I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

I love these books. I love the dark brutal nature of Evan mixed with his more human side and the way the author throws him into situations so outside of his comfort zone. Narrowly escaping the destruction of his apartment Evan is trying to piece back his apartment and his life. His adopted "niece" Joey tries to help him along the way with her smart mouth and was of pushing every one of Evan's buttons right down to the disco ball she installs in his living room and the rainbow pebbles she has his new aloe plant living in. Evan is so uncomfortable around other people its amusing to see his interactions. Unless he is being sent to murder you he has a tough time. This book is filled with the usual action and narrow escapes but this one really showcases Evan's more human side, his struggle to connect to people and possibly even make a friend.

He has a code he lives by but this book will test the code to its limits. When asked to help rescue a mafia princess from the clutches of a rival and much more ruthless cartel Evan is torn between helping and walking away. Can he see past the surface to see a man like him, broken and not so good, but really trying to do the right thing?

Somehow I missed the book before this so I know nothing about why Evan's apartment blew up and I intend to go back and remedy that immediately but it didn't matter, Evan is still Evan and the growing band of people in his life is making him more human. I guess we will discover if this is a good thing or a bad one for Evan

Evan's journey of self discovery continues in book 7, Dark Horse. As he begins putting back together the pieces of his life destroyed in the aftermath of Prodigal Son, a call for help comes in from a cartel boss of all things, and Evan is faced with the dilemma of helping a bad man or letting his daughter die. Along the way, Evan finds a new friend, redeems yet another soul, and furthers his relationships with Mia, Peter, and Joey. The tactical situations in this story are way over the top even for an Orphan X novel, but the stories of the characters continue to take us deeper into who they are and leave us once again cheering for a good outcome for these we have come to know so well.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

As Orphan X, Evan Smoak was a government assassin, part of the off-the-books Orphan Program; as The Nowhere Man, he made himself into the one person willing to step up for those in desperate need of help. But retiring from all of that and living a “normal” life is proving to be particularly difficult for Evan.

Nevertheless, those frustrations have not caused Evan to wish for another mission. But that doesn’t matter when Rogelio Esposito, a young boy he’s hired as part of his midnight shift of workers to help repair his explosion-devastated penthouse in the Castle Heights Residential Tower, says he knows someone desperate for help, someone who has nowhere else to turn.

He gives Rogelio the number for The Nowhere Man.

Aragón Urrea is the one in desperate need of help. Although he is a patron for those living around him, he also has dealings that are decidedly illegal. Men from the vicious La Familia León cartel have snatched his daughter, Anjelina, away from her eighteenth birthday party and now hold her captive in Mexico.

If Evan decides to help, it will be up to The Nowhere Man to find a way to breach the impenetrable, heavily-armed fortress of a vicious, depraved cartel leader. But is the just cause of rescuing an innocent eighteen-year-old girl enough for him to involve himself in a mission for a very bad man?

=========

The seventh Orphan X book picks up where “Prodigal Son” ended as an explosion destroyed Evan’s penthouse. In the evolving story, readers see Evan grow as he struggles to understand the dynamics of social interaction, to understand his responsibility with regard to Joey, a teenager from the Orphan program, and to define his relationship with Mia and Peter.

As with Evan, the other characters in the telling of this tale are nuanced and well-defined; all are complex, believable, and realistic. Their conflicts, their needs, their troubles all combine to drive the action in this story.

And that action, with its focus on drug cartels, is particularly violent and depraved. It’s raw and intense, filled with conflict and tension. The suspense is palpable, the danger intense as the non-stop action pulls the reader into the narrative from the outset. The unfolding plot brings some unexpected surprises and keeps those pages turning as fast as possible.

However, there are genuine heartfelt moments, scenes in which the characters explore emotions, relationships, and fight desperation. And there is a respite for readers in the light, humorous moments along with some hilarious laugh-out-loud moments . . . Evan’s ongoing interaction with Aloe Vera, the floating bed, the frozen vodka, the interplay between Joey and Evan, and the persnickety president of the Homeowners’ Association.

Despite a satisfying denouement, there are a couple of storylines that remain unresolved, apparently promising readers another book in this much-beloved series.

For fans of the Orphan X series, this one should definitely be on that must-read list.

Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#DarkHorse #NetGalley

⭐⭐⭐.6 😊 rounded up
This #7 in The Orphan X series and is a continuation from " Prodigal Son" #6.
If you read any in this series you know some about Evan Smoak from the other stories. He was raised in a state home and at age twelve he was selected to train as an assassin in the Orphan Program. The training is grueling but Evan becomes one of the most highly skilled assassins. However, he decided to leave the program and thus becomes ‘The Nowhere Man’ and the one who helps people. In a recent story, he receives a presidential pardon for his past sins as an assassin. He had hopes to retire to a normal life and wasn’t interested in taking on a new mission ~ but, of course, it finds him.

In this story Ethan travels to southern part of Texas and ends up gets involved with the Leones, a dangerous Mexican drug cartel.
He does this by helping another drug kingpin Argon Urrea; as his eighteen year old daughter has been kidnapped
This is once again a high-tech thriller with a lot going on. I thought I should take notes as I like the Kindle highlight tool and then second thought ‘nope’ and yes there were times it got a bit too technical for me.

I usually mention how much I enjoy reading the author’s ‘Acknowledgements’. In this case [author, Gregg Hurwitz thanks many people. He starts his thank you with
It Takes a village to raise an assassin..
Then lists pages of names!!!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~ Minotaur Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 8, 2022

Dark Horse is the latest installment in the Orphan X series. I have read all the books which helped with my enjoyment of the book. This is not really a standalone- too much reference to the past books.
Evan Smoak is Orphan X – he was part of a secret government program which took orphans and turned them into killing machines. He is out the business and helps people as the Nowhere Man.
His latest mission is to help a cartel boss find his daughter. In each book you must suspend belief and watch Evan take on the bad guys. This one was way over the top and went a little too far. I had a tough time enjoying the over-the-top actions.
We did get to see all the characters which was fun. This one just went a little too far. I will try the next one and see.
If you have read the Orphan X series this one will keep you up to date but as I said goes a little too far. Thank you, Net Galley, for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Dark Horse (An Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

9781250252302

432Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: February 8, 2022

Fiction (Adult), Drug Cartels, Kidnapping, Violence, Mercenary, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Evan Smoak was an assassin for the deep cover government Orphan program. He was selected from a foster home and trained as a child. Now he wants to atone for his sins by helping others that are in trouble. He is the Nowhere Man.

In the last book, Evan’s penthouse apartment was destroyed by an explosion. He literally flew from the 21st floor in a winged parachute. While finding laborers to rebuild the penthouse, he comes across a long man who tells him a story of a man that needs help. Evan gives him his telephone number to pass along.

When Anjelina Urrea is kidnapped from her eighteenth birthday party by a Mexican drug cartel, her father, Aragon, is distraught. The leader of a major drug operation in South Texas, Aragon blames himself. He is visited by the young man and gets the Nowhere Man’s phone number. Because of Aragon’s drug business, Evan must decide if he is worthy of help – something he has never done before.

This is the seventh book in the series. It is fast paced and written in the third person point of view. The characters are developed and of course, we see return appearances from Joey, Tommy, Mia, and Peter along with residents of Evan’s building. The book does end on There is a lot of violence in the book from what I would expect from drug cartels. I see Evan as a cross between Jason Bourne and the Equalizer. If you enjoy action books, you should give this book a try. I always look forward to the next installment in the Orphan X series.

While I can appreciate Evan Smoak’s character growth in this novel, other parts of the action had me confused. While I understand his impatience to reconstruct his penthouse, I still don’t understand how someone as careful and cautious as he is, can now stay there after his location has been blown and he can become a target once again. Also, no reaction or safety concerns from the other residents in the building? Were the authorities aware of the explosion – you’d think, the incident would have elicited some investigation? But nothing is ever mentioned. I guess I’m just supposed to suspend my practical mind and forget this particular plot hole.

The Good: Evan, who never had a real family, learns about family dynamics, both with Mia and Peter; as well as with Joey and with the two drug cartel families in his latest mission. I liked the progression of Evan’s character growth in this respect.

The Bad: Evan is a one-man army, that has been established in previous novels. However, I had to suspend belief that he was able to avoid suspicion in Montesco’s drug cartel for as long as he did. How did every one of Montesco’s henchmen, except the boss, know something was off about him? The violence, torture and crimes against humanity are also upped in this novel, so trigger warnings are needed.

I still love the series, but this wasn’t my favorite. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review early.

Wow! That was intense! Another great book in this series. I really didn’t want it to end. Evan is such a great main character. I can’t say enough good about this author. After reading this book it makes me want to go back to the beginning of this story and start all over!

I'm a huge Evan Smoak fan. He likes expensive vodka, has "pet" aloe vera plants, sleeps on a magnetic bed that "floats," has a wonderful computer-whiz sidekick, a weapons dealer that mods out all of his stuff, a will they/wont they relationship with the neighbor, a finicky HOA, a tricked out penthouse, and moves that will stop Jason Bourne. So I was pumped to get an advanced copy of his next adventure, Dark Horse.

This book just fell a little flat for me compared to the first 6 books. The Nowhere Man is asked to help find a kidnapped girl and tango with 2 different drug cartels. This one just has a different feel to it. I can't quite put my finger on it. There is a lot of talk of trust/loyalty and relationships in general. I am excited that there is always some cliffhanger epilogue to get me pumped for the next one. Thank you to Gregg Hurwitz, Netgalley, and the published for an advanced copy.

If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. Evan is back again, still struggling raising a teenager from the Orphan program but trying to be the best "dad" he can be. He really doesn't want to take on another assignment but he does to save a young woman's life. In the process he gains another friend. I like how his character has developed from the first book to now. This book does not disappoint, it is full of all the things we love from Orphan X: danger, intrigue, can he really do it, will he survive, a touch of romance, and major plot twists and turns. I can't wait for the next installment.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC of this title.

I particularly enjoyed the ending of this book, but I'm now really struggling with the wait for book #8. As the series has progresses, Evan Smoak's character continues to evolve. This book does that and more. I enjoy the "Orphan X" action of the book, but am also enjoying Eva Smoak's transformation far more than I expected I would. It's a pleasure to see Joey back in this book, and to see her relationship with Evan evolve.

When I think of thrilling reads, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels, thrills and can satisfies just about every reader's heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day.

Read an advance copy in the next Orphan X series and it was as well done as all the others. In this story, X has to decide if he wants to help someone who very different from the people he has reached out to previously. The author continues to develop his young hacker sidekick, Joey (Josephine), and she's becoming better and better. His relationship with Mia also continues and we're left with a story line that will surely be continued in his next book. I will continue to read all of Hurwitz's books in this series. They're always really well done.


That was my facebook post. Also posted on twitter and goodreads.

Such a quick, suspenseful read. I loved the interaction between Evan Smoak and Joey and between him and Aragon and wanted to love it, but there were parts where he lost me. I get that cartel guys are bad guys, but parts felt over the top for violence and drug use. I would still recommend it for the characters and how it moves the story along for Orphan X and sets up the next book in a big way at the end. 3.5 stars

Orphan X is back in Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz the latest saga in the Orphan X series. While the writing still has its impact and briskness in spots, this latest installment spends too much time exploring emotional aspects of relationships to the point that at times I felt I was reading a self-help primer.

Additionally, the plotting of the series has become formulaic….you know Mia and Peter will appear, that X will need to see Tommy the armorer, and that Joey will be the on-going wise-ass teenager. I think it’s time that Hurwitz give some thought to either bringing the series to an end.

Evan Smoak delivered once again. This time Evan heads to south Texas to save the kidnapped daughter of an unusual business kingpin, Aragon. Evan does his Evan-like stuff throughout the book and it’s hard to imagine any person pulling it all off, but he’s Evan Smoak so I’m willing to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. I just wish there was more Joey, more Peter and more Mia. But the ending makes me believe the next installment will satisfy.

Thanks to Gregg Hurwitz for bringing Evan to life. And to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc.

It is difficult to know where to begin writing about Gregg Hurwitz's beautifully crafted new Orphan X novel, Dark Horse. I had the pleasure of reading a digital ARC of the novel courtesy of NetGalley and Macmillan Books in exchange for an objective review. Upfront - I loved this book. It is compelling, compassionate, and a wonderful read.

Dark Horse can easily be categorized as a suspenseful thriller. The dramatic action is fast paced, non-stop, well written, intense, raw and full of surprises. His intricate plot takes on drug cartels and is unyielding in all its details. Hurwitz accomplishes this better than most genre writers, and it makes for an entertaining read. That would be doing the book a disservice, however, as Hurwitz doesn't stop there. Dark Horse is populated with a troupe of complex and memorable characters written with a surprising breadth and depth. They live troubled, conflicted lives, and their internal pain passionately drives this novel.

Evan Smoak, Orphan X, is a man with many identities and a challenging past as a government assassin for the off-the-books Orphan Program. Now, on his own, he is committed to helping people in need. When a frantic Aragon Urrea, whose 18-year-old daughter was kidnapped by one of Mexico's most vicious cartels, contacts him for help, Smoak is conflicted. Urrea is a kingpin of a major drug-dealing operation in South Texas, responsible for many, many deaths. However, he's considered an admirable man who happily shares his vast wealth with his community. Urrea is emotionally torn between the man he is and the man he wants to be, realizing that he alone is responsible for his beloved daughter's kidnapping.

It is Hurwitz's handling of Urrea's emotional struggle and awareness of what he has become that transforms Dark Horse into something extraordinary. I treasured the conversations between Smoak and the drug dealer. about what it means to be a man, to love a woman, to be a good father, and to live a compassionate life. They were compelling and heartfelt. echoing other two story lines in the novel - Smoak's relationship with Mia (his neighbor and a district attorney), and with his 'niece' Joey” Morales, a sixteen-year-old world-class hacker and washout from the Orphan Program. Despite their differences, both men face the same internal conflicts about their chosen roads.

This is one of the most compelling thrillers I have read in years, and I highly recommend it. It is a book you will think about for a long time.

Love the Orphan X series. This one doesn't disappoint. Fully immersible for escape and pure fun. Can't wait for the next one!

Orphan X is back in “Dark Horse”, Gregg Hurwitz’s latest book about the ex-government assassin Evan Smoak, now known as The Nowhere Man, helping the helpless in their most desperate hour. In the last book we see Evan’s home get blown to bits, now we find out that he survived (not really a surprise) and is trying to rebuild his condo. This indirectly leads to someone who needs his help –a drug kingpin’s daughter has been kidnapped by a rival drug cartel, and Aragon Urrea will do anything to get his daughter back. Will Evan Smoak help a drug lord? Can the Nowhere Man stay retired?

Luckily for us, the kidnappers are definitely some bad people. So off goes Evan, infiltrating the cartel and trying to rescue the daughter before the whole thing blows up in his face. Can he gain the leader’s trust and rescue the princess? Or will this become his permanent retirement?

As usual, Mr. Hurwitz fills each page with action and tension. And of course we get the interludes where Smoak tries desperately to fit in with society around him – this time watching him interact with the head of his condo board was both humorous and touching. Joey continues to develop as an interesting foil that can stand up to Evan but at the same time needs him as a father figure. Mia and Peter were a bit off to the side in this episode until an unexpected twist leads to the cliffhanger.

This entry in the series started out with interesting shades of gray that became pretty back and white very quickly: in order to justify helping the drug lord, the author had to make him into a saintly patron of his community while making the kidnappers pure evil… there was never any doubt which side of the fight Smoak should be on. The “Evan as civilian” chapters felt bolted on and out of place, and the Mia issues were a major (unnecessary?) distraction. As usual, the action verges on being cartoonish and unbelievable, but one expects that in this series.

But a fun way to spend a couple of hours. On a side note, I’m glad that Evan finally got to drink some Polish bison grass vodka, one of my personal favorites!

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I received a free ARC ebook of Dark Horse from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Evam Smoak, aka The Nowhere Man, is one of my favorite fictional characters. Taken from foster care as a child by an agency training children to become assassins for the government, Evan spent years perfecting his skills. His trainer managed to instill some humanity with a set of commandments that boils down to protect the innocent. Now Evan longs to become a better man, using his skills to help the weak, the powerless.

Undeniably Evan carries a heavy burden. His OCD can make him freakish or very well-prepared. This time around he agrees to help a man many would consider a bad man - a very successful dealer in the drug trade who truly cares for his town, financially and emotionally. His lovely and loved teen daughter has been kidnapped by a rival gang who have no boundaries, leaving bodies and destruction in their wake. Evan's task is to infiltrate this gang and rescue the teen.

Simultaneously, Evan's almost love interest Mia has a health crisis which, along with his ward's Joey's quest for independence, cause conflicting priorities. Evan longs to be better, to be more, and readers will cheer him on.

The Orphan X series is a great read.

#NetGalley #DarkHorse #OrphanX