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Atticus Wolfe #1
Out of Time
As an MI6 spy in 1963, Atticus Wolfe should be enjoying everything the swinging sixties has to offer.
But he’s not.
That’s because Atticus Wolfe is from the 21st century.
Accidentally torn from present day and flung into 1960s London in the midst of a cultural revolution, Atticus must acclimatise to a time not his own.
Although he's shocked by bigotry decades out of step with his sensibilities, not everything is unfamiliar – like finding a mole inside MI6.
Atticus must take down a clandestine Soviet agent on the front lines of the Cold War, hunt the terrorist who inadvertently sent him back in time and maybe, just maybe, find a way home.
A fast-paced adventure with whip smart dialogue and twists you won’t see coming, Out of Time is like no spy story you’ve read before.
But he’s not.
That’s because Atticus Wolfe is from the 21st century.
Accidentally torn from present day and flung into 1960s London in the midst of a cultural revolution, Atticus must acclimatise to a time not his own.
Although he's shocked by bigotry decades out of step with his sensibilities, not everything is unfamiliar – like finding a mole inside MI6.
Atticus must take down a clandestine Soviet agent on the front lines of the Cold War, hunt the terrorist who inadvertently sent him back in time and maybe, just maybe, find a way home.
A fast-paced adventure with whip smart dialogue and twists you won’t see coming, Out of Time is like no spy story you’ve read before.
306 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2022
414 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
Dave Sinclair
17 books55 followersDave 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/
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/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
August 29, 2022
RATED: 4🌟
“OUT OF TIME is like no spy story you have ever read before.”
The above is from the last line of the Goodreads review. I can’t top that!
“OUT OF TIME is like no spy story you have ever read before.”
The above is from the last line of the Goodreads review. I can’t top that!
October 11, 2022
Atticus Wolfe is a modern, MI6 agent, as you are, when he finds himself inexplicably transported back to 1963.
Aside from the massive culture shock (did I mention Atticus is a black man?), he needs to find out why he’s there, how he got there, and most importantly, how to get back to our lives of iThings and satellites and non-face communication.
Finding himself back in MI6, Atticus is tasked with finding a mole in the office, so teaming up with The Jew, The Woman, and The Weird Kid, he learns a whole heap of new old skills.
This is written with a keen eye on the London of the 60s, and the author has brilliantly nailed attitudes and descriptions of the era. Will Atticus adapt? Who is the mole? And: will he find his way home?
Aside from the massive culture shock (did I mention Atticus is a black man?), he needs to find out why he’s there, how he got there, and most importantly, how to get back to our lives of iThings and satellites and non-face communication.
Finding himself back in MI6, Atticus is tasked with finding a mole in the office, so teaming up with The Jew, The Woman, and The Weird Kid, he learns a whole heap of new old skills.
This is written with a keen eye on the London of the 60s, and the author has brilliantly nailed attitudes and descriptions of the era. Will Atticus adapt? Who is the mole? And: will he find his way home?
August 30, 2022
This is one quick read and a pretty good one at that. Modern day spy/operator goes back to the the early sixties and his given a tough job to crack right of the bat. It's a fun read and I'd like to see it made into a movie.
May 26, 2022
Oh wow! I loved this book. I am a cosy mystery fan at heart but stumbled on a book by Dave Sinclair when I was in the mood for something different. I have been hooked ever since and it's not surprising when he produces something like this. I loved the whole concept of a modern day spy trying to apply his craft by going in his words 'Old school'. You really got an idea of how much the world has changed and yet it was so easy to picture. I also liked that most of it was set in London with a number of places that will be familiar to the reader. The author focused the story mostly on finding the spy in MI6 instead of wallowing on his situation and how to get back to his time line, which really worked well for the enjoyment factor. I liked the characters and the banter between them. I can't wait to see what is in store for Atticus next.
While trying to capture a terrorist, Atticus Wolfe is caught up in an explosion and wakes up to find his world has totally changed. The year is 1963 and Kennedy has just been assassinated and a mole is working in MI6. When an agent gets kidnapped, Atticus finds that he can't standby and stay in the background, even if what he does will have an effect on his future. Instead he finds himself in charge of a rag-bag team of misfits on the hunt for the mole and the truth about what happened to there man. Can Atticus go old school? Because the world of spy craft is a lot harder without modern day technology like computers, satellites and even tv channels but it is something he will have to do very quickly if he is to have a future and he will have to do it all without making changes to the past.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Merged review:
Oh wow! I loved this book. I am a cosy mystery fan at heart but stumbled on a book by Dave Sinclair when I was in the mood for something different. I have been hooked ever since and it's not surprising when he produces something like this. I loved the whole concept of a modern day spy trying to apply his craft by going in his words 'Old school'. You really got an idea of how much the world has changed and yet it was so easy to picture. I also liked that most of it was set in London with a number of places that will be familiar to the reader. The author focused the story mostly on finding the spy in MI6 instead of wallowing on his situation and how to get back to his time line, which really worked well for the enjoyment factor. I liked the characters and the banter between them. I can't wait to see what is in store for Atticus next.
While trying to capture a terrorist, Atticus Wolfe is caught up in an explosion and wakes up to find his world has totally changed. The year is 1963 and Kennedy has just been assassinated and a mole is working in MI6. When an agent gets kidnapped, Atticus finds that he can't standby and stay in the background, even if what he does will have an effect on his future. Instead he finds himself in charge of a rag-bag team of misfits on the hunt for the mole and the truth about what happened to there man. Can Atticus go old school? Because the world of spy craft is a lot harder without modern day technology like computers, satellites and even tv channels but it is something he will have to do very quickly if he is to have a future and he will have to do it all without making changes to the past.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review
While trying to capture a terrorist, Atticus Wolfe is caught up in an explosion and wakes up to find his world has totally changed. The year is 1963 and Kennedy has just been assassinated and a mole is working in MI6. When an agent gets kidnapped, Atticus finds that he can't standby and stay in the background, even if what he does will have an effect on his future. Instead he finds himself in charge of a rag-bag team of misfits on the hunt for the mole and the truth about what happened to there man. Can Atticus go old school? Because the world of spy craft is a lot harder without modern day technology like computers, satellites and even tv channels but it is something he will have to do very quickly if he is to have a future and he will have to do it all without making changes to the past.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Merged review:
Oh wow! I loved this book. I am a cosy mystery fan at heart but stumbled on a book by Dave Sinclair when I was in the mood for something different. I have been hooked ever since and it's not surprising when he produces something like this. I loved the whole concept of a modern day spy trying to apply his craft by going in his words 'Old school'. You really got an idea of how much the world has changed and yet it was so easy to picture. I also liked that most of it was set in London with a number of places that will be familiar to the reader. The author focused the story mostly on finding the spy in MI6 instead of wallowing on his situation and how to get back to his time line, which really worked well for the enjoyment factor. I liked the characters and the banter between them. I can't wait to see what is in store for Atticus next.
While trying to capture a terrorist, Atticus Wolfe is caught up in an explosion and wakes up to find his world has totally changed. The year is 1963 and Kennedy has just been assassinated and a mole is working in MI6. When an agent gets kidnapped, Atticus finds that he can't standby and stay in the background, even if what he does will have an effect on his future. Instead he finds himself in charge of a rag-bag team of misfits on the hunt for the mole and the truth about what happened to there man. Can Atticus go old school? Because the world of spy craft is a lot harder without modern day technology like computers, satellites and even tv channels but it is something he will have to do very quickly if he is to have a future and he will have to do it all without making changes to the past.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review
August 15, 2025
Decent spy thriller. Guessed who the traitor was far too early. However, the ending has me intrigued to finish the trilogy.
September 6, 2022
This is a quirky, quick spy thriller/time travel book. The writing is nothing spectacular and the story is a bit thin but it was entertaining beach reading. Atticus is in MI6 in 2024, hot on the heals of a terrorist when they are both blown up by a strange bomb with an eerie green light. When Atticus wakes up, he finds himself sent back in time to November 1963, just after the JFK assignation. His MI6 ID card was still in his wallet so Oliver, a low-level clerk from MI6, is sent to assess the situation. Once he learns that Atticus is from the future, he decides to provide him with a cover story so that he can join the 1960's version of MI6. Once there we get an education on the sexual, racial and gender discrimination that was prevalent in that period. When a spy goes missing in East Germany, Atticus is put in charge of a misfit team to find the MI6 mole. He recruits Oliver, secretary Maggie and elevator operator Henry. It isn't long before Atticus is involved in a shootout at the spy's flat, arrested for drunk and disorderly for being black, and suspected of being the mole himself. When Henry is found dead Atticus knows that they are on the right track and he and the remaining members of his team are sent to Germany to debrief the spy after he is extracted from East Germany. But or course before they can there is another shoot out and everyone is dead except Atticus' team. Back at headquarters, Atticus is allowed to review a top secret document about the spy's mission and there he finds the clue to the mole who turns out to be none other than Oliver. There is another chase and Oliver is captured where he tells all just before he manages to escape. We end with Atticus coming face to face with the terrorist from the 21st century who is Atticus' only link to getting back to the future. There is clearly a second book where Atticus tracks down Oliver while untangling the mystery of the terrorist and time travel but I don't think I'll continue with the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2022
I read this because I got the e-book for free, but then was pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed it! Atticus Wolfe is an MI6 agent in modern day London (2024, a little in the future). Knocked unconscious in a blast set off by an unusual terrorist he was chasing, he wakes up in a hospital --- in 1963. Because of the ID in his wallet, a representative from MI6 is called in by the hospital. That guy readily believes Atticus when he finds a cell phone in Atticus’s belongings that has a 2024 date on the screen. And the fact that the ID says MI6 at all, since the organization wasn’t officially acknowledged as existing until about the 1990’s. Before that, everyone thought it was just part of Ian Fleming’s imagination.
The 1963 guy realizes what an amazing asset Atticus can be because of what he knows about future events. So he secures Atticus a job in the agency, where he raises eyebrows because he is black – and non-deferential. Atticus has to be careful what he says to protect the knowledge that he is from the future, which might make him a target for opportunists and Russian spies. The cultural references are hard for him to avoid. He asks where he can buy a pair of runners. Not only have they not heard of running shoes, but don’t know why anyone would run for fun. A woman asks him about his unusual name and he says his mother was a fan of To Kill a Mockingbird. She points out that the book only came out a couple years ago, so how his mother…. He quickly changes the subject. Also has to avoid talking about googling something or wanting to get a document emailed.
On his first assignment (to identify a mole in the organization), Atticus assembles a team that looks laughable to the agents with aristocratic backgrounds. He’s black, and his team includes a woman (!) and a homosexual (!). First in a series. We’ll have to see if he is ever able to return to the future, and if he still even wants to.
The 1963 guy realizes what an amazing asset Atticus can be because of what he knows about future events. So he secures Atticus a job in the agency, where he raises eyebrows because he is black – and non-deferential. Atticus has to be careful what he says to protect the knowledge that he is from the future, which might make him a target for opportunists and Russian spies. The cultural references are hard for him to avoid. He asks where he can buy a pair of runners. Not only have they not heard of running shoes, but don’t know why anyone would run for fun. A woman asks him about his unusual name and he says his mother was a fan of To Kill a Mockingbird. She points out that the book only came out a couple years ago, so how his mother…. He quickly changes the subject. Also has to avoid talking about googling something or wanting to get a document emailed.
On his first assignment (to identify a mole in the organization), Atticus assembles a team that looks laughable to the agents with aristocratic backgrounds. He’s black, and his team includes a woman (!) and a homosexual (!). First in a series. We’ll have to see if he is ever able to return to the future, and if he still even wants to.
July 31, 2022
This was so good I read it one day. Take a classic spy story and give it a good twist. Atticus Wolfe works for MI6 in 2024. He ends up back in time in 1963. He’s got 2 problems. He’s trying to find the guy who’s responsible for him ending up there. And, while trying to fit in with the old MI6, he learns there is a mole. Using his 21st century skills without 21st century technology is quite a lot to handle. It was fun to read because the writer lets us see just how difficult a task fitting in really is. Atticus keeps making blunders by referencing things no one has a clue about. One of the best freebies I’ve downloaded.
July 7, 2024
Interessante, para quem gosta de suspense e o cenário histórico só torna a história mais interessante. Uma escrita com ritmo, com várias reviravoltas e viagens no tempo à mistura. Foi uma boa leitura de férias
November 17, 2025
2024 and your chasing a terrorist on foot. You corner him, he pushes a button on what you think is a bomb, and you wake up in 1963. Good story!
October 28, 2023
I tried to like this Book. The Plot is Nonsense. It is Not Remotely Believable. Not because it is Science Fiction. It is very Bad Science Fiction.
It is Nonsense because the Storyline is Not Credible.
This Book was only written to push Woke Leftist Ideologies.
The Gay scene of the Past was Not True to History. It was a G version when the Truth is X-rated. I am Not talking about the Need to write X-rated scenes.
This books portrays the Gay Secret under ground club scene as Men into the finer things of life talking about Art, Culture.
The truth is that isn't True. Going into an underground Gay Club would be a very different, experience. Men grinding on each other on the dance floor. Men making out everywhere. Not tables full of men taking about Art and Culture. They didn't need an underground club to do that.
The entire Story is too far from anything credible I can Not recommend this Book.
It is Nonsense because the Storyline is Not Credible.
This Book was only written to push Woke Leftist Ideologies.
The Gay scene of the Past was Not True to History. It was a G version when the Truth is X-rated. I am Not talking about the Need to write X-rated scenes.
This books portrays the Gay Secret under ground club scene as Men into the finer things of life talking about Art, Culture.
The truth is that isn't True. Going into an underground Gay Club would be a very different, experience. Men grinding on each other on the dance floor. Men making out everywhere. Not tables full of men taking about Art and Culture. They didn't need an underground club to do that.
The entire Story is too far from anything credible I can Not recommend this Book.
March 14, 2024
!!!!!!!
THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS. I normally don't spoiler-hide my reviews or even warn for them, because I don't think that many people read my reviews in the first place, and also I think the nature of writing reviews longer than five sentences means there will always be spoilers. But this is a suspense/mystery novel, so the warning may be more important here.
!!!!!!
Why I read it: Time travel and espionage! Could anything be cooler?
Thoughts: The answer is yes. Many things could be cooler.
The good: really quick read! Very approachable, not too laden with the sort of political plot points and implications that made Summerland a bit of a struggle. Atticus Wolfe, the protagonist, was okay. Nothing to write home about, but being in his POV wasn't too onerous.
Some of the spy stuff, like the gunfight at the missing agent's apartment and the footchase afterwards, was really cool, very vivid and not dragged-out and confusing, like more action-y books sometimes tend to be.
The bad: it was... kind of boring? Lots of things happened, and there was an actively developing mystery throughout the story, but somehow it was all sort of... forgettable. I've already forgotten most of it, tbh, and I'm trying to write this review before I forget the rest.
Atticus's supporting cast was diverse, which was... okay. Another review calls the supporting cast "The Jew, The Woman, and The Weird Kid", which is an accurate description. They are definitely there to fill those roles and provide perspectives on the 60s that only those roles can provide. I guess it's up to each reader to decide how that sits with them, but to me it was too tokenistic sometimes. The book rarely focused on who the characters were outside of those roles.
The era-accurate racism and sexism were tiresome, too. Like, I get that it's era-accurate, and Atticus fought back every step of the way and the backwards views were criticised all through the book, but I still don't like it. Like, let's not pretend this work sprouted from nothing, in a vacuum. The author deliberately chose to write about a black protagonist and his similarly-marginalised supporting cast in an aggresively upper class cishet male setting, and then had the marginalised supporting cast be extremely marginalised throughout, and the upper class cishet males were extremely prejudiced towards all of them, to the point where it became cartoonish.
I don't know whether I'd necessarily recommend this book to someone who was looking for time travel or spy recs. I'd recommend it to someone looking for pulpy fiction but without the staid morality (racism, sexism) of, say, early James Bond movies. The progressiveness of it also felt a little tryhard occasionally. For ex, I did roll my eyes at the one gay character (The Jew, for those keeping tracking at home) taking an essential stranger to his secret queer club after only knowing him a very short while. Even though he knew Atticus was from the future and Atticus had said homosexuality is okay in the 21st century and that he was cool with it... I dunno, I guess if I was in his shoes, I would have been a lot more circumspect about inviting a stranger to a situation where he could get kompromat on me, four years before homosexuality would be decriminalised in the UK.
But I guess my biggest beef with this book is that the initial conceit (a terrorist uses this time travel device to travel back in time in order to change history and prevent a lot of things from happening) is followed through very poorly. I understand why: Atticus finds himself in 1963 and his employer, MI6, hands him a job where he needs to find a mole within the organisation. Of course he has to focus on that and can't spend all his time trying to track down the terrorist who sent him to 1963 in the first place! But, like, really? Is that really his only option? Also, realistically speaking, would MI6, one of the Good Old Boys clubs of British intelligence, really employ him? It's demonstrated later in the book that if someone's really looking for faults in Oliver's forgeries, they end up being easy enough to find, so really all it would've taken to get rid of Atticus was for one fellow agent to get sick enough of a black man telling him what to do and constantly telling him off for being a dick that he would finally dig deep enough into him to realise Atticus didn't exist in 1963 before Oliver hooked him up with fake ID.
And even leaving all that aside, I just really wanted him to find out about the terrorist (who happens to be middle-eastern, for those playing at home)! I really wanted him to make proper use of the skills and knowledge he had and adapt to 1963 and use those skills to sort out his temporal predicament. But, of course, this is the first book in a series, which is something I had forgotten when I started reading it, so obviously he can't solve the real mystery yet. It's just really annoying that his sole lead came right at the end of the book, in the form of the terrorist just showing up at Atticus's flat like he's Nick Fury at the end of the first Iron Man movie, going "I bet you really wanna know how I pulled this off" as a cliffhanger.
I also thought the identity of the mole (it was Oliver, the gay Jew) was kind of out of the blue. He had the means, motive and opportunity to pull off the double agent thing, but I felt kind of cheated, to be honest. I'm not saying all minority characters have to be paragons of morality, but I am saying that it felt like the Oliver throughout the book and the Oliver at the end felt like two completely different characters... like, Oliver and His Evil Twin. So I felt kind of nothing about it, which is not the ideal thing you want your reader to be feeling during your big reveal.
And just another thing... I hated all the pop culture references Atticus kept dropping throughout the book, which mostly just baffled his sidekicks.
Finally, it could've used at least one more round of edits and proofreading. There were a handful of typos in the edition I read, as well as the wrong word being chosen in a homonym pair (e.g. "populous" vs "populace", "in their sites" vs "in their sights"), plus a lot of repetition. Atticus did a hell of a lot of winking in this book, and I think London was called the CCTV capital of the world on two occasions (which isn't much, but it stuck out since it was similar enough phrasing), and there was a particular instance of "X was an apt word" being used twice in such quick succession that it made me groan. I don't know why that was the last straw for me, but it was.
Stand-out scene: Pretty much anytime Atticus did real spy stuff and didn't waste time on shopping trips with Maggie. The shootout at the apartment, the shootout at the cabin in the woods.
Tasting Notes: Summerland was a more interesting spy novel, if we're talking books. But after I finished this, I just really wanted to watch Atomic Blonde and The Man from UNCLE (both show and movie).
Would I read a sequel or the author's other works: No, I don't think so.
THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS. I normally don't spoiler-hide my reviews or even warn for them, because I don't think that many people read my reviews in the first place, and also I think the nature of writing reviews longer than five sentences means there will always be spoilers. But this is a suspense/mystery novel, so the warning may be more important here.
!!!!!!
Why I read it: Time travel and espionage! Could anything be cooler?
Thoughts: The answer is yes. Many things could be cooler.
The good: really quick read! Very approachable, not too laden with the sort of political plot points and implications that made Summerland a bit of a struggle. Atticus Wolfe, the protagonist, was okay. Nothing to write home about, but being in his POV wasn't too onerous.
Some of the spy stuff, like the gunfight at the missing agent's apartment and the footchase afterwards, was really cool, very vivid and not dragged-out and confusing, like more action-y books sometimes tend to be.
The bad: it was... kind of boring? Lots of things happened, and there was an actively developing mystery throughout the story, but somehow it was all sort of... forgettable. I've already forgotten most of it, tbh, and I'm trying to write this review before I forget the rest.
Atticus's supporting cast was diverse, which was... okay. Another review calls the supporting cast "The Jew, The Woman, and The Weird Kid", which is an accurate description. They are definitely there to fill those roles and provide perspectives on the 60s that only those roles can provide. I guess it's up to each reader to decide how that sits with them, but to me it was too tokenistic sometimes. The book rarely focused on who the characters were outside of those roles.
The era-accurate racism and sexism were tiresome, too. Like, I get that it's era-accurate, and Atticus fought back every step of the way and the backwards views were criticised all through the book, but I still don't like it. Like, let's not pretend this work sprouted from nothing, in a vacuum. The author deliberately chose to write about a black protagonist and his similarly-marginalised supporting cast in an aggresively upper class cishet male setting, and then had the marginalised supporting cast be extremely marginalised throughout, and the upper class cishet males were extremely prejudiced towards all of them, to the point where it became cartoonish.
I don't know whether I'd necessarily recommend this book to someone who was looking for time travel or spy recs. I'd recommend it to someone looking for pulpy fiction but without the staid morality (racism, sexism) of, say, early James Bond movies. The progressiveness of it also felt a little tryhard occasionally. For ex, I did roll my eyes at the one gay character (The Jew, for those keeping tracking at home) taking an essential stranger to his secret queer club after only knowing him a very short while. Even though he knew Atticus was from the future and Atticus had said homosexuality is okay in the 21st century and that he was cool with it... I dunno, I guess if I was in his shoes, I would have been a lot more circumspect about inviting a stranger to a situation where he could get kompromat on me, four years before homosexuality would be decriminalised in the UK.
But I guess my biggest beef with this book is that the initial conceit (a terrorist uses this time travel device to travel back in time in order to change history and prevent a lot of things from happening) is followed through very poorly. I understand why: Atticus finds himself in 1963 and his employer, MI6, hands him a job where he needs to find a mole within the organisation. Of course he has to focus on that and can't spend all his time trying to track down the terrorist who sent him to 1963 in the first place! But, like, really? Is that really his only option? Also, realistically speaking, would MI6, one of the Good Old Boys clubs of British intelligence, really employ him? It's demonstrated later in the book that if someone's really looking for faults in Oliver's forgeries, they end up being easy enough to find, so really all it would've taken to get rid of Atticus was for one fellow agent to get sick enough of a black man telling him what to do and constantly telling him off for being a dick that he would finally dig deep enough into him to realise Atticus didn't exist in 1963 before Oliver hooked him up with fake ID.
And even leaving all that aside, I just really wanted him to find out about the terrorist (who happens to be middle-eastern, for those playing at home)! I really wanted him to make proper use of the skills and knowledge he had and adapt to 1963 and use those skills to sort out his temporal predicament. But, of course, this is the first book in a series, which is something I had forgotten when I started reading it, so obviously he can't solve the real mystery yet. It's just really annoying that his sole lead came right at the end of the book, in the form of the terrorist just showing up at Atticus's flat like he's Nick Fury at the end of the first Iron Man movie, going "I bet you really wanna know how I pulled this off" as a cliffhanger.
I also thought the identity of the mole (it was Oliver, the gay Jew) was kind of out of the blue. He had the means, motive and opportunity to pull off the double agent thing, but I felt kind of cheated, to be honest. I'm not saying all minority characters have to be paragons of morality, but I am saying that it felt like the Oliver throughout the book and the Oliver at the end felt like two completely different characters... like, Oliver and His Evil Twin. So I felt kind of nothing about it, which is not the ideal thing you want your reader to be feeling during your big reveal.
And just another thing... I hated all the pop culture references Atticus kept dropping throughout the book, which mostly just baffled his sidekicks.
Finally, it could've used at least one more round of edits and proofreading. There were a handful of typos in the edition I read, as well as the wrong word being chosen in a homonym pair (e.g. "populous" vs "populace", "in their sites" vs "in their sights"), plus a lot of repetition. Atticus did a hell of a lot of winking in this book, and I think London was called the CCTV capital of the world on two occasions (which isn't much, but it stuck out since it was similar enough phrasing), and there was a particular instance of "X was an apt word" being used twice in such quick succession that it made me groan. I don't know why that was the last straw for me, but it was.
Stand-out scene: Pretty much anytime Atticus did real spy stuff and didn't waste time on shopping trips with Maggie. The shootout at the apartment, the shootout at the cabin in the woods.
Tasting Notes: Summerland was a more interesting spy novel, if we're talking books. But after I finished this, I just really wanted to watch Atomic Blonde and The Man from UNCLE (both show and movie).
Would I read a sequel or the author's other works: No, I don't think so.
August 14, 2023
i feel bad. i didn't really like this book. unfortunate, because this entire trilogy was not only recommended, but also gifted to me.
but this book just...wasn't that good? it wasn't boring, i'll give it that. i just didn't find it very well-written. the prose was really nothing to write home about. i actually tend to be very put-off by writing styles that are too simple, with introspection that only serves to point out the obvious or tell the reader things instead of showing them, and i think this book suffered from that. the characters were also pretty simple - we didn't really get to see their personalities, if they were given any unique traits at all. i thought this was especially a problem given the fact that a big part of each character was their marginalized identity. this was brought up a lot. ultimately, it resulted in the feeling that each character was defined only by their identity - being black, being gay, being a woman, etc. however, even these aspects of the characters were not explored beyond very surface-level topics. this book tried to tackle bigotry as well but was altogether underdeveloped in the approach. and contrary to its supposed themes of inclusion, i thought it ended up being pretty stereotypical in how it portrayed people. like of course the only middle-eastern character was a terrorist and the black mc was from a family of gangsters. finally, with regards to the ending -
i really don't think this was for me. i do still have the other two books. i do still think i will probably end up reading them.
it wasn't boring, at least.
but this book just...wasn't that good? it wasn't boring, i'll give it that. i just didn't find it very well-written. the prose was really nothing to write home about. i actually tend to be very put-off by writing styles that are too simple, with introspection that only serves to point out the obvious or tell the reader things instead of showing them, and i think this book suffered from that. the characters were also pretty simple - we didn't really get to see their personalities, if they were given any unique traits at all. i thought this was especially a problem given the fact that a big part of each character was their marginalized identity. this was brought up a lot. ultimately, it resulted in the feeling that each character was defined only by their identity - being black, being gay, being a woman, etc. however, even these aspects of the characters were not explored beyond very surface-level topics. this book tried to tackle bigotry as well but was altogether underdeveloped in the approach. and contrary to its supposed themes of inclusion, i thought it ended up being pretty stereotypical in how it portrayed people. like of course the only middle-eastern character was a terrorist and the black mc was from a family of gangsters. finally, with regards to the ending -
i really don't think this was for me. i do still have the other two books. i do still think i will probably end up reading them.
it wasn't boring, at least.
December 4, 2022
When I read the contents of the book I was already sold. I actually only knew the concept of going back in time in time travel romances, but this is really something else.
The writer takes you to 1963 where a man ends up from 2024. A world of difference where he has to find his way and prevent others from finding out about his story. Back as a spy at MI6, he and his team try to find out who the mole is in the organization and hopes to get an answer on how to go back to 2024.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The writer takes you to 1963 where a man ends up from 2024. A world of difference where he has to find his way and prevent others from finding out about his story. Back as a spy at MI6, he and his team try to find out who the mole is in the organization and hopes to get an answer on how to go back to 2024.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 28, 2022
Out of Time
It didn’t take long to realize this is another writer who is willing to profane that which many hold sacred, in addition to flipping f-bombs around. This writer has no more of my time.
It didn’t take long to realize this is another writer who is willing to profane that which many hold sacred, in addition to flipping f-bombs around. This writer has no more of my time.
July 30, 2022
Fritz
Any book, no matter how good the story is, you have to but another book to see how the first one ends, is only worth one star.
Any book, no matter how good the story is, you have to but another book to see how the first one ends, is only worth one star.
August 3, 2022
I stopped reading at page 55.
August 4, 2022
Quick read. There were parts that were very clever and witty and the main character reminded me of Archer. Other parts were a little slow and not well developed.
August 5, 2022
Bizarre, not worth the effort
Wisp of a theme, fell apart very quickly and became worse as time went on. Grossly overdone imagery, ridiculous plot etc.
Wisp of a theme, fell apart very quickly and became worse as time went on. Grossly overdone imagery, ridiculous plot etc.
March 3, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked it enough to finish it. I will not be reading the rest of the series
February 6, 2024
I actually quite enjoyed the story but they really need a new proof reader. The amount of errors was embarrassing.
May 15, 2024
Fun story but so many typos it made me want to give it up. What happened to spell check or an editor?
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April 4, 2025Book Review: Out of Time (Atticus Wolfe #1)
Author: Dave Sinclair
Dave Sinclair’s Out of Time marks the beginning of an intriguing series featuring Atticus Wolfe, a protagonist who finds himself thrust into the cultural upheaval of 1960s London. This time-travel thriller is rich in historical detail and character complexity, making it a compelling read for enthusiasts of both science fiction and spy narratives.
Summary
The plot follows Atticus Wolfe, a contemporary figure who is inadvertently transported back to November 1963, amidst a pivotal moment in British history. As an MI6 spy, Atticus must navigate the challenges of adapting to a time and environment that are foreign to him. This premise sets up a dynamic interplay between past and present, exploring not only the external conflicts of espionage and survival but also the internal struggles of identity and belonging.
Themes and Analysis
One prominent theme in Out of Time is the juxtaposition of time and agency. Sinclair delves into how the past continues to influence the present, reflecting on the character’s sense of self and the decisions that define him. The narrative raises questions about fate versus free will, particularly as Atticus grapples with his new reality and the implications of his actions in the past.
The vivid depiction of 1960s London, rife with cultural revolution and political tension, serves as a rich backdrop that enhances the narrative. Sinclair expertly weaves historical elements into the narrative, immersing readers in the era’s atmosphere. This attention to detail not only grounds the story but also invites readers to reflect on the societal changes of the time.
Style and Tone
Sinclair’s writing is both engaging and accessible, characterized by a clear narrative voice that balances action with introspection. The prose is descriptive, offering rich imagery that helps to transport readers into the heart of 1960s London. The tone oscillates between suspenseful and contemplative, effectively capturing the stakes of Atticus’s predicament while also allowing for moments of reflection on his personal journey.
Conclusion
Out of Time is a promising start to the Atticus Wolfe series. Dave Sinclair successfully combines elements of time travel, espionage, and historical fiction to create a narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The character of Atticus is well-developed, and his experiences resonate with themes of identity and change that are relevant to today’s readers.
Recommendation
I recommend Out of Time for fans of time travel fiction and spy thrillers. It offers a unique perspective on historical events while engaging with universal themes of belonging and the impact of choices. This book is not only an entertaining read but also a reflective exploration of how the past shapes the present, making it a valuable addition to contemporary literature.
Author: Dave Sinclair
Dave Sinclair’s Out of Time marks the beginning of an intriguing series featuring Atticus Wolfe, a protagonist who finds himself thrust into the cultural upheaval of 1960s London. This time-travel thriller is rich in historical detail and character complexity, making it a compelling read for enthusiasts of both science fiction and spy narratives.
Summary
The plot follows Atticus Wolfe, a contemporary figure who is inadvertently transported back to November 1963, amidst a pivotal moment in British history. As an MI6 spy, Atticus must navigate the challenges of adapting to a time and environment that are foreign to him. This premise sets up a dynamic interplay between past and present, exploring not only the external conflicts of espionage and survival but also the internal struggles of identity and belonging.
Themes and Analysis
One prominent theme in Out of Time is the juxtaposition of time and agency. Sinclair delves into how the past continues to influence the present, reflecting on the character’s sense of self and the decisions that define him. The narrative raises questions about fate versus free will, particularly as Atticus grapples with his new reality and the implications of his actions in the past.
The vivid depiction of 1960s London, rife with cultural revolution and political tension, serves as a rich backdrop that enhances the narrative. Sinclair expertly weaves historical elements into the narrative, immersing readers in the era’s atmosphere. This attention to detail not only grounds the story but also invites readers to reflect on the societal changes of the time.
Style and Tone
Sinclair’s writing is both engaging and accessible, characterized by a clear narrative voice that balances action with introspection. The prose is descriptive, offering rich imagery that helps to transport readers into the heart of 1960s London. The tone oscillates between suspenseful and contemplative, effectively capturing the stakes of Atticus’s predicament while also allowing for moments of reflection on his personal journey.
Conclusion
Out of Time is a promising start to the Atticus Wolfe series. Dave Sinclair successfully combines elements of time travel, espionage, and historical fiction to create a narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The character of Atticus is well-developed, and his experiences resonate with themes of identity and change that are relevant to today’s readers.
Recommendation
I recommend Out of Time for fans of time travel fiction and spy thrillers. It offers a unique perspective on historical events while engaging with universal themes of belonging and the impact of choices. This book is not only an entertaining read but also a reflective exploration of how the past shapes the present, making it a valuable addition to contemporary literature.
July 24, 2023
Spoilers ahead. I got this as one of the Kindle freebies and I'm glad I did. The writing is easy to read and follow. The action is fairly fast paced and I finished it within 24 hours, wanting more.
Summary: Atticus Wolfe is a technical officer in MI6. While chasing after a terrorist, the terrorist explodes a device that throws both of them back to 1963 England. Wolfe is injured by the explosion and taken to the hospital. While he is there, he is visited by a MI6 operative (Oliver) due to the MI6 ID that he has in his wallet.
Wolfe convinces Oliver that he is from the future, pretty easily, with his phone. Wolfe is then given a job in MI6. I kind of find this part a little unbelievable since Wolfe is not given any sort of background check, testing or debriefing. Oliver also doesn't report him to his superiors and somehow manages to get him a job immediately. I would have thought that Oliver's bosses would have tried to wring every bit of useful information from him right away.
And once Wolfe is in the office, he is given a menial task. Instead, he challenges his boss to give him a real task to prove himself. This is quite silly because everyone starts at the bottom in a new job despite Wolfe's chip on his shoulder. I would tell Wolfe the same thing as the new guy - prove yourself first no matter who you are or how you look.
An important task is at hand because someone in their office (Jayne) has just run and given himself up to the East Germans. Wolfe is to look into it. As he is looking into it, there comes news that Jayne has given a signal that he wants to come back. Wolfe and his newly acquired team immediately flies to Berlin to help Jayne come back.
What follows is a pretty classic Cold War spy novel. I like it because there have been very few Cold War spy thrillers ever since the USSR collapsed. What happens next is also very quick, this book feels like a novella. But the big disappointment is that there isn't much to do with time travel in the book. Wolfe goes back in time, talks a bit about the future and that's pretty much it. Well, except at the end when the terrorist shows up as a much older man. But apart from the beginning and the end, it's pretty much a CW spy book. Overall I like the book and I will be reading book 2 and will be looking into the author's other books.
Summary: Atticus Wolfe is a technical officer in MI6. While chasing after a terrorist, the terrorist explodes a device that throws both of them back to 1963 England. Wolfe is injured by the explosion and taken to the hospital. While he is there, he is visited by a MI6 operative (Oliver) due to the MI6 ID that he has in his wallet.
Wolfe convinces Oliver that he is from the future, pretty easily, with his phone. Wolfe is then given a job in MI6. I kind of find this part a little unbelievable since Wolfe is not given any sort of background check, testing or debriefing. Oliver also doesn't report him to his superiors and somehow manages to get him a job immediately. I would have thought that Oliver's bosses would have tried to wring every bit of useful information from him right away.
And once Wolfe is in the office, he is given a menial task. Instead, he challenges his boss to give him a real task to prove himself. This is quite silly because everyone starts at the bottom in a new job despite Wolfe's chip on his shoulder. I would tell Wolfe the same thing as the new guy - prove yourself first no matter who you are or how you look.
An important task is at hand because someone in their office (Jayne) has just run and given himself up to the East Germans. Wolfe is to look into it. As he is looking into it, there comes news that Jayne has given a signal that he wants to come back. Wolfe and his newly acquired team immediately flies to Berlin to help Jayne come back.
What follows is a pretty classic Cold War spy novel. I like it because there have been very few Cold War spy thrillers ever since the USSR collapsed. What happens next is also very quick, this book feels like a novella. But the big disappointment is that there isn't much to do with time travel in the book. Wolfe goes back in time, talks a bit about the future and that's pretty much it. Well, except at the end when the terrorist shows up as a much older man. But apart from the beginning and the end, it's pretty much a CW spy book. Overall I like the book and I will be reading book 2 and will be looking into the author's other books.
January 8, 2026
I dislike comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges because I like to think everyone has an original-ish idea for their book and not to harp about those that came before, but I will say if the sentence "Life on Mars meets James Bond" excites you at all, quit reading this review and start reading this book.
Briefly (in chapter 1) we are introduced to Atticus Wolfe, agent for MI6, in 2024, hunting a terrorist in the middle of London. He catches up to the fellow, stuff happens, a "bomb" goes off, and he wakes up in 1963, right after the assassination of President Kennedy.
He's inducted into an MI6 he doesn't know by an agent who wants to use him for his future knowledge, but is soon forming his own team of misfits to hunt down a mole who has compromised an operation in East Germany. Along the way trying to understand this alien time and his place in it.
There were good choices made in the character of Atticus. Not the least of which is that he is a black man trapped in an era where that wasn't comfortable at all. But author Dave Sinclair imbues him with a drive and a sarcastic willingness to push the boundaries of this timeline, while also being a competent agent capable of doling out some good shootouts and foot chases as the need arises.
The side characters are strong and interesting, with Maggie and Oliver being his only real allies in this timeline and several characters, including his boss at MI6, providing opportunities to be the foils in this plot.
The story has humor, action, and proper spy thrills, especially in a scene where Atticus and his allies have to try and secure a safehouse in the German countryside from a band of killers intending to siege it. Love the action and the danger in full display.
There are allusions that all is not as it seems and the book does end on quite a cliffhanger (while still wrapping up the main story), so it's not a one-and-done read so far as I am concerned. Which is fine! This was a rollicking good time and I look forward to getting to Sinclair's other books in this series.
Briefly (in chapter 1) we are introduced to Atticus Wolfe, agent for MI6, in 2024, hunting a terrorist in the middle of London. He catches up to the fellow, stuff happens, a "bomb" goes off, and he wakes up in 1963, right after the assassination of President Kennedy.
He's inducted into an MI6 he doesn't know by an agent who wants to use him for his future knowledge, but is soon forming his own team of misfits to hunt down a mole who has compromised an operation in East Germany. Along the way trying to understand this alien time and his place in it.
There were good choices made in the character of Atticus. Not the least of which is that he is a black man trapped in an era where that wasn't comfortable at all. But author Dave Sinclair imbues him with a drive and a sarcastic willingness to push the boundaries of this timeline, while also being a competent agent capable of doling out some good shootouts and foot chases as the need arises.
The side characters are strong and interesting, with Maggie and Oliver being his only real allies in this timeline and several characters, including his boss at MI6, providing opportunities to be the foils in this plot.
The story has humor, action, and proper spy thrills, especially in a scene where Atticus and his allies have to try and secure a safehouse in the German countryside from a band of killers intending to siege it. Love the action and the danger in full display.
There are allusions that all is not as it seems and the book does end on quite a cliffhanger (while still wrapping up the main story), so it's not a one-and-done read so far as I am concerned. Which is fine! This was a rollicking good time and I look forward to getting to Sinclair's other books in this series.
October 9, 2022
Atticus Wolfe is a black ex-agent of MI6, now a Tactical Officer. He's pursuing a evil terrorist called Ganim and when he finally traps him, the bad guy pulls up a strange device and a loud explosion is the last thing Atticus remember... before waking up on a hospital bed in November 23, 1963!
Is this all a dream? Is he dead? In a weird kind of a coma? Well, you got it, this is just a spy version of the awesome LIFE ON MARS TV series (the British one, not the lousy american adaptation)! Meanwhile Atticus got to start working with the MI6 (of the 60s) in order to find out who's selling intel to the Soviets, otherwise the Cold War could end with a victory to the other side...
The starting point is good (even if not that original) and the misadjustment of 60s London life and behavior is very well written and believable, with lots of ironic situations (doctors smoking, lack of instant communication, confuse currency system) and more serious matters (racism, women's rights, environmental worries) that makes us amaze how things were really different back then (I grew up in the 80s so I relate with several of those generation gap issues...), but the main story is not that good and the action takes a lot of time to roll, with to much knots and twists in the plot - Dave Sinclair, you're not le Carré man, don't try to layer up that much your story, keep it simple and straightforward and you'll achieve some more, because you know how to write, you're able to add humor in a balanced way and your characters are good.
OK, not a masterpiece, but still a promising start to a series... will try to read #2
Is this all a dream? Is he dead? In a weird kind of a coma? Well, you got it, this is just a spy version of the awesome LIFE ON MARS TV series (the British one, not the lousy american adaptation)! Meanwhile Atticus got to start working with the MI6 (of the 60s) in order to find out who's selling intel to the Soviets, otherwise the Cold War could end with a victory to the other side...
The starting point is good (even if not that original) and the misadjustment of 60s London life and behavior is very well written and believable, with lots of ironic situations (doctors smoking, lack of instant communication, confuse currency system) and more serious matters (racism, women's rights, environmental worries) that makes us amaze how things were really different back then (I grew up in the 80s so I relate with several of those generation gap issues...), but the main story is not that good and the action takes a lot of time to roll, with to much knots and twists in the plot - Dave Sinclair, you're not le Carré man, don't try to layer up that much your story, keep it simple and straightforward and you'll achieve some more, because you know how to write, you're able to add humor in a balanced way and your characters are good.
OK, not a masterpiece, but still a promising start to a series... will try to read #2
May 27, 2023
Sinclair is a new author for me, and one I believe will entertain me in the future.
'Out of time' is fast-paced, witty, cobbled together with bits of modern trivia and that of the past in the 1960s. Fun spy genre, harken to the kitschy Ian Fleming Bond films, especially with Sean Connery. This time, our agent is of color and unwelcome in the MI 6 ranks of the biased 60s London gentry and community. But Atticus is stalwart, resilient, cagey, having known prejudice from his childhood, he perseveres. He's a worthy spy and agent from his future time. However, missing all the modern amenities and technology inherent to his craft, he must fly and fight from his basic gut feelings and knowledge of general spy craft and human instinct.
A nicely twisted tale beginning with the hunt of one terrorist in modern times turning into the hunt for an MI6 double-agent who is wreaking havoc with his country's agents. With tongue in cheek humor, the author addresses the typical elitist, chauvinism, anti-gay, and prejudices on all sides of British society in then 1960s. The narrative is mixed with some American modern history and world history from WWII, creating the backdrop for the Cold War between European countries and America. Nice job. Entertaining with Atticus used to being a relevant and powerhouse agent (think Daniel Craig's Bond), who is used to good direction, capable operatives and peers--he is thrust into a job with outcasts, seemingly incompetent and not liked by the rest of the staff, thus deemed to fail.
A few typos and grammar bloopers missed by edits, but otherwise an entertaining book.
'Out of time' is fast-paced, witty, cobbled together with bits of modern trivia and that of the past in the 1960s. Fun spy genre, harken to the kitschy Ian Fleming Bond films, especially with Sean Connery. This time, our agent is of color and unwelcome in the MI 6 ranks of the biased 60s London gentry and community. But Atticus is stalwart, resilient, cagey, having known prejudice from his childhood, he perseveres. He's a worthy spy and agent from his future time. However, missing all the modern amenities and technology inherent to his craft, he must fly and fight from his basic gut feelings and knowledge of general spy craft and human instinct.
A nicely twisted tale beginning with the hunt of one terrorist in modern times turning into the hunt for an MI6 double-agent who is wreaking havoc with his country's agents. With tongue in cheek humor, the author addresses the typical elitist, chauvinism, anti-gay, and prejudices on all sides of British society in then 1960s. The narrative is mixed with some American modern history and world history from WWII, creating the backdrop for the Cold War between European countries and America. Nice job. Entertaining with Atticus used to being a relevant and powerhouse agent (think Daniel Craig's Bond), who is used to good direction, capable operatives and peers--he is thrust into a job with outcasts, seemingly incompetent and not liked by the rest of the staff, thus deemed to fail.
A few typos and grammar bloopers missed by edits, but otherwise an entertaining book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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June 30, 2022I was engrossed in the story from beginning to end. The concept of time travel is not new, but this story was fantastic. It felt as though seeing London in the 1960s, from the point of view of someone ripped out of the present. His mind did wander, as would anyone in that circumstance. He would wonder about his new environment, living and working in an earlier time period, and the reality of no real friend to lean on. He tried to continue his job, 60 years earlier, with no electronic surveillance available, no cell phone to contact back-up, and no real back-up. The discrimination of the 60s was also something he was not used to, not in the spirit of the world at that time. The characters are relatable, human, and imperfect. Atticus Wolfe is a great character, and I’m looking forward to reading his next adventure in the 60s.
August 7, 2022
Out Of Time is the first book in a trilogy (from what I can gather) focusing on Atticus Wolfe, a modern day MI6 agent who is transported back to 1960s London.
Author Dave Sinclair does not shy away from dealing with the attitudes of the period, namely racism, sexism and homophobia.
Personally I felt the 1960s plot was good but it was a complete distraction from the main overarching plot. The plot was very action based with bursts of action dispersed between quieter periods.
Out Of Time is what I would affectionately and respectfully call a “granddad book”, as my granddad would have enjoyed it. I will definitely read other Atticus Wolfe books as I am intrigued as to whether he gets home or not!
Author Dave Sinclair does not shy away from dealing with the attitudes of the period, namely racism, sexism and homophobia.
Personally I felt the 1960s plot was good but it was a complete distraction from the main overarching plot. The plot was very action based with bursts of action dispersed between quieter periods.
Out Of Time is what I would affectionately and respectfully call a “granddad book”, as my granddad would have enjoyed it. I will definitely read other Atticus Wolfe books as I am intrigued as to whether he gets home or not!
August 21, 2022
I quite enjoyed this despite not being a fan of science fiction....though it is only sci fi through the basis of time travel. It's quite unique...a present day MI6 spy gets "teleported" back to the 1960's. There he must confront the difficulties of doing his job without the aid of technology, while also trying to find a way to get back to the present day. Kennedy has just been assassinated, the Cold War is in full swing, and there is a mole in MI6. Atticus is tasked with uncovering the mole. He puts together a rag tag team of 1960's misfits to help him- a woman, a homosexual Jew and a young man. The discrimination of the 60's is fully exposed. Worth a read, and even a second in the series.
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