This award-winning author is renowned for his gripping mystery novels that often delve into the darker aspects of the human psyche. His skill in crafting intricate plots and memorable characters has earned him widespread acclaim. Readers appreciate his sharp insights into crime and justice.
The story explores the tumultuous life of attorney Hyman Kazan, who grapples with a failing career and a broken relationship, turning to alcohol for solace. When a murder connects to his girlfriend's new lover, Judge Smith, Kazan's investigation uncovers dark secrets that threaten his already fragile existence. The narrative features shifting perspectives and flashbacks, revealing Kazan's inner turmoil against Vancouver's bleak backdrop. Themes of love, pain, and morality are intricately woven, creating a deeply emotional and thought-provoking tale of a man's struggle with his demons.
Alex McKnight--hero of Steve Hamilton's bestselling, award-winning, and beloved private eye series--is back in a high-stakes, nail-biting thriller, facing the most dangerous enemy he's ever encountered.On the Mediterranean Sea, a vacationer logs on to the security-camera feed from his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Something about his living room seems not quite right--the room is bright, when he's certain he'd left the curtains closed. Rewinding through the feed, he sees an intruder. When he shifts to the bedroom camera, he sees the dead body.Martin T. Livermore is the key suspect in the abduction and murder of at least five women, but he's never been this sloppy before. When the FBI finally catches him in Scottsdale, he declares he'll only talk to one a retired police officer from Detroit, now a private investigator living in the tiny town of Paradise, Michigan. A man named Alex McKnight.Livermore means nothing to McKnight, but it soon becomes clear McKnight means something to Livermore...and that Livermore's capture was only the beginning of an elaborate, twisted plot with McKnight at the center. In a hunt that will take him across the country and to the edge of his limits, McKnight fights to stop a vicious killer before he can exact his ultimate revenge. And his grand finale will cut closer to home than he ever could have imagined.
"Nick Mason has been given a true mission impossible: Infiltrate WITSEC, the top-secret federal witness-protection program that has never been compromised, locate the three men who put his boss Darius Cole behind bars for life, and kill them. But first he has to find them--they're ghost prisoners locked down around the clock in classified "deep black" locations by a battalion of heavily armed U.S. marshals charged with protecting them--and the clock is ticking. Cole is appealing his conviction, and these witnesses are either his ticket to freedom or the final nail in his coffin. If they testify, Darius Cole will never step foot in the outside world again. If they are killed, he will walk out a free man. As he risks everything to complete his mission, Mason finds himself being hunted by the very man he replaced, the ruthless assassin who once served, then betrayed, Darius Cole. Rather than waiting to be Mason's next victim, he has escaped witness protection to hunt down and kill Mason himself."-- Provided by publisher
Praise for The Second Life of Nick Mason [ The Second Life of Nick Mason ] is
so good, it legitimately stands shoulder to padded paranoid shoulder with the
classics of the crime noir genre... There are so many terrific elements in
this novel-Nick's haunted character, a plot that never darts in the direction
you expect it to, and a truly ingenious climax-that I could be here till Labor
Day singing its praises.-Maureen Corrigan, NPR Fresh Air A high-octane,
tension-filled novel that's received well-deserved praise from great authors.-
Huffington Post [A] heart-pounding thriller with cinematic appeal...Hamilton
cleverly imbues the narrative with myriad of twists and turns, allowing the
intricate plot to unfold with stunning and extraordinary skill and suspense.
From the honor amongst thieves, to the honor amongst those sworn to protect
us, to the loyalty among childhood friends and beloved family, multiple worlds
collide as Hamilton catapults us into Nick Mason's complex psyche.-Esquire.com
As fertile as Chicago is for crime fiction, it isn't often that an outsider
captures the underside of the local scene as memorably as Steve Hamilton does
with The Second Life of Nick Mason , the terrific first installment in a
projected series...The novel more than lives up to its hype.- Chicago Tribune
In this edgy noir from a crime fiction maestro, an ex-con struggles with
unexpected freedom, falteringly rebuilding his life while a depraved puppet
master still behind bars pulls his strings.- O Magazine [A] reinvention of the
noir thriller...Hamilton gives us a bad guy who is willing-and able-to do
worse....Edgy and intelligent entertainment that hits with the force of a
narrative bullet.- Arizona Republic Steve Hamilton's new novel, The Second
Life of Nick Mason , is every bit as good as Don Winslow and Harlan Coben and
Michael Connelly say it is.- New York Daily News A captivating
thriller...Hamilton's latest novel is ambitious in its criminal scope and it
rises to the challenge of not only creating compelling three-dimensional
characters, but also fearlessly confronting our classic perceptions of right
and wrong, good and evil, as Mason desperately tries to escape his unholy
bonds of criminal servitude, regain his autonomy and perhaps whatever's left
of his humanity...Time will tell where Mason will ultimately end up, but the
next installment in this enthralling series is sure to be another Hamilton
page-turner, and can't come soon enough.- Esquire A suspenseful, fast-paced
crime novel with the same heart, well-drawn characters and muscular prose that
fans of [Hamilton's] popular Alex McKnight series and his fine stand-alone
novels such as The Lock Artist have come to expect.-Bruce DeSilva, Associated
Press A fine premise, a vibrant setting, a charismatic antihero...it's a
tight, gripping book about a man hellbent on reinventing himself against long
odds.- The New York Times The sinner who gets a chance to start over is an
archetypal figure in crime fiction. Steve Hamilton works a smart variation on
it in The Second Life of Nick Mason .-Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book
Review [An] intelligent thriller....The reader has a vulnerable underdog to
root for: a loser who may yet be born to win.- The Wall Street Journal Fast
and deadly.- Sacramento Bee Hamilton gets just about everything right in [ The
Second Life of Nick Mason ]. The narrative is spare, descriptions lean and
settings authentic.- The Arizona Republic A tense, coiled thriller...It moves
like a bullet train, told in a deceptively simple, gin-clear prose that all
but sucker punches the reader....One of [Hamilton's] best.- Booklist (starred
review) Hamilton surpasses himself with Mason, who inspires storytelling of
the leanest, most gripping sort...A terrific new hero.- Kirkus Reviews
(starred review) [A] high-octane series launch...Hamilton guns it like Nick's
1968 Mustang for a fast and furi
The last thing any ex-cop wants to hear is that the killer he put behind bars is getting released and might just have payback on his mind. For ex-cop Alex McKnight, the news takes him back to that hot summer in Detroit, hunting the brutal murderer of a young woman. The problem is, something about it no longer makes sense, and Alex feels compelled to revisit the case. Returning to Detroit, Alex finds a city that is almost unrecognisable from the one he left, a city that is dying on its feet. As Alex searches for the truth among the shadows of the past, he discovers a story more shocking - and more dangerous - than an ex-con looking for revenge.
The narrative weaves a compelling tale that explores complex characters grappling with personal challenges and societal issues. Set against a rich backdrop, the story delves into themes of resilience, identity, and the pursuit of dreams. As the protagonists navigate their intertwined lives, unexpected twists reveal deeper truths about love, loss, and redemption. This gripping journey captivates readers, offering both emotional depth and a thought-provoking exploration of contemporary life.
Winning both the Edgar and Shamus awards for Best First Novel, this gripping crime story showcases Steve Hamilton's talent and has captivated readers and critics alike. The novel's compelling narrative and intricate plot have established it as a standout work in the mystery genre, solidifying Hamilton's reputation among contemporary crime writers. Its impact on the literary community is profound, making it a must-read for fans of thrilling mysteries.
Prize-winning crime author Steve Hamilton's hugely commercial mainstream
breakout tells the extraordinary story of a safe-cracker trying to unlock the
key to his past.
Well-illustrated with action photos this book showcases the top international
figure skaters and rising stars looking to the next Olympics. Organized around
competitions the book the book provides behind-the-scenes detail and
individual statistics.
