The writing just isn’t great. This is particularly noticeable for the teenage characters. The phrases used were so dated and absolutely forced and unnatural sounding. I’m not sure the author has ever met a teenager in real life, let alone spoken to one.

"Life as the town medical examiner is relatively unhurried for Dr. Ben Stevenson. With only a smattering of cases here and there - car accident victims, death by natural causes - he has plenty of time to spend with his loving wife and two sons. That is until a teenager's body is discovered in the woods and Ben, as the only coroner in the area, is assigned to the case. But as the increasingly animalistic attacks continue, the case challenges Ben in ways he never suspects."

"No Mercy" is John Burley's inaugural crime thriller, While it would be tempting for a debut novelist to fall back on typical thriller clichés, this novel is a genuine page-turner that will send chills down your spine. Burley expertly draws upon his medical background to craft a story that feels authentic and his penchant for using sophisticated vocabulary adds an extra layer of depth to the narrative.

This book skillfully keeps thriller enthusiasts on the edge of their seats, fueling the desire to uncover the identity of the killer. The author's remarkable strength lies in his ability to maintain an air of mystery, never prematurely revealing the murderer's identity. This gripping thriller delivers precisely what one seeks in a crime thriller: the anticipation and exhilaration of the chase, the relentless pace, and the palpable desperation of law enforcement in their seemingly futile pursuit. This novel effortlessly immerses readers, though the only letdown is the inevitable conclusion. It marks a brilliant and striking debut, undoubtedly a valuable addition to the crime thriller genre.

As an Ohio native, I’m always excited to read books set in my home state. This book was pretty dark and thought I still enjoyed the first 75% or so. But the ‘twist’ and resolution of the story did not work for me and felt conveniently tacked on.

Mild SPOILER: I’m not a parent, but I found it very hard to accept the mother’s actions in the end. What she was revealed to know did not seem to jibe with the actions she made through out the story especially at the end. In attempting to protect one child she was risking another. Also, the fact that she was a doctor made her choices all the more unfashionable to me. Ultimately the story’s outcome diminished my enjoyment of the book.

With lots of twists and turns this book is a sit at the edge of your seat kind of book. A psychological thriller at is best this is a book that will keep you reading from beginning to end and will live on your head for a while after you finish reading it.

Wow, this was good. A serial killer in the midst that of course no one suspects because if they did they wouldn't believe it was that person or the level of depravity of the sociopath. The coroner, Ben is worried about the young protege that he has working underhim so not to mess up his pysche. Who could be doing this level of killing by slicing and other graphic details of mutilation along with biting the face off of his victims. I started to guess as who could be the assailant and was right. How it ended was also tragic.

Great psychological thriller. A definite page-turner. This is the kind of book you are almost embarrassed to say you enjoyed. What does it say about you if you enjoy gruesome serial-killer stories?

3.5 rating. I liked the book and it was quite suspenseful. I had an inkling as to the killer about mid-way through the book but it was still interesting to see how the main characters reacted. I would have liked to see more detail after the killer was revealed as the latter part of the book seemed to just end abruptly. For instance how did the surviving victim learn of the truth and what was her reaction.? What were Thomas’s plans for her? Also did the younger brother know what was happening? One would think yes based on earlier experiences and comments. Made by him. Plus didn’t the mother in an effort to protect her older son, think about the dangerous situation now facing the younger one? It would have made more sense if she had left her youngest with family so that her husband could take care of him. If Thomas was on the run for 5 plus years wouldn’t his killing spree have continued, making it easier to track him down? Or maybe he was smart enough to lay low Last I didn’t really like the ending. Obviously Thomas was back but I didn’t understand Ben’s reaction. Was he thinking of protecting him or protecting the rest of the family? I guess it leaves room for a sequel.
The book reminded me a bit of Defending Jacob although it was never concluded in that story that the son was a murderer. But his Mom believed that he was and felt that she needed to make sure that he never hurt anyone else. In both stories, the mothers sensed the truth unlike the fathers.

This fast moving story has lots of twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the start and I finished it in one sitting. Great who done it!

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

This book has some interesting plot twists that kept me wanting to read more.
The fact that it was set in the Midwest had it hitting home.
Overall it was a good read, the pace though was a bit slow.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great storyline, interesting characters and kept me guessing right up to the end. Not really my genre bit well worth the read. Without giving any spoilers, it did make me think what I would do in a similar situation.

I really wanted to like this book but I struggled my way through it. The writing was awkward and didn’t always visit the characters and the plot was full of holes I won’t point out to avoid spoiling the mystery. The pacing was slow and there was some over explaining the medical details (and I understand one of the main characters is a doctor but it slowed the story for me). I will say there were exciting elements to the serial killings that were interesting but overall for a mystery about a brutal serial killer it wasn’t exciting enough to keep my interest.

This was an easy, quick read that I finished in less than a day.
I liked the storyline but the already short book was still too long. I found myself skimming pages at times because there was so much unneeded information and dreams and such that I didn't feel like added anything to the story.
The epilogue was also not very good.
Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.

This was a powerful novel about how a dangerous mental illness affects everyone around the ill person. It has believable characters that work to make the story realistic. At times, it was a painful read. All parents must worry at some point in their children’s lives that something might be wrong with them. To see Ben and Susan live that fear was agonizing.

This is a tightly plotted book with excellent writing. It’s a true page turner. It’s also likely to have you sitting back and realizing how lucky you are not to be these people. I figured out who was behind the murders by chapter three, but I don’t think it was meant to be a secret.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing is very good for a debut. You are engaged from the beginning. And stay engaged throughout. Fans of forensic science reads will devour this one. A small town coroner becomes overwhelmed by the death of a teenager in an animalistic way. Then more bodies are found with the same MO. Who and why would anyone do this? Twists to the end to keep you engaged. I will look for the next book.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

A grisly murder is followed by a short period of peace. Then another attack, but the victim survives. Ben Stevenson, a small town coroner must examine the body of the dead high school student, knowing that his own son was close to the location of the murder and could have been a victim. When the second victim lives, Ben is also called upon to compare wounds, as it appears that the victims have been viciously bitten and flesh has been pulled from their bodies.
As Ben works with the forensic team to try to identify the murder, Burley offers a few red herrings, taking the reader off track.
This story is cleverly written and examines the motives of parents when they feel their children are in danger. But, I never really connected with the characters. While the mystery had me stymied for a while, once that was revealed the book became less compelling.

Debut Psychological Thriller about small town life not being what it seems, this sounds perfect for me. It has all the makings of a fantastic read for me. I love reading about small, sleepy towns that on the outside look like perfection but on the inside have evil lurking about. I also really enjoy medical examiner novels that are fast paced with thrills and turns around every corner.

Dr. Ben Stevenson is the town medical examiner in the small town of Winterville, Ohio. He lives with his wife and two teen sons. His normal day to day is natural causes and the occasional accident. Until he gets called in to investigate the teen boy found in the woods. The killing is brutal and the victims start to pile up. Ben has to figure this out before more people are killed. Is the killer a passerby or a neighbor they all know and love?

I thought this was an excellent debut novel. I felt the writing was very on point and the pacing was fast and almost dire. I loved the twists and turns throughout the book. 4 big stars from me.

Thank you to the publisher and author for a copy to read and review.

There's three people in a town south of Pittsburgh that have been found dead. Ben Stevenson is a pathologist for the Allegheny County's Coroner's Office. He tries to patch up the bodies and then reports the gruesome findings. He notes, "People never look carefully at what's directly in front of them." This book reminds me of similar plots such as one from "The Sixth Sense" movie. It was well written but the plot in the book was on the slower side. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this copy.

The Absence of Mercy by John Burley was a murder mystery wherein some unknown person was not only killing teens, but also dismembering and mutilating them as well. It opens with the first murder and Ben and Susan waiting for news of their son, who attends the same school as the unfortunate youth. He turns out to be OK but Ben, who is also the coroner for this small town is terrified and starts pulling the reins tighter around his son, out of fear. Several months later, there is a party. Thomas is not allowed to go so he simply waits until his parents are sleeping and then rappels down the side of the house. He gets home safely, but that same night a young woman is attacked. She loses two fingers and part of one ear as well as having numerous other injuries. Somehow she crawls to the side of the road and is found in time. She spends over three months in the hospital, but survives. Ben is out of his mind. He sends his wife, Susan, Thomas, and their younger son to Arizona to visit Susan's parents. He is waiting for the next murder. The next one is a younger child, but even more gruesome than the others. What is going to happen next?

This is a psychological thriller, not really my cup of tea, but I enjoyed this one. Everything unfolded slowly and was terrifying. It got to the point where the police suspected almost everyone. Ben slowly lost it until he wasn't sleeping or eating. The sheriff was also beside himself with these murders. He didn't know which way to turn. Maybe retirement. This was a very frightening story. The author made it so. The personalities of many of the people participating were well written and complete. The clues were there. When the exposition of the criminal began, it was a relief, totally unexpected. No one's life would ever be the same. It was haunting. A masterful look at a psychopath.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Absence of Mercy by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #theabsenceofmercy

I thought this was a good, solid debut. The story was well written and kept me engaged the whole time even though I had figured out pretty early on who the killer was.