January 2016

ORPHAN X is the start of a new series for Gregg Hurwitz, and it’s fabulous. In it, Evan Smoak is a guy with a dangerous past. He was an orphan, and as a child was recruited into a deep-dark black box program called Orphan. He was the 24th recruit, hence his moniker X. He broke from the program and instead has now become a vigilante known as The Nowhere Man. But someone from his past is on to him and is out to get him.

Gregg has written some terrific thrillers in the past, but here he has ratcheted up his game to a whole new level. It’s like he took all of the best elements of his craft and synthesized them together in ORPHAN X. Though I read this book months before it was published, I still can remember the intensity of some scenes as well as the emotions that others stirred. Gregg knows how to ramp up tension and completely delivers the walloping punch or soft touch you were waiting for. I cannot wait to see what Evan is up to next!