Gregg Hurwitz’s 2016 novel, Orphan X made my seven favourite books of the year list. I loved it. I adored our protagonist – former assassin turned protector of the helpless, Evan Smoak (aka Orphan X, aka The Nowhere Man) – and enjoyed the unfolding plot focused around Evan’s backstory.
I was nervous about picking up the second in the series but needn’t have worried, as I raced through The Nowhere Man in a day.
Orphan X (aka Evan Smoak), is being described by many as ‘the next Jason Bourne or Jack Reacher’. Indeed many of my fave authors are attesting to the fact via quotes of endorsement on the book and / or via author Gregg Hurwitz’s website.
And—though I’m sometimes cynical about that kind of publicity—I’m relieved to say the accolades are well and truly deserved in this instance.
I must admit I’m a little undecided about Gregg Hurwitz’s latest novel. I saw Gregg speak at the Brisbane Writers’ Festival half a dozen years ago and became a bit of a fan. He obviously writes well and develops great characters, however I realise my appreciation of his work depends a little on what he’s writing about: the topic and backdrop, rather than the plot itself.
His latest for example, is less of a whodunit and more ‘action or adventure’ based. The staying alive-in-the-wilds thing is not really MY thing – though I was (bizarrely) once a huge fan of the likes of David Morrell, Len Deight0n and Robert Ludlum.