Review by Booklist Review
It's not Evan Smoak's usual case, tracking down a child's missing dog; he got guilted into it. But the dog's trail leads Evan, the former government assassin also known as Orphan X, to something more familiar: a murdered man, a ruthless killer, and a whole lot of mystery. The ninth Orphan X novel is as tightly plotted as the previous eight, and just as suspenseful. Evan continues to be a strong, enigmatic series lead--each book reveals a little more about the man, but there's a lot left to be revealed--and Hurwitz continues to dazzle the reader with cleverly staged action sequences and wonderfully villainous antagonists. (In this case, a chillingly efficient female assassin known as the Wolf seems like a match for Evan in nearly every way.) Fans of the series will be lining up to read this one, and because each book works just fine as a stand-alone, new readers can jump right in. Keep 'em coming!
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Hurwitz's creaky latest mission for former black ops assassin Evan Smoak (after The Last Orphan) finds the mercenary getting more than he bargained for when he agrees to track down a missing dog. In the years since Smoak left the shadowy U.S. Orphan Program, he's spent his days dodging government assassins while making a living as a private gun-for-hire. His latest assignment is more low-stakes than usual: Sofia, his half brother's 11-year-old daughter, hires him to track down her pinscher/Chihuahua mix. The search for the AWOL pooch takes on bigger stakes when, while casing the neighborhood where the dog was last seen, Smoak encounters the bloody handiwork of Karissa Lopatina, an assassin known as the Wolf. With the help of his allies--including teen protégé Joey and expert forger Melinda Truong--Smoak learns the Wolf is involved in a war between deranged billionaires over a dangerous technology, and enters into a bone-crunching cage match to bring her down. Hurwitz brings more humor to the table than usual this time, and fleshes out Smoak's family ties in an attempt to add dimension to the character. Still, it's not enough to enliven the dusty plot. This series appears to be running out of steam. (Feb.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A maverick assassin squares off against a ruthless AI magnate and a mercenary doppelgänger. Franchise fans will be pleased to learn that The Last Orphan (2023) wasn't. "Nowhere Man" Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X, is back for his ninth taut thriller. He comes to consciousness, bloody and broken and barely alive, in a remote part of Texas outside the range of the RoamZone tracker that monitors him. While Evan reestablishes contact with teenage sidekick/protégé Joey and undertakes the goofy but heart-tugging challenge of finding his niece Sofia's missing dog, Loco, efficient assassin Karissa Lopatina is hard at work, drowning software engineering manager Anwuli Okonkwo in her bathtub, then killing AI expert Dr. Benjamin Hill, whose path happens to have crossed Loco's. She's still on the scene when Evan arrives (what are the odds?). Their showdown takes a tragic turn when Hill's teenage daughter tries to intervene, allowing Karissa to get away and leaving Evan to deal with the police. His narrow escape, combining guile and muscle, is vintage Hurwitz, set forth with gritty edge and puckish humor in short, punchy chapters that include several similar nail-biting scenes. Loco remains at large as Evan's twisty path takes him to a creepy megalomaniac ironically named Allman and eventually to a face-to-face with Karissa, who, gender aside, could be his identical twin. A handful of characters from previous Orphan X capers return, including Tanner and Devine, who make cameo appearances. Crisp character delineation and a propulsive, forward-moving plot should keep new readers engaged. Another crackling caper for the solitary Orphan X. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
