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Some people spend their whole lives working toward retirement—dreaming of the day when they no longer have to get up and go to work—only to discover that life with no schedule and nothing to do can be surprisingly boring. That’s definitely the case for the man formerly known as The Nowhere Man in Prodigal Son, the sixth Orphan X novel by author Gregg Hurwitz.
The story catches up with Evan Smoak, the mystery man formerly known as Orphan X, as he’s attempting to settle into his President-mandated retirement. When he gets a call from a woman who claims to be his mother, he can’t help but investigate. But when he meets Veronica, she puts him in a difficult position. She wants him to help a man whose life is in danger—who has nowhere else to turn. But helping him would mean going back to work and putting his peaceful (albeit boring) retirement in danger.
As Evan considers Veronica’s request, he realizes that he really misses the work. He misses helping other people. And he misses having something to do with his days, besides annoying former Orphan Program recruit and adoptive niece Joey. But once he starts looking into the situation, he realizes that the case isn’t so simple. Andre inadvertently got himself in trouble with some powerful and ruthless people—and it will take all of Evan’s power (and maybe even more) to save him.
But the Orphan X series is one that keeps me coming back for more because it’s not just a series of fast-paced thrillers. There’s so much more to this character than just his ability to track down and punish any bad guy who shows up on his radar. Evan is conflicted—a killer with a conscience. He’s devoted years of his life to helping those who can’t help themselves. Yet there’s something so wonderfully vulnerable about him, too. Though he was trained as a secret government assassin—recruited because he had no ties and no emotional connections—he actually has a heart. He cares deeply about his neighbor and her son—a feeling that made him reconsider his life choices. And when his mother shows up, he finds himself opening up to even more feelings that he previously didn’t know he could feel. All of these emotions add depth and drama to the action—making it a thrilling read with characters that you’ll care about.
Like earlier installments in the Orphan X series, Prodigal Son offers both action and a solid story—and the story here is even more dramatic than most. It’s another noteworthy entry in a must-read thriller series.
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