s what he wanted to do. Again, a different kind of espionage-like read but fun and suspenseful. Well worth the six bucks for the book.
March 26, 2024
While this is good reading, it’s difficult to understand why this is “Fade Book 2” as there’s no character from Book 1.
March 30, 2018
Picked this up because Kyle Mills has been commissioned to continue the Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn's family. I wanted to see his style. I think there were some gaps in his story line, places where you are left to guess how the story got from point A to point B. But the main character was very likable and the ending was cute. I am reserving how I feel about him continuing the Rapp series until I read the first book that he authored under that franchise. Meanwhile, if I see another Mills book, I wouldn't be adverse to picking it up.
September 29, 2017
3.5 rating.
February 9, 2013
Interesting and pretty good, though I think the ending could have been better. 8 of 10 stars.
May 1, 2024
I picked up this book as a continuation of my reading goal to continue reading a number sequence in the title. So I'm only at number 2 right now; therefore the Second Horseman was my read for this month.
I knew nothing about the author Kyle Mills; so as I began to read this novel I was really taken in. It gave an interesting perspective of life in prison and how an intelligent person who's not particularly strong or buff can survive among various criminals and corrupt prison guards. Brandon Vale knows how to stay alive; he only wants to serve his time and get out with a minimum of physical and mental damage.
Unfortunately, his old boss Richard Scanlon, the guy who set him up as the fall guy for a jewelry robbery has other ideas. Richard helps break him out of jail even though Brandon really doesn't want to break out. He only has a very little time more to serve and breaking out would mean returning to a much longer sentence if caught.
It turns out Brandon learns about some war head held by a Ukrainian group who's asking $200 million for them and apparently doesn't want the warheads to fall into the wrong hands. So he develops a scheme to rob the Las Vegas Casinos of the cash and he needs Brandon to execute the plan. What develops is a a complicated plan to go through the heist a la Ocean's 11 type of adventure. Very exciting edge of seat stuff.
But after the heist the scene switches to Ukraine and then Jordan as Brandon is forced by the real brain behind the plan to obtain the warheads, Edwin Hamdi to hand off the money and retrieve the war heads. How Hamdi thinks this is possible, no one knows, since Brandon is not a physical action guy nor does he speak foreign languages; Brandon is just not the hero type. To his rescue comes his handler, Catherine Juarez, she apparently can fight guerillas and criminal Ukranians.
At this point, the reader has to suspend reality; here are two people, trying to pass of as Arabs while at the same time rescue 11 warheads and save the world. The story becomes two disjointed and unbelievable.
Must say though that Brandon and Catherine are likeable characters. Gotta go with a 3 star rating.
I knew nothing about the author Kyle Mills; so as I began to read this novel I was really taken in. It gave an interesting perspective of life in prison and how an intelligent person who's not particularly strong or buff can survive among various criminals and corrupt prison guards. Brandon Vale knows how to stay alive; he only wants to serve his time and get out with a minimum of physical and mental damage.
Unfortunately, his old boss Richard Scanlon, the guy who set him up as the fall guy for a jewelry robbery has other ideas. Richard helps break him out of jail even though Brandon really doesn't want to break out. He only has a very little time more to serve and breaking out would mean returning to a much longer sentence if caught.
It turns out Brandon learns about some war head held by a Ukrainian group who's asking $200 million for them and apparently doesn't want the warheads to fall into the wrong hands. So he develops a scheme to rob the Las Vegas Casinos of the cash and he needs Brandon to execute the plan. What develops is a a complicated plan to go through the heist a la Ocean's 11 type of adventure. Very exciting edge of seat stuff.
But after the heist the scene switches to Ukraine and then Jordan as Brandon is forced by the real brain behind the plan to obtain the warheads, Edwin Hamdi to hand off the money and retrieve the war heads. How Hamdi thinks this is possible, no one knows, since Brandon is not a physical action guy nor does he speak foreign languages; Brandon is just not the hero type. To his rescue comes his handler, Catherine Juarez, she apparently can fight guerillas and criminal Ukranians.
At this point, the reader has to suspend reality; here are two people, trying to pass of as Arabs while at the same time rescue 11 warheads and save the world. The story becomes two disjointed and unbelievable.
Must say though that Brandon and Catherine are likeable characters. Gotta go with a 3 star rating.
April 4, 2020
Brandon gets broken out of prison and blackmailed into pulling off a heist. The reason for the heist is to pay for some nukes that have gotten loose. The plot is more complex than that but it is simply summarized.
Mills writes well enough and the story is a clever enough plot. The characters are interesting, especially Brandon, who not only isn't a tough guy, fears violence. In fact, when he is broken out of prison he wants to shout for them to let him in. His wit is enjoyable and his snappy comments keep the story interesting.
The novel's best portions are those describing the planning and execution of the actual heist itself. Well-thought out and almost causes the reader to hum the mission Impossible theme as it unfolds. However, the author decided that the heist itself wasn't the focus of the story and it descends into a comical spy novel. In fact, it becomes much more like an action comedy and sadly the author tries to create tension by taking it into a world where nukes are a real threat and powers will take every possible step to stop them. At this point, the novel loses its fun tone and the serious tone just doesn't play very well. An interesting book, but falls flat towards the end.
Mills writes well enough and the story is a clever enough plot. The characters are interesting, especially Brandon, who not only isn't a tough guy, fears violence. In fact, when he is broken out of prison he wants to shout for them to let him in. His wit is enjoyable and his snappy comments keep the story interesting.
The novel's best portions are those describing the planning and execution of the actual heist itself. Well-thought out and almost causes the reader to hum the mission Impossible theme as it unfolds. However, the author decided that the heist itself wasn't the focus of the story and it descends into a comical spy novel. In fact, it becomes much more like an action comedy and sadly the author tries to create tension by taking it into a world where nukes are a real threat and powers will take every possible step to stop them. At this point, the novel loses its fun tone and the serious tone just doesn't play very well. An interesting book, but falls flat towards the end.
March 12, 2023
Solid not spectacular book from Mr. Mills. Brandon Vale is a master bugler who is serving out a prison sentence when he is suddenly broken out from the prison by an unknown party or parties. He soon finds out the people who broke him out, want him to steal a semi full of money from the Las Vegas casinos. This money is to be used by US government officials to purchase 12 nuclear warheads. Brandon is torn by this, and he must find a way to make the best of this tough situation.
I found the plot slightly lacking, but I did enjoy the character of Brandon Vale. I thought he was smart, witty, and interesting to follow along his story. I don’t think this is the best work that Mr. Mills has done, but it is still an OK thriller. I don’t feel like I wasted my time reading this, but I think Mr. Mills has many other books that should be read before this one.
I found the plot slightly lacking, but I did enjoy the character of Brandon Vale. I thought he was smart, witty, and interesting to follow along his story. I don’t think this is the best work that Mr. Mills has done, but it is still an OK thriller. I don’t feel like I wasted my time reading this, but I think Mr. Mills has many other books that should be read before this one.
May 27, 2023
Thought this was an interesting twist on often told storylines. Brandon Vale was sent to prison for a burglary he actually didn’t commit, by his former boss, Richard Scanlon. Scanlon later decides he needs Brandon’s talents as a thief to save the world from a nuclear war. As improbable as that sounds, it makes for an interesting story. Kyle Mills has been writing the Mitch Rapp series previously written by Vince Flynn. Instead of making Vale into an adept spy, he uses his unique skills and sometimes lack of skills to muddle through, trying several times to make his escape. There were gaps in the story which kept me from giving it more stars, but all in all an enjoyable read. Looking forward to more Mitch Rapp books and others by Kyle Mills.
December 28, 2022
I generally like what Mills has done with Mitch Rapp and Vincent Flynn’s incredible series, but this book baffles me a little. The Second Horseman (Fade #2)….Thosecthat have read Fade know that Salem al-Fayed (Fade) dies at the end of that book. I thought that this might be a prequel of sorts and kept expecting Fade to show up—-even in a memory or flashback…But he never does—-unless I missed something. The “jailbreak” was a little weak—“There is a door. It leads directly out of the prison. Go ahead”.
All in all, it’s not a bad book. But Mills is much better than this effort.
And where is Fade?!
All in all, it’s not a bad book. But Mills is much better than this effort.
And where is Fade?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2025
An absolutely brilliant storyline
I love Kyle Mills writing it is witty, clever and funny. A story that starts in a prison and ends in South Africa after a terrorist bomb, is a story full of twist and turns. “I couldn’t find Israel on a map” was a hilarious line and an example of Mills humor. This is a fast read and a book you cannot put down. Sadly, this is a believable story that is still relevant in 2025 even though it was a book written almost 20 years ago.
I love Kyle Mills writing it is witty, clever and funny. A story that starts in a prison and ends in South Africa after a terrorist bomb, is a story full of twist and turns. “I couldn’t find Israel on a map” was a hilarious line and an example of Mills humor. This is a fast read and a book you cannot put down. Sadly, this is a believable story that is still relevant in 2025 even though it was a book written almost 20 years ago.
November 28, 2025
I was disappointed in this novel. When I obtained it, the book was listed on the Fantastic Fiction website as the second book in the "Fade" series (it has since been changed to show its rightful place as a standalone novel). It might be a reflection of my disappointment, but I didn't feel that this book was up to par with Mills' normal writing. I thought the story was a bit "clichéed" and hackneyed. Only 2 stars.
June 27, 2022
I picked this up at a library sale. Just average overall. I much perfer Kyle Mills books featuring Mitch Rapp over this title. Could not really get into the lead character or the storyline. A good heist book for a while, but the main character whined a lot and never really did anything heroic or kick ass or whatever.
October 2, 2023
I do not know what to make of this book…
I think this guy hates Jews and Arabs…kills an American of Arab religion in Fade…then goes after more in this book. The heist part was really good; but they made the American contractors out to be bad guys? Did Richard do anything wrong? IDK. The US government? Maybe politicians really are that stupid…
I think this guy hates Jews and Arabs…kills an American of Arab religion in Fade…then goes after more in this book. The heist part was really good; but they made the American contractors out to be bad guys? Did Richard do anything wrong? IDK. The US government? Maybe politicians really are that stupid…
October 4, 2019
Wasn't my most favorite of books,at times I struggled to get into the novel and i admit i nearly quit reading it a couple of times, big fan of Kyle mills and what he has done with the mitch rapp novels.
February 14, 2020
I didn't expect to find humor in this book but I found Brandon's take on thievery funny. It was a nice break from the seriousness of the ultimate goal - to get nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists without anyone getting hurt.
October 16, 2020
Ok, but not as good as some of Mills previous novels. Seemed to drag and at times add divergent story lines that really didn’t add much to the book. Also almost an abrupt ending which I felt sort of left the main storyline hanging.
January 29, 2022
incredibly Realistic
This was one of the most truly frightening yet realistic books that I have read in a very long time, unfortunately something like this could really happen which is horrible to think about.
This was one of the most truly frightening yet realistic books that I have read in a very long time, unfortunately something like this could really happen which is horrible to think about.
September 11, 2022
Mills Rocks
After reading all his post-Vince Mitch Rapp books, decided to read some of own stuff; started with the two Fade-books. Well, I’m hooked; will now start his other series.
After reading all his post-Vince Mitch Rapp books, decided to read some of own stuff; started with the two Fade-books. Well, I’m hooked; will now start his other series.
August 23, 2024
Interesting read until the absurd way the author decided to end it.
Just a non-sensical ending ruined the book for me. Enjoyed some of the book he co-authored prior to this but won't be inclined if this is typical of his own work.
Just a non-sensical ending ruined the book for me. Enjoyed some of the book he co-authored prior to this but won't be inclined if this is typical of his own work.
May 17, 2019
Good story
Believable premise with believable characters; the story kept my interest. I'm surprised that it wasn't made into a movie because it would be a good one.
Believable premise with believable characters; the story kept my interest. I'm surprised that it wasn't made into a movie because it would be a good one.
May 27, 2019
Enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book but I felt the ending was rushed compared to the amount of detail at the beginning.
August 8, 2019
Disliked the characters and had no interest in their future. Quit halfway through. There are just too many good summer books to waste time on this one.
December 26, 2020
A very good read!
November 6, 2021
audio David Ledoux's narration was the best part. What a let down from"FADE".
December 13, 2022
Good read
Decent book,good international story. Plot kept a decent pace. A little slow at some parts,but overall an engaging read for me
Decent book,good international story. Plot kept a decent pace. A little slow at some parts,but overall an engaging read for me
December 19, 2022
Not bad considering all the crap that is being published now days.
May 22, 2023
A good book that gets a bit muddled and then recovers nicely to end on a hanging point. It will be interesting where this goes up on return.
February 1, 2024
Would like to have given this book 4.5 stars
July 1, 2024
I like this author and he did not disappoint with this book. I was largely disappointed with the ending as it was not the ending I wanted however it held my attention and I enjoyed the read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews