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Mason Church #1
Mexican Hit Girl
The Mexican drug war has reached critical mass, and the U.S. Government, under the direction of the National Clandestine Service, must take drastic measures.
Mason Church, a decorated U.S. soldier, returns home plagued by the emotional scars of war and the fragmented memories of his father. Loveless, broke, and jaded, he’s recruited by INL and National Clandestine Service to assassinate Mexico’s biggest drug kingpin.
16 year-old, Valentina Vargas, witnesses the massacre of her family by the ruthless drug lord. Suddenly orphaned, she must make a decision to remain a peasant or retaliate against the sadistic murderers.
Following the D.C. bombing death of the Head of INL by an unrecognizable and grotesque assassin—a mole is suspected within the high ranks of Washington.
In order to succeed in Mexico, Mason must partner with Valentina, maneuvering through the dangerous labyrinth of menacing drug cartels, and corrupt government officials. Brought together by accident, Mason and Valentina realize that their only hope of survival lies with each other.
Mason Church, a decorated U.S. soldier, returns home plagued by the emotional scars of war and the fragmented memories of his father. Loveless, broke, and jaded, he’s recruited by INL and National Clandestine Service to assassinate Mexico’s biggest drug kingpin.
16 year-old, Valentina Vargas, witnesses the massacre of her family by the ruthless drug lord. Suddenly orphaned, she must make a decision to remain a peasant or retaliate against the sadistic murderers.
Following the D.C. bombing death of the Head of INL by an unrecognizable and grotesque assassin—a mole is suspected within the high ranks of Washington.
In order to succeed in Mexico, Mason must partner with Valentina, maneuvering through the dangerous labyrinth of menacing drug cartels, and corrupt government officials. Brought together by accident, Mason and Valentina realize that their only hope of survival lies with each other.
- GenresThriller
306 pages, Paperback
First published July 17, 2013
20 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 20, 2013
I am usually not someone who likes books with war stories in them, but SC Smith has a new fan! He combined war stories, spy stuff, human interest and so many more things in this book, that it absolutely is impossible not to find the book extraodinary!
There are some scenes that left me horrified, but without those scenes it would be impossible to understand what the book is all about. It is so sad, to realise, that even if this book is a work of fiction, so many of the atrocities that he describes throughout the book, do actually happen somewhere, every day, across the globe!
This is a book that will appeal to male and female. It has enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat and enough heart to linger well after you have finished reading it!
All I can say is Mr Smith, do not stop writing!
There are some scenes that left me horrified, but without those scenes it would be impossible to understand what the book is all about. It is so sad, to realise, that even if this book is a work of fiction, so many of the atrocities that he describes throughout the book, do actually happen somewhere, every day, across the globe!
This is a book that will appeal to male and female. It has enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat and enough heart to linger well after you have finished reading it!
All I can say is Mr Smith, do not stop writing!
September 12, 2013
LOVED Mason and Valentina! This was such a good book! I am usually not a reader of war stories, but I have an open mind, and when I read the synopsis I had to enter the contest.
I am so happy to have won this book on Goodreads!
The only bad thing was that I had to have company and couldn't read while I cooked and socialized! lol
It is an exciting book, with spy stuff and great writing! Some of the scenes were awful, but they needed to be there... and are things that are still happening today.
I will read all that I can by S.C. Smith! Awesome read!
I am so happy to have won this book on Goodreads!
The only bad thing was that I had to have company and couldn't read while I cooked and socialized! lol
It is an exciting book, with spy stuff and great writing! Some of the scenes were awful, but they needed to be there... and are things that are still happening today.
I will read all that I can by S.C. Smith! Awesome read!
June 24, 2017
Another book from 2015 that I’m just now getting around to reading and reviewing. Even though the caption says Mason Church Book 1 there is no further books in this series. Sad, actually, as I really wanted to know what happened to Mason after his assignment in Mexico.
Mason is a man without a purpose, especially after coming back from his tour in the Middle East. He’s just drifting through life, trying to make a living from odd end jobs when he answers an advert on the internet from a research center looking for volunteers to partake in a study. Little does he know how this one simple action will change his life.
This story is told in first person through Mason’s eyes, but does jump to 3rd person where needed. I had no problem following WHO was the POV for each scene and chapter. Even though the majority of the story was from Mason’s POV, he never really came off as a 3rd dimensional character. There wasn’t much internalization with him, until about the half way mark. I’m not sure if Smith wrote his character that way, or he just got better at writing Mason as the story progressed. Either way, there was a disconnect for me with Mason.
For readers who don’t like violence, rape, or gruesome deaths, you won’t want to read this book. I felt some of the grisly scenes weren’t quite necessary, like everyone getting shot on the bus. But, the shock factor did add to the story. This is also a story with a political statement. The drug cartels in Mexico are run by our secret government agencies. We all know that, yet they still do it. They push the drugs they claim to be trying to stop. It’s a farce that we the America taxpayers foot the bill for.
I felt and connected with Valentina, but I also thought her character wasn’t quite true for her age. Yes, she wanted revenge for the death of her family, but I don’t see her going to the extremes that she did. For me, the ending was somewhat anti-climatic. I didn’t really know who the mole was until the end, like Smith intended, but by then, my mind was still reacting to a heart-wrenching scene that happened several chapters before. Smith did an terrific job with that part of the story, but unfortunately, the emotions it wrought took away from everything else that happened after Mason ended up back in America.
If you love spy novels with action, blood, and gore, you will want to read this book. As mentioned earlier, I would read the 2nd book about Mason if it ever came out. I give this book 4 Man From UN.C.L.E’s.
Mason is a man without a purpose, especially after coming back from his tour in the Middle East. He’s just drifting through life, trying to make a living from odd end jobs when he answers an advert on the internet from a research center looking for volunteers to partake in a study. Little does he know how this one simple action will change his life.
This story is told in first person through Mason’s eyes, but does jump to 3rd person where needed. I had no problem following WHO was the POV for each scene and chapter. Even though the majority of the story was from Mason’s POV, he never really came off as a 3rd dimensional character. There wasn’t much internalization with him, until about the half way mark. I’m not sure if Smith wrote his character that way, or he just got better at writing Mason as the story progressed. Either way, there was a disconnect for me with Mason.
For readers who don’t like violence, rape, or gruesome deaths, you won’t want to read this book. I felt some of the grisly scenes weren’t quite necessary, like everyone getting shot on the bus. But, the shock factor did add to the story. This is also a story with a political statement. The drug cartels in Mexico are run by our secret government agencies. We all know that, yet they still do it. They push the drugs they claim to be trying to stop. It’s a farce that we the America taxpayers foot the bill for.
I felt and connected with Valentina, but I also thought her character wasn’t quite true for her age. Yes, she wanted revenge for the death of her family, but I don’t see her going to the extremes that she did. For me, the ending was somewhat anti-climatic. I didn’t really know who the mole was until the end, like Smith intended, but by then, my mind was still reacting to a heart-wrenching scene that happened several chapters before. Smith did an terrific job with that part of the story, but unfortunately, the emotions it wrought took away from everything else that happened after Mason ended up back in America.
If you love spy novels with action, blood, and gore, you will want to read this book. As mentioned earlier, I would read the 2nd book about Mason if it ever came out. I give this book 4 Man From UN.C.L.E’s.
March 4, 2019
Hit girl
Was surprised with the story. It would have made a good series. Did not care for the ending but it answered questions. 👍
Was surprised with the story. It would have made a good series. Did not care for the ending but it answered questions. 👍
September 27, 2013
Great book! Action packed and intense. I started reading it and could not put it down until I was done. Mason's soldier mentality and the violent nature of his work was softened by Valentina's character. She gave him heart and made him more humane which eased the amount of violence in the book. It made it easier for me to want him to succeed in his mission. The author was true to the brutality of the Mexican cartel and for me it was like a car crash, you don't want to know because you know once you look, everything will change - but you have to look because some demented, macabre part of you just has to know. I found myself so into the hunt, wanting justice for Valentina and success for Mason but at the same time not wanting the story to end. I LOVED this book and will read the next Mason Church novel.
October 7, 2013
The relationship between 2 of the main characters is amazing and really well fleshed out.
It seemed like a very realistic book and that was for me partially why I liked it so much. It wasn't just some fictional book with no chance of ever happening in the real world, no it was something that you could relate to because you may know friends or family that have gone through similar situations.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
It seemed like a very realistic book and that was for me partially why I liked it so much. It wasn't just some fictional book with no chance of ever happening in the real world, no it was something that you could relate to because you may know friends or family that have gone through similar situations.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
October 7, 2013
Mexican Hit Girl, is absolutely entertaining. Each chapter left me eager to read what was next to come…
July 20, 2016
It was alright. I really did not care much about the story. It did not make much sense to me.
August 30, 2016
riveting, powerful book
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews