Outstanding! May be Elliot's best yet! Background subject isn't a familiar subplot, was very intriguing and interesting. Story kept a steady pace and kept me guessing! Loved it! *netgalley

FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick and Chief Truman make a good team. Someone's killing preppers and it has similarities to a past case that almost destroyed Mercy's family. Mercy was a chick I could get a coffee or cocktail with. She had feelings but isnt a push over & I like that. I can see many books in this series because there are great characters in this book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Didn't hate it, but didn't love it like some of her other books. Mercy Kirkpatrick left at a young age after becoming estranged with her family. This family were preppers, and now the preppers are being killed and she returns as an FBI agent involved in case, and they are similar to cold cases. She has secrets, and a love interest Truman Daly, who is the police chief in charge and he would love to know these secrets. As always unexpected stuff comes out. Start to new series.

I have read a number of Kendra Elliot books and really like her writing style and A Merciful Death may just end up being my favorite book of hers to date. I started reading it this morning and had a really enjoyable day reading it.

I really liked all the characters (both good guys and bad guys) in this book. They felt real with real motivations - not that the bad guy's motivations were good but they felt realistic. I'm also really intrigued by the complexity of Mercy Kilpatrick's character. Her unusual background, her secrets and her obsessions, her strengths and her weaknesses. She's not perfect - good characters never are.

Mercy returns to her hometown after 15 years of being ostracized by her family. She returns as an FBI agent looking into the murders of "preppers", men who stockpile so that they are ready for the collapse of civilization. She isn't here to re-new her relationship with her family or to reveal a 15 year old secret, but as she looks into the current case she can't help seeing a relationship to the past. I really enjoyed the way this plot was developed and how the story was told. I also liked the way that Ms. Elliot wove into the story a man with Down Syndrome and a women who was blind. Again, I truly believe the best characters are not perfect.

I really, really liked that although there is a love interest between Mercy and police chief Truman Daly it takes a back seat to the murder plot. It has a "slow burn" development that I really appreciate.

This first book in the series is definitely a winner and the set-up for future books looks really awesome. I'm looking forward to book #2 in the Mercy Kilpatrick series. Thanks to Net Galley and Montlake Romance publishers for an ARC.

A Merciful Death (Mercy Kilpatrick, #1) by Kendra Elliot

Mercy Kilpatrick is a special agent in the FBI. She is returning to her hometown Eagle's Nest with her partner Eddie. Someone has already murdered three preppers. A prepper is some one who lives off the grid and stocks up on things to eat and fuel and water. Mercy thinks that the massive amount of weapons that are stolen at each murder might have something to do with domestic terrorism. She meets police chief Truman Daley who is the nephew of one of the murder victims. He is going to work the investigation with Mercy because he wants the killer caught and brought to justice. Except for visiting in the previous summers he has only lived in Eagle's Nest for six months. Mercy basically tells Chief Daley it takes a couple of decades and plenty of family roots to be let into the inner circle of Eagle's Nest.

Mercy should know she grew up in Eagle's Nest, but something that happened fifteen years ago had her leave and be shunned by her family. When she stops into the local coffee shop her partner points out that the girl who is making their coffee looks just like Mercy. It is her niece who she doesn't know and her brother who is running the place. Both parties act like they don't know each other.

Mercy and Daley are working the investigation together. They are trying to figure out who and what murdered the three dead prepper's. These three murders have similarities to things that went on fifteen years ago. The three prepper murders link back to those past events. Special Agent Mercy and Chief Daley look as though they could be striking up a romance, They both have secrets and baggage that they are hiding and want to keep it that way. I am looking forward to the second book in this series.



Thank you to Net Galley, Kendra Elliot and the publisher for my ARC for an honest and fair review.

An FBI agent goes back to her childhood hometown to solve a series of murders that have one thing in common. They were all survivalist and they all appeared to have been killed to get their stash of weapons. As Agent Mercy Kilpatrick tries to fit the pieces together, her own secrets starts rushing through. Now she's caught between the past and the present and a killer that remains on the loose.

A Merciful Death is steadily paced with a tone that borders on edginess. A mystery suspense that would have readers clueless until the very end. The characters of both Mercy and Truman are well developed, you get invested in their characters. Add in a tightly woven plot and A Merciful Death will have you craving for more.

Montlake Romance and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of A Merciful Death. This is my honest opinion of the book.

FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick was brought up by her survivalist parents, learning to live off the grid since her childhood in Eagle's Nest, Oregon. A predator targeting the preppers from her hometown has brought Mercy back to the area and to the people that she has not seen for 15 years. Due to Mercy's unique set of qualifications, she is the ideal agent to help get a handle on this case. When Mercy comes face to face with her past, will she finally be able to put it all behind her? Will the uneasy cooperation with the Police chief of Eagle's Nest, Truman Daly, help or hurt the FBI's search for the killer?

A Merciful Death was well paced and features a great main character in Mercy Kilpatrick. Her strength comes through clearly, with her flaws making her human. I am a big fan of police procedural/FBI thrillers and this book definitely delivers. The book is suspenseful and keeps you guessing as to the identity of the perpetrator. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, as I would like to see the evolution of Mercy into the future. I would recommend A Merciful Death to readers who enjoy police procedural/FBI thrillers.

this is the first book in a new series by this author. The author has an amazing way of bringing you fantastic characters, outstanding plots, lots of twists and turns and plenty of suspense, making this a very gripping story. I just couldn't put it down till id got to the end and then I was left wanting more and more. I cant wait to read more from this author in the future.

Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

Thank you for allowing me to review this book in exchange for an honest review. That's easy this is her best book yet. It kept my interest from the beginning, I wanted to know the whom and why of it. I like that it has romance and mystery. The main character Mercy is a tough FBI agent but also has a very vulnerable side and a secret she has tried to bury for 15 years. Mercy is assigned to go back to her home town to investigate the murders of harmless elderly preppers and theft of a large amount of guns. Truman is the Chief of police whom she must work with. What will she do when she encounters bothers and sisters and parents she' was shunned from so long ago. Will they refuse to acknowledge her? Truman knows Mercy is hiding something but does it have to do with the case and why is her family estranged? What happened all those years ago? Will she find who is doing the killing and could a secret she's held for all those years have saved them? Mercy must decide how much she can tell Truman and what is she to do about their mutually growing attraction? Great reads! Page turner you won't want to put down.

FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is sent to help on a case in a small Oregon town. Local "preppers" have been killed and their stash of weapons taken. It is the last place she expects to be sent, her home town. She left 15 years ago after a family incident, and hopes to keep her return quiet. When she discovers a connection to these murders and two that happened years ago she knows her quiet return is not going to happen. The local Chief is an outsider and is intrigued by what Mercy is hiding, a secret that could end her career. They work together to solve the case with a bit of attraction brewing. Mercy's struggle with who she was and who she has become was the heart of the story for me and very well communicated. I look forward to see how this character develops.

A Merciful Death
Mercy Kilpatrick, Book #1
Kendra Elliot
5 Stars

Synopsis:

FBI special agent Mercy Kilpatrick has been waiting her whole life for disaster to strike. A prepper since childhood, Mercy grew up living off the land—and off the grid—in rural Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. Until a shocking tragedy tore her family apart and forced her to leave home. Now a predator known as the cave man is targeting the survivalists in her hometown, murdering them in their homes, stealing huge numbers of weapons, and creating federal suspicion of a possible domestic terrorism event. But the crime scene details are eerily familiar to an unsolved mystery from Mercy’s past.

Sent by the FBI to assist local law enforcement, Mercy returns to Eagle’s Nest to face the family who shunned her while maintaining the facade of a law-abiding citizen. There, she meets police chief Truman Daly, whose uncle was the cave man’s latest victim. He sees the survivalist side of her that she desperately tries to hide, but if she lets him get close enough to learn her secret, she might not survive the fallout… (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. Mercy is one tough lady. She has had a rough childhood and she left home many years ago. But she was able to make something of herself and she is one tough FBI agent. When she is on a case, she does not back down and she will do whatever it takes to solve the case. Truman, the police chief, also has a past that he is trying to overcome. For him, the killings are personal because his uncle has been murdered. He will do anything to find the killer and bring justice for his uncle’s death. He knows that teaming up with Mercy will improve his chances immensely. I enjoyed the interactions between Mercy and Truman, and we got more of an insight into their personalities through these interactions. The secondary characters were also well developed and add another dimension to the story.

The writing styles flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book, I felt like I was seeing things through the eyes of a bystander. The mystery was carried on well throughout the book and there were enough red herrings thrown in that I kept changing my mind about the murders.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted romantic suspense. I have read many books by this author and they have all been top notch. She is at the top of my list as a must read author.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5 Stars. A Merciful Death is the first book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series. I really enjoyed the Bone Secrets series so I was looking forward to this book.

It wasn't quite what I expected. The romance aspect was very minimal so I'm not sure I would call this a romantic suspense book but more of a mystery. I really enjoyed the prepper backdrop for this book. It was very interesting and gave me a lot of insight into the lifestyle.

Mercy was a character that was a bit hard to connect to. Although I liked her she didn't let anyone in and therefore it was difficult to get to know her as a reader. She kept a lot of secrets and because her background was involved in the mystery the details were slow to be revealed. Mercy was a very closed off character even when she was with her estranged siblings and never really opened up throughout the book. Truman on the other hand was a character that I really enjoyed. His background was laid out and the reader knew exactly where he was coming from and I enjoyed seeing his respect and feeling for Mercy grow.

Their were aspects of the suspense story that I really enjoyed. While I had a good guess of who the villain was there were plenty of other suspects and I was kept guessing until the end. However, the investigation portion was slow and was almost exclusively interviews. I would have liked more romance from this book and to get to know more about Mercy.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and as long as you aren't looking for a book with a strong romance aspect then this murder/mystery is worth reading. I personally enjoyed her Bone Secrets Series more but I enjoyed this one enough that I will read the next book in the series.

I've read all of Kendra Elliot's books and was super excited to start her latest series. Once again, she didn't disappoint.
Mercy Kilpatrick, the protagonist, first appeared in Targeted, the fourth book in the Callahan & McLane series.
Mercy left her hometown 15 years ago and hasn't spoken to her family since. But now she is sent by the FBI to help the local police with their investigation into the murder of survivalists in the isolated community of Eagle's Nest, Oregon. Local police chief Truman Daly has a keen personal interest in the case, as one of the murdered men was his uncle. When Mercy finds some similarities to events that happened 15 years ago, she is forced to reconnect with members of her family and has to trust Truman with details of her life that she has kept hidden.
I enjoyed the unique storyline about preppers, their mindset and way of life. The emphasis was on suspense, the romance light and believable because it unfolded gradually. Some unexpected twists. Overall, a great start to a promising new series.

When reading a book by writer of Kendra Elliot's caliber there are always high expectations. Book one of the Mercy Kilpatrick series “A Merciful Death” not only meets those standards but it blows them out of the water. You will be on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

After 15 years away from her family, Mercy Kilpatrick has returned as an FBI agent investigating a string of murders. She has also been introduced to the Police Chief and there are definite sparks between the two of them. When the new murders begin to look like the murder that happened 15 years ago, Mercy doesn't know what to reveal and what to keep hidden for not only the sake of her job but for the sake of her family as well. I really liked this book from the first page to the last. The characters are all very likeable, the suspense ramps up throughout the story, and the ending leaves some hope for a new book with the same characters. One can hope! I highly recommend this book!

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

The Kendra Elliot books I've read have all been suspense with the emphasis on building a realistic romance. "A Merciful Death" is no different. Somehow you just know, from the first pages, that a book is going to be good. This book is good. It's refreshing to have a H/h who don't fall into insta love/lust on first sight. This romance unfolds gradually, and the main characters get to know and respect each other.

Mercy is an FBI agent sent to assist in the investigation of three murders where large amounts of weapons were stolen too. She left Eagle's Nest 15 years ago and never looked back. Now she has to face not only her past, and her secrets, but a murderer.

Truman has been the Chief of police in Eagle's Nest, Oregon for only 6 months. His reclusive uncle was murdered and his cache of weapons stolen. Truman is not going to back away from this case until the murderer is found.

Preppers, Sovereign Citizens and Militants are some of the groups that occupy the area around Eagle's Nest and they all like their weapons. All the victims were known Preppers. These are fiercely independent people who take exception to the government telling them what to do. But someone in their community is a part, yet apart. A murderer stalks these people and it may not be for the first time.

I have insomnia that is usually made worse by stress. I fall asleep fine, but then wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep...reading usually helps. I downloaded A Merciful Death at bedtime so I would have a book to read on my kindle without searching for it. I made the mistake of starting the first chapter, just to get a taste of the book.

Well, I didn't fall right asleep because I read past my bedtime. When I did wake up later, I picked up right where I left off. The book is amazing! I have to admit, not a lot got done around my house until I was finished with the book.

This is the first book in what I hope will be a long series of Mercy Kilpatrick books. I've been aware of the "Prepper" movement for a while now. Usually people who prepare for the worst case scenario are portrayed as crazy or all all lumped in with the people that don't recognize government and the laws of the government. When the book started, I was afraid that this would be the case again, but I didn't need to worry. Kendra Elliot is able to walk that fine line between making characters interesting without slipping into a caricature.

There isn't a negative thing I can find in the book. It's amazing, start to finish. I can't wait until the next book comes out.

Kendra did it again!

No one does romantic suspense quite like Kendra Elliot does! The main focus is on the case and not the romance. I love that the romance takes a back seat to the murder investigation, but you can still feel the sexual tension bubbling under the surface of the characters.

This book had me all over the place with my emotions, I felt a deep connection to Mercy and my heart broke for her. The current murders took her back to dark place from 15 years ago, so while trying to solve this case she is also trying to figure out things from her past that she has never told anyone and it's really hard for her to stay focused and deal.

Truman has his own past that can get in his way at times, but he feels a connection to Mercy almost instantly and can tell that she is hiding something and he needs to figure it out so that he can solve the case.

The beginning of this book was a little slow for me, but once it started to pick up I couldn't put it down. It was an intense, emotionally charged book that you need to pick up today!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Mystery, thriller
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Truman is a kind man, but he's suspicious of everyone and everything. He is running from a past that we are never really privy to – we only know that he thinks he's done awful things. When people in his district are murdered, the FBI comes in and helps him solve the cases. I wish that we knew more about him, as I felt that his character was kind of stunted. He seemed to follow a lot, be behind in the story and constantly be playing catch-up.

Mercy is the FBI agent with the most insight in the murder victims. After all, she grew up in this community of people who prepare for the worst. She has tried to hide the fact that she has this knowledge, has this compulsion to prepare. Going home is never easy and for Mercy it is even more difficult because she was forced to leave her family at a young age – she was outcast. Having to return and speak to family members who didn't reach out to her, to remember why she was cast out of her family is painful. However, it does give her some direction on why the members of the prepared community might have been targeted.

As for the resolution, it seemed almost rushed. You never really understood the dynamic of the community – only that the killer was deeply ingrained. You were privy to why they killed – their end goal, but not what happened after they were apprehended. I would have liked to see more of a story afterwards – does Mercy continue with her family? Maybe we'll see more in the next book.