I’ve read all of Kendra Elliot’s books, and this one did not let me down! I loved being back in the world of Mercy Kilpatrick, and am thrilled that Kendra Elliot chose to continue the series!

Mercy and Truman are back! I’m so happy Kendra Elliot has revisited Mercy and her gang, their world is lovely and I missed it so much :)

The mystery and action I’m In The Pines is delightful and thrilling. The human drama is superb and when I was done I wished for so much more.

I’m glad Kendra came back to this little corner of the world and I can’t wait for more 🥰

*I’ll post the review on Amazon as soon as the book is released

Clues to a hidden treasure. Clues to a family secret. Both lead to murder in a twisting novel Got me from page one and I couldn’t stop reading till I found out how it would end!

I was so pleased to be back in Mercy's world! This new story was full of intrigue and emotion as we follow Evan's search for the missing family he did not know he had and Truman and Mercy are front and center to help. As these events unfold there is a treasure hunt in town that is causing a lot of turmoil and getting more dangerous every day. 2 million dollars will do that. A great story that really hit the spot and I could not put it down!

First book that I have read by this author, and I am definitely hooked. A good read, in which I wasnt sure what the outcome would be. Highly recommended.

I am a big fan of the entire ‘Mercy Kilpatrick’ series. When I discovered that Ms. Elliott would be bringing back their characters in In the Pines, I was excited. Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed with this story.

I was hoping for some romance (after all, they finally married at the end of A Merciful Promise) with a good combination of suspense. Instead, [the story suffered from repetitious thoughts with a bit too much of internal dialogue. Remind me of something once, maybe twice, but after that I find it annoying. And talking to oneself? That is fine, but once again stop rehashing the same thoughts. As far as the suspense, there were too few characters to make you wonder who the villains were. I didn't have any problem guessing who was evil. And what happened to the delicious tension between Truman and Mercy? Yes, they are married now, but if I didn't read that in In the Pines (Columbia River, #3) I wouldn't have known how they felt with each other until the very end. There were very few moments of their reciprocation of love. I almost thought of the two MCs as two-dimensional. (hide spoiler)]

I am going to tag this, 'it's me not you' because of all the five star reviews. Clearly, I am not with the majority of readers this time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kendra Eliot and Montlake Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

This wasn't my favorite. It was a little plodding. It's not a bad book, but it's one of those books that doesn't feel substantial. It's part of a series, but it works as a standalone. My main problem is just that it didn't really keep my attention or make me want more.

I was a little confused with this book but I read it all through from start to finish and it wasn’t a bad read at all but just not for me, a bit to much going on in it for me I’m afraid …

This book is a palate cleanser.

It’s a relentlessly entertaining brain candy beach book, full of suspense, characters you love, and nothing that makes you think too hard. Lest you think that’s an insult, it’s not. It’s the kind of fun book that you just rush through and enjoy just about every moment of it.

I would have liked a wee bit more about the treasure hunt (it’s what made me want to read the book), but I loved trying to figure out who was doing what and definitely worried for some of our characters.

A blast of a read!

*ARC via Publisher

In The Pines – Kendra Elliott

It’s a busy day in Eagles Nest, OR, when a young teen comes to the local diner looking for some help and finds Police Chief Truman Daly. He tells Truman that his mother, Bridget Kerr and baby sister Molly are missing and have been so for two weeks. He tells Truman that he was told if she didn’t return within a certain amount of time, that he was to go for help. His father is recently deceased. All he knows is that his mother was looking for her brother. But he doesn’t know who his uncle is or where his mother may have gone. With a young child missing, Truman immediately notifies Mercy.

As Theodore leads the duo on a very roundabout path to his home nestled in the woods, they meet his younger sister Charlotte and quickly recognize the signs of ‘prepprers’ - a survivalist family – no computers, no phones and minimal interaction with the townspeople. As they gently search the house for clues to Bridget’s whereabouts, they find a small cache of pictures hidden. Though the pictures are several years old, Mercy recognizes someone in the pictures – a friend from a nearby Sherriff’s department.

A quick visit to Detective Evan Bolton reveals some astonishing news – Bridget, is actually Bethany - Evan’s sister, who’s been missing for fourteen years. Evan is stunned, and immediately joins the investigation as he prepares to meet his niece and nephew. As the children bond with their uncle, they begin to confide in the group – including a startling fact about their father.


Meanwhile, a recently deceased millionaire has reportedly hidden a treasure and his attorney has posted a cryptic poem that will ultimately lead one lucky individual to the cache. As a result, Eagle’s Nest has been flooded with tourists, all hoping that the mountainous region may be guarding the prize. With the treasure hunters come other problems, with Truman and his team fielding frequent calls for fighting, trespassing and finally murder.

As the team works to find Bethany, Truman is seeking a killer in his rural town, all while the hunt is on to find a valuable treasure…

First, I just have to say that I was ecstatic to see Mercy & Truman returning to print!! Her character became very near and dear to me as I worked through her ‘Merciful’ series, originally slated to end after six novels. Apparently, I was not alone in that sentiment as I read her Acknowledgements page and I am thrilled that there will be more of Mercy and crew forthcoming!! I love these books!!

That being said – as always, this was a great read! Don’t pick it up until you have the time to read it cover to cover – it’s that good (as they ALL have been!!! )

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & Montlake in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

The best books are these that make you re-read the whole series. And In the Pines by K. Elliot, published by Montlake, is one of these few books. The third book in the Columbia River Series is the last case of Truman and Merci. The Chief of Police and the FBI agent are married and in bliss. The case of a vanished mother and her child lead them and the reader on a intriguing unable to put down adventure.
I loved the previous books, The Last and The Silence, but this third book is my favorite in the whole series.
I loved the storyline, the exquisite writing, the twists and unexpected turns and the insta-connection I had with the characters. I recommend the book and the series.

I was so excited to see a new Mercy and Truman book! This book surpassed my expectations. A great mystery, a return to old characters and the development of a familiar face. Plus new characters to discover. While it can be read as a stand-alone I think those familiar with the franchise will appreciate it more. I could not put it down and read it in one day (thankfully a day with an extra hour thanks to the end of DLS).
Thanks to NetGalley, Ms Elliot and the publisher for this ARC. Can highly recommend!!

Thanks for letting me review this book to Netgalley and the publisher.
It’s a good fast paced thriller set in a beautiful place . Plot is tight and characters are dynamic . Just a good book and protagonist

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the mates Kendra Elliot novel.

I really like the Mercy Kilpatrick series and this is an excellent addition.

In the pines
Kendra Elliot has made the wait for In The Pines well worth it. FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband, Eagle’s Nest Police Chief Truman Daly are still in their first year of marriage when young Theodore Kerr shows up in Eagle’s Nest to inform Police Chief Daly’s that his mother and baby sister left a couple of weeks ago and had not returned. When Mercy, who Chief Daly had called in given FBI’s jurisdiction, went to Theodore’s house in the woods once he gave in unwillingly to show them they met his younger 11 year old sister Charlotte. After being led on a circuitous route to a house hidden in the woods it was clear that this was a family of “preppers”. Mercy, having come from similar circumstances understood the situation clearly.
The search for the mother and the relatives she went in search of is complicated by Eagle’s Nest being currently overwhelmed by treasure hunters looking for a $2 million treasure left by an eccentric millionaire who left a poem of sorts with clues as to the whereabouts of the treasure. The folks looking for the treasure are crazed with desire and secrecy and enough problems to thoroughly annoy the citizens and keep law enforcement constantly busy.
As will every Kendra Elliot book, you will find this hard to put down. You will be well served to read the previous books in the series although it is not necessary to enjoy this one.
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advance copy of In The Pines.

In the Pines is a mystery and very much in the style of the inspector Ganache mysteries. If you enjoy the ganache mysteries I think you’ll like this one too. Have a treat and a well written page turning mystery.

Thanks so much Montlake and NetGalley!

I really like the Mercy Kilpatrick series. This was another great addition. There's a treasure hunt happening in their small town, which means bad things as people are flocking to try to get it. Mercy is called when a young boy shows up saying his mother is missing. I liked this story a lot. One thing Kendra Eliot is good at is juggling multiple characters and their POVs. Looking forward to the next!

Treasure hunters and the media are flooding into the town of Eagle's Nest, Oregon, in search of the hidden $2 million treasure left by eccentric millionaire Chester Rollins.
When FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick joins her husband, police chief Truman Daley, in the search for a missing woman and her baby, they could not have imagined that the two events are linked. Instead, their investigation uncovers deep dark family secrets, a web of lies and deceit and the impact that ruthless greed can have on a community. Especially when many members are preppers with remote homes.
This is one of those rare police procedural crimes that perfectly mesh the emotional impact on violent crime on people in a small community with personal characters and their hopes and dreams.

Another exciting addition to the Mercy Kilpatrick series. I love these characters and I hope to see much more in the future.

Thank you #netgalley and #montlake for the eARC.

I literally couldn’t put this book down from the moment I picked it up. Love Kendra Elliot. In this third installment people are flocking to a small Oregon town after a rich man passes away leaving a fortune in the form of puzzle treasure hunt. And people are losing their minds. And by that I mean they are killing each other for this treasure. I was honestly guessing until the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.