Title: Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz
Orphan X Series Book Five
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Action, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 392 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher
Summary:
The New York Times bestselling Orphan X returns – just when Evan Smoak thinks he’s done, his deadliest job yet pulls him back Into The Fire…
Evan Smoak lives by his own code.
Once he was known as Orphan X. Trained as an off-the-books government assassin and spoken about only in whispers, Evan Smoak was one of the most talented – and most feared – men in the Program. But he broke free and reinvented himself as The Nowhere Man, a figure shrouded in mystery, known for helping the truly desperate.
If anyone is truly desperate, it’s Max Merriweather.
Max is at the end of his rope. His cousin has been brutally murdered, leaving Max an envelope that contains nothing but a mysterious key. However, someone really wants that key, badly enough that Max – and anyone he turns to – is in deadly danger. What seems like a simple job for The Nowhere Man turns out to be anything but. Behind every threat he takes out, a deadlier one emerges and Evan Smoak must put himself in greater danger than ever before as he heads once more Into The Fire.
Review:
Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz is an adrenaline fueled thriller with pulse-pounding action and a skilled assassin turned vigilante. In this latest outing in the Orphan X series, former government black ops assassin Evan Smoak aka the Nowhere Man and Orphan X answers the phone and accepts what he plans to be his final case.
Max Merriweather has no idea what his murdered cousin Grant was involved in, but he wants to honor his last request. Quickly discovering that Grant is not the only victim, Max escapes undetected with what could possibly contain answers for his many questions. Fearing for his life, he has a fortuitous encounter that leads to the Nowhere Man. Examining the thumb drive Grant handed over to his cousin right before his death, Evan knows exactly why Grant was murdered. With the help of teenage hacker and friend, Joey Morales, they quickly discover the identity of the people who are hunting Max. But is there more to this tangled web of illegal activities than Smoak and Morales believe?
Evan is finally at the point where he believes he has atoned for his past. Although he does not have a clear vision of his future, he is ready to leave behind the Nowhere Man and live a normal life. Due to his past, he has few social skills so traversing his very involved homeowners’ association is quite tricky. So are his attempts to navigate his awkward relationship with his neighbor D.A. Mia Hall and her son Peter.
Max is the failure of the Merriweather family and he is definitely persona non grata with his relatives. He has yet to recover from the failure of his marriage which only adds to his feelings of worthlessness. Despite the danger that awaits him around every corner, Max wants to honor his (reluctant) promise to Grant. But will he emerge from this quest unscathed?
Evan is self-confident he can eliminate the threat on Max’s life and he methodically begins gathering information on his targets. With Joey’s invaluable assistance, he zeroes in on the suspects and sets up reconnaissance. An unexpectedly dangerous encounter results in a concussion but Evan does not have time to stop for his recovery. Battling his head injury’s extremely worrisome symptoms, the Nowhere Man is unstoppable as he methodically and ruthlessly sets out to vanquish Max’s foes. Unfortunately, once one risk is removed, another takes its place. Has the Nowhere Man finally met his match? Or will he, Joey and Max completely uncover the labyrinth of corruption in time to prevent another deadly plot devised by the bad guys to evade detection and capture?
With non-stop action, unanticipated twists and exhilarating turns, Into the Fire is a riveting and suspenseful mystery. Evan is a complex character with a surprising need to make up for his past which weighs rather heavily on his conscience. Max is a sympathetic client whom Evan offers encouragement and suggestions to shore up his non-existent self-confidence. Despite Evan’s encounters with numerous obstacles and deadly encounters, Gregg Hurwitz brings this electrifying thriller to a dramatic, hair-raising conclusion. This brilliant installment in the Orphan X series ends with a shocking phone call that will leave fans breathlessly anticipating the next adventure starring Evan Smoak.
