Reading Order
Orphan Xseries.seoTitleShort
Start with Orphan X and continue through all 15 books in the listed reading order.
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Start with Orphan X
Book 1 by Gregg Hurwitz • Published 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.
Complete List
Orphan X reading order
Ends with The Code
- 1
Book 1:Orphan X
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.
- 2
Book 2:Buy a Bullet
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.
- 3
Book 3:The Nowhere Man
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.
- 4
Book 4:Hellbent
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 t...
- 5
Book 5:The Intern
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.
- 6
Book 6:Out of the Dark
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.
- 7
Book 7:Into the Fire
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.
- 8
Book 8:The List
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.
- 9
Book 9:Prodigal Son
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.
- 10
Book 10:Dark Horse
Felix Francis • 2025
Imogen Duffy is an up‑and‑coming Irish jump jockey trying to escape an abusive, stalking boyfriend when he is found stabbed with a knife bearing her fingerprints. Hired by her father, Sid Halley digs into jealous riva...
- 11
Book 11:The Last Orphan
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.
- 12
Book 12:The Recital
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.
- 13
Book 13:Lone Wolf
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.
- 14
Book 14:Nemesis
Jo Nesbø
Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.
- 15
Book 15:The Code
Shaun Tomson
Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.
Quick Answers
Orphan X FAQ
What is the best order to read the Orphan X series?
The recommended reading order is the numbered order shown on this page, starting with Orphan X.
How many books are in the Orphan X series?
There are 15 books currently listed in the Orphan X series on GurusReads.
Where should I start with the Orphan X series?
New readers should start with Orphan X, the first book in the reading order.
Is the Orphan X series complete?
Based on the publication years we have, the series appears possibly ongoing and spans releases from 2016 to 2025.