January 2017

I confess to having a huge crush on Evan Smoak, the protagonist in Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series. THE NOWHERE MAN is the second book in the series (ORPHAN X was the first, and it, too, was a Bets On selection), and it’s another winner, though in a different way.

To catch you up, Evan was an orphan selected for the Orphan Program, which trained young kids to become assassins around the world. Evan walked away from the program, but not before amassing a fortune, which he now shares with those who need his help. In THE NOWHERE MAN, the tables turn on Evan as he is captured and now has to put together his smarts and physical talents not just to rescue himself, but to do it in time to save the next person who is calling for his help.

The tension is palpable, and I found myself realizing that in this book the action is as cerebral as it is physical. Evan’s skill set here is not just his brawn, but also his brain. Where Evan is being held is a very big part of the story, and how he orchestrates events is a testament to Gregg’s deftness as a thriller writer. One quibble: I did miss Evan’s amazing apartment that figured so prominently in the first book, as well as more of his relationships with people in his building, and hope to see more of that in the third installment.

Those who have not started the books yet, you can line them up and get reading, binge-style. My husband did that with ORPHAN X this summer, and was bleary-eyed more than one morning. When I handed him an advance copy of THE NOWHERE MAN, he clocked another few late nights, even walking away from watching baseball to read. Remember, I warned you about the sleepless nights. Gregg could start a sideline job writing excuse notes for people who miss work when they are up all night or are ready to hunker down for the day with both ORPHAN X and THE NOWHERE MAN.