On January 26, 2021, Evan Smoak returns to action in Prodigal Son, the next must-read thriller from New York Times bestselling author Gregg Hurwitz.
Smoak, also known as Orphan X (a once government-trained assassin) and the Nowhere Man (a tough-as-nails vigilante) will attempt to adjust to life as a normal citizen when readers catch back up with him in Hurwitz’s forthcoming new novel.
Following the events of Out of the Dark (2018) and Into the Fire (2019), Hurwitz’s latest—the sixth book in his series that started back in 2016 with Orphan X—is said to finally cross paths with the woman who gave him up for adoption, which led to him being placed in the foster care system where the government plucked him from before turning him into a killer.
For those who’ve read the series from the beginning, the storyline follows a similar trend we’ve seen in previous books—closure. From reconnecting with his handler to searching for the man behind the Orphan Program, much of Evan’s journey has followed him as he attempts to close certain parts of his life. Now, that theme continues in Prodigal Son, and Book Spy readers are getting an exclusive first look at the cover art.
As a boy, Evan Smoak was pulled out of a foster home and trained in an off-the-books operation known as the Orphan Program. He was a government assassin, perhaps the best, known to a few insiders as Orphan X. He eventually broke with the Program and adopted a new name – The Nowhere Man—and a new mission, helping the most desperate in their times of trouble. But the highest power in the country has made him a tempting offer – in exchange for an unofficial pardon, he must stop his clandestine activities as The Nowhere Man. Now Evan has to do the one thing he’s least equipped to do – live a normal life.
But then he gets a call for help from the one person he never expected. A woman claiming to have given him up for adoption, a woman he never knew – his mother. Her unlikely request: help Andrew Duran – a man whose life has gone off the rails, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, bringing him to the deadly attention of very powerful figures. Now a brutal brother & sister assassination team are after him and with no one to turn to, and no safe place to hide, Evan is Duran’s only option. But when the hidden cabal catches on to what Evan is doing, everything he’s fought for is on the line–including his own life.
Gregg Hurwitz is the New York Times bestselling author of the Orphan X books, including Out of the Dark. Critically acclaimed, his novels have graced top ten lists and have been published in 22 languages. Additionally, he’s written screenplays for and sold scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television for various networks. Hurwitz resides in Los Angeles.
Though the publication date is set for next year, Prodigal Son is not yet available for pre-order, but we’ll update this article just as soon as it is. In the meantime, make sure you’re following Gregg Hurwitz on Facebook, Twitter, and his official website for more details.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and pens a monthly thriller column for CrimeReads. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He currently lives in Southwest Michigan with his wife and their six children.