Past Transgressions

Mason Nash #1

by Dave Sinclair

Retired spy. Trained killing machine. Pacifist.

Retired MI6 spy Mason Nash moved to a sleepy English town so he could leave his former violent life behind.

He soon learns that past transgressions have a way of catching up with you.
When hired killers invade his peaceful new existence Nash is forced to fall back on his old ways to find out who sent assassins after him and why.

What he uncovers sends him on a globetrotting quest involving old friends, a new clandestine spy agency and a world-wide conspiracy where no one is quite who they seem.

Nash finds out how hard it is to adhere to non-violent ways when everyone is trying to kill you.

A page burner of a novel full of action and wit, Past Transgressions is definitely not your regular espionage thriller.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Ebooks, Espionage, Action, Fiction

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2023

About the author

Dave Sinclair is a USA Today bestselling author, screenwriter and a really excellent parallel parker. Author of the Scream Queen Detective Agency, Mason Nash, Atticus Wolfe, Charles Bishop, Eva Destruction novels and snarky Post-It notes.
The three series have different main characters, but do manage to slip into each other’s series now and then.
Dave spends a lot of time in his imaginary world and ignoring the washing.
He lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two crazy daughters.
He’s also an award winning filmmaker. A title that sounds much more impressive than it really is. He won a best comedy screenplay and cinematography award for one of the short films he wrote and directed, though at the time he didn’t really know what cinematography was. A completed screenplay is currently doing the rounds.
Dave’s overflowing bookshelves include many works by Douglas Adams, P.G. Wodehouse, Dashiel Hammet, Raymond Chandler, Janet Evanovich, Ian Flemming, Zadie Smith and John le Carré.
To find out more, you can stalk him at all these semi-reputable places:

https://facebook.com/DaveSinclairAuthor/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dave-...

https://www.instagram.com/davesinclai...

https://books2read.com/DaveSinclair/

Reviews

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little hesitant at the beginning of the book given his desire “not” to kill any more- hey, we all love fights and heroes that save the day. I did come around to this 55 year old doing a good job. Yes, I will read book two.

[Kirk Rydberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read

Enjoyed the book and the premise from the start. The author fills in gaps with flashbacks that bring everything together. Looking forward to the next installment with Nash.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. This was a fun twist having the main character so adverse to killing people, especially when the bad guys try so hard to kill him and the situations he finds himself in leaves no other choice. Mason is a unique but like able character and tries so hard not to do harm that it is funny. Despite it being a new series it was fun working out which characters we had already met from the author other series, a good crossover or introduction to the authors action packed world. The story is set up for an interesting series as Mason and Eva take on a deadly foe and I can't wait for the next adventure.
Retirement should be slow and quite but for ex M16 agent Mason Nash it is anything but when a group of assassins stop in at his local pub. Instead of grading history papers he finds himself dodging bullets as he tries to work out who from his past is trying to kill him and who he an trust. The problem is Mason is done with killing and the only thing he wants to kill is a good curry, if only someone had told the men who keep putting guns in his face.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntary left this review

[Cidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blimey, this book started out genteel enough, history teacher (retired spy) sits in local pub eating his evening meal when two people come in and try to kill him. He fends off the male with some well thrown steak knives and then pins the female's hands to the bar with the rest of the steak knives. Then leaves. Well finds the assassins car and then drives off in it pursued by a helicopter firing at him. This was high octane stuff for bedtime reading! I had to stay up all night as I couldn't possibly sleep now!!

And it gets faster by the minute. He ends up by calling in the assistance of an old friend who dispatches the helicopter murderers and ends up by meeting said friend and joining him on a mission. And what a mission that turned out to be, he became a globe trotting ex-spy with not another steak knife in sight. This book does get really deep from here on and it took some staying awake to follow it through to its conclusion, is that really how these spy agencies work? If it is then Mason Nash (steak knife thrower extraordinaire) is the man you need to bring down organisations.

Read it and enjoy, readers!

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our hero is a spy who has decided to retire and forget about the past. Unfortunately, the past doesn't agree with that approach and his retirement is soon interrupted by people trying to kill him. Again. He is going to have to face them head on if he ever wants to see a moment of peace.

This is book one of the series, so no issue there.

This is a spy thriller with all the usual trappings. The story is well written and easy to read with a complex conspiracy that certainly keeps our hero busy. The characters are well done and the plot has plenty of action and surprises to keep things interesting. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more in the series.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Terry Hillier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Mason Nash

Mason Nash is a retired MI6 super spy.
His is trying to lead a non violent life as a history teacher in a small town in Ireland.
As he is sitting in the local pub reading a book, he notices three’s newcomers, well dressed, paying particular attention to him.
One of the men starts to approach Mason and he dispatches him with multiple steak knives. Next the woman charges him and he pins both of her hands on a table with two more steak knives.
The third person starts firing an Uzi around the pub. Fearful he will injure bar patrons, Mason retrieves one of the assassins Glocks and dispatches the third assassin with a shot to the forehead.
So begins a mission to find who is trying to kill him
Page turner

[SylviaV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Past Transgressions by Dave Sinclair . (Mason Nash #1)

This is a new to me author and this is book 1 in a new series. This story reads a bit like a James Bond movie. The main character Mason Nash is a retired MI6 spy who is minding his own business when 3 assassins try to kill him in his local pub. What follows is a game of cat and mouse going from the British Countryside to South America as Mason tries to find out who wants to kill him and why. I was engaged with both the story line and the characters. Be aware there is a lot of over the top violence and swearing in this story. A great read.

[Texas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Past Transgressions - This is one of my favorite genres but it is so difficult to find new writers that can tell a good believable story. After reading over a quarter of this book I could not tolerate it any more. It is difficult to fill the shoes of Ludlum and Follette, which may be my problem since it is difficult to go from an author who knew what he was writing about to someone who watched TV. This is the impression I received. This is probably meant for the younger generations. Source: BookSprout. 2*

[Scott Torok · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting 😎

This Book is a Nice Entertaining Book. It is a Quick Read. I Read it in One Sitting.

It is Action Packed. The Main Character is Annoying though... He is Constantly talking about Asian Mystical Religion being Reformed Non Violent... Think the Beatles in the 1960s the 1970s Flower "Children", They were for Free Love and Peace... They Attack The US Military Veterans who came Home from Vietnam. A Bunch of Insane Hypocrites! The Main Character is Full of this Hypocrisy...

If You can Ignore the Annoying Whining of the Main Character You might enjoy this Book.

[Fickle Harriett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mason Nash is a middle aged ex-spy. Is there such a thing as an ex-spy? Not really. Mason took a side step to become a teacher for a while, but all his old skills come rushing back when he needs them. Funny how that happens when someone puts a price on your head.
Dave Sinclair's dialogue is as witty as ever. Although with Mason it has a little bit more bite, which I love.
I love starting a new series and this one puts me in my happy zone. Can't wait for the next book.

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Retired M16 spy Mason Nash is looking forward to his retirement. I Now a teacher he never thought his old skill set would be used again. That is until a set of assassins walk into his local pub. His past has caught up with him and all his old skills come rushing back. He finds out someone puts a price on your head.

Full of action, twists, humour.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rachel F · Rating 2 out of 5]

Real reading is more like 2.75. It was ok. The story was short so things kind of conveniently led one thing to another. Entirely too much swearing and sexual humor. The main character has this (one dimensional) struggle of wanting to be a pacifist but being in situations where that's difficult. There's one scene that has him specifically not killing the guy because he could never but then he lets a bunch of 8-12 yo kids bludgeon him to death instead. Is that supposed to be better??

[John C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tough Guy
Great action sequences. A believable story line. Great characters and locations. Effective efficiency in introducing characters and giving a back story that links them to the main character and powers the story along from one exciting encounter to another.

An ex-spy assassin, now trying to adopt a pacifist life style, is dragged back into the game with the emergence of a new secret agency made up of not so likeable characters from his past. There are surprises, twists and turns, and a little humour. Is our main character a little over the hill? Maybe, but with the support of his friends, he turns the tables on the bad guys.

[Ricki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not sure how to describe a former spy now pacifist that is over 50, retired and ends up back in the spy game. Everytime Mason needs to shoot, there is an internal moral dilemma going on- how he isn't killed while contemplating what to do is so implausible. Just no to the whole premise.

[Sue Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the read. It had Sinclair’s subtle humour and Eva’s brash character throughout which kept me chuckling along. Mason is a great character their different outlooks work well together as does their interactions whilst dealing with the bad guys.

[Judy Kay Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Past Transgressions

Retirement isn't always what we expect. And somehow, the past always catches up. From the first page to the last, you need to be buckled in for nonstop action and suspense.

[Nicola Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling

Mason is one cool character, totally believable! It makes you wonder how all those agencies actually work, I am not a fan of the CIA, but bloody hell, they're unfuckingbelievable!

[James N Fulton, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another guy who has his own view.of justice

Mason is another of those guys that have their own view of what real justice is and dispenses it in a surprisingly nonlethal way. I will definitely read more from this author.

[Maria Perno Goldie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting, exciting page turner. It makes one think about the world’s “spy agencies”, like the CIA, M16, Mossad, etc. It has some humorous parts. If one is bothered by bad and sexually explicit language, this is not the book for you.

[Carolyn Cherewyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

story not finished

It was a great book, but I really don’t like it when the story doesn’t end; so I’ll keep having to buy the next book …..I know that’s how a series works….but Don like it

[Jeff Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

doesn’t get any better than this

Action from page one to the end. I would say no complaints at all but have a little bitty one. No all questions were answered at the end so now its off to the next book in the series

[Toni Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keeps you guessing...

Fast paced story that keeps you guessing. I'd recommend it to friends and family. Good likable characters, intriguing plot twists. An overall good story. I give it 3 1/2 ⭐

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fast page turner spy action read. The main character makes James Bond look like he is asleep. This was my first read by this author and it was a page turner from the start. The ending was great and a surprise leading to additional books with the main character.

[Mailmanr5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could have been 5 stars if it had an ending. Another example of cliff hanging to sell more books. Well written good story.

[Lynne Alexander Hollingsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

exciting read

I really enjoyed this story. Action packed, with real characters I like, and some I don’t, this was a wild ride! Highly recommend this book

[Jim Chancey · Rating 5 out of 5]

action packed

Excellent and exciting plot and story. It will make you think about our security organization and how they operate. Great read!

[SM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it!!!

[Gdoggie Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found a new author, thks, great readings

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Garrett Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, entertaining and fun read.

This was a very interesting story that was used to begin a new series of stories that will continue threw at least several more books.