Gregg Hurwitz Books in Order
The complete guide to Gregg Hurwitz's thrillers, including the Orphan X series, Tim Rackley books, and standalones, with reading orders and summaries.
Last updated: December 15, 2025
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Publication Order
44 books
Antihero
by Gregg Hurwitz
2026
A short story diving into the moral complexities of Evan Smoak's world, where the line between hero and villain is often defined by who is holding the gun.
The Code
by Gregg Hurwitz
2025
A short story exploring the rigid ethical commandments that guide Evan Smoak's life as an assassin and vigilante, shedding light on the training that made him Orphan X.
Nemesis
by Gregg Hurwitz
2025
Evan Smoak faces his deadliest challenge yet when he is pitted against a mysterious operative who matches his own skill set. The Nowhere Man may have finally met his equal.
Lone Wolf
by Gregg Hurwitz
2024
A sniper kills Evan's family members, but the target is Evan himself. Betrayed by his own inner circle, the Nowhere Man must hunt down a shooter who knows his every move.
The Recital
by Gregg Hurwitz
2023
An Orphan X short story. Evan Smoak deals with the lighter side of life—and a bit of danger—as he supports Joey Morales, proving that even assassins have family obligations.
The Last Orphan
by Gregg Hurwitz
2023
The President offers Evan a pardon, but only if he kills a wealthy energy tycoon. Evan refuses to be a hitman again, forcing a showdown between the Nowhere Man and the full power of the US government.
New Think, Vol. 1
by Gregg Hurwitz
2022
A sci-fi anthology collection satirizing modern culture. Each story acts as a dark mirror to our world, exploring the consequences of polarization and unchecked technology.
Dark Horse
by Gregg Hurwitz
2022
A drug kingpin asks Evan to rescue his kidnapped daughter from a rival cartel. Evan must decide if he can work for a bad man to do a good thing, infiltrating a fortress where money is no object.
Prodigal Son
by Gregg Hurwitz
2021
Evan receives a call from a woman claiming to be his mother. She needs help protecting a stranger, drawing Evan into a complex plot involving experimental weapons and a past he thought he had left behind.
The List
by Gregg Hurwitz
2020
An Orphan X short story. Evan Smoak returns to handle a mission that tests his skills and his code, proving once again why he is the only hope for those who have none.
Into the Fire
by Gregg Hurwitz
2020
Max Merriweather's cousin is murdered, leaving him with a mysterious envelope and a target on his back. Evan Smoak steps in to uncover a conspiracy that reaches into the darkest corners of Los Angeles.
Out of the Dark
by Gregg Hurwitz
2019
The President of the United States, Jonathan Bennett, decides to eliminate the last surviving Orphans. Evan Smoak is the primary target, and he must take the fight directly to the White House to survive.
The Intern
by Gregg Hurwitz
2018
A short story in which Evan Smoak helps a young tabloid intern who has stumbled into a dangerous crime zone. To get her out alive, he has to deploy the skills of the Nowhere Man.
Hellbent
by Gregg Hurwitz
2018
Jack Johns, the man who trained Evan, calls with a desperate request: protect his last recruit. Evan must go against his own government to save the teenager, risking everything to honor the man who was like a father to him.
The Nowhere Man
by Gregg Hurwitz
2017
Evan Smoak is ambushed, drugged, and locked in a secure room in a remote chalet. Cut off from his resources and surrounded by guards, he must use his wits to escape before his captors auction him off.
Last Chance
by Gregg Hurwitz
2017
The sequel to *The Rains*. The surviving kids of Creek's Cause continue their desperate battle against the alien-infected adults, searching for a way to stop the invasion and save their older friends.
The Rains
by Gregg Hurwitz
2016
In a small town, a meteorite turns everyone over eighteen into ferocious, zombie-like hosts. Chance Rain and his brother Patrick must lead the surviving children to safety before Patrick reaches the age of infection.
Orphan X
by Gregg Hurwitz
2016
Evan Smoak is the Nowhere Man, a former government assassin who now uses his skills to help the desperate. But when a job goes wrong, he finds himself trapped in a trap set by someone who knows his classified past.
Buy a Bullet
by Gregg Hurwitz
2016
In this short story, Evan Smoak steps out as the Nowhere Man for the first time. After spotting a young woman in trouble at a coffee shop, he intervenes to save her from a powerful abuser.
Dirty Weather
by Gregg Hurwitz
2015
A novella set in the Tim Rackley universe. Rackley faces a new threat that tests his resolve, delivering the gritty law-enforcement action fans of the series expect.
Don't Look Back
by Gregg Hurwitz
2014
Eve Hardaway is the only witness to a murder during a jungle vacation in Mexico. Hunted by a predator through the wilderness, she must find the strength to survive and protect the people she loves.
Clay
by Gregg Hurwitz
2014
A *Batman: The Dark Knight* arc exploring the tragic nature of Clayface. It blends high-stakes action with an emotional look at a villain who has lost his humanity.
Tell No Lies
by Gregg Hurwitz
2013
Daniel Brasher receives death threats in the mail that are intended for others—victims who are later found murdered. He races to interpret the clues and stop the killer before he becomes the next target.
Mad
by Gregg Hurwitz
2013
A *Batman: The Dark Knight* arc. The Mad Hatter strikes Gotham, and his obsession with Alice leads him to target Bruce Wayne's girlfriend, creating a personal nightmare for the Dark Knight.
Cycle of Violence
by Gregg Hurwitz
2013
A *Batman: The Dark Knight* arc. The Scarecrow kidnaps Batman and subjects him to a potent new fear toxin, forcing Bruce Wayne to relive his deepest traumas.
The Survivor
by Gregg Hurwitz
2012
Nate Overbay, a suicidal ex-soldier with ALS, stops a bank robbery and becomes an accidental hero. But his actions attract the attention of a ruthless mob boss, giving Nate one last reason to fight.
Penguin
by Gregg Hurwitz
2012
The collected edition of *Penguin: Pain and Prejudice*. A dark and sympathetic origin story detailing Oswald Cobblepot's rise from bullied child to Gotham's most ruthless crime lord.
You're Next
by Gregg Hurwitz
2011
Mike Wingate's happy family life is threatened when a menacing past he doesn't remember catches up with him. He turns to his childhood friend, a dangerous survivalist, to help protect his wife and daughter.
Shadowland: Moon Knight
by Gregg Hurwitz
2011
Daredevil has taken over Hell's Kitchen and the Hand. Moon Knight must navigate the chaos of the Shadowland event, confronting his own dark connection to the avatar of Khonshu.
Vengeance of the Moon Knight, Vol. 2
by Gregg Hurwitz
2010
Moon Knight teams up with Spider-Man and faces Deadpool in this action-packed conclusion to Hurwitz's run, highlighting the hero's struggle for redemption.
Vengeance of the Moon Knight, Vol. 1
by Gregg Hurwitz
2010
Marc Spector returns to New York with a new mission: to be a true hero. He takes on Norman Osborn and his own inner demons, trying to fight crime without killing.
They're Watching
by Gregg Hurwitz
2009
Patrick Davis, a struggling screenwriter, receives a DVD showing him inside his own house. Stalked and framed for a crime he didn't commit, he must unravel the voyeuristic plot before his life is destroyed.
Foolkiller: White Angels
by Gregg Hurwitz
2009
The Foolkiller returns to Los Angeles to hunt down a white supremacist hate group known as the White Angels, dispensing his own brutal brand of punishment.
Wolverine: Dangerous Games
by Gregg Hurwitz
2008
A collection of Wolverine stories. Hurwitz's contribution sees Logan facing off against hunters who view the mutant as the ultimate trophy, leading to a bloody showdown.
Trust No One
by Gregg Hurwitz
2008
Nick Horrigan's quiet life is shattered when a terrorist demands to speak only to him. The encounter reveals a link to his stepfather's murder and pulls Nick into a political conspiracy where he can trust no one.
Foolkiller: Fool's Paradise
by Gregg Hurwitz
2008
A Marvel comic series about a vigilante who targets those he deems "fools." The story is a dark, satirical look at justice and the chaotic nature of modern society.
The Crime Writer
by Gregg Hurwitz
2007
Novelist Drew Danner wakes up in a hospital, accused of murdering his ex-fiancée, with no memory of the event. To prove his innocence, he must use his crime-writing skills to solve the mystery himself.
Last Shot
by Gregg Hurwitz
2006
A maximum-security prison break leaves guards dead and a dangerous criminal on the loose. Tim Rackley investigates, uncovering a conspiracy that suggests the escape was an inside job.
Troubleshooter
by Gregg Hurwitz
2005
Tim Rackley targets a violent biker gang, but the stakes turn personal when the gang strikes at his pregnant wife. Rackley must infiltrate their ranks to take them down from the inside.
The Program
by Gregg Hurwitz
2004
Tim Rackley goes undercover to rescue a producer's daughter from a mind-control cult. Inside the compound, he faces a charismatic leader and a psychological trap that threatens to break his own mind.
The Kill Clause
by Gregg Hurwitz
2003
After his daughter's killer walks free, U.S. Marshal Tim Rackley joins "The Commission," a vigilante group executing criminals the law let go. But he soon discovers that playing God comes with a terrible price.
Do No Harm
by Gregg Hurwitz
2002
When a maniac attacks his ER staff with acid, Dr. David Spier treats the attacker, only to see him escape. Now the madman is targeting everyone David loves, forcing the doctor into a deadly ethical nightmare.
Minutes to Burn
by Gregg Hurwitz
2001
On a Galapagos island in a near-future world, a team of Navy SEALs and scientists face a terrifying ecological threat. As tectonic plates shift and super-insects attack, the mission turns into a brutal fight for survival.
The Tower
by Gregg Hurwitz
1999
Allander Atlasia, a brilliant psychopath, escapes from a high-tech island prison. Jade Marlow, an ex-FBI profiler with his own demons, is the only one who can track him down before he kills again.
Where should I start?
If you want a high-tech vigilante thriller:
Orphan X → The Nowhere Man → Hellbent
If you prefer gritty law-enforcement action:
The Kill Clause → The Program → Troubleshooter
If you want a twisty psychological standalone:
The Crime Writer or You're Next
Author bio
Gregg Hurwitz is a name that has become synonymous with adrenaline-pumping fiction. As a New York Times bestselling author, he has carved out a massive space for himself in the world of modern thrillers. But he isn’t just a novelist. He is also a prolific comic book writer and a screenwriter, proving he knows how to tell a gripping story regardless of the medium. While he has written many books, he is currently best known for creating the high-octane Orphan X series.
His path to becoming a top-tier thriller writer was anything but ordinary. Hurwitz grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area before heading to the East Coast to attend Harvard University. He wasn’t just hitting the books there, though. He was a pole vaulter and a scholar-athlete, balancing the physical demands of sport with rigorous academics.
After Harvard, he moved across the pond to study at Trinity College, Oxford. There, he earned a master’s degree in Shakespearean tragedy. It might seem like a strange leap to go from studying Hamlet to writing about explosions and government assassins, but for Hurwitz, it makes perfect sense. This unique blend of academic discipline and physical action shows up clearly in his work. His books often marry high-concept, intelligent plots with kinetic, realistic action sequences that feel like they belong on the big screen.
Hurwitz began his publishing career writing standalone psychological thrillers that kept readers guessing. He also gained a loyal following with the Tim Rackley series. These books feature a U.S. Marshal who is constantly testing the boundaries of the law he is sworn to uphold. It was a gritty, intense look at justice that set the stage for what was to come.
However, his career hit a completely new level of global recognition with the introduction of Evan Smoak in Orphan X.
This series combines gadget-heavy espionage with a vigilante's desperate quest for redemption. Evan Smoak is a fascinating character—a man pulled from a foster home as a child and trained as a government assassin, only to break free and use his skills to help those who have nowhere else to turn. Readers love the mix of high-tech gear and human emotion.
One of the things that makes Hurwitz stand out in a crowded field is his dedication to getting the details right. He is famous for his hands-on research methods. He doesn’t just sit at a desk and Google things. He goes out and does them.
To make sure his action scenes feel authentic, Hurwitz has sneaked onto demolition ranges with Navy SEALs. He has swum with sharks in the Galápagos to understand fear and nature. He has even gone undercover into mind-control cults to see how they operate from the inside. This level of commitment bleeds onto the page, giving his thrillers a sense of realism that is hard to fake.
Beyond novels, Hurwitz is a major player in the comic book world. He has written high-profile stories for both Marvel and DC, tackling some of the most iconic characters in pop culture history. He has penned narratives for Batman, Wolverine, and the Penguin, bringing his darker, psychological style to the graphic novel format.
Today, he lives in Los Angeles. He continues to juggle a busy schedule of writing novels, working on screenplays, and offering political commentary. Whether he is scripting a fight scene for the Dark Knight or plotting Evan Smoak’s next mission, Gregg Hurwitz remains a dynamic force in storytelling.
Edited by
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