In this Wall Street Journal bestseller, a pair of ritual murders could expose Mercy Kilpatrick to something terrifying: her own past… blood. They’re her secrets—as guarded as her private survival retreat hidden away in the foothills.
In a cabin near her hideaway, Mercy encounters a young girl whose grandmother is dying from multiple knife wounds. Hundreds of miles away, a body is discovered slashed to death in a similar way. The victims—a city judge and an old woman living in the woods—couldn’t be more different. With the help of police chief Truman Daly, Mercy must find the killer before the body count rises. Mercy knows that the past has an edge on her. So does her family. How can she keep her secrets now…when they’re the only things that can save her?
more
This is the third book in the series and it carries on the relationship of Mercy and Truman as it continues to deepen.
The case they investigate involves a dead grandmother ( the neighborhood witch) and a very rich judge found murdered in another part of the state ….both slashed to death.
The FBI and the sheriff try and find a connection between the two cases. Meanwhile, Truman, the sheriff, remembers the dead woman’s daughter from high school. Mercy is still raising her niece and helping her sister.
The pragmatic Mercy is still stockpiling her secret place as trained by her survivalist father….and this becomes important later in the book.
The mystery is not as compelling as in book one and two but the growth of the characters is a delight. I want to know what happens in book four!
Mercy stumbles into a gruesome murder, and even though she can’t investigate officially, nothing is going to keep her from solving the murder of a little girls grandmother. I love the intensity of this series, it will keep you reading way past your bedtime. The descriptions of the locales make you feel like you’re right there in Oregon with them. She keeps you guessing about the murderers, and even once you know who they are, she takes you on a tour into their depravity. I hope she writes this series for a very long time.
Kendra Elliott is one of my “go-to” authors for romantic suspense books. When I see her name on a new release I know I am going to get a first-rate gripping thriller which is well-written and maintains my interest throughout the story. A Merciful Secret which is book #3 in Kendra Elliott’s Mercy Kilpatrick series is an excellent example of this author’s fantastic writing skill set. This book has characters who are realistic and relatable to the reader. They have some character flaws, so not perfect unbelievable characters. In this book FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick once again must use her excellent thinking skills and brave and caring attitude to solve a case. Mercy’s love interest, Eagle’s Nest Police Chief Truman Daly stays true to character as well. He must use all his skills to help support Mercy in her endeavers.
The author expertly describes her action scenes so that the reader feels involved personally in all the action. This is a fast-moving thriller which keeps the reader guessing until the end and doesn’t let up so you keep turning the pages eagerly in anticipation of finding out who-done-it!
Another grand slam for Kendra!!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this series and Kendra.
This is the 3rd book in the series and each book gets better and better!!!! If you love murder, mayhem, twists, turns, and unstoppable page turning, than this is the series for you.
I will not give any details because I believe everyone deserves to take the journey for themselves, but I will say the characters are awesome, the plot is great, the love is evident, but if your looking for hot sex scenes, than this is not for you.
Kendra is one of my go-to authors because her books are just that good!!!!
(Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book)
A Merciful Secret by author Kendra Elliot, (Mercy Kilpatrick, 3) Is fast-paced and grabs the reader from the beginning scene. This is the first book I have read by this author and it will not be my last, In fact, I have already added more books by this author to my reading library.
I enjoy the tenacity and strong will of the character of Mercy Kilpatrick. Mercy is a special agent with the FBI. Her tendencies for privacy is the reason she is on a snowy and bleak country road after midnight. Mercy was raised by modern-day survivalists and has a cabin hidden deep in the woods where she goes on her days off. The private cabin anchors her to the teachings of her childhood to be able to live off the grid and survive on her own in the possibility of a local or national catastrophe. She was returning from the cabin and sees a small girl running into the road needing help.
Mercy follows the girl deeper into the woods and discovers a grisly scene in the little house. The girl’s grandmother has been slashed severely with a knife and dies while Mercy tries to offer help and comfort. Little Morrigan says her mother is away but will be coming back soon.
The mystery deepens when a federal judge is slashed to his death in the same night, not too far from where the grandmother lived.
I won’t post spoilers, but this is a very good suspense thriller which is written with good characters, a good plot, and also with heart. I am HOOKED!
(*Some Strong Language)
I am fascinated with Mercy Kilpatrick. Each book she grows, she evaluates, her love deepens, her life expands and all with murder, mystery, suspense. On top of that there are twists and turns you don’t see coming. Its like the Mercy Kilpatrick universe is expanding and I did not want it to end.
I requested an arc and am so grateful to be able to receive. Thank you Montlake and Netgalley. I am riveted with this series and highly recommend.