Dead Mercy

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.

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.

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!

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. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

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.

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.

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.

The fifth book in the Maggie Jamieson and they are just getting better and better.

I’m really enjoying this series, easy to read, shortish chapters which keep a great pace and the book is gritty.

There’s a murderer out there but can Maggie find out who it is before anyone else dies.

Quite a dark story with parts that made me feel the pain.

The characters are really building now as we get to know more about them.

Great read

DC Maggie Jamieson has to be my very favourite detective! Such a flawed and often bossy character, I can't help but relate! Another great case to solve, another very clever plot and storyline. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Brutal Killings Ripped From (Somewhat Dated-ish) Headlines. Without going into spoiler-y territory, there are themes here that have been in the headlines and have been massive scandals over the last few decades - and which I believe even bigger scandals lay ahead, particularly in the direction this book ultimately goes.

The murders here are again particularly brutal, though perhaps not quite as straight up creepy as from Book 4, and this time no team member is imperiled - and yet Holten still manages to ramp up the tension almost as if they are.

This is labeled as Book 5, so that alone tells you that it *is* part of a series, and somewhat deep into it at that, but as a police procedural (even a British based one), it is still episodic enough that you can jump into the series with any particular episode, then backfill to see how the relationships amongst the team got to the point you first encountered them. And on that particular front, there are a couple of great reveals in this particular book, one from Jamieson herself and the other from another teammate in the closing paragraphs.

Yet another thrill a minute read that will keep you invested through all of its 400 pages. Very much recommended.

This is the 5th book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series and I have to say, they just keep getting better and better. When a burned body is discovered, with identification in the name of one of her colleague's husbands, it looks like this is going to be a case a bit close to home. However, when the body count keeps rising, they soon discover a sinister history may well be behind the motive. With Kate returning to work that week after the ordeal she suffered after the Living Doll case, she worries whether Kate is going to be up to helping them on this case, but she soon proves herself up to the task.
I liked how much Bethany seemed to come out of her shell more this time, when she proves how invaluable her skills are to the team as much as the others. As per the other books, you don't need to have read the others in the series, it can be read and loved as a standalone, but I think its well worth reading the whole series to enjoy fully as you get to enjoy the characters development properly.
Once again, Noelle has written another cracker which I know readers will love!!

Another great instalment in the Maggie Jamieson series. I have read and enjoyed every one. A well written police procedural about a tough subject that was very informative. I do like the main character but I’m not sure her attitude at times would be tolerated in a real police force!! A great read and look forward to the next instalment.

"Dead Mercy" begins with a brutal opening. Indeed, the subject matter in this book is harrowing though Noelle Holten handles it with sensitivity. She also shows great empathy for desperate people in her writing. Holten gives us a real look behind the curtain of criminal justice through a fictional lens. I love the inside knowledge Holten imparts as regards systems and procedures within the police and probation service. She also demonstrates excellent technical detail. Holten knows her stuff and she knows her craft! The books in this series make for compulsive reading and I am looking forward to the next one.

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.

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.

DC Maggie Jamieson is back at work on the next case, a body has been found mutilated and burnt. Working the case has opened a whole can of worms leading to abuse and more bodies turning up.
As always Noelle’s books suck me in and I adore the characters. Maggie is flawed but written so well. I hope this series keeps going! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Dead Mercy by Noelle Holten is the fifth book of the series. But, like her others in this series you can read it as a standalone.
DC Maggie Jamieson is called to a brutal murder where the body is burned, and few teeth are missing and the body maybe the husband of a probation officer. When more bodies turn up, DC Maggie Jamieson is stumped. Wondering what the connection is between the victims. She is desperate to find the killer before more bodies turn up.
At the same time. Kat decides to come back to work after re cooperating from the last case. The team doesn’t think she is up to it. But she proves them wrong and get on with trying to find the killer.
This is another exceptional episode in the series. Miss Holten has outdone herself with this gripping, gritty thriller. This also had a realistic look of old social service system. How children fell through the cracks of the system and the physical and verbal abuse that the kids endured. Very well and sensitively written. 5 stars from me.

Whenever I start a new book in the series I always read the last chapter of the previous book not just because they follow on but the author always finishes every book with the best cliffhangers! I just had to re read the last chapter of Dead Secret (Book 4) to get that feeling back! I was thrown straight back where the previous left off and D.C. Maggie Jamieson is back on the case of another murder.

The storyline, as always was well plotted with many lines of suspicion. I found this slightly confusing but also exhilarating as it really threw me off course on who the culprit could be. I love to guess who it is and although I did guess from quite early on, I did debate other characters as being the culprit.

I found this book in the series a step up in terms of how dark and descriptive it was. Anyone who knows me well will know I like my crime novels to be slightly overstepping the mark of acceptable and this certainly did that for me. The description of the Murder scenes was spot on and certainly made me wince. However, I don’t want to put more sensitive readers off as it’s not as dark as some other books I’ve read.

As the fifth book in the series I can say that I found the characters are well formed and continue to do so as the series progresses and I look forward to seeing how some of the relationships between characters advance in subsequent novels.

An fabulously dark crime thriller!

The 5th book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series but could be read as a stand-alone. A great police procedural thriller about a very sensitive subject, child abuse, which could be a trigger for some, so please be aware. This is however covered in a way that is not gratuitous. The first chapter clearly sets out the subject of the book and the way you should expect it to continue; it’s harrowing but also strangely cathartic - what goes around comes around. Some great and strong female characters in the book, not just the indomitable Maggie but also Dr Kate Moloney and Maggie’s potential love interest journalist Julie Noble.

Briefly, DC Maggie Jamieson and her team are on the case looking for the person who brutally tortured and killed a man. The body was burned and, whilst still alive, teeth were removed and taken away. When another body is found, similarly tortured, the team are looking for a link between the victims. When they find it it opens an investigation into historical child abuse in children’s home’s and the abject failure of the authorities to deal with the perpetrators at the time.

Holten clearly has an excellent knowledge of police procedures, the probation service and the pathology department. It’s clearly detailed but without turning this into a text book! I found this quite compulsive reading “just another chapter” …. A very enjoyable read and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The fifth book featuring DC Maggie Jamieson. After a series of murders where the bodies are burnt and have teeth missing, Maggie and her team undertakes these cases to bring the killer to justice. It is only when a clue to an historical case is found, things began to make sense.. I loved this book. Noelle Holton does not disappoint. I love the banter between Maggie and journalist Julie Noble. A good book with sad stories of children being abused in care.

This book is an excellent read. It's fast-paced, has relatable characters, and you aren't sure who the killer or killers are until the author reveals it at the very end. I always like to see if I can guess by the clues the author drops, and I'm rarely wrong, but I didn't guess this ending. To me, if I can't figure out the perpetrator ahead of time, it's a winner. Noelle Holten is now on my list of must-read authors as she writes masterfully.
DC Maggie Jamieson is after a vicious serial killer. One it seems, with a drive for torturing the victims. The story is told via DC Jamieson and the killer. Having the perpetrator telling the story gives insight as to why it has to happen but not who is doing it. DC Maggie Jamieson, her department head, and her partner must figure out what connects the victims and stop this killer before there are any more deaths. Uncovering a past horrible injustice seems to be a possible connection. They must work quickly to figure out who could be next, the killer seems to be one step ahead, leaving the detectives rushing in after each ruthless murder.
In my opinion, this is an impressive read, and if this is one of your genres I recommend this book wholeheartedly. Thank you NetGalley, and publishers Harper Collins Inc. for allowing me to read the eARC.

Although this is the fifth book in the Maggie Jamieson series, it can easily be read as a stand alone. it's a good solid police procedural, fast paced and with an interesting plot. I love the character development and the team dynamics as well as the insight into Maggie's personal life. The subject matter of historical child abuse is handled with sensitivity and empathy. Another winner for the author which I would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Dead Mercy by Noelle Holten is a marvellous contemporary crime suspense. It is the fifth book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series but can be read as a stand-alone.
Wow! – this was a nail-biting, thrilling read that I just could not put down.
The action is told from the point of view of both the perpetrator and the police. The reader ‘hears’ the voice of the criminal so we know why the crimes are being committed. We now have to work out the ‘who’.
The whole novel was well planned and executed. It would make a fabulous Netflix series. The reader becomes completely embroiled in the plot. We witness the police trying to piece the crimes together as they look for motive. We also ‘see’ the perpetrator planning and executing crimes on a countdown. As the clock is ticking, our heart rates are rising.
Law enforcement agencies work together as they bounce ideas off each other.
The characters were well drawn and realistic. The leading lady is likable and tenacious in her pursuit of the truth.
Dead Mercy was a roller coaster read as I clung on to the very end. Did I guess the way things would unfold and the perpetrator? Afraid not. See if you can do better than me in predicting the outcome.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Each book in this series can be read as a standalone, but I am sure once you have read one, you are going to want to read them all. So why not just start with book 1? ;)

That’s one thing that is also great with series. You get to know the main characters in the first story and you see their evolution during the rest of the books professionally as well as personally. They start as strangers, become acquaintances, friends and finally even feel like family.

Maggie is still fierce and she still sometimes is a bit (ahum) inpatient, but that’s the way she is. It shows her determination to do her job well. Sometimes though it needs a little shaking of the tree in order to crack that tough nut of a case wide open.

I know this is fiction, but I am sure things like this happen in every day life too. You only have to open the papers to see in what kind of cruel world we live. I am glad there are real life Maggie’s out there too. 😊

Anyway this is a wonderful book where I, once again, felt sympathy for the culprit. I understood where they were coming from. I know it was not the right way to deal with it, but I can see their point.

I was sucked in so deeply that I jumped almost a mile high when my dog stretched in his sleep and accidently pushed against his bowl. I thought it was my last hour on earth. LOL.

 5 stars.

Thank you

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Maggie is back!! In this instalment Maggie attends a crime scene where a body is found at the scene of a fire. Maggie and her colleagues begin to investigate the death and things take a turn to make it more difficult to work out who would want to harm the victim. And what occurs is a case much bigger than the team could imagine with Maggie at the forefront determined to bring all those who deserve it to justice.

I loved this story. The author has yet to bring a story that’s unlikable. Maggie is such a well crafted and versatile character. She is a brave and strong copper, but then we also see other sides to her that emanate vulnerability and a slight shyness. She likes to keep her private life separate from her work life, but sometimes it isn’t always possible. I enjoy all the other characters, Kat especially has a real element of fun about her, and I love her no nonsense attitude.
The writing flows really well, and the story keeps up the twists and turns. This was a solid crime thriller, although for me, it’s also about continuing the story with the whole team. The first page always makes me feel like I’m reconnecting with old friends. I can’t wait for the next instalment, and to see what Maggie and friends get up to next.

Another fantastic five star read from one of my favourite authors. This series keeps going from strength to strength. The fifth in the series to feature Detective Constable Maggie Jamieson. Another one sitting book which had me sat on the edge of my seat and constantly holding my breath. Her stories draw the reader in and you have to keep on reading. This author creates some of the best serial killers and in my opinion this is her best book so far. Another gripping, heart stopping and Must READ in this thrilling and ver addictive series.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.