What happens when you take Alcoholics Anonymous and breed it with John Wick? You get Assassins Anonymous, a clever tale about how hired guns go into recovery and support each other to rediscover their morality. Even when there are hoards of killers who want nothing more than to murder you right in the face.
Mark is a former hit man known to all as the Pale Horse, a name that strikes fear and reverence across the world. However, the toll that all the killing had taken on him became too much and he turned to a support group of former assassins to begin a 12-step program towards recovery. But this is not a job that you can quietly retire from, which Mark realizes the moment he’s engaged in a violent attack and fighting for his life. Now on the run, he must determine who’s after him, why they are chasing him and, in the process, not kill anyone and reset his recovery clock from almost one year since killing someone to zero. Which turns out to be a real disadvantage when the other side has guns, knives and goons ready to put you 6 feet underground. Regardless, he’s still the Pale Horse and can kick major ass when the occasion calls for it. And the occasion most definitely calls for it right now.
Assassins Anonymous is the most unique take on a hitman-centric thriller you have ever read. A thriller in which the killer refuses to kill. A crazy concept that works. Maybe because the incredible violence is counterbalanced with pensive exploration of a person’s humanity and capacity for change. And just because the reformed assassin doesn’t want to take more lives doesn’t mean there isn’t a smorgasbord of brutality and bloodshed. Au contraire mon frère. The action sequences are plentiful and glorious. With more than a few gut punches – literally and figuratively – to elicit emotion and keep you on your toes throughout the twisting story. Add in some humor and heart, and this novel delivers a compelling read that is much more than just an interesting premise.
Kudos to Rob Hart on taking a risk and providing an unusual spin into a well-defined genre. It pays off in a big way, delivering a book that is equal parts playful, vicious, and heartfelt. One not to be missed by thriller fans.
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