Gregg Hurwitz | Orphan X, Anti-Hero & the Art of Keeping a Killer Human

What this episode covers

What does it take to write the world’s greatest assassin — and then make him more human? This week, Samantha Tennant sits down with #1 New York Times bestselling author Gregg Hurwitz, the mastermind behind the Orphan X series, for a conversation as layered and compelling as one of Evan Smoak’s missions. Gregg talks about the emotional weight of his last two novels, Nemesis and Anti-Hero — books that tackle nationalism, nihilism, and the question of what it means to feel more when you were built to feel nothing. He shares how he embedded in a mind control cult for research, why his 24-hour seminars with Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro on the Gospels changed his life, and how writing Batman, Wolverine, and the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony all connect back to one thing: following your curiosity wherever it leads. Plus: an enthusiastic Fresh Fiction Facts segment in which Gregg’s Smurf collection, The Bodyguard, Blanton’s bourbon, Jack the Ripper, and the word ’literally’ all make memorable appearances. Episode highlights: • Evan Smoak’s evolution: from orphan to ’Pinocchio who wants to be a real boy’ • The mind control cult research that shaped one of his most gripping books • His surprising friendships across the political spectrum — and why he thinks it matters • Jack Reacher vs. Evan Smoak: two philosophies of what a series hero can be • What’s next: the new Orphan X book + debut novella The Delivery Stay connected to Fresh Fiction — new releases, author events, and giveaways — at freshfiction.com/newsletters.php.

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