After loving the first book in the Marvel Crime series, I was eager to see what Alex Segura would do with Daredevil in Enemy of My Enemy. Segura crafts a tale that feels just as much as a Daredevil comic as it does the crime novel it sets out to be. With plenty of twists, turns and action, it’s truly is a fantastic Marvel crime story.
When reports come in that the Kingpin and a police officer have been killed and that Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) has turned himself in for it, Matt Murdock senses holes in the narratives the media and the streets are quick to run with.
Both criminals have been Matt’s nemeses when he dons the cowl of the Daredevil, and there’s no denying that New York is better off without its Kingpin and with the Punisher behind bars. And yet . . . while the Punisher is a murderous vigilante, he doesn’t kill cops. And he doesn’t turn himself in.
Castle certainly deserves prison for all of the other crimes he has committed in the past. However, Matt’s indominable sense of justice insists that nobody should be locked away for crimes they didn’t actually commit. Representing the vigilante in court, Matt enters a contest of wills and guile with Castle to try and uncover the game beneath the game. And when Matt’s girlfriend takes the stand and complicates matters, there’s truly no rest for the wicked or the just. As the Kingpin’s absence causes passion and ambitions to run hot in Hell’s Kitchen, Matt must decide if justice means the letter of the law, what’s best for the citizen on the streets, or where his heart leading him.
Personally, I believe Marvel made all the right choices with the first two books in the Marvel Crime series. Focusing on characters such as Jessica Jones and Daredevil were strong places to begin, but the real success lies with bringing on authors such as Lisa Jewell and Segura to foster this stories. While I feel this series suits Jessica Jones just the slightest bit more, this latest installment in the series fearing Daredevil was also wonderful.
Enemy of My Enemy reads with such cinematic presence, feeling a ton like the Netflix and Disney+ series featuring Charlie Cox as titular character. So much so, that I was picturing Cox’s portrayal of Matt Murdock/Daredevil as the main character in this story. The crime is high-profile, but the story plays more to the street level of the characters allowing us to connect to them on a more personal level. At times, it felt like a blend of Marvel and Law & Order, which, personally, was an absolute delight.
Segura intertwines and features a ton of Daredevil related characters from the comics which I felt could’ve been distracting if not handle just right, but the author was purposeful on how he used each and every one of them. Longtime fans of Daredevil will love the nods to the classic characters and the inclusion in this crime story. While Enemy of My Enemy is undeniably a superhero story, at its core is a crime noir. The purpose of this tale is to solve a crime and what happens along the way is what made it feel like the Daredevil we all have come to love. Mixing mediums like this can be challenging but Segura handles it with ease.
While I found myself figuring out the major twist before it was revealed, it didn’t take away from the story and my overall enjoyment. I still wanted to continue to the end and wrap on the story at hand.
Enemy of My Enemy by Alex Segura carries forward the feeling of the Marvel Crime series that began with Breaking the Dark, but brings a bit more of the grit and grime of the street-level side of the Marvel Universe in Hell’s Kitchen. It expands this emerging corner of the Marvel Crime universe, but is a nice standalone crime story that doesn’t need any further reading to enjoy.
Enemy of My Enemy hits bookstores everywhere on March 24, 2026 from Hyperion Avenue. The audiobook is available exclusively via Audible.
