PW speaks with authors of military, espionage, and political fiction about keeping the thrill alive.
Olen Steinhauer dreamed up CIA agent Milo Weaver more than a decade ago. Robert Ludlum introduced soldier-turned-superspy Jason Bourne in 1980; Eric Van Lustbader took on the series in 2004. Kyle Mills, who continued the Mitch Rapp books after series creator Vince Flynn died, has been writing politically charged thrillers since 1997’s Rising Phoenix.
Stories of government intrigue, spycraft, and action-packed combat can spell career longevity for authors: Steinhauer and Mills’s books have sold hundreds of thousands of print copies, per NPD BookScan; Lustbader’s have sold millions. We spoke with these three authors about keeping things fresh while satisfying longtime readers, and with newer writers about the perspectives they’re introducing to a crowded genre.