A review by mad_about_books
Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz

adventurous dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 

My first impression of LONE WOLF is mind blown! Gregg Hurwitz just doesn't disappoint! 

Some series are written to be binged. Some series are written to be savored over time. I confess to binge reading the first few books in the Orphan X series. Each book could have been the last-in-series, but my anticipation of another thriller remained high. Hope springs eternal, and so far, hope paid off.

Orphan X, the Nowhere Man, has grown exponentially as the stories progressed. In his head he may still be the OCD plagued loner, but there are now people in his life. Closest to him is Josephine -"Joey" Morales the brilliant Orphan program washout. She adds a messiness to his life that both drives him crazy and expands his horizons. Tommy Stojack and Melinda Truong are essential to his mission and probably the closest thing to friends he allows himself.

A Nowhere Man mission always starts with a call to his RoamZone from someone who needs his help. In LONE WOLF, the call comes from Sofia, the daughter of his half-brother. Her dog Loco is missing, and she is heartbroken. The undercurrent here is family and connections — concepts foreign to Evan Smoak. True to form, Gregg Hurwitz turns locating a missing mutt into a full-blown thriller complete with assassinations, industrial espionage, and a girl truly in need of the help of the Nowhere Man.

Without giving anything away, I was gob smacked by a diatribe in Chapter 36. It would be unethical for me to quote the long passage in its entirety; however, it is a perfect microcosm of the intersection of humans with technology as we experience it today. I find Hurwitz prose to be storytelling perfection to be savored like a shot of VDKA 6100, in a rocks glass, with a single ice cube.

After reading the final line, you should take the time to read the Acknowledgements. Even in describing those people who have helped make the Orphan X series come alive there is a unique flavor worth exploring.