Another exciting story in the DC Maggie Jamieson series this book deals with the harrowing subject of historic child abuse. I thought the author dealt with this heinous crime sensitively, showing a certain amount of empathy with the perpetrator without at any time condoning their actions. From the first chapter I knew this was a book I would have to read in one sitting, there was no way I could put it down. The fast pace of the story held me breathless throughout and the thrilling end left me with my mouth hanging open. I would never have suspected this killer. I look forward eagerly to the next book in the series.

I'm starting to feel like Kate, Maggie and Julie are old friends! In this latest in this police procedural series, we follow the thought processes of the team rushing against a timeline to unravel quickly escalating crimes where the victims are also perpetrators - at least in the killer's mind. Noelle Holten invokes her vast knowledge of criminology and the probation system to create a raw, realistic feeling to the story. I also loved how Julie was involved in this storyline to assist the police with their investigation.

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for another great read.

I have to admit I love D C Maggie Jamieson mysteries and this one lived up to expectation.
I think this could still be read as a stand alone and the characters would still come alive to the reader
I enjoyed catching up with Maggie, Kate etc. The plot was well thought out and the procedural points were explained well and produced the snippets of information at the right intervals.
The premise for this mystery is about child abuse but it is written with care and thoughtfulness I think it does not need a warning.
Looking forward to the next one

This is a new author to me and the original synopsis and reviews appealed so I requested a copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. From the first page I found the style of writing very irritating as the word “he” was used in every sentence. I persevered to chapter two but could not proceed any further - there was no depth to the story and sadly this was not for me.

Well, ‘Dead Mercy’ was truly explosive in every way! This page turning book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series had me on the edge of my seat. Every dark crime gave me insight into what was happening, but only just. Those chapters were perfectly peppered with merely enough information. I devoured those chapters. They were chilling.

As for the investigation, it was top notch. I always love the team dynamics between Maggie, Kat and Dr Maloney. Maloney’s insight is enthralling.

I’d say this book is hard hitting and contains some very current themes. I won’t go into them in my review as I know discussing them would shout, SPOILER, but the content is emotive, heartbreaking and anger inducing. I found myself feeling all these things. And, I can say that the whole investigation had such an authentic and gritty feel to it. Reading a Noelle Holten book is like really being a part of the investigation team.

Another awesome and fantastic read!

Dead Mercy is another great installment in this crime series by Noelle Holten. You can tell she has a wealth of experience behind her in terms of how well she writes probation etc as that was her background before she switched careers. Dead Mercy is fast-paced, I worked my way through it quite quickly once I started it. The subject matter in this one can be a bit dark at times as it relates to historical child abuse cases, but it’s dealt with sensitively. I have enjoyed this series from the beginning, and Dead Mercy was no exception! Recommend for sure!

A serial killer with a grudge baffles the police as they struggle to find a link between the victims. There is seemingly no similarity of age, sex, race, looks or any other characteristic they might normally be able to hang their investigation on.
Meanwhile as we see snippets of the crimes from the perspective of the killer you find yourself frustrated first with the police, then the killer all the while unable to stop turning the pages in an attempt to get the police to the solution faster!
A great read with brilliant characters and lots of twists and turns.

This is the 5th book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series and we meet familiar characters once again – so a new book in the series is guaranteed to feel comfortable, even if the subject matter is not.

Maggie and her colleagues are tasked with finding the person responsible for the murder of a man who has been tortured and burnt to death. To her horror she discovers that the victim may be the husband of Sarah, one of her colleagues who work in the Probation department.
As the body count begins to rise it becomes evident that there are links to an historic case and accusations of child abuse at a boys residential home.

As with her other books in the series, I enjoyed this book but I did not feel the same excitement or tension, perhaps it felt too formulaic – I certainly did not get a surprise or shock at any of the discoveries but more a comforting satisfaction of a tale well told.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that the DC Maggie Jamieson series is one of the best new series in a long time. In a quite saturated field, these books always manage to be gripping, fresh, visceral, and engaging from cover to cover. In this new gruesome adventure a burned body is found in a building. Deliberately set on fire, someone was either covering tracks, or torturing the victim - or both. As the investigation unravels, DC Jamieson discovered the victim may be the husband of one of her probation colleagues. This is only the beginning of what becomes a very dark and complex investigation. As more burned bodies begin to crop up, Jamieson and her team desperately try to find the connection between them to stop the killer. Just what is the connection between these seemingly unconnected people? And why is the killer taking their teeth? The answer needs to be found, and quickly, before the body count continues to rise.

I read this book in one sitting. I was gripped by the storyline. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, racing along with Jamieson and her team trying to find the clues to stop the killer. This book really keeps you on the edge of your seat. The entire series is a twisted joy to crime/thriller novel junkies, and I can’t wait until the next one is released!

*I received this copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Superb! Another excellent Maggie Jamieson book. A body is discovered, brutally murdered and burnt. Maggie and her team are tasked with finding the killer but there more gruesome discoveries to come. A gruelling tale which had me on the edge of my seat, very cleverly crafted and emotional disturbing.

I have so looked forward to catching up with DC Maggie Jamieson and the team and to see how their next case comes about. I lived in Stafford for 15 years and to read these books has been great, The team are called in when a fire at a local firm reveals a body and now they have to find out the reasons why this victim has died in such an horrific way. Maggie and the team have their work cut out for them when another body turns up.I love Noelle Holten's books as i love reading of strong female police women and Noelle has captured that with Maggie and i have loved this book and look forward to the next well done Noelle Holten 5*

One of my favourite police officers, DC Maggie Jamieson, returns in the 5th book in the series and I can see her character growing and maturing. She just a little mellower and a lot more in control of herself in this book. She's juggling the demands of trying to find a serial murderer while supporting her brother and figuring out her feelings for someone. It's all done so well in this very tightly written crime mystery. I love police procedurals and seeing how the cases progress and open up as information new clues are revealed, and Dead Mercy is my favourite in this series so far. I can't wait for Maggie's next case and to see what develops in her personal life!

That cover, that blurb! How can anyone stop themselves falling into the pages and losing themselves in the delicious twistedness that is Noelle Holten's mind! I've loved every one of the books in this series and Dead Mercy is no exception!
Once again Noelle Holten reaches out, grabs the reader by the throat and knocks them out with her opening chapter. Earning her place in the Queen of killer openings. No spoilers but I definitely read this with my hands over my mouth!
A tale of revenge laced with her trademark twistedness, this author is going from strength to strength as with each book her writing becomes more powerful, she is honing her craft and dare I say it, her twistedness becomes more twisted.
A police procedural in that it features Maggie James, but more than that, using its multi-disciplinary approach it paints an authentic picture of modern day policing; the police don’t work in silos, they work alongside a number of agencies and the author has recreated this realistically but without boring the readers about all the dull ref tape involved.
Her characters step out the page to greet you like old friends, I feel like I’ve got to know them so well over the last couple of years. Never perfect, each have their flaws, but all of them making them engaging and easy to connect with.
DC Maggie Jamieson is both prickly and approachable at the same time: something about her draws you into her life; her complicated relationships, her passion for the job combined with an underlying sense of insecurity makes her one of those people you can’t help but connect with, at times you want to sit her down and give her a good talking to, yet at others you want to sit her down and give her a big reassuring hug. I love her!
Good to see Dr Kate Maloney back too, she’s another character in the book who has been through the mill and back over the series but despite this she’s a strong assured character and she shines in this novel.
The author really does draw well on the range of human complexity to create multi-layered and interesting characters. She brings them in and out of her books throughout the series and in doing so has created an ensemble cast that captures the reader’s attention.
And plot, well read the blurb to get the nub of the story but let’s just say that while this author may look all sweet and wholesome on the outside, you don’t need to scratch very deep to get beneath the surface to a dark and twisted mind. Filled to the brim with enough twists and turns to satisfy any armchair detective, and that ending! Seriously Noelle Holten ! Totally a tease! Dead Mercy is one you do not want to miss!

Definitely a 5-star from me.

I've really enjoyed this series, and have to say Dead Mercy is the best one yet. The characters have developed consistently book on book, and the storylines have remained fresh and exciting. The series gives an interesting angle on the usual police procedural, with insight into the little-known workings of the probation and related services. It does this, however, without getting bogged down in office politics, and gets on with a fast-paced plot and characters in peril. Not an easy task to achieve, so definitely hats off to Noelle Holten.

This is a series that's going to be around for a long time to come, and deserves to have a strong following of eager readers.

Dead Mercy by Noelle Holten is book 5 in the DC Maggie Jamieson crime series and is another good read. This time the storyline covers historic sexual and physical abuse in children’s homes and the murder of alleged abusers.
It is a controversial topic and many of the murder police team have sympathy for the victims of the abuse, rather than the victims. Nevertheless the team all work together to find the killer and have him brought to justice, along with the original abusers in the children’s homes.
Highly recommended

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and at long last the main character has started to come across as a bit more likeable to me. Maggie and her colleagues investigate a murder where a body is found burnt with a number of teeth removed. When similar murders follow the team find links to historic cases of alleged child abuse and it becomes a race against time to find the killer before they murder again. There are a lot of separate ongoing story threads here that I liked, and they all come together beautifully with everything tied up nicely towards the end. I thought this was a well written and engaging read with a great plot line, lots of twists and the author certainly knows how grab my attention from the first page, then ramp up the tension and suspense and have me wondering what will happen next. I guessed who the killer was and was right. Overall a good, fast paced and thrilling read that exceeded my expectations and I look forward reading the next book in this series.

CHILLING police procedural, well written, show-casing the dire damage to an adult's psyche when abused as a child. .Payback is a bitch!! Totally enjoyed & RECOMMEND for a fast-paced read. Thanks to NetGalley & One More Chapter for this ARC in return for my honest review.

This, the 5th book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series was just as riveting and enjoyable as the first 4 were. This book revolves around a murderer who before killing his victims, pulls out some teeth and sets them on fire. Maggie has her work cut out to determine who it is. Nice to see Kate back. Wondering when and if Julie and Maggie will go beyond being friends. Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. A man is found murdered. When a woman is murdered in the fashion, Maggie knows they have a serial killer on their hands. The More Maggie digs the more information she finds about kids who were abused many years ago. This book kept me guessing.

This is the 5th book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series by author Noelle Holten.

A brutal serial killer is on the loose and DC Maggie Jamieson is making it her business o hunt him down. The murders are piling up as the killer appears to be following a plan and Maggie thinks it maybe revenge killings. The race is on to stop the killer before the next murder is committed.

These books do work as stand-alone reads but like most series you will get more out of them if read in order. Having started on book 1 I feel that the characters have developed in each book and are becoming more familiar with every new story. DC Maggie Jamieson is a very good character but there are some hidden gems with journalist Julie Noble and Dr Kate Moloney.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Harper Collins UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.