The Medusa Protocol

Hart triumphs with this deliriously enjoyable sequel to Assassins Anonymous. Mark, once a legendary killer known as the Pale Horse, has assumed leadership of a serial killer recovery group that meets in a Manhattan church. Among the regular attendees is Astrid—the real identity of a notorious master assassin known as Azrael—who’s been conspicuously absent from recent meetings. Unlike Mark, readers know that Astrid has been snatched from the streets of New York City and is being held hostage on an island by unknown captors. After Mark gets a clue (in the form of a pizza whose toppings may contain a secret message) that Astrid is still alive, the group springs into action, though Mark struggles to balance finding his friend with his vow to abstain from violence. Hart toggles between Astrid’s perspective, sections that flesh out her history in contract killing, and Mark’s increasingly harried efforts to track her down. All the while, he keeps the tone sharp and the intensity high. Fans of Jeff Lindsay and Jeffery Deaver will delight in this series’ effortless mix of wit and brutality. Agent: Josh Getzler, HG Literary. (June)