Mason moved smoothly from prison cell to luxury apartment. After that he was on call 24/7- whenever his special phone rang he knew it would be his criminal overlords demanding he kill someone. He better answer that call-Mason became a contract killer, an assassin.
In the next book, “Exit Strategy,” Mason tried to extricate himself from this horrible obligation. As that book was ending he boarded a plane heading to the second largest city in the world, Jakarta, Indonesia. As the new book, “An Honorable Assassin” opens, he’s still on that plane and in an even worse situation.
Mason is now working for another shadowy boss. He doesn’t know his employer’s name or even where his boss is. What he does know is that if he fails to follow orders his family is doomed. Mason’s ex-wife left him because she could not handle being married to him. She took their young daughter with her to Colorado.
Mason will do anything to protect them. That’s the leverage his current employer has, the implied threat they’ll kill his family if he fails to do what he is told to do. That’s why he’s on that plane, they are sending him to murder a man in Indonesia.
As Mason arrives in Jakarta he is met by their “team,” a man and a woman who are supposed to help him locate and kill this elusive man known as “The Crocodile.” Their quarry is a fugitive financier who sponsors terrorist groups. While law enforcement agencies are also in pursuit of this guy it is unclear why Mason’s new employer wants this fellow dead.
As Mason stalks his prey he comprehends he’s on a suicide mission. Meanwhile there’s a French cop named Martin Sauvage, with Interpol, he’s also just arrived and we then receive parallel points of view from each, Mason and Sauvage, as they go “Crocodile” hunting.
This thriller maintains a pulsating, relentless pace. Whenever Mason’s attention flags his employers produce some live video of his family in Colorado. This inspires rekindled motivation whenever that happens. Mason may be a hired gun but he still has scruples, after all, he’s “An Honorable Assassin.”
Hamilton wickedly strums our heartstrings when Nick Mason encounters a girl selling sunglasses on the street. She reminds him of his daughter. That’s our subplot; Mason attempts to rescue her from getting abducted then consigned to sex slavery in Thailand.
Vick Mickunas of Yellow Springs interviews authors every Saturday at 7 a.m. and on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WYSO-FM (91.3). For more information, visit www.wyso.org/programs/book-nook. Contact him at vick@vickmickunas.com.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
About the Author