Orphan X: A Novel (41 page)
Authors: Gregg Hurwitz
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #United States, #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Thrillers & Suspense, #Crime, #Suspense, #Thrillers
—Melissa Hurwitz, M.D., and Bret Nelson, M.D., for patching up my injured characters or permitting them to expire with the dignity of verisimilitude.
—My editor, Keith Kahla of the keen eye and tireless ethic, for helping hammer Evan Smoak into shape. The rest of my team at Minotaur Books—Andrew Martin, Kelley Ragland, Paul Hochman, Jennifer Enderlin, Sally Richardson, Hector DeJean, and Hannah Braaten—for giving him a home.
—Caspian Dennis of the Abner Stein Agency, and Rowland White and his fine team at Michael Joseph/Penguin Group UK for taking care of Orphan X on his OCONUS operations.
—The unimprovable Lisa Erbach Vance, as well as Aaron Priest, John Richmond, and Melissa Edwards of the Aaron Priest Agency.
—My superb crew at Creative Artists Agency—Trevor Astbury, Rob Kenneally, Peter Micelli, and Michelle Weiner for giving Evan a sensational boost.
—Marc H. Glick of Glick & Weintraub and Stephen F. Breimer of Bloom, Hergott, Diemer, et al., who have had my back for two decades and change.
—Philip Eisner, for his writer’s eye and dark sensibilities.
—Dana Kaye, publicist extraordinaire.
—And of course Maureen Sugden, my dream copyeditor.
—Thing One (Simba) and Thing Two (Cairo), who accompany me into every chapter.
—Daughter One and Daughter Two for making me happy to come out of the book every evening.
—And Wife One. For that thumbs-up you flashed on September 26, 2013.
Gregg Hurwitz
is the
New York Times
bestselling author of numerous thrillers, including
You’re Next
and
The Survivor
. Critically acclaimed, Hurwitz is a two-time finalist for ITW’s Best Novel prize and a finalist for CWA’s Steel Dagger. In addition to his novels, Hurwitz is a screenwriter, TV producer, and comic book author.
Orphan X
has been sold in sixteen countries. Hurwitz, who lives in Los Angeles, is writing the screenplay adaption of
Orphan X
for Warner Bros. and Bradley Cooper. You can sign up for email updates
here
.
Also by
Gregg Hurwitz
The Tower
Minutes to Burn
Do No Harm
The Kill Clause
The Program
Troubleshooter
Last Shot
The Crime Writer
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Contents
1. The Morning-Beverage Measure
25. Business of a Certain Type
34. The Samurai-Sword Incident
39. A Noise that Kept Not Coming
42. The Inside of a Conspiracy Theorist’s Mind
53. A Backstroke with No Water
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
ORPHAN X.
Copyright © 2016 by Gregg Hurwitz. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
Cover design by Ervin Serrano
Cover photographs: man by Silas Manhood; street by Andrew Cribb/iStock
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-25006784-5 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-7651-4 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466876514
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at
[email protected]
.
First Edition: January 2016