Thank you NetGalley for the ARC ofIn the Pines by Kendra Elliot that I read and reviewed.
This was the seventh book in the Mercy Kilpatrick fan and as a fan that has read all seven of these books I can honestly say I think this is one of my favorites. I loved the kids in this book. Charlotte just made my day with how cute she was. She reminded me so much of my niece it was not funny and her last line in the book “More dogs!” was priceless and just made the book for me. I don’t know what more I can say but Theadore and Charlotte and how they where like mini adults one minute and true kids the next was great and they tore at my heart and I loved them.
This was a book I did not wan to put down because I wanted to know what happened to the kids parents and I wanted Mercy and Truman to solve the case and give everyone a very happy ending more then I wanted in any other book in a long time and I believe most readers are going to feel the same way when they get attached to these characters. All I can say is Kendra Elliot wrote one heck of a book with some great characters you have no choice but to love and think about even when you read the last words of the book.
In the Pines gets five out of five stars!

A treasure hunt, murder, and missing family members…

This is the third book in the Columbia River series that can be read as a stand-alone, there is greater perspective if you’ve read the Mercy Kilpatrick series but it’s not a prerequisite to reading this.

Upon the death of an eccentric billionaire, a treasure hunt is announced by the estate, two million dollars is up for grabs to anyone who can decipher the cryptic riddles within a poem and locate that which has been hidden. Across the country, people flood areas that match the clues, towns such as Eagle’s Nest, Oregon are inundated with strangers who are motivated by greed. Police chief Truman Daly is not surprised by the incidents of fights, thefts, gunshots, and trespassing that have arisen and now someone’s been killed for the riches. Anything goes for these fortune hunters when it comes to finding the treasure.

While many seek the treasure a teenage boy walks into town and upon finding Truman, claims that his mother and baby sister have been missing for two weeks, they went to visit his uncle who hasn’t been a part of their lives and he doesn’t know. They haven’t returned and he’s been caring for his eleven-year-old sister alone, their father is deceased. This family is unknown in town, they live off the grid, preppers, and it’s up to FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick to investigate. Deschutes County detective Evan Bolton is found to be the missing uncle in question and he hasn’t seen his sister or baby niece or even known that the family existed. Evan is highly motivated to find the sister he’s wondered about for years and learn her story as he becomes familiar with his niece and nephew.

What do a treasure hunt, a dead fortune hunter, and a missing woman and child have in common? Truman, Mercy, and Evan working separately and then together will unearth unexpected connections. The past meets the present when old family secrets are brought to light. There are many lies to make sense of in the present as well as those from past family dramas.

This was a well-written, compelling, fast-paced, suspenseful multi-faceted mystery with unique yet also relatable well-developed characters. It was good to have Mercy, Truman, and their rather distinctive family back.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

In The Pines🍂

In The Pines is the third book in the Columbia River series and a spin off from the Mercy Kilpatrick series. I will be honest and say I’ve never read either series and I followed along quite nicely with the dynamics of each character❣️ I also enjoyed the storyline and that each chapter was in a different characters’ POV. I’m also quite intrigued by references to the Mercy and her upbringing…so I’m likely to purchase the books and start from the beginning😁

Truman is having his morning breakfast at the diner when a young boy comes in and reveals that his mother is missing and has been for close to two weeks. When he discovers that there is a young child also missing, he calls in Mercy as she has more resources within the FBI to search. However, while they are undertaking this investigation, they discover something about Evan’s past which comes to light and a billionaire that has recently passed away, instructs his lawyers to reveal a poem which will lead the finder to a two million dollar reward😳

An intriguing story that kept me wanting to know more. I received an advanced copy via Netgalley and voluntarily leave my honest review❤️

In the Pines is my fourth Kendra Elliot book. I only recently introduced myself to, and fell in love with, Mercy Kilpatrick. I now know I have a bit of catchup to do with other Mercy, Columbia and Callahan books!. The story has everything going for it: suspense, mystery, trouble, danger and wonderful characters. Built on two intertwining stories - a greedy national treasure hunt that comes to Eagle's Nest, Oregon and a missing mother and baby. How nasty people become when they see dollars flash between their eyes and Daly would love to see it disappear as he has to solve a rash of fights, shootings and more. Meanwhile Mercy in her FBI role on missing chldren is on the search for the lost parent and sibling. It doesn't take long for the story to bring in Sheriff's Detective Evan Bolton's and the story of his family and tie to the missing mother. Then you share the story of Theodore and Charlotte the children of the missing parent and introduce them to the other two members of Mercy and Truman's family - Kaylie and Ollie - and the pile of characters you'd like to get to know increases. This is a highly recommended read and I have a few books to add to my to read list!

I'm a huge fan of Kendra Elliot and love all the books I have read so far. And I feel bad because I see all the five-star reviews on Goodreads. However, In the Pines just was not for me. I felt the main character was a bit flat, and the repetition and inner dialogue became annoying and pulled me out of enjoying the story.

The overall story was okay and did have unexpected twists and turns and intriguing characters.

I will read more of Kendra Elliot books, but In the Pines was not my favorite of her writing.

#InthePines #NetGalley @AmazonPub

Eagle's Nest, Oregon, has been invaded by treasure hunters since millionaire Chester Rollins died and left a mystery to be solved which will lead to a prize of $2 million. And the treasure hunters are causing problems from trespassing to exchanging gun shots. Police Chief Truman Daly and his officers are keeping really busy.

But then a boy walks out of the woods and asks Truman to help him find his missing mother and baby sister. FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is the first person Truman calls since missing kids are the FBI's jurisdiction. It turns out the boy has a younger sister, and the family are preppers. Mercy grew up in that world and knows the territory.

The kids tell Mercy and Truman that their father had recently died and that their mother took their little sister to find her brother, a brother the kids didn't know existed and have no idea of his name. It turns out that the kids are the nephew and niece of Deschutes County sheriff's detective Evan Bolton, a friend of Truman and Mercy. They didn't know that his younger sister had been missing for a number of years. Evan would have had no idea that she and her family were living so close.

Meanwhile, Evan is investigating a murder of one of the treasure hunters who was shot behind the B&B where he was staying. He's the same treasure hunter Truman had pulled in for getting into a gunfight with another treasure hunter.

The story is filled with treasure hunts, missing persons, and old family secrets. I enjoyed the way the two separate cases came together. This was an enjoyable and exciting story. It was great to see all the favorite characters again - Mercy, Truman, Ollie, and Kaylie - in this seventh Mercy Kilpatrick mystery.

Loved it!!! I have missed Mercy and Truman and was sad when the series ended. I didn't read the previous two in the Columbia River Series, but this book was all about Mercy and Truman. A $2 million dollar hidden treasure hunt sends the town of Eagle's Nest into chaos, with droves of obsessed hunters looking for the fortune. So of course, there's people murdered and a missing woman and her child. Who better to solve the crimes than Mercy and Truman. Ina definitely lived an interesting life and I'm sure there's some stories there. There were so many twists and turns. I wasn't exactly sure what was going on with Theodore and Charlotte's family, but I knew there had to be secrets hidden.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. Loved the characters, story and writing style. Would love to read more books about Mercy and Truman. Ollie could become a professional tracker and help with the cases. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The treasure hunters are out in Eagle's Nest and this is the last thing that Chief Truman Daly needs or wants. FBI special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick has been called in to help with missing Mother & her young baby. Can they find out where they both went? She left her two older children behind Theo & Charlotte. They find that the family lives in the middle of nowhere and that the children have been left alone for weeks. Mercy & Truman know that something has happened to the family & the father has also been missing for awhile. Will they be able to find out the truth about their sudden need to leave the children behind.
Everything takes on a different turn when they find out that the missing woman is Evan Bolton's sister just disappeared one day. And he has thought about her every day for the last fourteen years. He can't believe that she is still alive and that he is an Uncle. He agrees to take them home with him. He isn't too sure how things are going to work out but he has to do the best that he can.
Things are getting worse in town with the treasure hunters as they are turning against each other. So when one is killed they have to find out by whom & why? Can they stop more treasure hunters from landing up dead?
Will they be able to find that family or is too late?
A great read. Love Mercy & Truman they work so well together. Their family is complete now with Ollie & Kaylie. I am so happy that everything is working out for them.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC copy. This is my voluntary review.

This was a decent book, if not basic. I am a bit sad that the book didn't lean more into the treasure hunting aspect because I found that to be the most interesting aspect of the plot. I also simply would have liked more context regarding that, since we don't get to know much about the man behind the poem and fortune.

It took a bit for all the plotlines to come together, as it naturally does, but I don't think I was 100% satisfied with the way everything was tied together. Overall though, I did enjoy myself well enough while I was reading, but it wasn't anything to call home about.

Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake, for giving me the opportunity to review this in advance.

4.25⭐

In The Pines, the third book in Kendra Elliot's brilliant Colombia River series, brings some familiar faces back together. As Detective Evan Bolton, FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband Chief Truman Daly come together to investigate two cases. That don't seem to have anything in common.
Except for the fact the small town of Eagles Nest has been inundated with treasure hunters.

But that isn't the only problem facing this trio as a young boy Theodore has approached Truman asking for help as his mother Bridget and baby sister Molly have been missing for two weeks, and when Mercy is called to help with the search she makes a startling discovery and a whole can of worms is opened.

And when a body is found and Theodore and his sister Charlotte are targeted the three start to wonder if they will find Bridget and Molly alive. But are these two kids really telling them everything?

And with a riveting story, plenty of twists and lots more familiar faces. This was a really enjoyable read and a great revisit to some of my favourite characters.

In the Pines is the 7th in the Mercy Kilpatrick series and the third in the Columbia River series. A nationwide treasure hunt with a $2 million prize has people showing up in Eagle’s Nest disrupting the peace. Not just traffic calls and trespassing, but theft, fights and public shootings. And then, a murder. It’s true that greed brings out the ugly in people, as Evans thinks.
Meanwhile, a young boy comes to Truman’s office as his mother and baby sister have been missing for weeks. Mercy is called in since it’s a matter for the FBI. Turns out the family were preppers and the missing woman is Detective Evan Bolton’s long lost sister.
This story is really more of a collaboration. It focuses more on Police Chief Truman Daly, Mercy’s husband and Deschutes County detective Evan Bolton. There are plenty of red herrings and several twists. While one twist was pretty obvious, another was not. This is a quick read and one that kept me engaged throughout.
It’s always difficult for someone who has read all previous books in a series to state whether a book could work as a stand-alone. Elliott gives some background, but not excessive. Still I think it would work although new readers wouldn’t have the benefit of all of Mercy’s background, let alone her unique family structure.
My thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for an advance copy of this book.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this exceptional book

a treasure hunt

clues to the hidden treasure

when a young boy enters the cafe and heads right for truman asking for help its the start of a baffling new case for mercy and her team and though truman is involved he has his hands full with the treasure hunters causing problems around town, looking for the supposed treasure...

have to say this book caught my imagination with everything that was happening in this book...i couldnt put it down at all and with all the twists and turns it just keeps you reading to see how it all works out....

there are a couple of surprising twists and turns that i dont want to give away as everyone needs a chance to go down the same path but its enough to know this book will keep you glued until you have finished it

cant wait for the next book from this author

In the Pines by Kendra Elliot is the third book in the Columbia River series. This book brings back FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick, Police Chief Truman Daly and Ollie and Kaylie. This was an attention-grabbing, can't-put-down thriller from the very beginning. When thirteen-year-old Theodore Kerr approaches Chief Truman Daly and reports to him that his mother and baby sister have been gone for weeks with no word my heart was troubled. What a heart-clenching scene. Aside from a missing mother and her toddler daughter there's also a super crazy treasure hunt for 2 million dollars going on in Eagle's Nest, Oregon causing mayhem. I totally enjoyed this storyline. The story is fast-paced, suspenseful and the pacing is great. I loved getting to see Mercy, Truman, Ollie and Kaylie again.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book by Kendra Elliot that I have read. Even though it was mid-series, enough information was given that I didnt feel like I was missing anything by not reading the previous bookes BUT not so much that the other books were ruined.

Anyway, In The Pines, while not being a gripping page turner, was enjoyable enough that it kept my interest and toddled along at a nice pace.

A treasure hunt set up by an ailing millionaire has attracted a huge crowd to Eagle's Nest, Oregon. Sadly not all of the hunters are taking it as a fun activity...some are taking it much, much more seriously. Deadly serious in fact!

Chester Rollins has set off a ticking timebomb - can Mercy, Truman and the others solve the treasure hunter murders before the death toll climbs higher?

Interwoven into the Treasure Hunter storyline is the investigation into a missing mother and her toddler, two children left home alone by said missing mother, and an odd family feud. There are some great characters introduced. The home-alone, self-sufficient children are sweetly naive and independent simultaneously. I loved the way Mercy, Truman and their little found family just work together - there is so little drama or teenage-angst.

I'd happily read this again and try to catch all the breadcrumbs that I missed first time round!

I always get so wrapped up in everything Kendra Elliot writes! This series is definitely one of my all time favorites from her and I love the suspense! I am already on the edge of my seat and ready for the next in the series! You definitely don't want to miss out on these books

Kendra Elliot is back with Mercy and Truman in the small town of Eagle’s Nest, but things have gone a bit mad with a $2 million treasure hunt full of cryptic clues. Lots of fortune hunters are in town and people start to get hurt through greed, theft and trespass.
When a young boy meets Truman and says that his mum and baby sister have been missing for 2 weeks, Mercy and her team are set to find them. There are big twists in the story and a family feud going back decades.
Can Truman settle his town, and can the mystery of the missing mother be solved.

Another great story from Elliot.

Kendra Elliot is a mega bestseller and for good reason. Her books are stunningly good. In the Pines is a suspense-filled page-turner. Treasure, secrets and a sensational ending combine to make this another surefire bestseller.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book.

Eagle's Nest is usually a quiet place to live, even if Police Chief Truman Daly gets more than his fair share of gruesome murder cases to investigate. Now however, it's full to bursting with strangers, all thanks to the whim of a dead millionaire and his love of games. After the announcement of a treasure hunt as his legacy, with the chance for someone to win $2 million, the number of visitors exploded with everyone determined to understand and decipher the clues by whatever means they deem appropriate.

At the same time a teenage boy approaches Truman; his mother is missing with his baby sister and has been for over a week. The baby means it's a case for the FBI and in Eagle's Nest that is Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick, who is soon on the case trying to find the young woman who seems to have disappeared without trace.

As Mercy looks closer she discovers clues which move the case far closer to home while Truman's worst nightmare is realised as a body is found, causing the townsfolk to become more uneasy by the day. As they focus on their own complex investigations it's soon obvious nothing is straightforward but no-one is prepared for what they discover.

They are back! After a three-year break, Mercy and Truman have returned in a cracking story which is everything fans of the duo could wish for. The investigations mean other familiar protagonists are also present to help with a very engaging and compelling mystery which never lets up for a minute even while including their home life and that of Sheriff's Detective Evan Bolton. I also loved how some of Truman’s everyday tasks showed the type of work he does normally.

I have always enjoyed this series and, after thinking it was all done and dusted, was delighted to revisit especially as, in the author's notes, Ms Elliott says 'There will be more.' This is the third Colombia River book but the seventh featuring Mercy Kilpatrick and Truman Daly and one of the beauty's of this series, alongside the wonderful writing and storylines, is the way it has different, well loved, main protagonists for each of its titles and I can't wait to see what comes next.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I loved this exciting read and, once again, can't wait for more. Highly recommended.

A 2 million dollar treasure hunt is causing all sorts of problems for the residents of Eagles Nest. People have been attacked and murdered over the hunt. When a young boy walks into town and reports his Mother and young sister have been gone for 2 weeks a search is mounted, but there are no clues. The family has been living off the grid for years. This book brings back a lot of familiar characters. It is part of a series but could be read as a stand alone. The book grabs you from the first page and makes you want to keep reading to see what happens next. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.