Vincent Joseph Flynn (April 6, 1966 – June 19, 2013) was an American author known for his political thriller novels featuring the fictional assassin Mitch Rapp. His career also extended to television as he served as a story consultant for the fifth season of the series 24.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Flynn was the fifth of seven children. He graduated from the St. Thomas Academy in 1984, and later from the University of St. Thomas with a degree in economics in 1988. He initially worked for Kraft General Foods as an account and sales marketing specialist. In 1990, he left Kraft to pursue an aviation candidate slot with the United States Marine Corps but was medically disqualified due to past concussions and seizures.

Faced with these challenges, Flynn began exploring the idea of writing a book, a decision that led to a successful career as a novelist. Vince Flynn passed away on June 19, 2013, due to prostate cancer.