Making eye contact with a killer wasn’t exactly how Bradley Danforth had planned to start his day. As an accountant, he craved structure and routine. What he hadn’t anticipated was being part of a real-life murder mystery with him cast in the starring role. Death and sorrow were part of Max Donohue’s job description, leaving the detective hardened after years on the job. On his latest case, he’s … case, he’s the one stuck protecting the only witness in a sadistic homicide.
One death becomes two… then three. And soon Max and Bradley find themselves playing a deadly game of cat and mouse. Can Max save Bradley from the clutches of a serial killer? Or will the killer finish what he started?
At a Stranger’s Mercy is the first installment of a continuing series featuring the same two characters. It’s a suspenseful murder mystery that depicts detailed crimes, strong language, and adult situations. While this series will include a romance, it’s a slow burn that develops throughout the series.
more
I absolutely loved this book! I was drawn in from the first chapter and had chewed my nails to the quick by the epilogue! Max and Bradley are both well drawn main characters and brilliantly brought to life by narrator Kenneth Obi. I adored the quiver in Bradley’s voice, the growl of Max and the sheer evil and menace of the serial killer.
The twists and turns to get to the (final) denouement are so well-crafted and obviously much research has gone into making sure procedure is correct.
I already own both ebook and audiobook for the continuation of the series, and have my fingers firmly crossed for the development of a (romantic) relationship between Bradley and Max.
Wow! What an interesting title! I never knew I needed some serial killer and suspence in my life until I read this book! A masterpiece of edging the readers and keeping them on their figurative toes throughout the story.
For a book with absolutely no romance or steam, I rather liked it. There were moments when the actions of both characters irritated me to no end, but the mystery of the murders and the gruesomeness of the crimes kept me glued to the book. Told from dual POV, the story features ill-tempered detective, straight-laced accountant, forced proximity, crazy serial killer and a hint that there might be something more between two men in the future.
Bradley Danforth has a set routine. He never deviates and his life is smooth sailing. One day, as if Fate is hinting that there is a change coming, the routine is disrupted which brings Bradley into the sights of a killer. After Bradley is brutally attacked, it takes him a long while to recover. He is the only surviving witness, so the killer will not rest until he is no longer alive. Thus, the grumpy detective Max Donohue becomes reluctant savior by offering his home as a safe place.
Max is very rude, arrogant and genuinely does not care what people think about him. He is the best detective and he gets the job done. So having another person especially a witness in his home is a major inconvenience. Max never apologizes for his behavior, but here and there I saw a glimpse into a vulnerability that he was desperately trying to hide by being a complete douche. Something happened in his past that with a bit of pressure might crack the man open.
Throughout the book two men bicker and argue, yet Max drops everything when Bradley is in danger. There are couple of moments when they become aware of each other, but they are few and far between. The case itself is rather riveting, the murders are very detailed and highly gory – I gobbled them up with a BIG ladle! Awesome! And the culprits are rather unexpected, and I loved how Max got to his conclusions. The investigative work and coroner’s presence in the book were impressive and very enjoyable to read. Since the next book is about to come out featuring the same MCs, I hope that there will be attraction that was promised at the end of this story. I recommend it!
Bradley had no idea how much worse is already bad day could be until he locked eyes with a stranger that sent shivers up his spine and he had no idea just how much this would change his life until he comes home that night and finds his neighbor has been murdered in a gruesome way and that he is the only witness.
He meets Max the lead detective that is hot but once he opens his mouth Bradley sees what a butthole Max really is. Though he didn’t remember anything that night he is brutally attacked and left for dead, Max takes interest in the man.
Wow, Wow, Wow! This story is so awesome. It is well written, great characters and a spine-tingling mystery/suspense. There is a touch of violence though it is well handled and most are off-page. The relationship is slow-burn and in this book, Bradley and Max build more a protector /victim relationship with a touch of a slow-burning, budding relationship.
I loved Kenneth Obi’s performance. He gave both Bradley and Max distinctive voices and the serial killer was scary, spine-tingling and chilling, especially the creepy laugh!
If you like good, chilling suspense, I highly recommend this.
With a lot of acerbic interactions interspersed with disturbing and grizzly murders, this book was intriguing and dramatic from the word go. I enjoyed that the main characters weren’t caustic and antagonistic out of spite and that when there was fear, it was a real fear expressed in a real way. There were no unbelievable or unlikely moments of sudden heroism, adrenaline-filled bravery, or blinding passion. Starting the series strong with a case straight from hell and a tentative bond between two men who have a whole lot of baggage, I was invested right from the start.
Bradley is first introduced as somewhat of a fuddy-duddy with a strict and regimented life that is suddenly thrown into chaos because of one departure from his routine. I wasn’t sure I would like him with all his rigidity, but he grew on me. He took his safety seriously and aside from one error, he made the best of the situation with intelligence and caution. I respected that far more than someone who tries to shout their independence from the rooftops in an ill-fated attempt to assert their character “strength”. He’s also not a pushover, no matter how fearful he is of his situation. That’s not to say there aren’t moments of pouting or sulking, he’s only human, but on the whole, he’s someone to be admired. My favorite moment is when he takes Max to task for the situation he ended up in and his utterly fantastic challenge that paves the way for something more between them as the series continues.
Max is more conflicted as a character and we get pretty much nothing about his past. A past that clearly haunts him, but it’s not something we’re privy to at this point. His baggage is hinted at and I’m guessing there’s a whole lot of angst that we’ll get to experience with him as he strives to meet Bradley’s challenge. All throughout the book he was a paragon of prickish behavior. He was rude, condescending, brusque, short-tempered, non-communicative, and closed off. But despite all those negative traits, there’s something more to him; something damaged and vulnerable and desensitized to the evil he fights and hunts every day on the job that draws me to him. There’s so much promise for a man who will grow, soften, and find strength in what he might have with Bradley. I’m really eager to see how he’ll achieve that.
I absolutely knew this was going to end with a romantic cliffhanger so I kept that in mind when each page, each chapter held zero passionate moments between the men and I have to say I loved that. It makes their entire dynamic believable and then as we see them grow in the subsequent books their development will progress organically. And the notion that the evil wasn’t just one person? There’s something big that’s going to come and I’m really looking forward to see how that works out too. Overall, there’s so much to enjoy about this story that had a good flow, enjoyable characters, and a suitably suspenseful plot. I’m definitely in for the next book in the series.
Every once in a while I need to feed the need with a good mystery/suspense/thriller, and this one hits the spot head-on. Max. Oh my goodness! I immediately had a hard time liking him, but man oh man, I love complicated characters like him, so very much! Bradley, I so very much wanted to wrap him up and protect him. He’s so very sweet. The story line was nicely done, the gruesome details were perfect for me, and may not be for everyone. I absolutely had no idea who was behind the murders until the big reveal, which totally did it for me. I usually can figure things out and this time I didn’t. This is an ongoing story, which is perfect because I want more Max and Bradley so very much! This is a slow burn romance between Max and Bradley, so there isn’t much romance going in, as this author has stated. I cannot wait to read what happens next!
I really enjoyed this book. The suspense throughout the story kept me completely engaged. We do get enough background about the MCs to get to know them enough for this story, but I look forward to delving deeper into their lives in future installments.
This thriller involves a sadistic serial killer that evades the efforts of homicide Detective Max Donahue. Unfortunately for Bradley, an accountant who thrives on routine and structure, he’s having a bad morning, and happens to make eye contact with the killer on his way to work. This puts him in the murderer’s line of sight.
After the killer takes his revenge, Bradley is the only surviving witness to what becomes a series of murders. But something is barring Max’s progress in the case. Bradley is taken to the only safe place available, or so he and Max believe.
Once Max finally makes a breakthrough in the case, he comes up with a plan. Bradley is very upset about being forced to go along with this plan, but chooses to trust Max to keep his promise. However, things don’t always go according to plan, and Bradley loses faith in Max.
There is a very slow burn romance growing later in the story. There is no heat in this story, but I’m sure we’re going to see things move forward in upcoming sequels. I cannot say how quickly the romance will progress, but the constant sniping between the two MCs could mean that it will take a while. Overall, I did enjoy the story. After All, I did read it during my afternoon off.
Happy reading!
* I received an ARC of this book. *