Another chilling but brilliant read from Noelle Holten, my favourite type of crime books are a series that you get to meet the characters repeatedly and get an insight into how their background shapes their thinking and ability. My only regret is now that I’m finished reading this one is having to wait for the next book. I wish I could give it more than five stars.

The book starts with a gruesome and brutal murder where the body has been set alight and burned beyond recognition. DC Maggie Jamieson is deeply troubled as she thinks the body could be the husband of one of the probation team who she has worked with on many occasions. The team has very little to go on regarding motive and when another body is discovered with the same MO they realise that they must up their game and stop the killer before anyone else loses their life. The story is dark and realistic, certainly not for the faint-hearted.

This one was amazing.
Kept me guessing till the end. Was one of the best 5*** brilliant work by a brilliant author

Wow, not going to lie this book is absolutely amazing. The best in the series yet, from the gorgeous cover to the very last word.

This book will keep you hooked and on the edge of your seat until you finish it - it is extremely pacey abs always keeps you guessing.

I absolutely love that Maggie has finally come out of her shell in this book, she has always been so guarded and held back, so I’ve been waiting for this moment for quite sometime and have now developed a HUGE book crush on her. She is an amazing female lead character - probably the best one I have seen written.

This was a fantastic addition to the DC Maggie Jamieson series and I can not wait to see what she is faced with next.

An absolute 5 star read - no doubt about that.

such a good thriller, it was fast, tense, unpredictable and twisty, i didnt kno wwhat to believe or what to think and i didn't see the eding coming. I really enjoyed reading it

When her husband's office is damaged by fire and a body found amid the ashes probation officer Sarah Hardy is devastated. As her friend Detective Constable Maggie Jamieson begins her investigation it becomes clear there is more to the death than a simple case of arson.

With Dr Kate Moloney joining the team and working to produce a profile, more arson related deaths happen at an alarming rate meaning everyone is desperate to catch their killer; if only they could somehow discover what links the victims together. An old photo initiates a close look into the murky depths of unresolved historic crimes until the connection is discovered, leaving the team searching for someone with a serious score to settle.

This is the fifth Maggie Jamieson novel and grabs the reader's attention from the very first page. She is still socially awkward, speaks without thinking first, and likely to let her enthusiasm take over if she's not reeled in every now and again. Even with all these problems however, Maggie gets more likeable and relatable with each book and I enjoy working through everything with her. There were some unanswered questions in this case and although have no idea if they will feature in the next book I did expect at least two of them to be the catalyst for Maggie's next investigation.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is an excellent addition to a very good series which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Loved this one! The characters are so well developed. I felt like I was right there in the story Storyline is dark and creepy so many twists and turns. Beware of the roller coaster ride on this one I could not put it down. Loved the deep dark look into how our minds and bodies process atrocities. Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

I’ll start by saying I was expecting great things from this book as I have loved Noelle’s previous four books. And I wasn’t disappointed.

DC Maggie Jamieson is a strong independent police officer, who sometimes struggles a little to work nicely with others. She is a fabulous well rounded character. When she comes face to face with the victim of a brutal killer she is determined to catch the killer, and quickly, before more victims fall prey to him. Because Maggie is sure that this is just the start.

The case seems to be linked to historical abuse allegations made by grown up previous residents of children’s homes. And these cases were never prosecuted or even investigated properly.

Maggie has a recent personal relationship with journalist Julie Noble. When her boss suggests she assists with this case, Maggie is initially fearful that they might encourage the killer to kill again. However, she is out voted and the journalist makes the case public, hopefully encouraging other victims to come forward.

In order to catch this killer, it is necessary to solve the puzzle of the historical abuse. It’s a terrible secret that cannot be allowed to remain a secret for very long as people are dying.

This is a tense case that has to be handled delicately. This is a thrilling read from the start. Having read her previous books, it was definitely easy to get into this new book immediately. I’m sure that it would make a good stand alone however, but I’m just as sure a new reader would be tempted to read her back catalogue. And that would certainly be a real treat. I’m already excited for the next in this fantastic series.

A book I could not put down the horror of what happened to the boys.This book is so well written the characters come alive kept me guessing turning the pages.An author Iwill be recommending continue to follow.#netgalley#harpercollinschapterone.

I can’t praise this book highly enough.
Noelle Holten has all the qualifications, and more importantly the experience, to make her books the most realistic on the shelves, and this is her best yet
A great story of the consequences of historic abuse.
We read about stories, like the one that forms the basis for this book, in the news papers by far too often. Children abused whilst in care, and nobody doing anything about it.
Well now one of the victims is taking things into their own hands, and the retribution is horrific.
DC Maggie Jamieson is on the track of a serial killer, and the fact that the people who are being killed have so much to hide is not making her job easy.
A cracking book in a cracking series.

Thank you One More Chapter, NetGalley and Holten for this outstanding new story!

I'm very excited to see this is going to be a series!.

Dead Mercy is a fabulous read!
I was drawn to this story from the beginning. And immediately sucked into this wild ride!
It's intense nail biting suspense, with lots of twists.
I can honestly say this author is getting better by the book.
There are quite a few unexpected twists and turns in this story that keep it moving and keeps the reader engaged! Really a great surprising read! Very much enjoyed this book and looking forward to more!

Synopsis:

' 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 becomes increasingly baffled by how the victims could possibly be connected until a clue leads them to a historical case that was never prosecuted.
A terrible secret…
In order to catch the killer, Maggie must piece together what happened all those years ago before it’s too late.'

I love Maggie and other characters. Julie Nobel the journalist is interesting Maggie I think wants to be in a relationship with Julie but worries what she says will end up on tomorrows newspaper.
The tension is high in this one as Maggie pushes to uncover a killer and links to a historic case.
I guess these books could be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the series as the character changes and development makes the story more interesting
I was so grateful and thrilled to be offered this by the publisher and love reading each new book I dropped everything to read it straight away Highly recommend

OMG, Noelle gets better and better with every book in this series. This has been another absolute gem, I have been pulled in and kept hostage by this absolutely fantastic read.

I love how deliciously dark Noelle gets with these books. This is a lady who creates the best serial killers. I have adored this and it may be my favourite book yet.

This has so many wonderful elements. I have nothing negative I can say about this book. It is a truly amazing and gripping read.

As always with Noelle, I have found this completely unpredictable. I have definitely felt that Noelle increases the standard with each book and they get better and better.

This is without a doubt, a book worthy of all the stars. An amazing read and one I highly recommend.

#DeadMercy #NetGalley
Wow. Maggie is getting intersting.
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 becomes increasingly baffled by how the victims could possibly be connected until a clue leads them to a historical case that was never prosecuted. In order to catch the killer, Maggie must piece together what happened all those years ago before it’s too late.
Loved it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for giving me an advance copy of this book.

My thoughts about Noelle Holten's Dead Mercy To begin with, I generally refrain from giving a 10/10 rating to every book I happen to fall in love with immediately but this here is an exception. One of the main reasons being that not a single second is boring and the speed with which the narrative moves is refreshing for its hard-hitting suspense.The other being that I am always looking and searching for a good thriller that lights up parts of my brain in all the wonderful ways only a thriller can.This certainly went above and beyond my expectations. Reading 'Dead Mercy is like going on an exhilarating rollercoaster ride which doesn't want to end until the reader is satisfied and has been left completely quenched from their craving for a thriller. It is unique and infinitely creative as far as storytelling goes for the thriller genre.'Noelle Holten's Dead Mercy defines what edge-of-your-seat really means. It masterfully balances all the elements of a great thriller with an intelligence and style that only a handful of books have mastered as of yet. 'The Silence of the Lambs' and 'The Puppet Show' come to mind and in recent times 'The Jigsaw Man,'The Art Of Death and Dead Man's Grave'.'DEAD MERCY' IS ONE OF THE BEST THRILLERS I'VE EVER READ.10/10. Hats off to Author Noelle Holten has done it again with her powerful writing,Dead Mercy is spectacular,and DC Maggie Jamieson is a brilliant character. This is a brilliant fifth book addition to a brilliant series. The story of Dead Mercy begins 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.A dark history.As the body count rises, the team becomes increasingly baffled by how the victims could possibly be connected until a clue leads them to a historical case that was never prosecuted.A terrible secret.
In order to catch the killer, Maggie must piece together what happened all those years ago before it’s too late. I would like to say thank you to Author Noelle Holten, Publishers One More Chapter and Netgally for kindly gifting me a copy,for me to read and review this brilliant book, looking forward to be on the blog tour thanks to Sarah Hardy who is organising the blog tour. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Wow! What a story! It broke my heart what happened to those boys! Hopefully it didn't follow any real life stories?! This book had suspense, intrigue, heartache and heartbreak and a great storyline! I highly recommend reading this book! Its well worth reading! May have some triggers for some that have been abused but a truly touching story! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

DC Maggie Jamieson is determined to stop a killer, a brutal killer showing no mercy to his victims. Not only does more than one horiffic murder occur, there soon proves to be a pattern. What is more is that a very specific clue has Maggie and her team convinced that the murders lead to a dark and disturbing past involving certain individuals. Can they stop the vicious killer before the body count continues to rise?

Maggie feverishly pushes to get to the bottom of what is going on. While working with her team, someone else enters the mix. That is journalist Julie Noble. Maggie has her reservations regarding Julie's involvement, for professional and personal reasons. For one thing, Maggie does not want any of the facts of the investigation to tip off the killer as they work to get close to stopping them. What is more is that Maggie begins to have a growing interest in Julie on a personal level.

As if that is not enough to provide a bit of a distraction to Maggie, she is also concerned about things going on in her home life. Nonetheless, Maggie displays rugged determination concerning the crimes she is dealing with. All while Maggie is pursuing the killer, the voice of this killer is interspersed intermittently in this exciting and tragic story, with their reasons for the savage killings.

Thus, a race against time is definitely in play and no matter the danger, Maggie is relentless. This tension-filled fifth book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series is a thrilling read from the very first page, especially as Maggie does not shy away from said danger, pushing herself to her very limits to catch the elusive killer.

Although this book is part of a continuing series, each book could do well as standalone novels. However, Maggie has shown such growth, such grit, such determination that reading this series in order is something that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I am already eager for the next book in this fabulous series.

Many thanks to One More Chapter and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.