Ahoy there me mateys! Like the title suggests, Mark, a former assassin, is trying to embrace a non-violent life and is a member of Assassins Anonymous which is a 12-step program.  But at a meeting, he is attacked, stabbed, and his notebook is stolen.  Can he figure out who is trying to kill him without sabotaging his recovery?

I loved the idea of assassins getting together in a meeting to talk about their feelings and show non-judgment.  I really enjoyed the idea of a serial killer being part of the group and the members being upset at killing for fun and not for money.  I thought the set-up and beginning of the novel was humorous.

What I did not expect was how the book moved away from the silly and into more of a serious thriller style.  I should have but didn't.  It was also very slow paced in parts which I wasn't expecting either.  The ending didn't thrill me either.

This sounds like a negative review but it was a quick read.  Not everything was to me taste which is not the book's fault.  Recommended to the crew.  Arrr!

I was excited to receive an ARC of Rob Hart's "Assassins Anonymous" and was thrilled with the result. The book, like its protagonist, is lean, in fighting shape, and unafraid to talk about feelings.

What surprised me (but shouldn't, given the title) is how much this is really a study of addiction and its affects on those around you (and how you can never fully undo the things you've done), but perhaps more importantly that addiction isn't just about those effects. It's also about what the addiction gives you, isn't it? An escape from yourself. Mark ran from who he'd become, but he could never shake the addiction to killing lurking right behind him, and the way it made him feel.

I won't get into spoilers, but I thought the ending was very satisfying after a wonderful build up that made me wonder how he'd wrap it all up in a clean way. Hart pulled it off, and the result is a great read without too much fluff but, unlike many action films, doesn't exploit violence just for violence's sake. Every drop of blood serves the plot.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read, I enjoyed it and I would rate it a solid 3/5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing a free arc of this novel.

Mark is a former assassin who has been trying to recover from his deadly occupation through an assassins anonymous group located in New York City. The story opens with Mark being attacked by a Russian assassin, assumed to be a former enemy of his. Mark attempts to hunt down the group that wants him dead before they find him first, leading him to travel abroad and make contact with ghosts of his past.

I was so excited when I saw the book’s premise: a secret group of assassins meeting to reform their ways. The book started with an action-packed bang. I found chapter one engaging and enjoyable, and I was so excited to keep reading. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the rest of the story as engaging. Although events happen during the rest of the story, it lacks the fast-paced, running all over the world plotline that I had anticipated. He goes to a few locations, gets into fights, and then moves on. I wish Mark followed more clues in search of his nemesis.

The flashback chapters weren’t my favorite, either. By the end of the book, I had a weird sense that half the story was missing because so many chapters were recounting Mark’s former life as the Pale Horse, rather than propelling the main plot forward.

Despite some disappointment with the plotline, I did enjoy the characters. The final chapter did a good job wrapping up the story and providing closure regarding Mark, Astrid, and his fellow assassins anonymous members. All things considered, I would probably read a sequel about them if it included less flashbacks and had the characters doing more stuff to pursue their end goal.

Hopefully, Rob Hart has begun a long-term relationship with the former assassin named Mark, the protagonist in Hart’s latest novel, Assassins Anonymous. I definitely want to read more clever novels about Mark and his efforts to stop the need to kill people. Mark is part of a AAA-type group that helps assassins not to pull the trigger or throw the knife… but as you can guess, the need to not kill is not easy when others have you “marked” on their list.

Mark is a year into his “sobriety” when an assassin attempts to kill him following the meeting. His friends and colleagues help Mark, as he travels around the world, escape the clutches of the killers and investigate why Mark is a target after being out of the game so long.

As you can certainly conclude, Assassins Anonymous, has quite a bit of tongue in cheek humor as well as action and international settings. All my favorite thriller components. But this novel is not funny; instead it is poignant and remarkably sensitive in its approach to bettering oneself and having a second chance in life. Mark is a reformed assassin — but how does one escape killers without killing anyone yourself?

I have read other Hart novels and enjoyed them all, especially the Ash McKenna books where the main character also has demons chasing him as he tries to do the right thing. My fingers are crossed that Mark, the reformed assassin, also develops into a series. My rating 4 of 5.

This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. Assassins Anonymous will be published on June 11, 2024.

I just reviewed Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart. #AssassinsAnonymous #NetGalley which I received 8n exchange for an honest review.

I was so blown away by this book! I love mysteries & thrillers but this was different from the standard thrillers I usually read. It has humor, action, and surprises around every corner. I enjoyed this book very much & highly recommend you read it too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for sending me an ARC of Assassins Anonymous in exchange for an honest review.

Fifteen years ago, Mark made the transition from former Navy Seal to an assassin working for some shadowy US agency. He was known as the Pale Horse, a nickname people whispered the same way people speak of John Wick as the baba yaga. And then a year ago, Mark decided he had to stop. With the help of a former associate, Kenji, he tried to disappear, and started attending Kenji’s Assassins Anonymous meetings with a few other reformed killers. But tonight he was attacked, stabbed, and his notebook was stolen by a Russian hit man, and Mark decides to reenter his old life to find out why. But is there anyway he can succeed, stay alive, and maintain his new promise to not kill anyone?

Assassins Anonymous works on a number of levels. First, there is the mystery of who attacked Mark and why. Maybe some readers will connect the dots but I certainly did not. More importantly, the story works because Mark is an engaging character. You see the story from his rather snarky perspective. But the more you learn, especially as you get closer to why Mark made the decision to stop killing, the more you care about what happens to his character. I smiled every time someone said some version of “you’re an assassin? I thought you’d look more like Jason Statham.” And even though it will be straight out of John Wick 2, I won’t be sorry if the author picks up the hook he very obviously left hanging and writes a sequel bringing Mark and the others back into this world. Recommended.

A book about a group of assassins who meet in a secret support group to encourage each other to stop killing - sign me up! I loved the concept of this novel, but the story has more promise as a movie script than a book. Despite its ingenuity and sprinkles of humor, Assasins Anonymous was a bit of a letdown.

What I liked:
📚 Unique premise
📚 Fast read
📚 Unexpected twist

What I didn't like:
👎 The main character is insufferable & cocky in the WORST way. Despite the author's best efforts, I couldn't summon an ounce of sympathy for him.
👎 Tons of tedious/repetitive descriptions - the complete 12 Steps of AA were listed in detail multiple times, excessive background on characters that didn't really matter, etc.
👎 The fight scenes were torturous (no pun intended!). Each move was explained in excruciating detail. I understand the author wanted the reader to "see" the fight, but there are 10+ scenes with pages of step-by-step explanations (kicked here, fell here, got up, swung, etc.), and it became boring instead of exciting. If you cut out the "action" narrative, the book would be half the size.

Am I disappointed I read this book? No!
Will I be eagerly recommending this book? Also, no. 😐

Thank you, NetGalley and the book's publisher, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Assassins Anonymous.

sly-humor, satire, assassins, assault, spoof, pet-cat, friends, escape, action, twisty, thriller, target*****

A 12-step program like the offshoots for clutter, bulimia, and others, but this one is to stop killing people for money or conviction (one is a serial killer). It's action plus engaging characters and all tongue-in-cheek. Loved it!
I requested and received an EARC from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons via NetGalley. Thanks!

Devishly delightful. This thriller has it all: kick-ass action, timely twists, and a dash of humor, all tied up in an emotionally powerful bow. Don’t wait – pick it up today!

I was a little apprehensive for this one as I’d adored The Warehouse but The Paradox Hotel wasn’t my jam. This novel doesn’t feature the speculative fiction aspect as some of Hart’s other works. It’s more of a straight up action thriller.

I enjoyed the way most of the characters were written and appreciated the book wasn’t one to skip many steps to have a perfectly happy ending.

There was definitely some plausibility issues (to be fair I have the same ones with John Wick) but overall I felt this was a solid thriller.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really liked this one! I enjoy the way Rob Hart tells the story. He has a knack for taking flawed characters and forcing them through the wringer and out the other side, but in a way that feels neither melodramatic nor preachy. He focuses on the struggles within the human soul, but in quirky and unusual contexts that make for delightful reads - even when, as here, much of the story is very dark and violent Hitman with a heart of gold is hardly a new construct, but I like that heart played with the humanity of his protagonist, and didn't turn this into a simple redemption story but reflected the complicated elements that would go into making a man like The Pale Horse/Mark. I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting cast as well, and found the pacing and plot to move along with just enough twists and turns to keep me engaged but not so many to feel forced. This was a really enjoyable read.

This book was such a fun read - I didn't really know what was in store for me but it was equally serious, and funny and kept me turning page after page.

Thank you for the early copy for review!

First off, the fact that Brene Brown is quoted in this book made me laugh very hard, so well done. As a social worker I never thought I’d be reading Brene Brown in a book about assassins, but I did.
Secondly, I would love to be invited to the movie premiere when this book eventually gets adapted, so I’m crossing my fingers! There were so many moments where I could picture the scenes on the screen, I kept thinking “wow this is good stuff for an action movie right here.”
Lastly, I just want to say that Hart did such a good job with this book. I was all in from page one and many times had to remind myself to box breathe while I read. This little world he built is one I’m not looking forward to leaving, soooooooo a sequel??

One of the best thrillers I've read in a long time! It's a great setup: an assassin who's trying to give up killing people the way a drunk tries to give up drinking, with a twelve-step program. It heightens some of the issues in the program that many outsiders don't think about very much, like the need to respect people's privacy, and not being judgmental.

The way the central character expresses himself makes him rich and real; the use of language is masterful and effortless - a real joy to read. It's amazing how often the verb 'to wend' can perfectly describe certain human behaviors :^) The way the timeline is structured isn't jarring at all, and helps show the before and after of his "sobriety".

The author beautifully depicts the dynamics of an AA meeting: the things you tell yourself; the things you tell others; the things you don't tell others... The way a group of imperfect people can help each other heal, just by caring.

But this is a thriller, and mixed right in with these kinds of conflicts are some people who are definitely not in the program, and trying to avoid killing and being killed is exciting, funny, painful, just thrilling!

Mark a former assassin who spent most of his adult live hunting and killing others for money and now in an assassin's rehab program is approaching his one-year anniversary. But before he can get his one-year bit, he discovers someone is on the hunt for him, Not sure who it could be from his past, he goes on the hunt himself for his assassin. and the story takes off from there with great mystery and intrigue.
It was very fast moving and grabs you right from the start. Characters are very well defined and easy to
understand and the plot moves along in easily discernible.twists and turns.
Hart foes a great job with presenting a character with a horrible past as a character with an almost likeable personality.
Almost.
But very well done.

More than a few reviews already have gone for the "if John Wick went to AA for assassins" line. And that mostly captures the novel. This quick read features Mark who has been murder-sober for almost a year when he is attacked after a session for his twelve-step group. Mark then travels the world, meets interesting people, and beats most of them to a pulp (all without killing them). Even with some fairly violent scenes and some nod to developing the main character's emotional life, the novel felt like the literary equivalent of a Netflix action movie. A little humor and a bit more thoughtfulness than you might think but, ultimately, it's mostly a fun outing for fans of the genre.

This book was an amazing original story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The action was very easy to follow and very engaging. I love the style of writing the author uses. I love how he switches back and forth between past and present events. It really helps the reader gain a better understanding of the importance of events happening in the current situations and builds more stake and importance to the events without over-complicating the past. The vivid detail and amazing storytelling were like watching a movie in my mind! I absolutely love the uniqueness of this story. I have already recommended it to numerous friends.

What happens when you take Alcoholics Anonymous and breed it with John Wick? You get Assassins Anonymous, a clever tale about how hired guns go into recovery and support each other to rediscover their morality. Even when there are hoards of killers who want nothing more than to murder you right in the face.

Mark is a former hit man known to all as the Pale Horse, a name that strikes fear and reverence across the world. However, the toll that all the killing had taken on him became too much and he turned to a support group of former assassins to begin a 12-step program towards recovery. But this is not a job that you can quietly retire from, which Mark realizes the moment he’s engaged in a violent attack and fighting for his life. Now on the run, he must determine who’s after him, why they are chasing him and, in the process, not kill anyone and reset his recovery clock from almost one year since killing someone to zero. Which turns out to be a real disadvantage when the other side has guns, knives and goons ready to put you 6 feet underground. Regardless, he’s still the Pale Horse and can kick major ass when the occasion calls for it. And the occasion most definitely calls for it right now.

Assassins Anonymous is the most unique take on a hitman-centric thriller you have ever read. A thriller in which the killer refuses to kill. A crazy concept that works. Maybe because the incredible violence is counterbalanced with pensive exploration of a person’s humanity and capacity for change. And just because the reformed assassin doesn’t want to take more lives doesn’t mean there isn’t a smorgasbord of brutality and bloodshed. Au contraire mon frère. The action sequences are plentiful and glorious. With more than a few gut punches – literally and figuratively – to elicit emotion and keep you on your toes throughout the twisting story. Add in some humor and heart, and this novel delivers a compelling read that is much more than just an interesting premise.

Kudos to Rob Hart on taking a risk and providing an unusual spin into a well-defined genre. It pays off in a big way, delivering a book that is equal parts playful, vicious, and heartfelt. One not to be missed by thriller fans.

Really liked the writing. Lean, funny, tight pacing, and strong characterization. But the premise was high concept silly, and the plotting felt lackadaisical. The "twists" ranged from unsurprising to flat out ludicrous when the Big Bad was revealed. What could have been a solid pulp novel (and was, in fairness, a decent one and pleasant read -- up until it was apparent that there would not be a real payoff) was ultimately undone by overconfidence in style overshadowing shortcomings in plotting. And while character and style elevate genre novels, story is really everything.