What a great series. A Merciful Truth is the second in a new series by Kendra Elliot. I had to slow myself down reading, due t T he fact I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to get to the ending. I am enjoying the continuing development of the characters in this series. This series is about Mercy Kilpatrick who is ostercized by her family due to the fact she does not agree withheld males in her family about how a woman's place is in the family. She is from a "prepper" family and I just love how strong she is but her ability to be able to pull away totally from the lifestyle makes it more believable. I'm so enjoying how both books are bringing everything and everyone together. It's a series that is just keeps on getting better. Im looking forward to the next one in the series.

Kendra Elliot does a phenomenal job on the second book in her Mercy Kilpatrick series. I had a hard time putting down A Merciful Truth due to all the twists and turns to find out who is behind sparking fires in Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. The police begin to investigate the fires but end up getting close to something else going on at Eagle’s Nest. Two deputies end up getting shot and killed at one of the fire scenes. It’s up to Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and Police Chief Truman Daly to find out who killed the deputies and investigate what is happening in Eagle’s Nest.

I was happy to back with Mercy and Truman, especially since it’s been a while that I read the first book in the series. I thought I was going to be lost going into the second book, but I had no issues. I remembered what happened in the first book due to how Kendra made sure to bring up parts of what happened in the first book. There’s also the fact that Mercy’s family won’t let her live it down what happened. (At least some of the family members.)

I adore Mercy Kilpatrick because of her survivalist skills and know she’s one character that can take care of herself. Although she needs to let Truman in her life because he is in love with her. I know it’s difficult for her due to how her family has been treating her in this book. Truman is determined to prove himself to Mercy in this book. He even puts some of her family members in place the way they have been treating her. Not all of Mercy’s family treats her coldly, though.

There are several things I adore about Kendra Elliot’s books. She always has you on the edge of your seat with the characters trying to figure out who is behind everything that is happening. The characters are always placed in danger, but they can handle themselves. She makes her characters to be strong, but also vulnerable. Her characters feel real, and you can connect with them.

This book touches on survivalists like Mercy, but what happens when one group wants to go further with their skills. I don’t want to give anything away. Be prepared once you start reading this book, you’ll have a hard time putting it down. The ending will leave you in shock. I felt for Mercy at the end of the book after finding out who was really behind everything. I can’t wait to dive into the third book soon. Kendra Elliot is one of my favorite Romantic Suspense authors, and I highly recommend her books to anyone that loves the Romantic Suspense genre.

Fabulous book! The story and setting are intriguing, the plot is fast paced and current -- could not put it down the first time. Just re-read it and couldn't put it down this time either.! 5 stars, as usual for Kendra Elliot.

This was my first taste of Kendra Elliot, and I am wondering why I didn’t find her sooner. Thank you to NetGalley, Kendra Elliot and Montlake Romance for providing me with an ARC of this book and the opportunity to discover this wonderful author!!

A Merciful Truth was an experience that left me clamoring for more. I realized that this was Ms. Elliot’s second book in her Mercy Kilpatrick series and immediately obtained a copy of her first, A Merciful Death.

I am so hooked!! Kendra Elliot has become my new favorite author! Her writing is addictive—I am actually speechless to try and use adjectives: interesting, compelling, absorbing, etc.

Mercy Kilpatrick is an FBI special agent who was working out of Portland, but was raised in Central Oregon, by parents who believe in being independent and self-sufficient (preppers). They believe in being prepared for TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it). She is now back in Eagle’s Nest on a case involving fires that have killed two deputies.

Eagle’s Nest police chief Truman Daly has become Mercy’s love interest and they are working together to solve who is setting these fires and why. Ms. Elliot’s writing just draws you in to the story and makes you care about her people. She brings them all to life, even secondary characters. With each book you become more invested in the town and the people.

I can’t wait to read her next book! I so recommend not missing out on a fantastic read!

Wishing you all Happy Reading!!

There have been some small fires in the town, so when the barn fire is called in there is not a big concern until two deputies get killed. This brings in the FBI, with Mercy Kirkpatrick being the main agent investigating the crimes. This is the second book in the series, and even though there is enough information to bring the reader up to date, I would recommend reading this series in order.

Mercy is a great character with quite a past. She was born to a family of preppers, but shunned by them since her late teens, when she moved away to go to school. She is working hard trying to repair the relationship with her family, but not having a lot of success. She is leary of trusting anyone, but she has gotten involved with Police Chief Truman Daly since they worked together in the last book and has decided to remain in Eagle's Nest, Oregon. She has taken on the care of her niece Kaley, since her brother Levi was killed in the first book of this series. This shows us another side of Mercy. I enjoy seeing Mercy's growth in this book. She is learning to trust again and repairing relationships with some of her family. Truman is still a bit of a mystery, as his role in the story seems to be helping Mercy solve the crimes and as her partner to assist her in dealing with trauma and the situations she finds herself in. I hope to see more of him in future books as well as learn more about him.

Kendra Elliot does a great job with the "Prepper"storyline. We see the spectrum of anti-government sentiment that seems to go along with this group. Although Mercy's family are preppers, they are not strong advocates in militias. As Mercy gets involved in this investigation and closer to the man who seems to be "in charge" of this new group setting up in Eagle's Nest, she becomes worried about her family and how they are involved with this group. The ending came hard and fast once you reached the climax and I raced to the end to see what was going to happen. There was a big twist at the end that I was not expecting, and it added to a great ending. I am looking forward to the next book in this series, A MERCIFUL SECRET.

Kendra Elliot never lets me down. She always tells a great story and in this book that is so true. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

A Merciful Truth improves upon its predecessor with an even more interesting mystery and great character development for the main cast.

After taking down a killer targeting preppers in Eagle’s Nest, Oregon, FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick relocates to an FBI office closer to her hometown in hopes of reconnecting with her family as well as exploring the possibility of a relationship with Police Chief Truman Daly. After a series of fires causes chaos in town, Mercy is called in when the arsonist escalates and kills two sheriff’s deputies. Mercy soon hears rumors of an anti-government militia nearby and wonders if the killer is hiding among their ranks. Mercy’s investigation quickly turns dangerous when it becomes clear someone is willing to do whatever it takes to stop Mercy from looking for the killer.

Since returning to Eagle’s Nest, Mercy has been trying to make progress on reconnecting with her family. While her mother and two sisters are open to reconciling, her father and brother are quite stubborn and refuse to bend. After her other brother’s death, Mercy has been left to care for her niece Kaylie which certainly has its challenges. Mercy doesn’t know the first thing about parenting and starting with a seventeen year old girl who just lost her father definitely makes things harder. Through her interactions with Kaylie and Truman, we see a more vulnerable side to Mercy that she kept well hidden in the first book.

Truman was at the fire when the two deputies were killed and he feels immense guilt over the fact he survived while they did not. His guilt is compounded by the fact that when he tried to save one of the deputies, he failed to get to them in time. His guilt over their deaths causes him to become very protective of Mercy despite knowing she’s a capable woman who can take care of herself. This does lead to them butting heads a few times in the investigation. It also leads to Truman taking more of a center role in the investigation compared to the first time he and Mercy were paired up.

A Merciful Truth would work well as a standalone as the author does a great job recapping who everyone is and what happened in the first book. However, I do think reading the first book before this one would be best as you would have a better understanding of the side characters and the town. There is less focus on the preppers in this book as the book focuses more on the anti-government militia in the area, which I definitely enjoyed as the survivalist aspect doesn’t really grab me. The plot with the fires and shootings was a good one and I enjoyed it more than the case in book one. The author does a great job weaving together several seemingly unrelated events and throws in a great twist at the end.

I enjoyed A Merciful Truth more than the first book as it wasn’t as information heavy and there was more to the romance aspect. I’m looking forward to future books and would definitely recommend this series for anyone looking for a great romantic suspense centering around law enforcement.

Intriguing, suspenseful romantic read.
Mercy is an FBI agent who is investigating a series of arson and murder along with Eagle Nest police chief Truman. They are up against a skilled marksman. To solve the case Mercy needs to delve into and resolve her sordid past
Story plot filled with twists and turns - LOVED it.

Another great book in this series! I love the suspense and mystery of these books. The characters are well written and come alive as you read them.

I have said it before and I will save it again, I love Mercy! She is such a unique character with her prepper background and her current profession of working for the FBI. She is guarded in her emotions due to issues with her family when she was much younger. For more information about her background, I highly recommend reading the first book in this series, A Merciful Death.


In A MERCIFUL TRUTH, both Mercy and Truman have to face some demons from their past to solve this case. We also get the opportunity to watch their relationship develop further. I also really enjoyed getting to know Mercy's niece Kaylie who she is raising since her brother was killed.



Along with the great characters, Ms. Elliot does a wonderful job of racheting up the tension to where you will be sitting on the edge of your seat. The dialogue is witty and sometimes rather amusing for that much needed breather. There is no explicit sex but there is violence so be forewarned if that is one of your triggers.


This series just keeps getting better and I do recommend it to any of my readers who enjoy thrillers or crime dramas. Heck I recommend this author as I have enjoyed all of her books that I have had the chance to read. To keep up with her books, here is a listing broken down by series.


*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 5
Another great book in Mercy’s series! I am in love with her so much!! Mercy is not your typical heroine! She is tough, determined and prepared. In A Merciful Truth we return to the small town of Eagle’s Nest Oregon where a string of fires sparks the police's attention. But when two officers are murdered at one of the fires the FBI is called in and we get to see Mercy at her finest.
Again this was another great book from Ms. Elliot! I loved the twists and turns in this story. It kept me guess as to who was who and who the bad guys were. I am very much looking forward to the next installment in Mercy’s series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Montlake Romance in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

A Merciful Truth is the second book in the Mercy Kilpatrick Series by Kendra Elliot. I read the first book, A Merciful Death, so I was very familiar with the heroine and her supporting cast. I would still consider this a standalone because Kendra makes it a point to explain how everyone is connected. I was really impressed with the first book and was not disappointed with this one. Although, I will say that there is one part of the storyline regarding Mercy’s estranged family that I feel may be getting a little old.

This time, random arson related fires in and around the small town of Eagle’s Nest, Oregon have escalated into what appears to be the ambush and murder of two Deputy Sheriffs. Eagle’s Nest Police Chief Truman Daly barely escapes with his life and the arson investigation changes direction putting the FBI and FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick in the center. Mercy and Truman just so happen to be dating and their collaboration leads to some intriguing theories regarding who may be behind these recent crimes. To make matters worse, there is a mystery militia leader that seems to be connected to the people responsible. And more importantly, Mercy’s brother Owen appears to be supporting the militia. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that just as in the first book, family drama will play a role in the end. Consequently, that’s the only issue that I have with this series. I would like to see a plot that doesn’t somehow drag Mercy’s family in. The town isn’t so small that all roads have to lead back to the Kilpatrick family.

There were a lot of twists and turns which make it difficult to figure out the killer and the motive. That’s what I like about this series. Nothing is what it seems and things never end up the way that you think. Truman and Mercy may have a budding relationship but Mercy’s past makes it difficult for her to totally commit. This makes everything seem more realistic as you have to question if they will have a happily ever after. That’s how I like my romantic suspenses to be. Everything remains up in the air. I look forward to the next book.

I so enjoy this series. Mercy Kilpatrick is such a unique character. Yes she's an FBI agent but she was also raised in a family of preppers. She hides the fact that she too has a place that she is using to "prep" for a catastrophe.

Again along side her new love interest Police Chief Truman Daly they are looking for an arsonist and a cop killer all the while trying to reconnect with her family and raise her niece.

This author writes strong kick ass women. I love this and I'm looking forward to more.

I am totally liking this series centered around Mercy Kilpatrick, an FBI agent whose family life is also the focus of the story. This is the second book and it continues from where the first book left off. Each book can be read as a standalone with no problems but it's actually better if the first book is read as well for a better and deeper look for the characters of Truman and Mercy. The book starts off with a series of fires being set in the town of Eagle's Nest, Oregon. At first it was treated as pranks, probably set by bored teenagers but when two deputies are shot and killed when one of these fires was started, it sets into motion an investigation that has the FBI involved.
Again, like the first book, Mercy's personal life overlaps with the investigation and her past as a prepper comes into play again. This time though, the stakes are higher and as Truman and Mercy get closer to solving the mystery, Mercy's family's past comes into play again.
This book is a little bit more settled than the first one but no less engaging. In fact, a lot more personal stuff is intertwined in the events unfolding for both Truman and Mercy. Again, Ms. Elliot has given us a tightly plotted book with a lot of character development as well. Readers get invested in Mercy and Truman's life and I personally cannot wait for the next book to come out.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

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

This is the second book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series and it didn't disappoint. Mercy comes from a background that seems to help her connect with this new killer. Someone is out to destroy and collect property. However, they don't really know who or why.

What ensues is a tale of twists and turns, fights, secrecy, and misdirection that is both frustrating and intriguing. You have Mercy's family who is still struggling to accept what she does for a living – they still hold her at arm’s length.

However, when push comes to shove, will Mercy's family pull together and help? Or will the split between them grow?

I loved the twist at the end and hope that more comes of the family secrets that her father is keeping.

Mercy Kilpatrick is one of my new favorite characters and I can not wait to read more of her.

Mercy grew up as a doomsday prepper. I find her backstory fascinating and love the insight it gives her in her work. The relationship with Truman has grown since Book 1, but the mystery is what takes the focus here. Murders are happening, and Mercy is quite capable of solving them.

Kendra Elliott created wonderfully intricate characters and setting. I hope she writes prolifically about Mercy.

I really liked Ms. Elliot's first book in this series, A Merciful Death and couldn't wait to get my hands on book #2, A Merciful Truth. The story line and the characters in this series feels fresh and new and not your run of the mill romantic suspense. For romance lovers, there is probably not enough romance. However, I prefer suspense with a dash of romance so for me it's a perfect fit.

Initially I though the book started a little slow as it reintroduced the characters from the 1st book, their relationships and some of the events from book #1. It also had to introduce a lot of new characters that weren't present in the first book. The recurring ones are primarily Mercy's family, her partner Eddie and her love interest police chief Truman Daly.

Then the plot started to reel me in and I didn't want to book the book down. When fires and murders start to happen, the FBI and Truman's department start looking into a local group with anti-government sentiments. Mercy's relationship with her family is a strong theme in this book and her conflict with her brother Owen was a really good element to the story line.

Although this book could be read as a stand-alone, the nuances of Mercy's family are better appreciated by reading Book #1 first. I will definitely continue to read this series and look forward to the next book.

FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick, having moved to Eagle's Nest, Oregon to be close to Police Chief Truman Daly is facing a dangerous arsonist turned killer.

Small fires have been set, generally thought to be by teenagers. Up until now, it's only been arson .... but since the fire starter has now killed two cops at one site, Mercy and Truman are looking for a murderer. And then another body is found at another fire .. only no one knows who this man is or why he is there.

Mercy is still considered an outsider ... although her entire family lives there, she was told years ago to leave and never come back. Most of her family believe she is the one who is responsible for a brother's death. No one wants to talk to her, let alone rat out anyone who may be responsible for the fires or the murders.

The only possible lead is a rumor of a man building what they call an anti-government movement. And when a 'prepper' is burned out, Mercy takes it personally, as she is also a prepper.

SO .... random fires, maybe started by teens with nothing better to do? Or ... are they looking at more than one perpetrator.. for the murders?

The closer Mercy and Truman get to the truth, long hidden secrets are exposed and the nearer to danger they become.

I have read many of this author's books and never been disappointed. Her plots are well thought out, well written, with interesting characters that come to life. There's always an element of romance, but mostly left to the imagination rather than being explicit.

There are no cliff hangers involved, so it's not necessary to start at the beginning ... but I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to the author / Montlake Romance / Netgalley. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I enjoyed book 2 in the Mercy Kilpatrick series. I enjoy all Kendra's book. Mercy has evolved a little more and you see here opening her mind to other point of views. I love Truman being her rock, trying to show support and love and not scare her away. There is a twist thrown in towards the end that was a total surprise.

I received this copy from Netgalley and volunteered to leave my honest opinion. And I can honestly say I can't read for the next book in the series!

This book was okay, just not very compelling for me. The mystery was good, but I feel like the real danger / suspense only happened at the very end.