Assassin's Anonymous ​

A novel by Rob Hart

I am a writer; therefore, I read, and for the longest time, I’ve been searching for an author who writes in a style, or voice, that appeals to me, or closely resembles my writing (or vice versa). Let me describe it like this: After years of reading books by various authors, you find one at a bookstore, and after reading it, you say, “Wow. I want to write like that.” For me, Rob Hart, the author of Assassin’s Anonymous, is that guy.

 

I was so impressed with Hart’s writing style that after reading the book, I experienced a momentary bout of depression. Not because the story was over when I finished reading, but because that internal critic, that self-doubt that creeps up on every author (also known as “Imposter Syndrome”), kept telling me, “The best you have is fart jokes. You’ll never be able to write like this guy.”

 

I overcame that with self-reflection (and a little bourbon), and realized that every author is different. I believe that my writing style is unique, and I have a distinct voice that offers a reader experience that other authors don’t, even successful and accomplished authors like Rob Hart. Only time and hard work will tell.

 

Assassin’s Anonymous is about an average-looking guy named Mark, whose occupation is killer for hire and worked for what can only be described as a “shadow” organization within the government. But Mark is tired of killing and joins a support group for assassins who want to leave their former lives behind. That’s not as easy as just turning in your resignation, especially for someone known in the contract killer underground as the “world’s deadliest assassin.”

 

Hart’s book, as an Action Thriller, is a fun read. His wit and sense of humor shine in almost every paragraph, even during the more serious, action-oriented scenes. The plot moves quickly, and the main character wrestles not only with outside forces who mean him harm, but also with his internal struggle over the decision to never kill again.

 

All that being said, there are a few instances of virtue signaling in the book that I felt distracted from the story. If you don’t know what “virtue signaling” means, a quick Google search will get you up to speed. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

 

Done? Good. I’m not sure why some authors choose to do this, unless their goal is to make a political statement. I also wonder if editors or book publishers encourage that. But I digress.

 

Another issue I had (although very slight) is with the main character, Mark. He’s a former Navy SEAL. I follow a lot of former Navy SEALs on social media, and NONE of them are like Hart’s main character. But maybe that’s what made him such an effective contract killer.

 

Virtue signally and character shortfalls aside, I do recommend Assassin’s Anonymous by Rob Hart. You can find it here.

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