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Revision Note: Originally posted in September 2016, this review has been updated in 2026 to include the latest entries in the Nick Mason series.
The Second Life of Nick Mason – Steve Hamilton
.I have been a fan of the novels of Steve Hamilton for many years now. The first Steve Hamilton book was Winter of the Wolf – Book #2 in the Alex McKnight series according to my records I read finished that book of Jun 7,2004. After finishing it, I quickly went to the library and checked out A Cold Day in Paradise -Book #1 in the series. I finished that book on June 12th of the same year! Needless to say I loved the books and the series ever since!!
In The Second Life of Nick Mason, Hamilton has created a great new anti-hero.in Nick Mason. Yesterday, I had lunch with an old (we are) high school classmate. We both talked about the fact that life is made up of choices. You make your choices and you live with them , always doing the best you can.
The Story
Well, Nick Mason throughout his life has made some bad choices. First to steal cars, then move unto burglary, and ultimately stealing from drug dealers. During that time, he made a good choice, he married and had a daughter. But then the ultimate “easy” heist came along – he made the wrong decision. It was supposed to be easy heist, drive into the harbor, take on some cargo and then drive it to the new owner. Right decision! Don’t do it! Nick’s decision do it! Of course doing it meant going against his pledge to his wife to stay clean.
But Nick decides this one caper is all he needs to make things better for his wife and daughter. Bad decision! When the heist goes south, it costs him everything, wife, his daughter and his freedom. The sentence 25 years!
After five years in prison, along comes Darius Cole, a criminal mastermind Cole is serving a double life term, but still runs his empire from his cell. He offers Nick a deal. All Nick has to do is whatever he’s told to do when the phone rings.
Nick accepts. His conviction is soon overturned and he walks out of prison a free man. But is he free, Cole says “It’s not freedom, it’s mobility!” He is given a new house, a new car and more.But soon the phone rings and he is asked to become a hitman, something totally new and abhorrent to Mason.
Soon, Nick is being chased by cops both good and bad! Nick is soon fighting not just to regain his old life, but to survive in his new life!!
Bottom Line: Highly Recommended
This book was a real-pager turner for me. I zipped through it in a day and a half and enjoyed every minute of the ride. I think Nick Mason is a terrific character, who is trapped between a rock and a hard place. He’s damned, if he does, and damned if he doesn’t. And while, what he does is wrong, he tries his damnedest it make it right! I for one was cheering for him!
Post Update 2026
Post Update 2026
Since I first wrote this post, Steve Hamilton has expanded the Nick Mason universe with two more gripping novels. Having followed his work since I first picked up Winter of the Wolf back in 2004, it’s been incredible to see how he transitioned from the Northwoods noir of Alex McKnight to this high-octane urban series.
Exit Strategy (Nick Mason #2, 2017): A relentless follow-up that proves Nick is truly “mobile, but not free.”
An Honorable Assassin (Nick Mason #3, 2024): This one felt a little different—the stakes are global as Nick is sent to target a high-level assassin. What really struck me, amidst the tension, was the interaction between Nick and the child he encounters. It reminded me why I cheer for him; despite the life he’s forced to lead, his heart is still intact.
Links for the Further Exploration of the Novels of Steve Hamilton
About Steve Hamilton
Steve Hamilton is one of only two authors to win the Edgar Award for Best First Novel (for A Cold Day in Paradise) and then later for Best Novel (for The Lock Artist). Known for his atmospheric prose and complex characters, Hamilton spent years developing the Alex McKnight series before launching the high-stakes world of Nick Mason. He currently lives in upstate New York with his wife and two children, where he continues to craft some of the most compelling crime fiction in the genre.
Reflecting on Hamilton’s career, he remains one of those “second tier” masters—the kind of writer you can always depend on for a tight, emotional, and perfectly paced story. I believe I’ve read every book he’s ever put out, and while the Alex McKnight series will always be my “first love” in his bibliography, Nick Mason has earned his place right alongside him on my shelf.
