Police officer Ellery Hathaway and FBI profiler Reed Markham take on two difficult new cases in this stunning follow-up to The Vanishing Season. “A gripping and powerful read. It is what we call an edge-of-your-seat, rollercoaster of a thriller. You will not be able to put it down before you finish it.”–The Washington Book Review on The Vanishing Season No Mercy is award-winning author Joanna …
No Mercy is award-winning author Joanna Schaffhausen’s heart-pounding second novel.
Police officer Ellery Hathaway is on involuntary leave from her job because she shot a murderer in cold blood and refuses to apologize for it. Forced into group therapy for victims of violent crime, Ellery immediately finds higher priorities than “getting in touch with her feelings.”
For one, she suspects a fellow group member may have helped to convict the wrong man for a deadly arson incident years ago. For another, Ellery finds herself in the desperate clutches of a woman who survived a brutal rape. He is still out there, this man with the Spider-Man-like ability to climb through bedroom windows, and his victim beseeches Ellery for help in capturing her attacker.
Ellery seeks advice from her friend, FBI profiler Reed Markham, who liberated her from a killer’s closet when she was a child. Reed remains drawn to this unpredictable woman, the one he rescued but couldn’t quite save. The trouble is, Reed is up for a potential big promotion, and his boss has just one condition for the new job–stay away from Ellery. Ellery ignores all the warnings. Instead, she starts digging around in everyone’s past but her own–a move that, at best, could put her out of work permanently, and at worst, could put her in the city morgue.
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I immediately began reading No Mercy by Joanna Schaffhausen after finishing The Vanishing Season. I am loving the author and her characters and eagerly begin.
We start where we left off in The Vanishing Season. Each book can stand alone, though I highly recommend beginning at the beginning, because once Ellery got under my skin, I had to know… Each mystery, in this case two mysteries, end with my complete satisfaction and leave me wanting more. Now…let’s get to it.
Ellery Hathaway is on leave because of what happened. And that you will need to find out for yourself. Even though No Mercy is Book II, Joanna Schaffhausen will fill you in on the necessities.
Reed Markham is getting a divorce. He is an FBI profiler, so for those of you who watch Criminal Minds, you can see the complications that would entail for those left at home.
I love Joanna Schaffhausen’s ability to show me Tula, Reed’s daughter. I can see the little firecracker racing around, not happy with her pigtails daddy did because they are a bit lopsided. She’s ready for mommy to pick her up, but she’s so caught up in just being, she forgot she doesn’t have any shoes on. Joanna’s ability to show me the event had me smiling as I watched her.
Ellery had never been on a date. After her abduction at fourteen years old, I can understand why. Sure, she has sex. But she uses it like a weapon. Romance? She doesn’t believe it can ever happen for her after what Francis Coben, the serial killer did to her. Even though he is in prison, so is she. He is always with her…in her mind.
Something happens. I won’t tell you what, but Reed comes rushing to her side, leaving with just the clothes on his back. He saved her once, and he is determined to not let anything else happen to her. Little does he know, trouble seems to find her…or does she go looking for it? There is no romance between them, but, I wonder….
A note…
“You really think I’m unlucky enough to attract the attention of a third serial killer?”
Imagine yourself and everything about you splashed all over the internet. You even have a Wikipedia page, telling of the horrors inflicted on you by a serial killer. People building websites devoted to you…of HIM…the trolls, the filthy, disgusting…
Even though this is fiction, it reads like a true story. I don’t know how Ellery could even step outside her home. Especially on a dark night. I don’t know if I would every leave my house again. Could you? I would have alarms on every access point, the outside lit up as if it’s daytime and, at least, ONE BIG guard dog.
When it came time for Reed to leave, his boss giving him an ultimatum, I knew he couldn’t do it. There’s a rapist on the loose, an old arson case, and someone is messing with Ellery.
I love that he cooks for her, and stays with her. He’s a good cook and it is a definite improvement over the fast food she lives on. He refuses to leave her home alone.
Joanna’ Schaffhausen’s characters are the lowest of the low and the highest of the high. They range from the pond scum that doesn’t deserve to breath air to the knight in shining armor that all children dream about.
Ellery’s need to help others makes her a target all too often, but it leads to lots of non stop action and intense mysteries. Danger lurks around every corner and even comes knocking on her door. Joanna Schaffhausen stacks mystery on top of mystery, because one isn’t enough. LOL
Reed: “I want you to stop taking chances with your life.”
Ellery: “You forget. I’m living on borrowed time.”
OMG. Joanna Schaffhausen continues to blow me away with her in your face, can’t put down, take my breath away suspense.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of No Mercy by Joanna Schaffhausen.
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No Mercy
(Ellery Hathaway #2)
by
Joanna Schaffhausen
4 Stars
Joanna Schaffhausen has me hooked on Ellery Hathaway. Ellery is a deeply flawed heroine (although there are really good reasons for her flaws) that I just can’t help rooting for. No Mercy is a terrific follow-up to Ellery’s equally terrific debut The Vanishing Season. This time she and partner (is that the right word?) Reed Markham are caught up in two cases at once. The writing is good, the characters real enough to root for all too easily, and the mystery and thrills keep you turning pages. Highly recommended!
My first read by this author and I was sucked in at page one. Ellery has a very dark and painful past that most people wouldn’t come back from. She is very strong and determined and ends up getting herself in trouble more often than not. FBI agent Reed Markham was her savior many years ago and gets dragged into her unauthorized investigations as she tries to help some new acquaintances. Action packed, twisted, and suspenseful with a bit of a cliffhanger ending ……. can’t wait to read the next book! I was so excited after finishing this book to discover there was a book 1 and book 3!
No Mercy is the second Ellery Hathaway book, one thing I’ve learned so far is that Ellery doesn’t tiptoe into danger. Nope, she plunges headfirst, and for a woman who has seen her fair share of it, she takes the leap with little regard for her own wellbeing. Oh, and she takes Reed Markham with her whether he wants to go or not. Reed and Ellery have an interesting history and it’s not one that would be conducive to romance, but there’s an interesting chemistry between them. We only got a glimpse of it in the first book, but this one takes a closer look. In addition to that, Ellery and Reed are investigating a couple of older crimes, one believed to be solved and the other with little to go on. The cases are interesting in their own right, but these characters set this series apart from so many run of the mill mysteries. Both Ellery and Reed are likable. They’re complete opposites on so many fronts, but they still manage to mesh even when they both fight it and refuse to admit it to each other as well as themselves. I’ll be interested to see where these two go as the series progresses, plus the end of this one opened the door to another solid mystery to solve for this pair. All in all, No Mercy is a good addition to a series that I’ll certainly be keeping my eye on.
I received a free electronic ARC copy of this police procedural from Netgalley, Joanna Schaffhausen, and St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend Joanna Schaffhausen to friends and family. She writes a fast-paced compelling story that keeps you turning pages till the very end. And though I recommend that you binge read them all, each novel is complete and stands alone.
No Mercy, Book #2 Ellery Hathaway follows The Vanishing Season and is in turn followed by All the Best Lies. This series is exceptional – the action is ongoing, the personalities of the protagonists sympathetic and warm, and the need to read doesn’t let up until you reach the end of Lies. I think Prime and Netflix have ruined me for weekly series on the tube and waiting months for the next installment on my stories. If I can binge it, all the better. I don’t know if my patience has shrunk or my memory – in any case, book two is much more enjoyable if you can remember what went on in book 1…
And this is an excellent Book 2. We spend time with Ellery Hathaway again, and again she reaches out to FBI agent Reed Markham for advice. Her small-town police captain has insisted that Ellery take paid administrative leave and undergo psychiatric therapy including group therapy after her traumatic trip through the appearance of the second serial killer she encounters in Book 1, The Vanishing Season. The first line of No Mercy is really special – one I hope I can remember when it might be appropriately quoted. We are not allowed quotes from ARCs as they might be changed before actual publication. I hope not this one!
Reed is trying to please his three sisters as they work up a genealogical profile for the family to gift their Senator father at Christmas. the fact that Reed was adopted into the family doesn’t forgive him the whole routine of DNA testing and seeking census records for the last umpteen decades. Their father is talking about running for governor. He might welcome a family history. Or not.
Winter in Boston sounds pretty but very cold. I like to visit winter in books. Schaffhausen paints a compelling background in and around Boston. The mystery keeps building, and you will be compelled to read through at least one meal. Hopefully, you will have in your possession All the Best Lies.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The first book describes how someone witnessed a kidnapping that occurred 14 years ago but remained silent. Abigail Hathaway’s life story was no longer private following her survival from abuse and captivity. Francis Michael Coben took pleasure in abducting and torturing young girls in Chicago until he was successfully put behind bars. Abigail Hathaway was the girl who was found and survived. There were books and movies made about her life and experience.
To escape the attention of her past, Abigail “Ellery” Hathaway becomes a patrol officer in the quiet town of Woodbury in MA. Her brother Daniel who was sick with leukemia died 6 months after she returned home. Her father had abandoned the family and left her feeling abandoned when she needed support the most.
She was rescued by now FBI agent, Reed Markham, who was only a newbie when he determined where the abducted girl might be. He received a lot praise and notoriety after the Abigail’s safe return.
Agent Reed is struggling with his own personal issues on a “stress leave” from the department when he contacted by Ellery Hathaway. He agrees to look at the unsolved missing persons cases she believes are connected. This presents a distraction from his pending divorce from Sarit Ranupam, who is a reporter and encouraged him to write a book about the Abby Hathaway abduction.
This second novel continues the saga of Ellery Hathaway. She is a patrol officer presently on leave after the traumatic events in book 1 where it ended with her killing the criminal responsible for series of missing persons. Reed Markham, the agent who found her years ago when she was kidnapped, went back to Quantico as FBI profiler after spending the summer assisting Ellery. She moves to Boston as she couldn’t live in Woodbury after murder.
Reed once again comes to the assistance of Ellery much to her discomfort as she once again goes rogue to solve the unsolved. Reed makes himself at home on her couch with daily wake ups from Speed Bump, her dog.
As a condition of her return to work Ellery must complete therapy and attend a group therapy at MGH for victims of violent crimes. She meets several people with whom she can’t help but feel compelled to meddle into their unsettling situations. To avoid dealing with the trauma which mandated her to therapy, she befriends Wendy, a victim of sexual assault who lives in fear as her offender was never apprehended.
If that wasn’t enough to keep Ellery occupied, she begins investigating a cold case from 1980 where a fire burned down Gallagher’s furniture store. Her attempts to investigate by herself nearly gets her killed before Agent Reed once again comes to her aide. They pair up once again to resolve mysteries which seem to burden Ellery and need for justice.
No Mercy’s plotline was simple. Ellery is on involuntary leave after killing the person who had kidnapped four people and killed them. She is also forced into group therapy for people who have survived violent crimes. Figuring that all she needs to do is show up, Ellery is soon drawn into two different crimes. One involves a woman who survived a brutal rape and is desperate for the rapist to be found. The other crime consists of a woman who lost her son in a fire set by an arsonist, 25 years ago. The man convicted for the crime has been paroled, and Ellery isn’t sure if he did it. Instead, she thinks that someone close to the family set the fire. So, what does Ellery do? She calls Reed and asks him for his help. Will Ellery be able to help the rape victim? And will she get to the bottom of the arson?
When I started reading No Mercy, I didn’t know what to expect, plotwise. Because it is book 2, I was expecting this to be more of a filler book. I was expecting the pacing of this book to be slower than The Vanishing Season. Then I started reading it, and all of those preconceived expectations were blown away. This book was not a filler book. The pacing of No Mercy was as fast as The Vanishing Season, if not faster. I did not expect that and loved it!!!
I loved Ellery in No Mercy. She was the same wiseass woman, but there was more of an edge to her. She didn’t hide who she was or what had happened to her. That did cause some minor issues in the book. What amazed me about her was her character growth during the book. Instead of holding people at arm’s length, she started slowly letting them in. She showed empathy towards Wendy. It was beautiful to watch, knowing that her past hindered her. I hope that in the next book, there is even more character growth.
I liked Reed in this book. I liked that the author made his character flawed. There were some parts of the book where I didn’t feel bad for him, though. Like when he made promises that he couldn’t keep (taking his daughter to Disney World) or when he kept missing visitations with her. Because he was with Ellery, helping her with those two cases. But, at the same time, it was evident that he loved his daughter. He did help Ellery with her two cases. His insights lead to some significant breaks in those cases.
The one thing that I wasn’t crazy about in this book was the romance scenes between Ellery and Reed. While it did add to Ellery’s recovery (remember she was sexually assaulted), I didn’t think it had a place in the book. I could have done without it.
The plotline with Wendy, the rape victim, was heartbreaking. To see a woman beaten down the way she was broke my heart. When she reached out to Ellery, she was nearing rock bottom. I did like how the author kept that storyline going without it intertwining with the main storyline. I do wish that there was a better ending. But, unfortunately, that ending of that plotline was all too realistic.
The plotline with Mayra and the fire was interesting. There were so many twists and turns that I genuinely didn’t know how it was going to turn out. The author had me choosing between 3 people as to who set the fire and guess what; it was neither!! I did like how she wrapped that plotline up.
No Mercy cannot be read as a standalone book. It would be best if you read The Vanishing Season before reading this book. I can’t stress this enough.
The end of No Mercy was exciting. There was a small secondary storyline about Reed and his biological mother that was intertwined with one about a family DNA test, what Reed finds out at the end of the book set up for book three perfectly. I can’t wait to read it!!
So, you survive a serial killer as a teen, then another as a cop and adult – but in order to do so you have to kill the second serial killer and the police force puts you on indefinite suspension and you have to relocate to go for therapy.
Then you’re bored, and let’s face it a media sensation, and you start investigating the crimes that happened to the other people in your victim therapy group.
Oh, and let’s not forget calling on the FBI profiler who has saved your life a time or two.
And then add in some twists, turns, serial rapists, serial arsonists and a chance for the profiler to blow his shot at a promotion… And that’s not all, I just don’t want to give away the good stuff!
Ellery has reached out to Reed again and he comes running…he always does. Neither can help it…they need each other..they are good for each other…but neither will admit it. Ellery embroils Reed in another case, in fact two cases, one a rape another a fire. Another excellent stand alone book by Jo Schaffhausen. I look forward to her next book.
I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and St. Martins Press. The review and comments are my honest opinion.
This second in the series ends on a cliffhanger that is bound to throw Reid’s lie into chaos. He and Ellery once again join forces to solve two crimes. It is another page turning story that keeps you on your toes. In the end the author has structured the narrative that you will not easily identify the bad guy. These two are walking a fine line in their relationship as the more time they spend together the closer they seem to get. It leaves the reader with great anticipation for where the story will lead next.
Oh this book was better than book one. Eller is still dealing with her demons but she is trying so hard to help other. I can’t wait for the next book to see what battles she is going to face. Thanks for writing such a great book Joanna!
The second-in-series was every bit as engaging as the first. The topic is, once again, violence against women – this time, focusing on rape. I usually won’t pick up a story if I know that is the underlying conflict in the book. It’s a storyline that I find haunting and usually one I avoid at all costs. I really enjoyed the way Schaffhausen addressed the violence against Ellery as a child in the first book though, finding it to be cautious and careful and avoiding of the type of salacious details that seem to be slapped into so many narratives dealing with sexual violence. It felt like she realized she didn’t have to be gory or gruesome to make the story horrific – it already was, and readers would be able to fill in the blanks on their own. I can and I did, and this delicate touch of trauma is what led me to think I could try to read this one. I’m glad I trusted my instincts, as I found this an equally powerful narrative and a great development in Ellery’s story.
I am impressed with the way Schaffhausen tackles violence against women and children. It seems every thriller has to have at least one obligatory female victim, but in these books she manages to give her victims more personhood than many do. Her characters are solidly three-dimensional, full of complexities, quirks, and the all-too-human shortcomings that plague real people – as opposed to the idealized characters too often appearing in thrillers, in which the women flail about waiting for men to save/hurt/destroy them… None of that for Schaffhausen. Her victims are full of vinegar, in the best possible way, living with the damage that’s been done to them to the best of their ability and surviving the worst the world can throw at them. In no one is this predilection for survival more evident than her protagonist, Ellery Hathaway. I really enjoy seeing how Ellery’s mind works – it’s a peek behind the curtain at the steely backbone that keeps someone going despite (because of?) the trauma they’ve had to live with, and it’s fascinating.
I’m thoroughly enjoying learning more about her past and watching her detective skills develop into her future, and can’t wait to see what book three brings!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copies.
4 stars for an entertaining mystery/thriller. This is book 2 in the series and I have previously read book 1, The Vanishing Season . I enjoyed that one also and decided to continue reading this series. Ellery Hathaway was abducted when she was 14 by a serial rapist/murderer. She was rescued by FBI agent Reed Markham. She is now required to attend group therapy sessions for people who experienced violent crime. The crime in this case happened in book 1, and I cannot explain more without a spoiler for book 1. She befriends Wendy, a victim of a rapist who wants Ellery to help find Wendy’s rapist who has never been caught. Ellery is a police officer in fictional Woodbury, Mass., but she is not allowed to perform any duties until she completes mandatory counseling/group therapy.
She calls Reed for help in finding the rapist.
They do find the rapist, but there are several twists and turns in the plot. In addition, there is a developing relationship between Ellery and Reed.
Thanks to Joanna Schaffhausen and St Martin’s Press for sending me this eBook through NetGalley.
I was so thankful to have this one to jump into once I read the spine tingling thriller of the first one. Ellery will get you to the very core staying there even after you have to put it down for a minute. She has fiber and more scars than anyone but still she has a bigger heart than she shows. Oh and the slow dance I see between her and Reed turns a corner in this one. The both of them are so addictive with the things they are investigating on the flip. The group of hers is colorful and at first was a bit perturbed she even had to go to it but it is part of the story. The mysteries and such they are looking into are so riveting you too are trying to help them. As the answers slowly come to light you slowly are left with your mouth catching flies. This author is a fantastic insight on the human mind and the directions they will go.
No Mercy is the second book in the Ellery Hathaway series by Joanna Schaffhausen, and as with The Vanishing Season (book 1), there is plenty of suspense packed into these pages!
“You kill one guy, one time, and suddenly everyone thinks you need therapy.” She had me with that opening line! Ellery Hathaway is now 29, 15 years out from her survival and rescue from an infamous serial-killer. A shooting over the summer has caused her to be suspended from her job with the police department. Whether she will be reinstated depends largely on how her mandated therapy goes.
She attends group sessions for victims of violence. Among the members of the group are Wendy (a rape victim, whose rapist is still active, one who knows better than to leave any physical evidence behind) and Myra, who lost her young son years 25 ago in a fire, the work of an arsonist soon up for parole. Ellery is drawn into both of these cases for different reasons. Unable to use her normal channels for information, she calls FBI agent Reed Markham for an over-due favor.
The relationship between Ellery and Reed is interesting to watch as it unfolds, closes tightly again, changes, grows, evolves into a many headed thing; very nuanced, very believable – one of the delights of the book.
Ellery, is still trying to find her place in a world where everyone recognizes her, making it difficult for her to have any semblance of a normal life. There are admirers and then there are the ones who threaten, and her life is still at danger. She is not at peace with herself or with others.
As she and Reed look into the two disparate cases, they uncover more than they had bargained for. Their quest for information has certainly riled some people up and Ellery finds herself targeted again. Can Ellery stay alive to see these cases through? Can justice be found for Wendy and Myra?
A very good second book in the series, I’m already looking forward to reading the third book, All the Best Lies, due out in February 2020.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
I received an uncorrected ARC for an objective review. This is the second book involving characters Ellery Hathaway and Reed Markham. Ellery’s suspended until she successfully completes therapy for what happened at the end of The Vanishing Season and Reed’s back home until Ellery calls again. He can’t ignore her, no matter the damage to his career or family life. Ellery is running an off-books investigation on two issues brought up in her group therapy and needs Reed’s help. The character development and evolution are what I love most about these books and when I finished, I was dismayed to see I have to wait until February 2020 for the next book. I will warn you there was one scene especially, that I saw coming a mile away so I was a little perturbed that they (cop/FBI) couldn’t figure it out. Regardless, I think it is still a great book.
Ellery has been forced to undergo counseling. Her doctor has her attend a group session with other victims of violent crimes. Instead of focusing on her own therapy, Ellery gets involved with another victim who asks her to find her rapist. She also gets pulled into an old crime that she doesn’t think caught the right person. Ellery asks Reed to help once again. While working on these cases their personal relationship takes a few turns. The book has a lot of stuff going on but it comes to a good conclusion. There are interesting twists in the plot so it keeps you guessing. I received a copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Great follow up of the first book “The Vanishing Season”
Having liked the first book I enjoyed this book even more.
You get to know and understand both Ellery Hathaway and Reed Markham a bit better. The characters are well developed with their good sides and their flaws. Ellery wanting to help a rape victim lands her in even more trouble then she already is. This is a fast paced thriller but I feel if you haven’t yet you need to read “The Vanishing Season” first in order to fully appreciate this book.
No Mercy by Joanna Schaffhausen
This is the 2nd book in this series but definitely stands on its own, that said I will read the 1st book in this series as I am definitely interested in Ellery’s background and this book was so good I need to see how it all began. No Mercy has Ellery on the hunt for a serial rapist and also she is looking into a decades old fire that burnt a lady and killed a 2 year old boy…she calls Reed (FBI) in to help. This is one of those books where the author does such a good job of building the characters that you can almost picture them and know how they are thinking and feeling and you don’t want to put the book down until you’ve read the whole story! I will be looking forward to reading more from this author and seeing what Ellery and Reed get involved in next! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this book and leaving my honest opinion.
Amazing follow up to The Vanishing Season. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are well constructed and the story line well thought out. More twists and turns as we get to know the main characters and as they get to know themselves. i would highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next one in the series!