It was with great sadness that I heard author Vince Flynn had died at the age of 47, of prostate cancer, June 19th of this year.

He passed away in a St. Paul, Minnesota hospital, surrounded with over thirty family members and friends.

“Flynn was diagnosed with stage three metastatic prostate cancer in November 2010. The fatigue from his radiation treatments eventually made it difficult to focus on writing for more than an hour or two, and in October 2011, he reluctantly postponed publication for several months of his 13th book, “Kill Shot,” which followed Rapp’s adventures as he pursued those responsible for the bombing of a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988.”

Flynn had written 14 books in all, with a 15th, “The Survivor,” slated to come out in hardback in November.

Perhaps like myself, many fans were expecting Flynn’s book to be published posthumously, as Tom Clancy’s last novel is now being released.

Author Tom Clancy passed away on October 2nd of this year.  His last novel, Command Authority, is available via Amazon and other stores, co-authored by one of my newest favorite spy writers, Mark Greaney, a major WordForce in and of himself.

But, now, there is a major fly in the ointment of Flynn’s final release.

From the StarTribune.com:

by Kristin Tillotson

Vince Flynn, the author of the best-selling Mitch Rapp political thrillers, was working on the 14th installment in the series, titled “The Survivor,” when he died of cancer in June. The book was to have been released in October.

His publisher, SImon & Schuster, has released a statement saying that the St. Paul native’s book is “postponed indefinitely” because it is “too soon to know” how much he had completed.

Ordinarily Vince’s editor, Emily Bestler, would have been in constant communication with him about the book, but during his last six months, Flynn’s health was the only priority, said Simon & Schuster spokesman David Brown: “We know Vince was working, we just don’t know yet what he was able to accomplish. It’s just a matter of waiting for an appropriate time to sit down with his family and discuss everything. Right now we’re still mourning the loss.”

The implication of the statement seems to be that if it is determined there is enough material to publish the book posthumously, another writer or editor may be called in to finish it. Otherwise, it will likely be cancelled.

The same holds true for a collaboration Flynn was working on with writer Brian Haig, the statement said, though that book is still available for pre-order.

Allow me to state the obvious, if I might.  Vince Flynn ate the lunch of many current spy and mystery authors today.

Daniel Silva is a current spy classic, as is Alex Berenson.  And you already know what I think of Mark Greaney.  Brad Thor provides interesting concepts but I find his writing somewhat clumsy.

With luck, “The Survivor” will be released.

BZ