Filled with the F-bomb and extremely graphic violence, this was a good mystery, but turned my stomach at times because of the descriptions of the murder scenes. The victims are people who were formerly involved in child care homes, so it was obvious early on in the plot that the perpetrator was a victim of that system. There were many twists and more than a few surprises. I did not enjoy the bi-sexuality of the main character, but figured that was a nod to the current acceptance of such a lifestyle. It was not a major part of the plot but it was there, so that would keep me from purchasing books in this series in the future, along with the language and the violence. The plot was well written and dragged me into the story, albeit reluctantly for the aforementioned reasons. The characterization was good, but not as in depth as I prefer in a whodunit.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

"At least amongst the dead we knew we were safe..."

Dead Mercy packs a punch from the start with a brutal murder where the victim is tortured and burned alive. A dark and disturbing story of secrets and revenge, we follow Maggie and her team as they investigate, uncovering a historic child abuse case and hunting a killer dispensing his own version of justice. As the killer plays a cat and mouse game with the team, can they find him before he completes his deadly plan?

The fifth installment in Noelle Holten’s Maggie Jamieson series is another tense, twisty and compelling thriller. Ms. Holten is adept at crafting sinister and unnerving characters and stories that are also moving and addictive. She knows how to hold the reader in the palm of her hand from beginning to end and make them come back for more. And while she writes honestly, there is also compassion, walking a fine line as she finds some understanding even for those with minds warped by their trauma, as is this case with the killer in this book. She just gets better and better.

While I love returning to familiar characters and enjoy Maggie as a protagonist, the star of the show this time around has to be the killer. He is a fascinating character, full of pain, anguish, sorrow and desperation. A man let down as a child by those who were supposed to protect him, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Ms. Holten takes us inside his mind so we can see his turmoil and brokenness and empathise with how he got to this point.

Hard-hitting, menacing and suspenseful, this has everything I could ask for in a thriller. Sharply-written and enthralling, this is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a darker kind of psychological thriller.

Dead Mercy is the fifth book in Noelle Holten's reliably enjoyable DC Maggie Jamieson series. As is customary with these books, the scene was set at the end of the previous novel, Dead Secret and so readers who have been following the series already know that the burned man discovered tied to a chair in an office appears to be the husband of a probation officer. It's worth pointing out that although each book ends with a tantalising glimpse of Maggie's next case, each investigation is separate and can be read as a standalone. However, returning readers will, of course, enjoy that familiarity that comes from knowing these characters, having followed their ongoing development.
One of the highlights of this series has been the multi-agency involvement and that is true again in Dead Mercy. The integration between the police, probation and social services is an important aspect to the plot and Noelle Holten's experience as a Probation Officer shines through here, lending a real sense of authenticity to proceedings. While the sharing of information and respect for their various responsibilities features throughout, there is also recognition of the difficulties and issues that the agencies face, both currently and relating to historical matters.
Events of the past inform much of the storyline as the detectives and indeed the readers find their sympathies divided between murderer and victims. As the body count rises, there is never any doubt that they are determined to apprehend the killer or that they support the extreme acts of vigilantism but there is understandable empathy for the motivation behind the murders. It's a difficult case for a number of reasons, including the gruesome nature of the killings but although the description of the murders, both during and after the fact are vividly hard-hitting, Dead Mercy is not a gratuitous book.
Some of the chapters are told from the murderer's perspective and while it's evident that they gain a sinister sense of enjoyment from their actions, they are not wholly repulsive - unlike the crimes of the past which are potentially more likely to haunt the team than the carefully staged revenge killings of the present. As always when reading a crime novel, I tried to work out the identity of the murderer alongside the detectives but I was completely wrong-footed this time and when the unveiling occurs, I was surprised but not shocked - it all makes immediate sense when the truth is finally known.
The ongoing development of the now core characters of the series continues to be excellent; Maggie's self-knowledge of her strengths and flaws means she checks herself at times but is still impulsive enough to cause a little extra drama to spice up the story still further. I enjoy the relationship she has with her team, most notably Kat, whose no-nonsense, sweary approach to policing is refreshingly straightforward and Bethany whose relentless work ethic features heavily here. I do wonder if that's a storyline which will be further explored in the future as Maggie notices several times how hard her colleague pushes herself. There are also hints that the relationship between Maggie and her former partner turned boss, Nathan may be headed for trickier times; although they are still close, there are moments which suggest that the issues which invariably arise when one person is promoted above another, will affect their friendship in the future. Meanwhile, there may also be changes ahead in Maggie's personal life after she makes a significant announcement here. Her relationship with journalist Julie Noble is still at the friendship stage although the chemistry between them is obvious. However, there's an abrasiveness to their interactions which makes me question whether they will be able to find a way to become romantically involved with one another - it's certainly more interesting than the more typical, they belong together if only they could see it storyline!
Unlike the previous books in the series, there is no lead into the next case at the end of Dead Mercy which makes me wonder if Maggie and co will be rested for a while. There are still plenty of loose ends though, which suggests that any break won't be permanent and the revelations which occur here will eventually be explored further. Consistently intriguing and thoughtfully compassionate, Dead Mercy might just be Noelle Holten's best book so far. It's a tightly plotted, pacy police procedural and is another compelling addition to the DC Maggie Jamieson series. I look forward to more from Noelle Holten, whether that's further novels in this series or something new in the future. Highly recommended.

I really love this series. It just keeps getting better. While this one works as a stand alone, I think you’ll appreciate it even more if you read the series.

Maggie and her team are increasingly baffled trying to figure out the connection in a series of gruesome murders. I like the depth of the characters, the portrayal of the social services system and the action packed plot.

I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a great crime series.

I’d like to thank HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Dead Mercy’, the fifth in the Detective Maggie Jamieson series written by Noelle Holten, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DC Maggie Jamieson is called out to a fire where they find the body of a man with some of his teeth missing. At first they believe it to be Justin Hardy the husband of one of the probation colleagues but when he arrives in person they realise their mistake. This is just the beginning of their search for a killer who intends acts of revenge where the clues are from cases that took place at children’s homes many years ago.

‘Dead Mercy’ is another gripping instalment in the series involving not only Maggie Jamieson but also officers from the probation service and Dr Kate Moloney who gives insight into the killer’s character. As soon as I started reading I could feel the tension building and it’s had me hooked through all the action, suspense, intrigue and twists and turns until the final few dramatic pages. I like the characters in this series and how officers from the probation service are involved and can recommend this as a thoroughly enjoyable thriller.

It’s so exciting when a new Maggie Jamieson book comes out, and they just seem to be getting better and better!

We are launched straight into the action with the discovery of a pretty brutal murder. Maggie is then left with the difficult task of finding the killer who leaves strange clues behind, made all the more difficult by her personal and professional lives overlapping.

This is a pretty harrowing and shocking read at times, but it’s just such gripping and addictive stuff. A total cancel-all-plans book, this is one that you won’t want to miss, and won’t be able to put down. Superb.

🔥Good whodunit with some pretty gruesome action😕

This was a really strong read, particularly in the second half as the investigation bears results and the police team hones in on their murder suspect. The actual murders are pretty gruesome and, as they quickly add up, DC Jamieson and her colleagues realize there are actually two distinct sets of victims, from the past and in the present. The "bad guy" is not so clear cut as serious and repeated child abuse comes into it as a probable motive for the killer's actions. Maggie Jamieson proves her unswerving dedication to the job and even gets to play the hero for a fellow officer.

I am not a fan of the acronyms and the explanations of how different departments are structured, but on the whole, it's a good plot, well-written and, while I guessed the murderer fairly early on, I could not stop reading for wondering when the police team would finally catch on and maybe get to the next targeted victim before his or her painful, tortured demise.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Book 5 in the DC Maggie Jamieson series, I can hardly believe we are already on #5 in this excellent series. In Dead Mercy Maggie and the team are frantically searching for a serial killer who is murdering people in the most horrible way.
As soon as I hear Noelle Holten has a new book out in this series I don’t even need to read the blurb, I just have to read the book. Dead Mercy just like the previous books in the series had me hooked from the very first page. This is an extremely tense and gripping read with plenty of OMG moments that’ at times had me on the edge of my seat.

What happens when a jagged history still hurts, justice has been overlooked, and karma takes too long? The guilty must pay!

This was my first experience with this author and my introduction to DC Maggie Jamieson  . . . I was pleasantly surprised. I’m a longtime fan of BBC crime dramas (the slang always tickles me) and Law & Order . . . so I really enjoyed this gritty British police procedural.

I read this novel as a stand-alone although it is the fifth in a series. I found it held up well by itself and I’m sure that reading the others first will add even more flavor to the story.

This genre is not for you if you cannot stomach the evidence and the details that can be discovered during a murder investigation.

I fully intend to seek out other titles by Noelle Holten to add to my ever-growing TBR pile.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and One More Chapter for an advanced copy of Dead Mercy for my unbiased evaluation. 4 stars

Oh Mercy! Dead Mercy, the latest in the DC Maggie Jamieson series is off the charts readable. Well paced, intense and compulsively readable with a storyline that keeps you glued to the page.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

I loved this book, i was glued to it fron the first page, its. Dark and gritty, and with the authors experience you are more drawn into it with the characters. Highey recommend this book.

DC Maggie Jamieson must dig into a historical case that was never prosecuted and uncover a terrible secret in order to catch a brutal killer before it’s too late.

This book is action-packed from page one, and you won’t be able to flip the pages fast enough to see what happens! DC Maggie Jamieson is unstoppable as she races against the clock to stop the serial killer! I love seeing how the different agencies and specialists come together to aid her in the investigation. You also get the killer’s POV, and the author examines a sensitive subject matter in such a way that allows you to feel compassion for the killer. It’s an intense, nail biting, edge of your seat crime thriller that will keep you guessing right up until the end!

Even though this is the 5th book in the series, Dead Mercy can be read as a stand-alone. You’ll want to read the entire series though because you will be hooked!

I have read and enjoyed every book in this Maggie Jamieson series. The author deals with some tough and hard-hitting subjects in her books and this one is no exception!

AS the short but intriguing synopsis suggests, this is going to be a tough one especially as it may involve someone from another organisation. While this is a police procedural, the author weaves in other agencies. She does this very well and uses her own knowledge from working in the Probation service to expand on the storyline.

The team is still coming to terms with a tragedy from the previous book, it is mentioned but not enough to make it a spoiler if you haven't read the series in order. Yes, these books can be read as stand-alone but as with all series, you do get to see a bigger picture and how the dynamics of the teams work.

The case is one that is addictive reading, it is a brutal murder that leaves so many questions for the team to work through. Bringing in specialists from various fields and agencies keep the pacing moving and the story progressing well. Things really start to heat up when a second victim is discovered and things begin to tentatively connect. This does not mean, however, that this is a simple case.

Having various other agencies and experts adds a nice touch to this series, I do like how they link in. I did however think there was a little too much explanation as to the policies and procedures. I do understand that they have their roles and some explanation is required. For me, though it did at times slow the pace and detract from the thrill of the investigation and felt just a little too much. It would however be very handy if you are reading the book as a stand-alone.

The case is intriguing, the body count creeps up and using the experience of a Profiler adds a psychological edge, while the Pathologist adds some interesting if occasionally morbid details. As well as the case there are also details in Maggie's personal life as she finally admits to her own secrets.

This is another really good read, it is one for those who like a grittier Police Procedural story and it is one I would recommend reading.

Omg this book was brilliant. My emotions and empathy were all over the place. The plot was dark, gritty, disturbing and really made you think. Knowing the authors background it feels so realistic.

As usual the characters are fun, determined and total workaholics. Kat is quickly becoming a favourite and I'd love to read more about her. Julie? Not so much 😂

This is the best one yet and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this superb series. Highly recommended.

Fast-paced crime thriller featuring DC Maggie Jamieson of the Stafford Police.

A serial killer who seems bent on some sort of twisted revenge is targeting seemingly random local people. The MO for all is the same and the signature a bit freaky as the villain not only burns them while still alive, they also pull some teeth. After some digging, Maggie and her team feel that this case might be connected to historical child abuse of boys in care homes that was never addressed and the perpetrators never brought to justice. No spoilers.

This is the 5th in a series that keeps getting better. I've read 3 of the other books (missed #4), and didn't feel lost so it could work as a standalone but better to know the backstory as usual. I enjoy the characters and the team interaction as they work night and day to investigate. This is standard police procedural with red herrings and running down clues with an interesting premise. Maggie has compassion and usually acts sensibly though, like all fiction detectives, has incredible gut instincts (spidey sense) and often goes off book to get the job done.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Maggie is back and she’s not going to be stopped in the latest installment of Noelle Holten’s exquisite series featuring our favorite detective. This one is darker than the last and covers abuse of young boys so the tone I’d right. I promised myself I would take my time and read this one slowly to stretch it out. No way after the first page. Keep em coming - can’t get enough!

Brutal murders linked in a distressing way make this book unstoppable, leaving me turning pages long after I should have turned out the lights. Non stop in her pursuit of the truth Maggie will not rest until the murderer is caught.

Someone is on a deadly mission of revenge, and they won’t stop until everyone that ruined their life has been punished. They need to know how it truly feels. But what vile secret is behind the recent brutality? And how far down on the lethal list will it take DC Jamieson to crack the case?

The creative mind of Holten has some dark recesses and they are brought out to the foreground in this latest diabolical case. The pace is so brisk, you completely lose track of time and are desperate to know where the twists will take you next. You just want to read one more chapter! I thought this book was the best of the series and it ticked all the right boxes for the story, the characters and the way that the current crimes unravelled the horrid misdemeanours of the past in a curiously cryptic way.

After surviving a killer that was incredibly close to home in the 4th installment in this series, DC Jamieson and colleagues are back working on another set of gruesome murders. The worst part is that these seem to be revenge killings for atrocities that took place years ago. This story was more focused on the murders themselves and did not delve too deeply into advancing the characters' storylines much, with a few foreshadowing exceptions. But there was a lot of story to cover and didn't leave a lot of room for additional character development. I continue to enjoy following the Staffordshire's police department as they encounter new and unusual crimes to challenge their abilities and look forward to the next book.

DC Maggie Jamieson #5

When a burned body is found with its teeth missing, DC Maggie Jamieson discovers that the victim may be the husband of one of her probation colleagues. As the body count rises, the team become increasingly baffled by how the victims could possibly be connected until a clue leads them to a historical case that was never prosecuted.

Maggie, Kat and Dr Maloney are back in the fifth book in this well written series. It contains some current themes. It soon becomes evident that there's links to a historic case and soon accusations of child abuse at a home for boys. The body count is rising and it becomes a race against time to find the killer.

This is a tense read that had me on the edge of my seat a couple of times. I was pulled into the story from the first page. The story is told from the perpetrator and the police points of view. It has also been well executed.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #NoelleHolten for my ARC of #DeadMercy in exchange for an honest review.