This book was not my cup of tea.
I don’t really get into books like this, but I wanted to give it a try.
I felt like the dialogue was on the cheesy side. Kind of was like watching one of those old detective shows.
I just couldn’t really ever get into it.
The story was actually pretty good though. Craven set up some really nice twists.
If male mystery authors are your jam, you will probably like this.
Thanks netgalley!

Lots of action, twists and turns. For me it was a bit confusing until about 50% through. I couldn't see how the multiple plot lines were coming together

A few typos, mainly missed words in a few of the sentences.

Nobody’s Hero I Book 2 Ben Koenig
M. W. Craven
Macmillan Audio Narrated by William Hope
Flatiron Books
December 3, 2024

Ben Koenig is back!!! Ben has had damage to his brain takes away his ability to feel or understand fear, even down to his adversaries facial expressions. This leads to years of training, being sought after for his skills and eventually being pursued. (you are going to want to read the first book) Book 2 picks up because Koenig has a very large bounty on his head and hiding didn’t work out as he planned. What starts as a visit to a coffee shop for Ben to send his monthly email, eventually turns into a global pursuit uncovering secrets and leaving multiple dead bodies in its wake.

The Acacia Avenue Protocol, a cryptic directive, has resurfaced and Ben is needed because everyone who can stop it dead. What makes it better is that one of the names on this list, was killed by Ben Koenig himself. Ben loves to drop his random spiel of information and how he got to his conclusion. He irritates those around him, especially his handler Jen Draper, but for me, it’s perfect. This book has so much going on you just can’t stop. A father daughter pair of contract killers, a woman presumed dead for decades, corrupt cops, a lot of action and a twist at the end that you will NOT see coming. It’s perfect. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

What would cause destruction and disruption of a system to create a mass migration of the entire population on the west coast? This book captures potential real life scenarios in the form of fiction. Despite periods of fluff to get to the point of some chapters, the book is well written, thought -provoking yet concerning. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to read this one!

This is the 2nd book in the Ben Koenig series by M. W. Kraven. It is a fast paced thriller that leaves a huge body count. In a race against time, Mr. Koenig must find out what is going on and then stop it from happening. And by the way, he has to save the U. S. from utter catastrophe. Well written with strong character development and a huge twist in the end, this book is a definite winner.

I hadn’t heard of this series until I looked it up. I found a blurb from S.A. Cosby, and that was enough for me to want to read it. This is a fast-paced thriller. I read it in a day.

This book incorporated elements of Mark Greaney's Gray Man books and David Baldacci's Memory Man series, two of my favorite series.


I can’t imagine dealing with what the main character deals with. Fear is what makes us human. Losing that fear leads us in two directions. Ben Koenig is the better choice of the two. He uses this ability to help people and stop bad things from happening.

Having never read the author or the series, I didn’t know what to expect from this book. It took me where I wasn’t expecting, and I enjoyed the ride.

I look forward to the next Ben Koenig book.

I really enjoy the Washington Poe series by this author so I was eagerly anticipating reading this book by the same author. I have not read the first book in this series yet but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this novel. M.W. Craven Nobody’s Hero is an exciting thriller that follows Ben Koenig who is plunged into an international conspiracy with high stakes.

The novel begins with the mysterious murder of two London pickpockets which somehow quickly turns into a global crisis. At its core is “The Acacia Avenue Protocol,” a cryptic directive that resurfaces when a woman presumed dead for a decade reappears, prompting a long sealed safe in Langley to be opened. Inside, a single letter list of four names, three who are now dead. The only remaining name on the list is Ben Koenig.

Ben Koenig wants to know why he’s connected to this protocol and this results in him getting involved in the dark world of espionage, corruption, and betrayal. With every lead , he encounters powerful foes, from corrupt cops in the East Coast Sweeney cabal to a ruthless private military contractor and a contract killer. Koenig faces danger with every turn and also faces personal demons and the long buried mysteries of his past.

Once I was into the characters the book was really exciting and perhaps the first novel in the series might have made the difference. Intense plot, intricate characters and lots of action made this an exciting read and another series I will read more of.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Flatiron for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, the book was well written, captured my attention and I did really enjoy it. Thank you for this advance copy!

3.25 stars. When I first got into this story I was extremely confused and thinking this may not be my type of story.

As the book progressed I got extremely invested and began to enjoy myself. I was determined to finish this story and it turned out better than I initially anticipated.

Well done to MW Craven and thank you to Flat Iron Books for giving me the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy.

4.75⭐️

Ben Koenig no 2

I enjoyed the first book, and heard that this was is even better so I was keen to find out for myself. I’m not a big action thriller fan, the draw is definitely the author.

Best read in order as things link from the first book.

Ben is in London looking for a woman he has previously helped. He has diplomatic immunity…. What could possibly go wrong along the way???? On route he gets accosted on route by a UK police chief superintendent who is annoyed that her murd*r investigation has been shut down and that the US has sent over their own people, she manages to join Ben and Jen offering to help smooth their path.

This maintains the author’s trademark snappy writing style with dollops of dry pithy humour and mini cliffhanger chapter endings.

Ok so Ben spouts continuous reams of information which becomes annoying quite quickly. I appreciate that it’s part of his ‘thing’ but it mostly doesn’t work well for me, although there’s an occasional gold nugget. I would prefer to have less of it. That’s its only draw back for me, otherwise it’s pacy, it’s action packed - albeit sophisticated action, it’s very entertaining, the rest of the writing is concise and sparing. I loved the cross over using a character from another series.

Nobody’s hero is excellent. Much better than the first book. Very intricate clever plotting with some unique strategies being used. I would highly recommend it, I am now a Koenig fan!

I’m a huge fan of M. W. Craven. I didn’t realize this was the second book in his new series. I asked the author if his books needed to be read in order and his response was “no”. However, I think for character development would be the reason his readers would read them in order.
It took me a few pages to get into the story. Overall, solid book and a roller coaster ride.

I have to say, I enjoy a good spy thriller every so often. This is the first book by M.W. Craven that I have read, and I was very impressed with his interesting protagonist named Ben Koenig, a former U.S. Marshall’s Special Operations Group operative who has a very unusual medical condition called Urbach-Weithe disease – a condition that makes Koenig unable to experience fear. Of course, that makes him more prone to taking deadly chances, which in his business, could be good or bad. The plot is maybe a bit convoluted, but there are parts of it that were believable enough to keep the reader enthralled. There is a lot of action, but also a well-developed plot. It’s one of those books that you don’t want to stop reading because you are sure to find out something important on the next page. I definitely will check out more of the author’s works, if they are as interesting as this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this book. I am very appreciative to NetGalley, authors, and publishers for this platform to discover authors I haven’t read before.

M.W. Craven's Nobody's Hero is a wild ride. It is relentless and keeps you on the edge-of-your-seat. A thriller that plunges readers into a world of high-stakes danger and complex intrigue. Ben Koenig, a captivating protagonist, faces a threat that could unravel the nation, making every twist feel vital and urgent. Fast-paced and intelligently written, this novel is a must-read for fans of gritty, action-packed suspense.

This is the second book in Mr. Craven's new series and I was excited to get the opportunity to read it. I have stated before that I am a huge fan of his (especially his Washington Poe series) and I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series. I am totally amazed at how the author can make the 2 series feel so differently. In the Washington Poe series, it takes place in the UK and it feels very European. This series however, stars Ben Koenig and he is an American. Even though the majority of this story takes place abroad, it still has a distinctly American feel to it. I don't know how he does that, but he does.

In this book, I had a harder time getting into the story and had a harder time feeling as connected to Ben. The storyline, while extremely fast paced and action packed, did get a bit complicated at times. There felt like there were a couple of info dumps, which you don't usually see in these types of thrillers, but for the most part, it kept me turning the pages.

In this story, Ben is paired with his handler Jen Draper and they are tasked with discovering why a certain protocol has been triggered at the CIA. The story takes us all over and at the same time we are also following a father daughter pair of contract killers. Even though the 2 storylines are distinctly different, they do end up coming together at the end.

There is a twist at the end that I truly do not see how anyone could see coming - and those are the BEST kind of twists. I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on December 3, 2024.

Reading this book felt a like a rollercoaster. Just when I thought I was getting into it and had figured out what was going to happen around the corner, another twist or turn threw me for a loop. Great read that was hard to put down. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

The excitement continues ….
This is the second book in the Ben Koenig series. It is just as exciting and explosive as the first one. The action whips around from continent to continent, keeping the reader in suspense. It moves much quicker than the page count might suggest. Ben is a highly trained machine who is incapable of feeling fear. He is also extremely intelligent, creative, and funny. These characteristics, combined with a Byzantine plot and excellent writing, make for a compelling thriller. If you like action-packed stories of international intrigue, you can do a heck of a lot worse than Nobody’s Hero. This is compelling the-fate-of-the-world-is-in-one-man’s-hands stuff. I hope Ben keeps looking out for us all for years to come. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.

Book Review✨️

Nobody's Hero
By M. W. Craven

Pub Date: Dec 03 2024

Themes:
🎬 Action-Packed
📖 Short Chapters
🥴 Gruesome

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Nobody's Hero by M. W. Craven begins with the murder of two London pickpockets, a seemingly small event that sets off a chain of actions with global consequences. The book starts off slowly, with a sprawling cast of characters that can be difficult to track. However, the strength of the novel lies in its character development. As the story unfolds, each individual becomes more distinct, and the effort put into building their backstories becomes evident.

The second half of the novel delivers on action, with fast-paced scenes that bring the plot together in a satisfying way. Some of the action sequences are quite graphic, described in vivid detail, which adds to the intensity of the narrative but might not be for everyone.

Overall, Nobody's Hero is a slow burn that rewards patient readers. Despite a sluggish start, the strong character development and action-packed second half make for an engaging thriller.

Thank you to Net Galley and Flatiron books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

When I was granted an advance copy of this book, I realized it was the second book in the series and so I went back to the first book to see if this book could stand alone or would it be necessary to read the first book to understand. In some ways, you could read the second book without reading the first book but I don't recommend it. For two reasons, there is a lot of great backstory information shared in book 1 and it is also a fantastic book which adds layers of depth to this character. With that said, I liked book 1 better than book 2. When I read a thriller, sometimes I don't mind suspending disbelief in order to "go along" with a storyline that seems far-fetched if the writing is top notch. In the first book of this series, there were a few plot holes that made me slightly wary of the believability of some of the heroism. However, book two ramps up some of the "out of this world" storylines that just make me think..... really? With that said, I just love the writing, the really thorough research and deep dive of information. I read to be entertained and it's always a bonus when I learn things as well. India's Partition is an area of history that I had no clue about and I went down a rabbit hole to learn things about this really horrific tragedy. That being said, what I would love to see is Ben getting a love interest (or at the very least, having someone to care about) and could it possibly be the most hated "handler" in his life? With that said, there were some developments for his character and the ending leads us to believe the storyline will start to move towards giving Ben something to care about.

All that to say, I gave book one 4.5 stars and I'd say book 2 is 3.75 that I'll round up to 4. Not because the writing is bad but because I want the plot to be a little less far fetched.

M.W. Craven delivers a thrilling, fast-paced ride in Nobody's Hero, blending high-octane action with a complex, multi-layered plot that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. At the heart of the story is Ben Koenig, a man who is no stranger to danger but lacks one crucial instinct—fear. This unique trait makes him both fascinating and unpredictable, pulling readers into a tense world of murder, deception, and a secret that threatens to topple the United States.

From the outset, the book grabs attention with a chilling murder and abduction on the streets of London, setting the tone for a relentless narrative. The safe at Langley, untouched for a decade, adds a gripping sense of mystery. The revelation that Koenig is connected to the woman behind the killings plunges him into a race against time to find her before the government does. This dynamic sets the stage for an international chase filled with brutal confrontations, shadowy conspiracies, and high stakes.

Koenig's inability to feel fear adds a compelling psychological layer to his character. He's a man who charges into situations without hesitation, often to his own detriment. Yet this flaw is also his greatest strength, as he navigates a world where danger lurks at every corner. Craven does an exceptional job of portraying Koenig’s inner struggle, making him a flawed yet deeply relatable hero, driven by a code of honor rather than a thirst for power or glory.

The plot is intricate, with layers of intrigue that unfold as Koenig closes in on the woman he once helped disappear. She’s not the deranged villain the world believes her to be, but rather the keeper of a secret so dangerous that it could upend the global order. Craven masterfully escalates the tension, as Koenig pieces together the puzzle and realizes that the threat is far bigger than he ever imagined.

Craven's writing is taut and immersive, packed with crisp dialogue, vivid action sequences, and a strong sense of pacing. Every chapter brings a new revelation, each one raising the stakes higher. The action is brutal yet realistic, making the reader feel every punch, gunshot, and narrow escape. Craven also shines in his ability to weave moral complexity into the story, pushing his characters to the brink as they grapple with the costs of their decisions.

Koenig’s lack of fear sets him apart from typical protagonists, giving the story a fresh and unique edge. His vulnerability comes not from the threat of violence but from the fact that he doesn’t know when to back down—a trait that endangers those around him and leaves the reader constantly on edge, wondering just how far he’ll go.

Nobody’s Hero is a gripping and intelligent thriller, packed with memorable characters, unexpected twists, and a sense of urgency that never lets up. M.W. Craven has created a smart, compelling antihero in Ben Koenig, and the book’s mixture of political intrigue, high-stakes action, and psychological depth makes it a must-read for fans of thrillers. If you’re looking for a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat with every turn of the page, this one is a winner.

Craven’s introduction to Ben Koenig in Fearless blew me away so I had to read the next in series. There’s nothing subtle about the brutality in the opening scenes. Koenig has an astronomical bounty on his head from an old Russian mob disagreement. A plot that takes you on a wild race against time and an incredibly complex plot. It’s impossible for me to envision how the author’s brain concocts such wildly extreme action possibilities. How he dreams up these scenarios and characters is beyond me! There are genius minds testing theories, what if this happens, what if we do it this way? The Intelligence agency, Langley, spies and undercover operatives are all at play. A Protocol has been initiated. The consequences are dire. Koenig has to use his analytical abilities to solve this and stop a catastrophic event.
As I read this story I kept asking myself could something similar to this plot happen? Today with many countries enduring civil unrest, political division and innumerable social issues, it doesn’t seem so improbable or unreasonable. This was an action packed plot with unforeseeable outcomes. The author displays his brilliance at full wattage.
An Advance Reader Copy of “Nobody’s Hero” (Ben Koenig #2) was provided by Flatiron Books (via NetGalley) author M. W. Craven, publication expected 12/03/2024. These are all my own honest, personal thoughts and opinions which are given voluntarily without compensation
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