I read this book quite a while ago, with the intention of writing a review for the publisher and Netgalley. As time went on life took over. It's late, but I'll keep it simple.
I love this book. By far it's my favorite of the Gregg Hurwitz Orphan X series.
Throughout the series I've seen Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, living a conflicted life. Strict training has made him an emotionless killer -- ruthless and intentional, with no room for a normal existence. He's a black ops government assassin who is always the one to get rid of the bad guy.
But there's something that is telling him that there's more to this life. And what is it?
Everything comes to a head when he's hired by Aragon Urrea, a drug kingpin in South Texas. Evan has always been able to keep his assignments clean and simple - no complications. But he sees something in this man that changes things for him.
Absolutely a five star read for me. It can easily be read as a standalone, but I don't recommend it. The Evan Smoak character is evolving, and I know I got more out of this by reading the other books first.
Well done Gregg Hutwitz! Thanks to Minotaur books and Netgalley for indulging me.

In "Dark Horse," the latest installment in the gripping Orphan X series by Gregg Hurwitz, readers are once again drawn into the intense world of Evan Smoak, a highly skilled assassin with a conscience. As the "Nowhere Man," Evan takes on cases of ordinary people in desperate need, using his formidable training and resources to bring justice where it seems unattainable. However, this time, his own past comes knocking in the form of a dangerous adversary from his youth, forcing him to confront his deepest fears and secrets.
The novel is a roller-coaster of high-stakes action and emotional depth, as Evan grapples with his identity, relationships, and the consequences of his past choices. Hurwitz's masterful storytelling keeps readers on the edge of their seats, with unexpected twists and heart-pounding confrontations that will leave them eager for more.

When Evan Smoak morphed from Orphan X to The Nowhere Man, he became a force for the good. He spends his time and efforts helping those who have no other choices. His talents and skills are such that he can blend into any setting and perform even the most difficult of tasks with ease. Almost sounds like Superman but he can't fly, yet! This is Book #7 in this Better than Bourne series. Each book is a fantastic read, but together.....well let's say if you've not read any of them yet, you should plan a binge weekend soon.

In DARK HORSE, the good guys are not necessarily good and the bad guys hide behind the innocent victims of their crimes. When one of those "not neccessarily good" guys calls the Nowhere Man for help, he must decide if saving an innocent teenager is within his power.

Love Orphan X books! The relationship and character growth in this book are great. Evan has to navigate being there for people that aren’t’ “a mission” and he had to decide to help someone he typically would take out. I can’t wait for more Orphan X!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the DRC.

Aragon Urrea is both a criminal and a philanthropist, the head of a drug dealing operation in Texas, but also providing legitimate employment. When his eighteen year old daughter is kidnapped by one of the most vicious cartels, Urrea cannot turn to the police - he needs the Nowhere Man. Evan Smoak does not help criminals, but will he make an exception?

I have liked the series, but not as much as of late. The plots are more predictable and the endings point to future conflict. The constant focus on the OCD angle has become little too repetitive and does not do much for either the plot or the character development. It feels like time for Evan Smoak to ride off into the sunset, as there seems to be nothing more he can do. Overall, I am hesitant to recommend Dark Horse, though I would recommend that new readers start at the beginning.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

This is one of the best in the series. It's an unusual situation for X and he acts and reacts in unusual ways.. It's got action, pathos an d several. important plot progressions that (sob) presage the end of the series. My commandment--Smoakers! Read on!

Evan Smoak survived the near-fatal attack from the last book & has been repairing the extensive damage to his penthouse apartment when he gets an unusual call for help. Aragon Urrea is a drug-dealing kingpin in south Texas. Urrea is shattered when a rival cartel kidnaps his beloved 18-year old daughter Anjelina, taking her into the armored Mexican HQ complex.

Evan has to decide whether to help a bad man to save an innocent. Evan's ability to infiltrate the Leones complex to do reconn & hatch a rescue plan requires the reader to dispel some disbelief. This is also a darker, bloodier story with Evan having to dispatch 38 cartel members & its head to finish his mission.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

Evan Smoak, the central character of this book, is an OCD sufferer who values order in his personal life. He acknowledges having this condition but uncharacteristically finds himself caring for others, individuals who see him as a good and honest friend. Increasingly caring for others is a need that requires him to express understanding and compassion. But, the need to do so results in uncertainty as to how to react to his loved ones’ emotional needs. Toward the conclusion of this book, Evan is asked to take care of his girlfriend's 10-year-old son in the instance that something goes wrong with a scheduled operation for her life-threatening tumor. Despite wanting to do so, he found himself unable to make such a promise.

Orphan X is also a self-appointed caregiver for a former orphan agent recruit, a 16-year-old girl. He provides financial support for her living expenses and college computer classes. Although attempting her best to accommodate his OCD needs, as a computer hacker, the teenager assists Evan in the intelligence gathering needed for his risky missions. Her erratic teenage actions and statements, however, baffle Evan. He tolerates her punkish behavior out of his desire to be a good sponsor and benefactor.

In Dark Horse, Evan, a former government hitman, is on a mission to atone for his past. He does this by offering assistance to strangers who are the target of serious personal threats. The current mission involves a drug lord's daughter who was abducted on her 18th birthday by a rival drug lord. The client heard of Evan, known as Mr. X to clients, and asks for his assistance. Being initially unsure about accepting this case, Evan finally decides to move forward after meeting the drug lord and conditioning the rescue on the proviso that his products are destroyed and his operations ended.

Evan battles 28 heavily armed men at the compound of the opposing drug lord to free the girl. But, in the process of doing so, learns that the kidnapping was not what it appeared to be. The young woman had arranged the kidnapping as a rebellious effort to gain independence from her father. Being the secret fiancée of the evil drug lord’s son, she never anticipated that his father would incarcerate her. Evan ultimately gets her and her lover back to her father’s safety and her welcoming small-town community.

Unknowing to Evan, the US President's staff was alerted to Orphan X’s rescue operation due to intelligence gathered from NASA satellite surveillance tapes. The President subsequently orders that Evan, as a rogue agent, be taken out. This order will undoubtedly play a part in the next book of the Orphan X series.

Another great entry in the Evan Smoak series! If you haven’t read any of these books, Evan Smoak is a former government assassin for the off-the-books Orphan Program. Taken when he was a child and trained to be Orphan X, one of the best government assassins, he broke from the program and became The Nowhere Man and was determined to help others in need.

Evan operates out of a luxury penthouse condo with his vodka collection. He runs his operation while trying to hide his true identity from his friend Mia and her son Peter as well as the rest of the nosy residents of the building.

There is a lot in these books that you will need to suspend belief for, although I sometimes wonder how much of this is real. In Dark Horse, Evan must rescue a drug kingpin’s innocent 18-year-old daughter from a ruthless cartel in Mexico. With the help of his “adopted” daughter and former orphan operative Joey, they must figure a way into the armored complex of the evil cartel. What happens next is explosive.

Evan Smoak books are always a great adventure and I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

When I read the books in this series I always think they would make good movies or a tv series. This book was more good action, but seemed darker and more violent, perhaps because of the drug cartels. I like Evan and how he tries to put his training to use helping desperate people.

In previous installments of author Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series, Evan Smoak has worked to help deserving people who can’t help themselves in his missions as the shadowy operative known as the Nowhere Man. But in the seventh book in the series, Dark Horse, Evan’s latest has him feeling conflicted...

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com - and aired on Shelf Discovery

Dark Horse is the next entry in the Orphan X series, and this is one of my favourites series out there. While not the most suspenseful book of the series, it is definitely a solid entry and a lot of fun to read. The story seemed to focus more on relationships and Evan's growing sense of how to fit into a world he knows little about, except as an assassin.

Evan's character development has always been one of the strengths of this series. Both he and Joey have come to a crossroads in their lives where they need to figure out who they are and who they wish to be as well as the people they want in their lives. Having lived a solitary life for so long, with few people he could trust, Evan is slowly learning about having fun and enjoying life. Unfortunately, having been an assassin for so long, and having been involved in such a secret program, he has enemies all over the place, and in some pretty high government levels, enemies who do anything to see him dead. The author does a great job with Evan as he comes to terms with his more humane side and accepts that his lethal side will always be a part of him.

Joey and Dog have been favourites of mine since they joined the Orphan X world a few books ago and I always look forward to their appearances. It's hard to imagine comedic episodes in a thriller novel, but the author manages to do this very well in scenes involving Joey, Evan, and Dog, including some emotional ones. Who knew you could get emotional over a plant and some coloured rocks?

This one has Evan helping a drug kingpin, one who daughter has been kidnapped by a rival drug cartel. This mission becomes quite complicated, and puts Evan into quite a moral dilemma as he has to decide to help a leader of a drug cartel with questionable morals. I thought the author did a great job showing the human side of this world, something I didn't think was possible, demonstrating the shades of grey that exist in everyone's world. I even grew to like Aragon, which I never would have suspected. But make no mistake, the author didn't shy away from the brutality either, especially when Evan infiltrated the Leones compound to rescue Aragon's daughter. As always, the writing style was captivating, drawing me into the story, dark and quite intense. While the beginning was a bit slower than usual, the last quarter of the book was intense and a bit brutal.

Dark Horse is a fun, action-packed book. There is quite a bit of soul-searching for Evan as he is trying to come to terms with his life as an assassin and his newish life as a regular person, someone who is trying to recognize that not everything is black or white. I felt the author did a great job developing Evan's character and his interactions with the other characters was enjoyable. While this one started out a bit slower than usual, it definitely ended quite differently and I couldn't put it down. I am looking forward to the next book in this series, The Last Orphan, which I have already received for review. An old nemesis is coming back into play and I can't wait!

I am so behind in my reading but I'm never disappointed with an Orphan X novel. I adore Evan Smoak and his lifestyle. This book I just flew through...the action was terrific. I loved the main characters and like how Evan is getting a little more touchy/feely. Thank you for letting me read this!

I really enjoyed this book. There are so many twists and turns in it that it kept my attention and on the edge of my seat This was my first book by Gregg Hurwitz but it won’t be the last. I highly recommended this book if you are interested in fast paced thriller crime stories You won’t be disappointed!!

I am always excited for a new Orphan X book, and this one was no exception.

The book did get off to a bit of a slower start than some of the others, but the action picked up and we were off to south Texas and beyond, to drug lords, cartels, just overall bad people, guns, violence, explosions - just another few days in the life of Evan Smoak.

There were some lines that left a bad taste in my mouth. For example, a character's parents died "of poverty". Yet the father actually died by trying to stop a fight in a fast food restaurant, which has absolutely nothing to do with poverty. I haven't noticed the same tone in other Orphan X books, but there were several spots here and there in this one that rankled a bit, so I do hope that future ones don't continue that way.

One thing that sets the series apart from other thriller series is the character development. Yes, there are plenty of thrills, action, etc. But throughout the books, we also see how Evan is evolving. He is learning to let - and keep - people in his life. His rough edges are there, but they are just slightly smoothed out. A couple of books back, it almost felt like he was on the brink of being too far gone and giving in to the violence, but this Evan seems... better.

Some readers don't seem to like Joey, and I can see that she might be a polarizing character. I don't mind her because she does seem to bring out some of the sparks of joy in Evan, and I appreciated a scene with her and Peter together.

I am looking forward to see what is up for Evan next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

One of my favorite series that just keeps getting better! Evan Smoak is back with a new mission and a moral dilemma.

In this 7th in the series, the Nowhere Man is asked to save the kidnapped daughter of drug lord Aragon Urrea, a complicated man not unlike Evan himself.

His ward Joey asks him, 'Can you save a bad man?', a question he ponders every single day.

What follows is the usual Hurwitz rollercoaster action ride, with a constant volley of violence and surprises.

The Orphan X series continues to impress with each iteration. The story was fast paced, full of action, and had me on the edge of my seat. Gregg Hurwitz continues to amaze me with this series and I hope to see more written in the Orphan X universe.

So this echoes back to everything about the Orphan X novels that make them so great, and fun to read. In this 7th installment, our favorite anti-hero is back in action for his toughest challenge yet. A prominent drug businessmen of sorts reaches out when his only daughter is abducted by an opposing drug cartel known for their cruelty. Only problem is The Nowhere Man doesn’t really help people who are knowingly engaging in criminal activity, and on any other day, Aragon Urrea might be a subject for The Nowhere Man to hunt. So, he has to choose, save the life of his innocent daughter Anjelina or refuse based on the sins of the father. If he chooses to help, this may be his most dangerous mission. A high stakes undercover mission to penetrate a ruthless cartel who feeds people to lions for pleasure and entertainment. In spite of all his planning, this mission may not be what it seems, and that could make things even more dangerous. Always a fan of Orphan X, I wish he were real sometimes. These stories always keep me in the edge of my seat and invested in the fate of Orphan X, and all the charges he is tasked with protecting. Always a pleasure. Review posted to Goodreads, Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, Litsy, and LibraryThing.

Evan Smoak! I've been a fan of this series since I read the first one, Orphan X, a few years ago, and have anxiously awaited every subsequent installment of the series. This was no exception, especially after the explosive ending of the previous book. And Dark Horse did not disappoint. As usual the stakes are high. Evan chooses to work with a cartel kingpin whose daughter has been kidnapped by a rival cartel. Not his usual type of client, and one he chooses to help because of the teenaged daughter. In the process he gets to know the kingpin, and as he gets to know him he finds his feelings about him growing more and more ambivalent. At the same time, his relationships back home are shifting and changing. I like that we watch Evan evolve as he gets further from his life as a trained assassin and continues to help people who have nowhere else to turn. I also worry that as he loses the tight control he's always had over his life, he's in more and more physical and emotional danger. But the Nowhere Man basics are still here - there's plenty of action, lots of weapons talk and computer talk and some unexpected deep philosophical discussions. And I'm absolutely ready for the next installment!
Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.