Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Summary from Netgalley:
Welcome back to Assassins Anonymous, where family is everything and danger lurks around every corner.
Assassins Anonymous isn’t just a weekly recovery meeting for reformed killers—it’s also a family.
When Valencia receives troubling news that her brother has gone missing, she wants rush off to LA to find him. But she can’t bring her baby girl, Lucia. Enter the other members of Assassins Anonymous—Mark, Astrid, and Booker, who offer to watch the toddler while she’s gone. After all, they’re three of the deadliest, most highly skilled people on the planet; what could go wrong?
Turns out, a lot. Shortly after Valencia leaves, Mark is summoned to the lair of Zmeya, a Russian mob boss calling in a deadly favor—she wants him to kill Astrid, his protege and friend. Mark refuses, but Zmeya reveals that she knows the identity of Mark’s ex-girlfriend . . . and his son. Either Astrid goes, or they do.
Meanwhile, Lucia spikes a dangerously high fever, and when Booker and Astrid take her to urgent care, they realize too late, that their fabricated identities are a real liability. Also, they don’t know Valencia’s last name, let alone Lucia’s. They can hardly blame the staff for calling the NYPD.
Suddenly the splintered group is on the run from both the Russian mob and the police, dodging bad guys and do-gooders while trying to find refuge in a city full of surveillance cameras—all without killing anyone. That is, until Zmeya captures Sara and Bennett, and Mark is ready to throw his sobriety out the window.
ARC provided by Putman Publishing via Netgalley for an honest review.
Confession:
This third addition to the Assassins Anonymous series was just as good as the other two. I really enjoyed this action packed series that also has a lot of heart. The characters have all seen and done some horrible things, but are determined to continue their recovery and sobriety and hopefully not have to kill anyone along the way. The found family aspect of this story is really what holds it all together, as well as the humor and witty banter among the group.
The premise of this book was great. How much trouble could a toddler be, when you are a reformed assassin? Apparently a lot. I loved little Lucia, and the interactions between her and the adults in her life were precious. Even when they were running for their lives, their first priority was that Lucia felt safe, and protected. There were many sweet and tender moments that were nice additions to the high octane pace of the rest of the story.
The story is told through both Mark and Astrid’s perspectives. Both of these characters are richly drawn and feel real. They struggle with maintaining their sobriety, ie not killing, especially Mark. With his family threatened, Mark really struggles to contain the urge to just kill them all, and he is certainly capable of it. Astrid’s struggle is slightly different, as she faces the possibility of death, which she considers might be the best thing for everyone.
There is a large cast of secondary characters that add a lot to the story. I especially liked the addition of Edith, who is a driver, but also a fledgling assassin. I hope we get to see a bit more of her. I am also hoping that Booker and even Valencia get a story of their own, I would love to learn more about them both.
The story is a super fast read. Most chapters end with a bang and make you want to keep reading. I loved all of the non lethal weapons that the gang come up with to take on the Russian mob. They take great pains to make sure that no one dies, even when the bad guys are doing their best to kill them.
A great addition to the series. You don’t necessarily need to read these books in order, but it does help to start at the beginning. You get a better understanding of the characters and of the group dynamic if you read the first book. I am looking forward to seeing where this series will go next, especially with that ending. Highly recommend if you like fast paced stories that are action packed but still have a lot of humor and great characters.
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