Great thriller which kept me turning the pages well into the night. Great characters and plot. Highly recommend to others!!

This was a fast paced thriller with lots of twists and turns. There was never a dull moment and it was a good, solid mystery.

Page turning thriller. A kidnapping, murder and of coarse a ransom for huge money. Fast paced, well written & an interesting plot. First time reading this author but will go back and read the 1st in the series. Recommend!! Thanks to NetGalley & Inkubator Books for a copy of this book.

I received this book through NetGalley's Read Now program. This is the 1st book from this author that I have read and I enjoyed it a great deal. The story begins with the abduction of Lucy and Dylan outside of a restaurant. Lucy, a former Deputy U.S. Attorney, brings the FBI into the search. Shannon is assigned to investigate.

In addition, Lucy's husband has taken off with his two younger children and has discarded his phone. Shannon in following clues is notified of a white van which matched the description of the vehicle used in the kidnapping was burned up. At the scene, Shannon discovers Lucy's body in the woods.

While Bob. Lucy's husband, is fleeing, he winds up stealing another vehicle leaving his to try and cover his track. Further investigation ultimately leads Shannon to Utah where she locates the children and discovers that Bob has borrowed the owners car. After they have captured Bob and discovered what he was trying to do, it leads to discovery of the individuals responsible for the kidnapping and murder. Dylan is recovered from a mall.

Shannon ultimately figured out the individual behind the kidnapping. To learn who was responsible and what Bob's directions were from the kidnappers, then you must read this book. You won't be disappointed.

Special agent Shannon Ames is called upon when a former federal prosecutor Lucy Donato and her teenage son are abducted in broad daylight. But upon basic investigation, Shannon realises there's more to this case than Lucy's federal connections. Shortly after they discover a burnt car and Lucy Donato dead in the woods but her son still missing. On a surprising turn Lucy's husband Bob Donato is caught on camera fleeing the state with their two other children.
This sets Shannon and the investigating team on a wild escapade after Bob Donato across the country, witnessing stolen cars, and phone, bar fights and drug dealers. Bob makes it clear he isn't stopping for anyone and even diverts from his original direction to giving the agents a fake trail to cover. And this chase brings into light some family secrets, office politics and many more questions. What was Bob Donato so ardently seeking and why? Did he know of his wife's death or is he involved?
This intriguing mystery is an action-filled page turner that will grip your attention till the end. I was hooked with the story line developing into an intense suspense. The character of the protagonist Shannon Ames is drawn intelligently. Agent Ames is a headstrong, determined and smart agent. I liked her thoughtful perspectives on the subject of investigation and her quick decisions under stress. Also I wanted to know more of Duncan Winter. His character seemed to be overflowing with suspense and mystery. Like a villain I would like. Maybe in the next book of this series.
Overall Road To Mercy was a great read. I don't usually read mystery but this book is a must read.
Recommended to all mystery lovers and to those who want a start in this genre.
Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for this e-ARC.

Good characters,complex story,lots of twists and turns.A tricky situation becomes more complex with everything our detective uncovers .Lots of questions,not many answers.. A good read.

After reading the first book in this series, Into Darkness, I have been eagerly anticipating for the next installment! Road to Mercy does not disappoint! From the first page you are sucked in and flying on the roller coaster created by the author. You simply have to read it.

Brilliant book by a fantastic author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Road to Mercy by TJ Brearton.
This is a series book - number 2. That didn't take away from the book, but i think it may have helped with the back story.
Special Agent Shannon Ames takes a case where a prosecutor, Lucy, goes missing. The husband goes on the run and starts to act guilty. Shannon's not sure why, but the husband who has never acted out of line, is now going out of his was to avoid the police and he has his kids with him.
Shannon's mission is to get Bob in custody and find out what happened to Lucy. But Shannon's quest leads her to meeting unsavory individuals and nothing is adding up.
Good Solid mystery.
3.5 stars.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

Mystery story that I just couldn't get into. I'm sure it's a wonderful book but just not for me. I needed the story to grab me immediately to keep my interest.

Special Agent Shannon Ames is back on the job when a former federal prosecutor and her son are kidnapped.

There's more to this abduction than meets the eye .... the prosecutor is found dead, left in the woods shortly after an investigation begins. But her 19-year-old son is still missing.

It's a surprising turn when the prosecutor's husband takes off with their two younger children. Where is he going ... and more importantly, why?

This intriguing mystery takes Ames across country, following the husband and getting involved in stolen cars, stolen phones, bar fights, and drug dealers.

What Ames learns turns the entire case inside out.

It's an intricate plot filled with non-stop action and page turning suspense. The characters are solidly drawn amidst an intense search for kidnappers. The ending came as a total surprise with just a slight cliffhanger that leads right into a possible third book. Although 2nd in this series, it is easily read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading the books in order. As with all his other books, this author never disappoints.

Many thanks to the author / Inkubator Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

A MUST for your TBR list! Fast-paced! Riveting! Exciting! Addictive! Not only is this a very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds. It was an artful melding of twisted psychological thrills and nail-biting suspense that kept me hooked the whole way!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

#RoadToMercy #NetGalley

Road to Mercy is a well written suspense. An edge of your seat plot that will keep you turning the pages. I highly recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

I loved the first book in the series, Into Darkness, so I was excited to get my hands on the sequel. While this book does have references to its predecessor, it also works as a standalone. Like in the first book, I was rooting for Shannon Ames to solve the case. She’s no-nonsense, determined but compassionate as well. We get to know her family background and personal life, which helps to illuminate who she is behind the badge.

I really enjoyed how fast-paced the book is! I thought the author does a great job of making the characters’ actions feel realistic. The supporting characters are interesting, especially Lucy’s family who provide an emotional angle to the situation. There‘s plenty of exciting scenes, and twists that I didn’t see coming. Definitely check out this book if you’re looking for an action-packed thriller!

(3.5 stars rounded up to 4)

I didn't love this as much as I loved Into Darkness, but overall it was still a good read. My main issue was that it felt like it dragged on a bit. Still looking forward to the next Shannon Ames novel! Many thanks to NetGalley and T.J. Brearton for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Road to mercy draft review

I got Road To Mercy by T J Breaton from Book Sirens for a fair and honest review

A brutal abduction. Two scared kids. One desperate fugitive.

Struggling with the guilt for shooting and killing a man during her freshman case, Special Agent Shannon Ames is back in at the deep end when former federal prosecutor Lucy Donato goes missing.

The case takes a surprising turn when Lucy’s bookish husband Bob is seen on a traffic camera fleeing the state with his two small children. Has he done something to his wife? Is he a danger to the kids?

There’s definitely something going on with Bob, because it soon becomes clear he isn’t stopping for anyone. He’s smart, ruthless, and steamrolls over anyone who gets in his way.

Desperate to protect the kids, Shannon pursues Bob cross-country, following a trail of stolen cars, brutal bar fights, and dangerous drug dealers. But something isn’t sitting right with her.

Why would a meek office worker suddenly blaze a trail of chaos across several states? What does he want? Where is he going?

The answer to those questions is truly shocking and puts Shannon at the heart of a case she’ll never forge


Road to Mercy is a face-paced chase, based mystery thriller that is well written , with the style of the writing drawing the reader in to the story, as the tension is built up throughout the book

The way that the major characters were written was enough to make them fledged out enough to allow the story to flow which is all I require from my thrillers.

To me a weakness of the book is the ending, as it felt similar to one of those hour long tv shows, when, the last 10% only, seems to be there just to make the show the correct length, this book felt the same way. Although this distracted from the story the novel was still an enjoyable read.

Road to Mercy is the second book in the Shanen Ames series, however, you do not need to read the first book of the series (which I have not read) to enjoy this one.

I would recommend this book to people who love a good mystery thriller, which is well-past, with risik and jeopardy throughout the book then I would recommend T J Breaton’s Road To Mercy.

Road to Mercy by T.J. Brearton
A Shannon Ames Thriller #2

First off…had not read book one of this series but had no trouble getting into the plot of book two without having read INTO DARKNESS. I might have liked to know more about Shannon, the first case, the explosion and her introduction to and beginning relationship with Caldoza BUT it was not essential for reading this book.

The book begins with Lucy and her son Dylan on the road going to drop him off at university for his sophomore year but before they arrive, the two are kidnapped and then the FBI is called in. Is it an FBI case or a local one? Shannon Ames is tasked with going to the scene to decide.

From that point on there is much police procedural type information going on as Shannon finds one clue after another until the final surprise twist at the end that left me feeling sad as I contemplated how a decision made can have such a huge ripple effect in those impacted by that decision.

I usually do a “what I liked” and “what I did not like BUT in this case feel that by doing so I would give away too much so…

Comments:
* Shannon: a great character with intelligence, tenacity, and enough but not too many quirks.
* The story was well crafted with precise timing of the release of tidbits as the story progressed
* Enough red herrings but not too many
* Enjoyed the police procedural aspects with thought process of Shannon as she worked the case
* I felt the story was believable
* For some reason my focus was torn away from the story as I read. I don’t think it was the story itself but something else going on in my life the past couple of days.
* Every time I start a comment I stop, rewrite, try again…can’t really say what I think about the bad guys or good guys as it would give away more than I should AND since the author worked so hard to make it that way will just say that…
* I did enjoy the book and
* I would read more in this series

Thank you to Net Galley and Inkubator Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

What a ride! My first book by this author and I was totally pulled in to the story. There is equal part of action, suspense, police procedure, romance. There is no slacking at all. Only the autopsy part was vague. Very good one.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Inkubator Books for an advance copy of Road to Mercy, the second novel to feature New York based FBI Agent Shannon Ames.

When former federal prosecutor Lucy Donato and her 19 year old son, Dylan, go missing Shannon is sent upstate, as a courtesy, with a watching brief. Then Lucy’s husband takes off in a hurry with the two younger kids and appears to be avoiding law enforcement. Desperate to save the kids Shannon pursues Bob across the country, hoping to work out what is going on.

I thoroughly enjoyed Road to Mercy which is part chase thriller and part investigation. The narrative is split between Shannon and Bob and while I’m not always a fan of split narratives it works extremely well here, contrasting their understanding of events and ratcheting up the tension as both characters are operating under different compulsions but no less stress. I found the novel to be a real page turner as I was desperate to know what was driving Bob and his actions. Some of it, but not all, becomes clear to the reader early on through his narrative but the burning questions of who and why remain. I guessed slightly before Shannon on who when the why became apparent but it took me most of the book to get there so it’s all well concealed. Shannon’s narrative is more concerned with hunting Bob down so it provides the action and frustration. This is a well conceived thriller that held my attention throughout.

The characterisation is fairly basic with 8 year old Lily Donato taking a starring role as the voice of reason on the road trip. Plausible? Maybe not, but her good sense is calming and occasionally amusing. Shannon Ames is gun shy after killing someone in the previous novel and has PTSD. It’s an interesting standpoint to have in these times of heightened examination of law enforcement’s actions although I’m not sure it adds much to the debate as she simply leaves the shooting to others.

Road to Mercy is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Road to Mercy has just about everything I look for in a book. There's action, drama, crime/legal procedures, and even some romance as well. I have never read anything by T. J. Brearton before, but you can bet after reading this advanced reader copy that I will be going out to look for more books by him!

Agent Ames is a super relatable young woman who has (fairly) recently been through an ordeal involving a serial killer. Her physical and mental scars come through while she is working on a case of a mother and son that have been abducted in the state of New York. As Agent Ames, her partner, and other law enforcement race the clock to save a young man in peril, the plot races ever more quickly to an ending with quite the twist.

I cannot wait to read the next installment! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Inkubator Books for the chance to read this book early.