A thrilling and entertaining novel. The writing is sharp and witty with non stop action, and I had a hard time putting it down. The pace is fast and filled with adrenaline.
Many thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

When a retired assassin is targeted, he must figure out who is suddenly attacking him and how he can stay safe without ending his murder sobriety. While on the run, he's confronted with his past and the people he's harmed, all while trying to maintain his nonviolence. Overall, an interesting take on assassins that makes for an engaging read.

Rob Hart continues to impress with Assassins Anonymous, a story hat follows Mark, a notorious assassin known as the Pale Horse, as he attempts to leave his violent past behind. Just days away from receiving his one-year sobriety chip from a twelve-step program for killers, Mark’s old life catches up with him, thrusting him into a thrilling fight for survival.

Hart skillfully blends dark humor with moments of genuine heart. Mark’s relationship with his cat, P. Kitty, adds a touching element that humanizes him, making it easy to root for this unlikely hero. The plot is packed with twists that keep the suspense high, and the action scenes are both intense and engaging.

While the pacing is strong, some moments feel a bit predictable. Nevertheless, Hart delivers a compelling narrative about redemption and second chances that leaves readers eager for more. If you enjoy dark humor and action-packed stories about flawed characters, Assassins Anonymous is worth picking up.

A cleverly written funny recovery story. If you've ever wondered how hit men retire, this is the book for you!

"Assassins Anonymous" presents an intriguing premise: a group of assassins seeking redemption through a support group. The concept is compelling, especially for fans of dark humor and unconventional narratives. However, despite the potential for a gripping story, the execution fell flat for me.

I found myself struggling to stay engaged, even after multiple attempts to restart the book. The characters and plot didn't quite capture my interest, leading me to explore the audiobook format in hopes of a different experience. Unfortunately, it seems this book may not be the right fit for me.

While I appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, I must admit that "Assassins Anonymous" didn't hold my attention as I had hoped. If you're drawn to unique concepts and character-driven stories, it might still be worth a try, but it ultimately left me wanting more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read.

Rob Hart does it again!!! I highly recommend checking this one out!!

A story about a retired hitman unable to leave is past behind. This is a fast paced, action packed thriller with witty dialogue and plenty of suspense.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mark was the most lethal and feared assassin in the world until a tragic accident convinced him to join a 12-step group for recovering killers. He's almost made it a year without killing when a sudden attack sets off a chain of events that will have him risking his sobriety, and his life, while every action turns up even more questions than answers.

This book is so freaking good. Why are more people not talking about it? Mark is a fully fleshed-out character that I instantly cared for. He's not exactly a good person, but he has charm and he's doing his best to be a better person. Plus, there is a definitive reason why he is the way he is, not because of who he is. That Hart surrounds him with super interesting people and weaves a story full of intrigue, danger, and deception makes it even better. I'm not going to go into story beats because a big part of my enjoyment was in getting to see what happened next, but know that you will be in for a wild ride when you pick this up.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the awesome read!

What a unique premise! Mark is a former assassin trying to stay out of the game by working a program much like AA for killers. But someone is making that very difficult. This story has everything - humor, heart, action and suspence. I highly recommend!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #PenguinGroupPutnam for a free copy of #AssassinsAnonymous by Rob Hart. All opinions are my own.

Assassins Anonymous is just like Alcoholics Anonymous, except it's for people who are trying to break the habit of killing other people. Being an assassin, holding power over life and death, evidently can make you feel like a god. Mark finds the high it gives him hard to resist. Besides, killing your problem people is much easier than working out a peaceful solution. But Mark is really trying. He has almost reached one year without killing and is looking forward to that one year award coin. Mark is cleaning up the church basement after a meeting when he is attacked by a huge Russian. Mark fights back, desperately trying to stay alive without delivering a lethal blow to his attacker. The Russian is just the first of many. The attacks keep coming and Mark is forced back into his old life to defend himself. Assassins Anonymous is a fast, fun read, with quirky memorable characters. Some serious, thoughtful moments, lots of action, and a dash of clever humor.

Hart is an underappreciated author. Every time I read that he has a new book coming out, it shoots to the top of my wishlist. This is my third (The Warehouse (2019), The Paradox Hotel (2022)) Hart book, and I continue to tell people about them when they aren’t sure what to read and are tired of the same old thing.

Imagine you are a world-class lactose-intolerant killer for hire who has decided to give up your violent past. You have joined a twelve-step program and are days away from receiving your one-year coin from Assassins Anonymous (AA), but your past is catching up with you, and you are in a kill-or-be-killed situation. Feeling sorry for and cheering on a feared assassin is not what you think you would be doing on a Tuesday afternoon, but that is where you will find yourself.

Sure, there is a fair share of gruesome here, but there are also hysterically funny parts with heart and surprises. The reader will not be bored – I read this in two sittings – but what makes this a perfect read are the twists. So. Many. Twists. The reader is just finishing with the fallout of one before the next hits you in the solar plexus.

So, Mr. Hart, I look forward to what is coming next and will be waiting patiently for the next book that will knock me off my feet.

What a brilliant concept – a reformed assassin who wants a normal life and joins a twelve-step group modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous. Killers who want to stop killing.

Mark’s resume includes titles of former Navy Seal and assassin for a mysterious US agency. He hasn’t killed anyone in nearly a year and is only days away from getting his one year chip. While in the business of killing he was known as the Pale Horse, a name that struck fear in the hearts of his enemies and still carries enormous weight despite his year long absence. Does it sound crazy to say I liked him right away? He feels remorse for everything he did and he’s trying to make amends and stick to the path of recovery. And then someone learns his identity, tracks him down, and sends him on the run.

So what does a reformed killer take with him while running for his life? His cat, of course – P. Kitty. Years earlier, Mark had just experienced the darkest moment of his life (seriously, my heart broke for him) and was planning to drown his sorrows in lots of ice cream and mac and cheese (he’s lactose intolerant) before taking more drastic action when he met P. Kitty. It’s hard not to like someone who cares about his cat like that.

Over the course of the story, Mark finds himself relying more on the Pale Horse persona and, despite being out of the business for nearly a year, his skills haven’t suffered. The actions scenes are incredible, and I snickered every time someone said they’d expected him to look more like Jason Statham (wouldn’t everyone think you’re an assassin if you looked like him?) and asked if the assassin life resembled the John Wick movies (okay, maybe a little bit).

This novel is full of dark humor and surprisingly heartfelt moments, but it’s also about forgiveness and second chances. I couldn’t read it fast enough – an easy five stars for me. Recommended for readers who enjoy unlikely heroes, redemption stories, and lots of action.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

TLDR: this is a lot of fun…think JOHN WICK meets MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE, about a retired hitman who gets pulled back in when someone puts a hit out on him. Solid action, clever banter, a couple well-executed twists. It’s not going to change your world, but it’s the perfect poolside read this summer. And the cover is maybe my favorite of the year.

Loved this ride of a novel What can I say? Love a spy story or an assassin's story. So glad to get to read this one!

A complimentary ebook was provided in exchange for an honest review. My library had the audio which is what I used.

I know others really enjoyed this, but it didn't work for me. I stuck it out until about 57% but nothing exciting happened, for me. I just wanted some real action and sure, the MC kicked some butt and had his kicked back, but I just didn't connect with the story or the MC. I have no idea how it ends and frankly didn't care enough to skip to the end. The narration may have had something to do with it because it seemed generally flat overall, no big dramatics. The voice was good and professional.

1 star for the story, maybe 3.25 for the narration.

Fun read that uses the premise of An Alcoholics Anonymous like group, but for assassins. Our recovering assassin has just survived an attempt on his own life and is trying to figure out what is happening. Fast read, but with lots of violence.

This novel was a high-energy thriller that combines dark humor with a fast-paced plot. The novel centers around a secret society of assassins navigating their own code of ethics and personal vendettas. Hart’s writing is sharp and engaging, with a witty dialogue that adds a layer of levity to the otherwise dark subject matter. The characters are intriguing, each with their own complex motivations and backstories, though at times the plot can feel convoluted with its multiple twists. Despite some narrative jumps, the author offers a unique and entertaining take on the crime genre, blending action and dark comedy for an exhilarating reading experience.

Mark used to be the most dangerous hired gun in the world, until he had to leave that life behind. Since then, he joined a group for reformed killers that works to help their members make amends and move on from their former lives. But one night after a meeting and nearly a year since he left murder behind, Mark is attacked and he needs to go on a globe-trotting journey to figure out who wants him dead and how he can put his past behind him.

Rob Hart crafted a gorgeous action-packed thriller that balances an intense action story with a story of an assassin trying to determine if he is deserving of forgiveness for his past actions. The world Mark operates in is familiar to anyone who has seen a John Wick-type action movie, but Hart makes sure to imbue it with a lot of realistic implications of what it means to be an assassin, and the challenges of trying to leave that life (and also makes sure that the characters remind the reader that they are nothing like John Wick or Jason Statham). The book gets a lot of tension out of Mark's desire to never kill again despite the deadly situations he is now placed in. Assassins Anonymous is full of fun action, comedy, and heart and its a wonderful new work from Rob Hart and I can't wait to see what he does with the sequel.

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for a copy of Assassins Anonymous in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great palette cleanser!

This was John Wick, without actually being John Wick, and instead of a dog, we get a cat? I was giggling from the beginning, and loved all the little story twists that we got throughout the entirety of the book. I stayed up til 4am to finish reading this beauty, and would love to see more from the author.

Who knew that even killers needed a twelve step program to maintain functionality?

Assassins Anonymous is witty and fast-paced. It's a fresh, self-aware take on the "one last job" trope. I loved Hart's writing style and look forward to reading more from this author. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a highly entertaining, fun summer read.