I thank #Netgslley & the publisher for letting me read an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my opinion. I appreciate it.

Overall, I liked #ShadesofMercy but not enough to read more in the series. I liked the characters, especially the very liksble Sheriff & his sister, a real bad-ass which I loved. The story is a real life issue, opioid abuse There was also a second storyline, about how a brilliant young girl, who's a hacker, is trying to make a crooked local rancher pay for his sins. But the stories are connected so it worked.

What I didn't like: the sheriff is slowly going blind from an incurable eye disease, & he's already lost his night vision. He copes, but I think that #BruceBorgos has written himself into a corner. He can only get worse & that limits his "action figure" heroic scenes. As it was, in this book, he ended up firing wildly at one point & surviving a car crash. Then he STILL got the bad guy! It's a little too far fetched for believability.

I finished this book, but I almost didn't because there was a scene where animals (cows) were killed. Yes, I know we eat steak & whatnot, but the WAY they were killed & their suffering was horrific. The Sheriff & his deputy had to shoot them one by one to put them out of their misery. And I mean MISERY. Mr Borgos described the carnage & their twisted broken bodies & how they were lowing (screaming) in agony in excruciating detail. It just gutted me. I'm tearing up now just thinking about it.

I think it was completely unnecessary as a scene & could've been accomplished some other way. I think a warning should be placed on the book for sensitive readers.

I would've given this book 5 stars if that scene hadn't been in it. As it was, I would've given it 1 star if a friend hadn't told me that there were no more animal deaths in the book.

Do I recommend it, yes, with reservations.

I really like Beck. He is such a perfect sheriff for the western town. His background is so well hidden that everyone tends to underestimate him. I enjoy the way he handles everything that is thrown his way. And there is a lot going on in this book. Like the previous book in the series, the story has a lot of moving parts that come together as we learn more. I enjoyed how everything was woven together. There was plenty of action and suspense. I look forward to more books in this series. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Bruce Borgos’ second book in his Porter Beck series opens with a scene that throws you right into the story. When the control of an armed drone is remotely taken over, its’ target is a ranch in Nevada where the owner’s prize steer is blown up. Sheriff Beck is unaware of anyone with the ability to hack such a sophisticated system. His sister Brinley, however, volunteers at a juvenile detention center where Mercy Vaughn is serving time for a major theft using her advanced computer skills. She has no access to a computer but the security tapes for the time of the attack have been erased and Beck is sure that it was Mercy. Agent Maddox is investigating the theft of the drone and looking for Mercy. He is not the only one. A Chinese agent is under orders to find her and the head of a drug cartel wants her after she broke into his systems and stole millions. Then Mercy disappears and there is another attack on the cattle rancher’s stock. This time she has taken over a self-driving truck and used it to ram one of the rancher’s cattle transports. Authorities on the scene discover the secret compartments transporting weapons to Mexico for the cartel. They have also been transporting drugs into the United States and Mercy is determined to stop them with the help of the rancher’s daughter.

Beck has his hands full trying to find Mercy while his staff is spread across the county helping firefighters control the fires breaking out in the area. He also suffers with a condition that is affecting his vision, making him virtually blind when the sun goes down. Borgos introduces Charlie Blue Horse, a member of the Northern Paiute tribe, who is an investigator for the state. She is a single mother who works well with Beck. His sister Brinley is a weapons expert who works as an advisor on movie sets. She was adopted as an abused child and Beck is protective but she does not hesitate to jump in to help him when needed. Then there is Columbo, Beck’s deputy. Bo has failed every K-9 training course he has been put into. He cowers as Beck’s driving becomes erratic in the evenings but is devoted to Beck and Brin. As Beck races to save Mercy there is more going on in the background that is being kept from him by Maddox. Borgos brings Chinese agents, the Mexican cartel, Beck’s team and Maddox together as fire rages toward their location. It is a confrontation that will keep you on the edge of your seat and anticipating the return of Porter Beck in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin Press - Minotaur for providing this book.

Shades of Mercy is book 2 in Bruce Borgos's Porter Beck series. I have not read book 1 The Bitter Past. I don't think I realized that this was part of a series until I looked it up on Goodreads when I started reading it. It is totally a stand-alone novel.

Porter Beck is the sheriff of a small county in Nevada. I thought I was going to read a police procedural, but that isn't exactly what I got. There are a few surprises in the novel. The county happens to be close to a secret military testing site and Beck is a former Army intelligence officer.

So surprise 1 - it is a terrific spy thriller. I love a great spy novel but I typically enjoy the spycraft of the Cold War Era and find most modern-day spy novels lacking. Not with Shades of Mercy. I was drawn in immediately by the characters and became more enamored with every twist and turn in the plot.

Speaking of the characters, I come to surprise number 2. I expected Porter Beck to be sort of a Jack Reacher-type character. And in some ways he is. But I was shocked that a title character in a detective novel would be going blind. Often the lead characters in these types of novels have experienced some sort of trauma that usually impacts them psychologically or emotionally, but they don't typically have a physical disability that directly affects their ability to do their job. At this point, Beck has severe night blindness and can't work a crime scene after dark. While it is just night blindness right now, it is a progressive disease that can lead to total blindness. I'm very interested to see where the author takes the character.

The rest of the characters are wonderful too. I'm hoping we will see more of Charlie Blue Horse (which I think the author named after his dog). But I hope her character is more than just a potential love interest for Beck.

This book had everything I love about an entertaining spy thriller. My mystery book club is getting ready to set its next year of books to read and I'm definitely recommending we read book 1 which looks to be another spy thriller.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Thursday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/07/this-action-packed-spy-thriller-is-must.html

I was drawn into this book immediately, and the writing, characters and sense of place kept me going. Borgos has a knack for creating the atmosphere of the modern west, without losing a sense of what has happened in the past. The technology was fascinating and reflects the deep research he must have done. Altogether a great read, and I like the hint at the ending of what might come up in future books.

A nice fast paced mystery that will keep you intrigued.
I enjoyed the first book in the series as well as this one.
Lots of twists and turns!
Lots of mystery!
Great characters!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Bruce Borgos delivers with the second installment of his Porter Beck mystery series. I always look for original mysteries set in unique locales, and Beck's rural Nevada crime series checks both boxes. Who knew so much could happen in this remote corner of the desert? The proximity of Sherrif Beck's county to Las Vegas and Reno allows for some city moments to add variety. The cast of characters represents the diversity many people don't realize makes up Nevada. Plus, with top-secret military happenings ongoing in Lincoln County and its remote highways comprising common smuggling routes, there are a lot of opportunities for future plots. Keep writing, Bruce Borgos! I want more, more, more.

Mystery lovers who follow CJ Box and Tony Hillerman will probably enjoy this series. It's an excellent pick for road trippers through the West or anyone who enjoys rugged outdoor settings.

When I read the first volume in the series, I wasn't very happy with Beck's overly lecherous behavior toward a female FBI agent (some readers DNFed the book because of this). I think Borgos got the message because the female characters in this book are brilliantly wrought. I'm looking forward to Beck's next adventure.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an electronic ARC in exchange for a review.

This is book 2 in the Porter Beck series. I really enjoyed the first one and was eager to start this one. Thank you to @stmartinspress, @minotaurbooks and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Porter Beck is the sheriff in the high desert of Nevada, doing the same lawman's job his father once did now that he's returned home after decades away. With his twelve person department, they cover a large area that is usually very quiet, but not of late. One childhood friend is the latest to succumb to a new wave of particularly strong illegal opioids, another childhood friend—now an enormously successful rancher—is targeted by a military drone, hacked and commandeered by an unknown source. The hacker is apparently local—local enough to call out Beck by name—and that means they are Beck's problem.

Borgos once again drops you right into the action, starting with an airplane that was taken over causing an explosion right in the middle of a cattle ranch during a huge Fourth of July party celebrating the rancher's daughter's 16th birthday. I was immediately immersed in the story. The author creates such a cinematic read, you feel you are right there with the characters. It's a fast paced crime thriller and police procedural. I continue to be impressed with the character development. I really love Porter and his backstory, especially the addition of the degenerative retinal issue he has, as I work in the eye field and my nerdy eye side finds this so interesting. I also love his badass sister, Brinley. I am fully invested in this series now and cannot wait to see where the next one takes Porter!

In this second book in the 'Porter Beck' series, the Nevada sheriff deals with espionage and smuggling on his patch. The book works fine as a standalone.

*****

Sheriff Porter Beck and his twelve officers uphold the law in Lincoln County, Nevada. It's a difficult job for the small force, especially with 32,000 acres of woodland and high desert vegetation currently burning out of control. Several Lincoln County cops, including brawny twins called 'The Jolly Greens', are dedicated to assisting the firefighters, leaving a small core of officers for local calls. Sheriff Beck is further hampered by a degenerative eye disease that affects his vision. Beck can see in daylight, but his night vision is limited to a pinpoint, making it difficult to see and impossible to drive. To prepare for his ultimate loss of sight, Beck now has a canine named Columbo (Bo), who's being trained as a seeing-eye dog.

As the story opens, two serious incidents require Sheriff Beck's attention. First, a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) belonging to the military is hacked, and its missile is shot into the Double J Ranch, where a $100,000 breeding bull is killed. The ranch belongs to widower Jesse Roy, who's raising his spirited 17-year-old daughter Shiloah Roy alone.

In the second incident, a man called Cash Conrad dies from a drug overdose. Cash was a high school football player headed for college when a helmet hit broke his back. The lingering pain lasted for decades, leading to alcoholism and drug use. The pills that killed Cash are Mexican Blues, VERY powerful fentanyl tablets that are entering Lincoln County from Mexico.

As it happens, Beck knows both ranch owner Jesse and drug user Cash. The three men had been to elementary, middle, and high school together, and were inseparable until they embarked on different paths after graduation.

The day after the missile attack on the Double J Ranch, Special Agent Ed Maddox, from the Office of Special Investigations, shows up at Beck's house. Maddox relates a story about a fuel tank falling off an aircraft, and recruits the sheriff to accompany him to the Double J Ranch. There Maddox (literally) pays Jesse Roy for the dead bull. Beck takes the opportunity to tell Jesse about the death of their old friend Cash Conrad, and Jesse is concerned and sympathetic.

While at the Double J Ranch, Beck seizes the chance to look around, and is surprised by the changes since Jesse inherited the property from his father. The ranch now sports a locked security gate with a guard; a huge mansion; a major cattle operation; a private plane; an airstrip; and other new amenities. In addition, Jesse's right-hand man César seems like a shady character.

When it comes to the dead bull, Beck doesn't buy Agent Maddox's story about a fallen fuel tank. Beck was an intelligence specialist in the Army, and he KNOWS someone hacked the RPA. Beck hones in on a 16-year-old girl named Mercy Vaughn, a green-eyed blonde who appears to have Chinese ancestry. Mercy is in juvie for hacking a government site and stealing millions of dollars, so taking control of an RPA would be right up her alley. Moreover, Mercy is friends with Jesse Roy's daughter Shiloah, who has a rebellious streak.

From this point on, the story follows three threads.

► A Chinese sleeper agent named Dal Cho is planning to kidnap Mercy, for the benefit of the Chinese government;

► a Mexican cartel is smuggling weapons and drugs between Nevada and Mexico;

► and thousands of UFO enthusiasts are planning to break into Area 51, to expose the truth.

Sheriff Beck has to deal with all of the above, and he and his deputies receive help from a number of people, including:

► Beck's adopted sister Brinley, who's a weapons expert;

► Detective Charlotte (Charlie) Blue Horse, from the Department of Public Safety, who's in charge of Mercy's welfare;

► and District Manager Esther Ellingboe, from the Bureau of Land Management, who's helping deal with Nevada's wildfires.

All the story lines merge as the novel unfolds, and the tale is a page turner, full of death and destruction. I especially appreciate author Bruce Borgos's attention to the female characters, all of whom are fleshed out and integral to the story.

This is a well-written novel, recommended to fans of thrillers.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bruce Borgos, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the manuscript.

Love the characters both for their strengths and weaknesses! Recommended read for all. Mystery, thriller, adventure all wrapped in one. This is book two and I have enjoyed both so far and hope to read more from this author.

“Shades of Mercy” is a good old fashioned contemporary mystery thriller that keeps one turning the page to get to the next chapter….but not too quickly lest the story comes to an end too soon. This book is a worthy second story in Bruce Burgos’ Porter Beck series. If you want wayward government drones then you will like this book. If you are thrilled with evil Mexican cartels then this book is for you. And if you want a technology wunderkind then…well, you catch my drift. I can give you the framework of the plot but that would wreck some of the many surprises: so just fasten your seat belt, move your seat into the upright and locked position, and prepare for takeoff!
Thanks to Bruce Borgos for writing “Shades of Mercy” and for NetGalley for the ARC.

If you are a fan of police procedurals, then you will really enjoy this book!

This is not the first book in the series, but I feel like this book could be read as a standalone book. I found it really hard to put this book down in order to do housework, laundry or even sleep so that I can be refreshed for work the next morning.

I thought all of the characters were amazing, and there were a lot of twists and turn in the story that I didn't see coming. I was hooked in the book shortly after starting it. It was refreshing from all the romance books I have been reading lately. Just wish it didn't end so soon.
I am looking forward for more books to come out in this series.

Shades of Mercy: A Porter Beck Mystery by Bruce Borgos is the second in the series that began with The Bitter Past: A Novel. This one might be better than the first.

Among other things, wildfires are ripping through the Nevada countryside and adding to the long list of Sherriff Porter Beck’s worries. The government helicopter arriving to land near his house means even more trouble.

Aboard the helicopter is Special Agent Ed Maddox of the Office of Special Investigations. OSI is the equivalent of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Department. He wants Beck’s help in locating a piece that came off an aircraft last night. He has a general idea of where it went down and wants Beck to ride in the small unmarked chopper to go look.

Once onboard the helicopter, Maddox reveals the impact site is out at the Double J Ranch. Owned by a childhood friend who has moved back home, Beck coming along should help smooth the way. It might have if they were still close. They aren’t and a lot has changed at the ranch that has existed for decades.

It is also clear that the impact was not a piece of the aircraft. Maddox claim a fuel tank did it. There is no way. Beck is ex-military and knows missile debris when he sees it.

Maddox finally admits that they lost control of a Remotely Piloted Aircraft the night before. It was hijacked and flown way off course. It ultimately fired a missile at the prize bull at the ranch. Somebody targeted the bull of the owner who just happens to be a guy Beck grew up with a long time ago. Who would want Jesse Roy’s prize-winning bull exploded into pieces? What are they planning to do next? And the biggest question of all – how did they take control of the RPA?

Those three big questions and many others are answered in the incredibly entertaining, Shades of Mercy: A Porter Beck Mystery. This review only carefully scratches the surface as much is in play here and I am not going to spoil any of it for readers.
Additional character development, multiple complex story lines, and plenty of action make this second in the series a very good book.

My digital ARC reading copy came by way of the publisher, Minotaur Books, through NetGalley.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2024

Sheriff Porter Beck has his hands full. Wild fires are raging throughout the county. Two people have died after taking illegal drugs. Beck's dad now has dementia and can no longer live alone. Beck's sister Brinley is in the area with a movie crew teaching them gun safety. A brilliant teen is causing computer chaos and downing government drones. The government agent is not who he says he is. A childhood friend has lost his mind and is trafficking drugs from a Mexican cartel. Chinese spies and Mexican cartel members are nosing around the county. But Beck hands are capable of taking care of each situation. This series has quickly become my favorite after only two books. I look forward to book three!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-galley.

This book was just ok for me. I expected a lot more from the description and the first few chapters. I’d still recommend to readers that enjoy police procedurals. I do thank NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC.

This was the best book that I have read in months. I have not read the first in the series but have purchased it now. Porter Beck is a sheriff in Nevada and he has a rich history that unfolds as the story progresses. The story was excellent and original, and I found myself not able to sleep for two nights straight until I finished this book. The protagonists are likeable, intelligent, and actually believable, which you don't always see, of course. They have flaws and human traits that made them all the more interesting and relatable. I feel lucky to have been provided this ARC and would encourage others who enjoy this genre to dive right in.

This is the second in a series about Porter Beck. I haven't read the first book but felt that this did fine as a stand alone. Beck is the sheriff in Lincoln County, Nevada. The book starts off fast with a military drone being hijacked and one of his friends dying from an overdose. Beck traces the hijacker to a youth center his sister, Brinley, volunteers at. Mix in a drug cartel, some Chinese spies and lots and lots of secrets.

I thought Porter was a great character. He served in the Army, had a knack for remembering things he has heard and is losing his sight. At this point he is pretty much blind at night but knows it will be getting worse. He has an adopted sister, Brinley, who he is quite close to. Some of her back story was touched upon so maybe that is what I missed from not reading the first book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
“Shades of Mercy” is the second installment in the Porter Beck series. I did not read the first book, but I will go back and read it. I still enjoyed it even without reading the first one.
This book deals with issues such as gun and drug trafficking. Sheriff Porter is a great main character and this book was a roller coaster of a ride. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Many thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#ShadesOfMercy #BruceBorgos #NetGalley #StMartinsPress #BookSetInNevada #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

If you enjoy smart, action-packed thrillers, then you need to read the Porter Beck series!
Sheriff Porter Beck's department covers Lincoln County, a large region of the high desert of Nevada close to Area 51. Like many sheriffs across the country, he is dealing with the opioid epidemic, which has recently claimed the lives of 2 people in his jurisdiction, one a childhood friend who had been fighting addiction for years. Another childhood friend, a rich and successful rancher, comes back onto Beck's radar after a hacked military drone targets his household. Beck's small department is stretched thin, looking for the source of the deadly opioids and the hacker, before either can strike again. Beck is intelligent and likable, and each of the supporting characters bring their own strengths to the case and the story. The plot is fast-paced, keeping the reader on their toes as Borgos blends topical themes, mystery, suspense and espionage into a thoroughly enjoyable thriller.
Shades of Mercy is book 2 in the series, and while I don't think you need to read the first one (The Bitter Past) to follow or enjoy Shades of Mercy, reading the second book first will give away some of the outcomes of book 1 so I recommend you read them in order.

I always worry about the second entry in a series, especially when the setting is a small or remote town. In this case, the setting is a remote county in Nevada so how much could happen there? We’ll, I’d that county encompasses Area 51 and other secret military installations, quite a bit can happen. I loved this book as Sheriff Jordan Beck deals with government agents, drug smugglers, a cyber hacker and his own failing vision. No spoilers here but rest assured the plot is action packed and the writing is crisp. I can’t wait for the next book, I’m hooked!