Evan remained on call 24/7 for the unfortunates, awaiting a 1-855-2-NOWHERE call on his high tech, untraceable, and indestructible RoamZone phone. Evan thought he was ready to lead an ordinary life—whatever that was—without the prospect of death lurking around the corner. But was he? This fourth installment opens with Evan Smoake-AKA "Orphan X”, plotting the assassination of the president of the United States- for good reason. It’s a kill or be killed kind of situation. Evan Smoak lives by his own code. As a boy he was taken from a foster home to be raised and trained as an off-the-books government assassin codenamed Orphan X. Then he broke free to live in the shadows as the Nowhere Man, using his unique skills to help those in desperate need. But all good things must come to an end. He’ll take on one last mission then go out on a high note. Clean, neat and tidy, just the way he likes it. And then he met Max Merriweather. During his rare moments of relaxation, Evan sometimes visits his downstairs neighbors, single mother Mia Hall and her nine-year-old son Peter. Evan and Mia hover on the precipice of a real romance, but - given Evan's circumstances- this is an extremely dangerous proposition.

Evan also has a side “business” as the Nowhere Man where he helps people who are at their last resort and desperate. Evan is a man the reader roots for. He’s like Superman, conquering evil at every step. This is my favorite book of the series so far. It doesn't spend as much time reflecting on the past, instead focusing on X's current missions. I really liked Mia and Peter's interactions in this outing as well. Mia is X's long standing will they, won't they partner. X is torn between keeping them safe and actually having a personal relationship.

Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X books in order:

We don’t call it Death by PowerPoint for nothing! He flies around the world on his cases, occasionally getting “home” to his fortress-like flat in a building where Mia and son Peter live, two people he’s come to care for.

Taken from a group home at age twelve, Evan Smoak was raised and trained as part of the Orphan Program, an off-the-books operation designed to create deniable intelligence assets―i.e. assassins. Evan was Orphan X. He broke with the Program, using everything he learned to disappear and reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man, a man who helps the truly desperate when no one else can. But now Evan's past is catching up to him. The fourth Orphan X novel works well as a stand alone story even though the third book does lead into it. Orphan X was part of a government program to raise orphans to be assassins. After a time, his conscience got the better of him. He went off on his own as the Nowhere Man, setting up a service to help those in dire straights with nowhere left to turn to. In this novel, he's also being hunted by the President. He used to be in charge of the Orphan program and is now hunting down the Orphans before they can expose his involvement. Orphan X is now trying to kill the President before the President finds him. Since this is an Orphan X story, there's also the added element where a mentally handicapped man also needs the Nowhere Man's help. Orphan X has to juggle both missions at the same time without getting killed.

Out of the Dark

Just writing this review has made my pulse start pounding thinking about the plot of this ridiculous book and yet I LOVED every second of it. In this 4th book in the "Orphan X" series Evan Smoak - also known as Orphan X - plans to kill the President of the United States, Jonathan Bennett. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the series is a plus. At an early age, Evan Smoak was taken from a children's home and trained as an assassin, becoming Orphan X. After years of killing on behalf of the government, Evan went off the grid as he stepped away from the program. Now he has become the Nowhere Man, a guy who helps those who can't help themselves. The best part for me came with the end.... When it was all said and done, this felt like a story of redemption. Dude, in “Out of the Dark,” Evan Smoak had me in fear for his life. (I know, I know, he puts his own life in his hands all of the time, but THIS TIME?!).. Frak. Just frak. I can’t even.

Last we saw Orphan X his high rise ultra secure lair had been blown up and he was falling from the sky so to speak. Orphan X who is really Evan Smoak is busy rebuilding and improving it and is hiring illegal's to do the work but paying them exorbitant wages as he is that type of guy. X is part of a now defunct government run op who is a lethal weapon and literally see things unfold steps ahead of everyone else. With all the bad he has done X now pays it forward by helping people in need. Once helped your bill as his customer is to provide his phone number to another person who is in need of true help. This call certainly poses a dilemma for Evan. Aragon, like himself, is both a bad and good man. He is an unconventional businessman, although involved in the drug trade, and is also the patron of the small town, Eden, in south Texas, which flourishes under his guidance. He benevolently supplies legitimate employment and aid to the helpless, while meting out justice to the cruel and malevolent.At an early age, Evan Smoak was taken from a children's home and trained as an assassin, becoming Orphan X. After years of killing on behalf of the government, Evan went off the grid as he stepped away from the program. Now he has become the No Oh, and there was so much gory violence, it felt like I was wading knee-deep through blood. I haven't felt like that since Stuart MacBride's Cold Granite. This was an intense and fast read for me. Thank goodness there was Joey to help break the tension. Evan is an assassin who tries to do good for others and only kills known bad guys. (Naturally, he has access to all manner of intelligence to ensure he only gets true bad guys.) I find these novels super fun and fast-paced. The descriptions of fight scenes are incredibly well done. I never understand anything about all the weapons Evan manages to use, but Hurwitz does a great job of getting you to wonder how Evan will prevail, even though you strongly suspect that, in the end, he will. Taken from a group home at age twelve, Evan Smoak was raised and trained as part of the Orphan Program, an off-the-books operation designed to create deniable intelligence assets―i.e. assassins. Evan was Orphan X. He broke with the Program, using everything he learned to disappear and reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man, a man who helps the truly desperate when no one else can. But now Evan’s past in the Orphan Program is reaching out to him. With time running out, he will need to out-think, out-manoeuvre, and out-fight an opponent the likes of whom he’s never encountered to have any chance of escape. He’s got to save himself to protect those whose lives depend on him. Or die trying.

Note this is Book 4 of the Orphan X series but I had not read the previous 3 and was great as a stand alone ( although am going to buy and read the other 3 now ) Evan is an over-achiever, the best of the best, but can he stay one step ahead of his fellow orphans gunning for him? High energy action, moments of sweet connections and gut-deep revelations make this addition to the Orphan X series another powerful, and magnetic read!After the last Orphan X novel, Prodigal Son, I was eagerly awaiting this one. You might even say that I was waiting for this one with bated breath. What I got was a big letdown. Although Evan’s Nowhere Man job is complete, the story ends with some ambiguity and a definite sense of foreboding for our hero… On this mission, he’s up against a formidable opponent: Special Agent in Charge, Naomi Templeton has the Secret Service in her genes and has recently been promoted to Deputy Director of Protective Intelligence and Assessment. And as the daughter of a former Director, she has something to prove. But Hank Templeton, now languishing in an Aged Care Facility, could also be a distraction. What Evan Smoak isn’t initially aware of is the dangerous man who has been tasked with killing him.