Evan Smoak aka Orphan X aka The Nowhere man is back in Nemesis. This installment picks right back up where Lone Wolf ended and Evan finds out that his armorer, Tommy Stojak, has (in Evan’s mind) betrayed him. Evan built his life and career around the ten commandments instilled in him through Jack Johns. It is safe to say, that no one expected Evan to go rogue, leave the orphan program and try to find a way to do the right thing. Sometimes the commandments don’t always work and may need to be evaluated or added to. (yes… there is an 11th amendment. No, I am not telling you)
Evan’s character has grown and changed with every single book. Being an assassin with emotions would be a delicate balance. Evan’s training keeps him in check and centered because ‘the price for violating a Commandment was chaos’. While Evan is deciding how to deal with Tommy, he runs into another problem. A family of innocent people is run over and an 8-year-old boy is murdered. Evan is a ‘hunter of humans. The monster sent to kill monsters.’
True to Gregg Hurwitz’s style, this book is full of hand-to-hand combat scenes, shootouts and intense fighting that is perfectly written you can see the splinter in the wood when the door flies off the handle! Evan Smoak is evolving. He is changing. He hurts. The fact that I finished this book two days ago and I still have a hard time understanding that The Nowhere Man can have feelings should make you reflect on the journey this series takes you.
Yes, this is fiction. I understand that, but Nemesis covers current, real-world issues that American’s deal with on a daily basis. Violence, racism, bigotry, corrupt politicians and more are all found on these pages. Read it. Talk about it. Change some things. Cheer on Orphan X!

oh.... this comes out on my birthday next year!!

Gregg Hurwitz has done a great job differentiating Orphan X from many other characters that could be considered similar if only given a cursory glance. In Nemesis, Hurwitz is firing on all cylinders, producing the most tense and emotional chapter of the series. The stakes are high, while simultaneously remaining deeply personal between Evan, Tommy, Joey, and a handful of new characters linked to Tommy's past. The story makes the reader think no one is safe and every outcome, bad or otherwise, is a possibility for each character. An excellent addition to the Orphan X series! Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an early e-copy of this book!

I’m a big fan of Orphan X. I’ve read all the previous novels and short stories.

This was my least favourite book of the series. It’s not the usual page-turner; I found the pace often quite slow. I wasn’t interested in Joey’s issues. Perhaps too many characters; it was hard to keep track of all of them. The action was ok but mostly at the end of the book. The conflict between Evan and Tommy should have been resolved earlier. I missed Mia Hall.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Greg Hurwitz's Nemesis (Minotaur Books 2025), Book 10 in the Orphan X series, is another excellent chapter in the Nowhere Man’s life. Trained as a government sanctioned assassin to be tougher and smarter than anyone around him, he tires of the soulless work and applies his formidable skills to help people who have nowhere to go to solve their problems. He charges nothing except that when he succeeds--and he will--the person passes his name on to another individual who is desperate. In this way, he hopes to assuage his guilt for what he did in the formative years of his life. This case is particularly heinous because Evan must face off with one of his few friends, a man who mentored him when he was young, but now, turned to the dark side. Evan can't let that go.

Excellent series. Each as good as the next. And easily read as stand alone books.

Orphan X, never disappoints. During the Covid, I found this hero. This is a genre i normally don’t read. But. After reading Orphan X, I started reading the rest of his books.
Evan meets up with at one time, his best friend Tommy. Evan is under attack when he goes to see him, by another group. Evan in all his training survives this attack. In the meanwhile Tommy has his own story. Which brings in so many issues that we are facing today.
I give this book 5 stars, if you’re a fan, you’ll love it. If you’re like me and just pick up one of theses books., you’ll be a fan forever.

Read like a slick update of Don Pendleton's Executioner series. Lots of gun fetishizing, a mainly infallible hero, and some Manly Man posturing and editorializing. The action is thorough -- detail that found me skimming sometimes -- but there's little of the inventiveness and wry humor that brings me back to Thomas Perry and Lee Child again and again. I love the genre, but not this execution; other lovers of this kind of book may experience widely varying mileage.

Let me count the ways this book doesn’t work. Its heart is in the right place, but that doesn’t make for a good thriller. I’m happy Hurwitz is disgusted by his MAGA fans, but shoving a didactic plot with zero plausibility down their throats is not going to persuade them. And the whole Islamophobic-meme side-plot seems bizarrely forced. And the Jordan Peterson epigraph, really? And someone should tell Tommy there aren’t “ten billion” Muslims on the planet. There are around eight billion people total.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I couldn't finish this one - I think I'm done with X... I know, I know - I can't believe it either, but things have been going downhill for me with the last two books, and this one sealed it. I just didn't care. Didn't find the "war" between X and Tommy believable or enjoyable to read. It didn't have the resonance that the earliest books in the series did for me. I got, well, bored. It's a feeling that has been developing in the last two books, and just finally hit the wall for me with this one. I'm not sure what it is, but the writing feels different here (and like it's been shifting for a while). I don't read series like this for emotional growth and exposition, but for vengeance and justice and action. Yet it feels like Hurwitz has been trying to shift his focus toward more personal development, and it just doesn't ring true for me. Not that I don't want to see characters (even action heroes) grow and change over time, just that it needs to feel more organic to the stories being told - and I just don't feel the same sense of compulsion to read about Evan's life anymore...

Another riveting book from Gregg Hurwitz following Evan Smoak from the Orphan X saga. We follow Evan Smoak as he attempts to cope at the end of the previous installment, from the betrayal of a friend that he trusted. Going through the Orphan program has prepared him to be an assassin, a chameleon, and a tactician of violence, not a friend. He was never shown how to care about other people in the same way the normal population does. His commandments help guide him through life, attempting to right wrongs, in a hope of redemption, but feelings are not included with that plan.

Fourth Commandment: Never make it personal

This is a commandment that Evan must face in this chapter. After finding out Tommy Stojack, his trusted gunsmith for many years, knowingly assisted an assassin that was intertwined with one of Evan’s missions. An assassin that attempted to kill Orphan X.

The story picks up with Evan trying to decide what to do. He feels a sense of betrayal, and pain, two feelings he does not normal have. This leads to an internal struggle about following his commandments, dispatching a former friend, or trying to find a way, a reason to forgive, something he is not accustomed too.

Gregg Hurwitz writes another compelling story, and I felt that this one was a little different from the others. It was not a clear-cut good guy bad guy struggle, but instead a friend vs friend. Hurwitz instead focuses more on Tommy Stojack from how he met Evan, to other individuals from his past. Tommy runs and attempts to help some boys of a friend of his. He tries to teach them how to be better people, and let go of the hate in their hearts causing them to hurt others. Problem is, Orphan X is hunting Tommy and now he found out about a night with a truck that left four people dead and put the boys on his radar. This book was an amazing change of pace and was exciting to see how it was going to end between these two colossal characters. Another amazing book in the series, highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley, Gregg Hurwitz, and the publisher for this ARC.

I have been a big fan of the Orphan X series over the last few years, so I was very excited to get this ARC from NetGalley. In Nemesis, Evan finds himself pitted against one of his closest friends and allies, Tommy. I really enjoyed parts of the internal conflict Evan faced in this book while trying to resolve his friendship with Tommy and the commandments he lives his life by.

"𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜."

"𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡."

Tommy's character makes for a great antagonist. We know how skilled he is and he knows how Evan operates. We've seen them build a solid friendship over the last few books and now Evan struggles to come to terms with new information he has learned and what it means for, not only this friendship, but for any friendships at all. And Evan's biggest fear of all....is he getting soft?

Unfortunately, I felt like this was a backstory for the real plot of this book. Tommy gets a call from a son of an old "friend" and decides that he'll do whatever it takes to protect him. Why Tommy decides to do this even after he learns about what these men did and continue to do is a mystery to me. The biggest problem I had with this storyline was the portrayal of the murder of four innocent people as "the reckless stupidity of the boys" instead of what it actually was, the racially motivated murder by a wanna be militia of grown men. Why does Tommy decide that saving these men is the hill he wants to die on? Your guess is as good as mine.

Otherwise, this book has everything we expect and love about an Orphan X novel. I always love the scenes of Evan trying to navigate his relationship with Joey while Joey is figuring out who she is as a 17yo girl who was raised to be a killer but is instead going to college and struggling to fit in. Joey definitely gets herself into an interesting situation and Evan puts his foot in his mouth a few times.

This was an enjoyable read, but was not my favorite book of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gregg Hurwitz, and Minotaur Books for the ARC of this book!

This book gave me all the feels. Every emotion one could possibly feel from a book about a lethal assassin – apparently it's a lot – came to light in this book!

There were some more serious subject matters covered in this book compared to past ones in the series and it was refreshing and interesting to see how Evan handled everything without bullets flying everywhere. I also felt this one had a lot less action and bloodshed than the previous books, but regardless, I read this from start to finish in a few hours because I couldn't put it down.

10 books in and I am still just as obsessed with this series as I was when I finished the first book. Not sure how long we're keeping X around, but I'll be here for the next 10 books if that's what we get. All the praise!

Another thrilling Orphan X novel. I wasn't sure about the thing with Tommy - cause he's a great character, but it worked. Lots more of an ensemble cast in this one - I love getting other perspectives.

I have read all of the Orphan X books and this is one of Mr Hurwitz best. Evan/Orphan X always fights to keep his humanity and this time we see that happening just a bit more than usual.
I loved to see much of the book centering on Tommy this time and his 'reclamation project.' 5 stars+ and can't wait until the next book!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of “Nemesis” in exchange for an honest review.

Evan vs. Tommy. That is the battle royale at the center of “Nemesis”, the latest entry in the terrific Orphan X series. Tommy has been Evan’s closest friend and weapons supplier for years, but has now seemingly violated Evan’s code and may require a dispensing of justice not unlike the many that Evan has handed out to other evildoers during his time as the widely feared “Nowhere Man”.

Meanwhile, there are some other situations developing elsewhere, such as Tommy protecting some shady characters to fulfill a promise he had made, as well as another group of lethal assassins called the Four Horsemen that are closing in. Much of this is window dressing though for the inevitable showdown between Evan and Tommy, leading to a surprising and emotional conclusion.

Overall, another stellar outing for Orphan X. 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).

Thanks for the ARC!! This book was great. I've read a couple books by Gregg Hurwitz before, but this was my first of the Orphan X series. I will definitely be going back and catching up on the older ones. This story had so many moving parts, and the way the ultimately all came together worked well.

This was a fast pace read and this was my first book from the Orphan X series you can read them as a standalone but I’d probably suggest to read them in order so you know what is going on with some of the characters.

I really enjoyed this book and will start reading the others in the series now!

What I liked is this book has chapter titles not many books do that anymore from what I’ve read so I enjoyed that part of it

It’s action packed as well. I couldn’t put this down!

Thank you Netgally and St. Martin's Press for letting me read this ARC and review it for you!

I like these novels and the characters. This is definitely one of my favorite of this series and maybe one of the sadest, in my opinion. It has plenty of action, angst, and friendship trouble for Evan and I enjoyed reading it very much. I would like to know what happened to Hick though. Maybe he'll have his own story one day.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gregg Hurwitz is one of the best thriller writers working today, and this reader devoured Nemesis in one sitting.

Orphan X, the Nowhere Man. Is out for vengeance against his best friend Tommy Stojak. Stojak sold the armament used to kill innocents, and that violated every code Evan holds dear.

This action packed thriller will stay with readers long after the last page is turned. Highly recommended. #Nemesis #Netgalley #SaltMarshAuthorSeries

When one of the only “friends” The Nowhere Man has ever had seemingly betrays his trust and his code, Evan Smoak aka The Nowhere Man aka former Orphan X, goes on the offensive, determined to uphold his Commandments.

In the tenth installment in the Orphan X series, Gregg Hurwitz delivers yet another thriller that is sure to top the Best of 2025 lists next year. He is Escher with the pen, creating mind-bending twists and turns leaving you with your eyes crossed, but still willing his readers to finish yet another chapter. Hurwitz books are renowned thrillers due to their intricate, detailed yet spell-binding prose. It drifts readers across the pages like a musical staff, each note perfectly placed, complete with sharps and flats, false endings, and crescendos. Hurwitz is A Midsummer Night’s Dream or The Great Gatsby, and each novel leaves me intoxicated on X's vodka, sending me into a spiral as we await the next book in the series.

It’s hard to convey how well written and stellar these books are. This book takes a turn deep into the psyche of The Nowhere Man, battling with his ever-growing “human” side. As much as I yearn to learn more of Smoak’s relationship with Mia, this novel takes a sharp turn into his brotherhood with Tommy Stojack, the hilarious and gruff arms dealer. It is a beautifully knit tale of friendship, strife, silence, and doing the right thing.

One of my favorite parts of a Hurwitz book is his ability to weave in life lessons that the reader can literally take and implement into their lives — about being a proper human, about your relationship with yourself and your emotions, and friendship.

This novel is bound to stick with readers for a long time. And I will now pour a plastic handle of Svedka into a highball glass with a dozen ice cubes to mourn the fact that I will dearly miss Smoak, Joey, Tommy, Dog, and Vera until the next time I pick up an Orphan X book. Come to think of it, now may be the perfect time to re-read the entire series…

As someone who thoroughly enjoys these types of books, I have always held the Orphan X series in the highest regard. I have given up on other series because they become too formulaic, and I have trouble telling one book from another because they all eventually feel the same. I do not have this problem with Orphan X. With book ten in the series, I am still as invested as I was after reading book one.

I was very interested to see where this book would after the ending of Lone Wolf (book nine). While all the books have some amount of action, this one seemed to have the least which I did not mind. It was interesting seeing Evan try to resolve his problems with his words (and vodka) instead of bullets. I really enjoyed seeing Even and Tommy try to reconcile, fail, and try again because they both realized the depth of their relationship.

Overall, I really enjoyed the latest book in this series (as you could probably tell from my rating). I truly enjoy seeing Evan actively trying to hold on to his humanity and mentor Joey while fulfilling his self-imposed assignment to be the Nowhere Man. Here’s looking forward to book eleven!