Craven is a British crime writer who is probably best known for his Washington Poe series (there is a new installment also coming out this month which I am looking forward too.) This is the second book of his Ben Koenig series, which is more of a Grey Man/Reacher style thriller, then the police procedural stuff of his previous books. Koenig’s shtick is that he is an ex-Marshall, hunted by the Russian mob who can’t feel fear. The conceit of this book is that a safe is opened in Langley with a list of four people on it, three are dead and the fourth is Koenig. It spirals from there into some really crazy places, and has well executed twists and turns. These type of books are usually pretty formulaic, but this kept switching train tracks. This kind of book is in my wheelhouse, and this is probably my airport read of the year. I ate through this like an Eric Carle worm, and if this kind of thing sounds fun, it delivers on it

Thank you Netgalley & Flatiron Books Publishing for an eARC 🥰🥰

This series is like a high-octane shot of adrenaline straight to the heart - it's fast-paced, action-packed, and utterly addictive.
Ben Koenig is back, and he's still got that whole "unique condition" thing going on (no spoilers, but let's just say it makes him a pretty interesting guy). This time around, he's dealing with a double murder in London, a missing woman, and a whole lot of trouble.
I love how this series blends gritty realism with a hint of dark humor. Ben's a complex character with a lot of depth, and his banter with Jen Draper is some of the best dialogue I've read in a long time. Their chemistry is undeniable, and I'm excited to see where their relationship goes in future books.
The plot's a real page-turner, with twists and turns that'll keep you guessing till the very end. And let's just say the action scenes are pretty intense - I was on the edge of my seat more than once! M.W. Craven done a great job of ramping up the tension and suspense, making it impossible to put the book down.🔥🔥🔥
One of the things that really stands out about this series is its well-developed characters. Ben's not the only complex character - the entire cast is multi-dimensional and relatable. Even the villains are nuanced and believable, which makes the story feel even more realistic.
All in all, I'm thoroughly enjoying this series, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller. 🔥

This was my first but definitely not my last MW Craven novel. I loved the main character Ben Koenig. He has no fear, now he has a bounty on his head. Set in the US and UK, the action never stops. A very wild ride, explosive non-stop thrill ride.

I found this book quick and engaging, from the first page it pulls you in and drags you through some intriguing scenarios and spy action. Packed scenes. However, I was disappointed that it was not listed as a book 3 of a series. I wasn’t aware of the lineup until after I read it. So that being said this book could be read as a standalone or as part of the series. I felt like I wasn’t missing out on too much information about the storyline. But I feel like maybe a few things were missed along the way. Overall a quick entertaining read I will be recommending to my following.

★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S NOBODY'S HERO ABOUT?
A decade ago, Ben Koenig helped a woman disappear—and to do so in a way that even he (who knew more than anyone else in the world about it) wouldn't be able to track her. But now, she's surfaced—as someone responsible for a couple of brazen murders on the streets of London. He and his watcher/minder/handler Jen Draper are tasked with finding her and finding out what made her come into the open.

It takes all of their creative approaches to investigating—and Draper's security firm's extensive resources—plus a little luck to get on the path. But will they survive it?

Standing in their was is a team of assassins, criminal police officers, smugglers of various stripes, petty criminals—and bigger ones—and schemes that are truly chilling. Their strengths? The aforementioned creativity and extensive resources, some assistance from a certain Agency, their shared drive, Koenig's lack of fear, his strange humor and odd trivia.

Obviously, the bad guys are in for trouble.

A DARING MOVE
Far too often when someone/some group in a novel has a completely innovative, genius, unbelievably original idea, it really isn't. At best they're usually clever, but nowhere near as mind-blowing as characters act. Too often, I think authors would be better off alluding to a plan without giving us all the details, and readers have to suspend disbelief to keep going.

For a while, I was worried that Craven had bitten off more than he could chew in revealing all that he did—when it was all shadows, I was really invested. But as the book progressed and we got more and more details about the scheme afoot, the more I realized that this was one of those exceptions that proved the rule. There's some really ingenious stuff going on here.

I should've trusted the mind that brought us The Botanist (as only one example).

Can I promise that every reader is going to have their mind boggled by this? No. But even the cynics or the people who suss it out before the reveal are going to admit that this is atypically clever, and you can absolutely understand why Koenig and Draper have such difficulty with this—and are willing to risk so much to stop it.
The Title
I'm not going to get into it now, but I can imagine that more than one book club is going to spend some fun time speculating about/arguing over who the title is referring to.

I mean, I've spent some time speculating about it and arguing with myself over the identity. I figure Craven has multiple characters in mind, actually, rather than just one. But I'm prepared to be wrong about that.

CAVEAT LECTOR, OR, THE FIGHT SCENES
If you're like me, and decided at one point or another to not have a meal while watching Bones, at least until the (first) body is taken back to the Lab (the CSIs may have driven viewers to a similar choice), you're going to want to take a similar approach to the fight scenes in this book. That's actually an excess of caution, you're really only going to need it for some. But better be safe than sorry—really.

Now, once you put the meatball sub aside, these fight scenes are really well-written. I think they're better than those in Fearless. Craven brings the goods in the technical sense/ability to depict things clearly, the impact on the plot, and the overall entertainment value.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT NOBODY'S HERO?
This is really one of those books best discussed among people who've read it—most of the glowing things I want to say would reveal too much—and you don't have to read too much of Craven's work to know it'd be a bad idea to cross him. So what can I say?

Let's start with this—between Fearless and Nobody's Hero I read a couple of thrillers with a one-man Army in the Reacher/Koenig/Ash/Ryan/Orphan X etc. mold that soured me on the whole thing, so I started this with a little trepidation. Also, I didn't know how he'd follow up Fearless and feared a little sophomore slump. It took me very little time to cast all that aside and just have a blast with this—I'm back to my appreciation of the genre, and I don't know if Craven has the word "slump" in his vocabulary.

Ben Koenig is one of those characters that I hope to spend a lot of time with, there's just something about him that I really like. It was good to see Jen Draper in action and to see the shift in the relationship between these two from where it was in Fearless and the beginning of this book to the end. They're a good team.

I don't know where to put this, but I need to say that between what we see in Nobody's Hero and some of the Poe series, I really have to wonder what kind of drinking establishments Craven frequents (or I hope, for his sake, used to frequent).

One of the assassins has a...let's put it generously and vaguely...a quirk. It feels like the kind of thing that Craven stumbled upon at some point in the last 15 years and said, "I need to put this in a book some day." I'm very glad it did—I'm not convinced that a hitman could become a success with that quirk, really. But Craven uses it so well, that I'm not going to complain. I really enjoyed the way it paid off.

We didn't get a monologue at the end by an evil mastermind, which still happens even after being made a cliché decades ago—it wasn't necessary, and what we got instead was so entertaining. It was truly a great change from what was expected.

I don't know that we need that last reveal—nor does the series—but, I look forward to Craven coming back to it in the future (however far away that future may or may not be).

Action, snark, and some really great twists. There's a momentum to this that builds and builds and builds as the tension ratchets up in a way that shows you're in the hands of a Thriller Master. Sure, every decent thriller has that characteristic. But anyone who's read a couple of thrillers knows the difference between standard-issue momentum and tension and something special. This is the latter, and it ain't even close.

Do you need to read Fearless before this? No. Will it help a little? Not much, but yes. The important thing is that you read both of them. You won't want to put it down once you pick it up.

Long live Ben Koenig.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Flatiron Books via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

Ben Koenig has a disease called Urbach Weithe, which inhibits his ability to feel fear. Which is great when fighting bad guys. Ben gets questioned about a thing called the Acacia Avenue Protocol. He knows nothing about it, but for some reason he was on the list when it was opened and everyone else is already dead. He gets roped into a case where he has to help a lady he previously helped disappear forever and stop the Acacia Avenue Protocol from being carried out.

I really enjoyed this book! It was quite the page turner! The plot was so interesting, I never wanted to go to sleep. I just wanted to stay up reading it all night!

Ben Koenig is quite an annoying obnoxious character when you meet him. Highly intelligent, but never stops talking. I found this to be quite funny and it carries on throughout the book. In the beginning there are multiple plot lines, which at the time seems confusing that it is jumping around, but they do eventually make sense. And when they do, it's an AHA moment!

I really enjoyed the action, plot twists, and suspense that this book entailed! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading mystery, crime, or action books.

I asked for this book from NetGalley before it had a cover or summary. I was intrigued with the name and assumed it would be a romantasy. When I received it, I instantly realized that it was definitely not that so it took me a bit to pick it up. I’m super glad I did eventually decide to read it because I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m not a spy/police thriller story person but I started this and couldn’t stop. The main character Ben Koenig was so different and quirky it kept my attention. The story was well thought out and the twists were great. The ending too! What a great way to end this one. I will enjoy reading the next one.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was not my cup of tea.
I don’t really get into books like this, but I wanted to give it a try.
I felt like the dialogue was on the cheesy side. Kind of was like watching one of those old detective shows.
I just couldn’t really ever get into it.
The story was actually pretty good though. Craven set up some really nice twists.
If male mystery authors are your jam, you will probably like this.
Thanks netgalley!

Lots of action, twists and turns. For me it was a bit confusing until about 50% through. I couldn't see how the multiple plot lines were coming together

A few typos, mainly missed words in a few of the sentences.

Nobody’s Hero I Book 2 Ben Koenig
M. W. Craven
Macmillan Audio Narrated by William Hope
Flatiron Books
December 3, 2024

Ben Koenig is back!!! Ben has had damage to his brain takes away his ability to feel or understand fear, even down to his adversaries facial expressions. This leads to years of training, being sought after for his skills and eventually being pursued. (you are going to want to read the first book) Book 2 picks up because Koenig has a very large bounty on his head and hiding didn’t work out as he planned. What starts as a visit to a coffee shop for Ben to send his monthly email, eventually turns into a global pursuit uncovering secrets and leaving multiple dead bodies in its wake.

The Acacia Avenue Protocol, a cryptic directive, has resurfaced and Ben is needed because everyone who can stop it dead. What makes it better is that one of the names on this list, was killed by Ben Koenig himself. Ben loves to drop his random spiel of information and how he got to his conclusion. He irritates those around him, especially his handler Jen Draper, but for me, it’s perfect. This book has so much going on you just can’t stop. A father daughter pair of contract killers, a woman presumed dead for decades, corrupt cops, a lot of action and a twist at the end that you will NOT see coming. It’s perfect. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

What would cause destruction and disruption of a system to create a mass migration of the entire population on the west coast? This book captures potential real life scenarios in the form of fiction. Despite periods of fluff to get to the point of some chapters, the book is well written, thought -provoking yet concerning. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to read this one!

This is the 2nd book in the Ben Koenig series by M. W. Kraven. It is a fast paced thriller that leaves a huge body count. In a race against time, Mr. Koenig must find out what is going on and then stop it from happening. And by the way, he has to save the U. S. from utter catastrophe. Well written with strong character development and a huge twist in the end, this book is a definite winner.

I hadn’t heard of this series until I looked it up. I found a blurb from S.A. Cosby, and that was enough for me to want to read it. This is a fast-paced thriller. I read it in a day.

This book incorporated elements of Mark Greaney's Gray Man books and David Baldacci's Memory Man series, two of my favorite series.


I can’t imagine dealing with what the main character deals with. Fear is what makes us human. Losing that fear leads us in two directions. Ben Koenig is the better choice of the two. He uses this ability to help people and stop bad things from happening.

Having never read the author or the series, I didn’t know what to expect from this book. It took me where I wasn’t expecting, and I enjoyed the ride.

I look forward to the next Ben Koenig book.

I really enjoy the Washington Poe series by this author so I was eagerly anticipating reading this book by the same author. I have not read the first book in this series yet but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this novel. M.W. Craven Nobody’s Hero is an exciting thriller that follows Ben Koenig who is plunged into an international conspiracy with high stakes.

The novel begins with the mysterious murder of two London pickpockets which somehow quickly turns into a global crisis. At its core is “The Acacia Avenue Protocol,” a cryptic directive that resurfaces when a woman presumed dead for a decade reappears, prompting a long sealed safe in Langley to be opened. Inside, a single letter list of four names, three who are now dead. The only remaining name on the list is Ben Koenig.

Ben Koenig wants to know why he’s connected to this protocol and this results in him getting involved in the dark world of espionage, corruption, and betrayal. With every lead , he encounters powerful foes, from corrupt cops in the East Coast Sweeney cabal to a ruthless private military contractor and a contract killer. Koenig faces danger with every turn and also faces personal demons and the long buried mysteries of his past.

Once I was into the characters the book was really exciting and perhaps the first novel in the series might have made the difference. Intense plot, intricate characters and lots of action made this an exciting read and another series I will read more of.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Flatiron for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, the book was well written, captured my attention and I did really enjoy it. Thank you for this advance copy!

3.25 stars. When I first got into this story I was extremely confused and thinking this may not be my type of story.

As the book progressed I got extremely invested and began to enjoy myself. I was determined to finish this story and it turned out better than I initially anticipated.

Well done to MW Craven and thank you to Flat Iron Books for giving me the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy.

4.75⭐️

Ben Koenig no 2

I enjoyed the first book, and heard that this was is even better so I was keen to find out for myself. I’m not a big action thriller fan, the draw is definitely the author.

Best read in order as things link from the first book.

Ben is in London looking for a woman he has previously helped. He has diplomatic immunity…. What could possibly go wrong along the way???? On route he gets accosted on route by a UK police chief superintendent who is annoyed that her murd*r investigation has been shut down and that the US has sent over their own people, she manages to join Ben and Jen offering to help smooth their path.

This maintains the author’s trademark snappy writing style with dollops of dry pithy humour and mini cliffhanger chapter endings.

Ok so Ben spouts continuous reams of information which becomes annoying quite quickly. I appreciate that it’s part of his ‘thing’ but it mostly doesn’t work well for me, although there’s an occasional gold nugget. I would prefer to have less of it. That’s its only draw back for me, otherwise it’s pacy, it’s action packed - albeit sophisticated action, it’s very entertaining, the rest of the writing is concise and sparing. I loved the cross over using a character from another series.

Nobody’s hero is excellent. Much better than the first book. Very intricate clever plotting with some unique strategies being used. I would highly recommend it, I am now a Koenig fan!

I’m a huge fan of M. W. Craven. I didn’t realize this was the second book in his new series. I asked the author if his books needed to be read in order and his response was “no”. However, I think for character development would be the reason his readers would read them in order.
It took me a few pages to get into the story. Overall, solid book and a roller coaster ride.

I have to say, I enjoy a good spy thriller every so often. This is the first book by M.W. Craven that I have read, and I was very impressed with his interesting protagonist named Ben Koenig, a former U.S. Marshall’s Special Operations Group operative who has a very unusual medical condition called Urbach-Weithe disease – a condition that makes Koenig unable to experience fear. Of course, that makes him more prone to taking deadly chances, which in his business, could be good or bad. The plot is maybe a bit convoluted, but there are parts of it that were believable enough to keep the reader enthralled. There is a lot of action, but also a well-developed plot. It’s one of those books that you don’t want to stop reading because you are sure to find out something important on the next page. I definitely will check out more of the author’s works, if they are as interesting as this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this book. I am very appreciative to NetGalley, authors, and publishers for this platform to discover authors I haven’t read before.

M.W. Craven's Nobody's Hero is a wild ride. It is relentless and keeps you on the edge-of-your-seat. A thriller that plunges readers into a world of high-stakes danger and complex intrigue. Ben Koenig, a captivating protagonist, faces a threat that could unravel the nation, making every twist feel vital and urgent. Fast-paced and intelligently written, this novel is a must-read for fans of gritty, action-packed suspense.