No Mercy: A Mystery (edició 2010)

I found this kinda mature, but other than that it was an amazing book!
however I don't know if I should read the second book, I don't think I will. (>_>)
personally I was kinda right aboutwho it was, but I liked howthis book was written and yeah... ( )

Mercy Gunderson, a female Army sniper and Iraq veteran, has returned home to her father's South Dakota ranch. Her father, the local sheriff, recently died and she's the executor of his estate. Soon after her arrival, the body of a young Native American boy is found on the ranch. When the young boy's mother doesn't think the new sheriff is doing enough to track down the killer and asks Mercy for help, she refuses to get involved. When the next murder hits closer to home, Mercy decides to join the investigation against the wishes of the new sheriff.

The author's description of the desolate landscape of South Dakota and the portrayal of reservation poverty was realistically done. The plot moves along and there are several very painful scenes which which made it a grittier style that I originally thought when I started. Many of the elements of the story were predictable and it was easy to guess who the killer was. It was still an action packed story with a compelling new character. I'm interested in the character of Mercy, a female sniper, and her bouts with PTSD. I might get the next in the series to see what's in store for her as she starts her new life as a civilian in South Dakota. ( )

Mercy is on medical leave from the Army and back home in South Dakota dealing with things after the death of her father. She has been an Army sniper doing missions in Iraq and Afghanistan but an injury has damaged her vision in her right eye. Now she has to deal with issues at home. Her younger sister is secretly dating a newcomer to town and is pregnant. Her teenage nephew is having conflicts with his mother and with the local Indian gang he wants to join but who isn't letting him in because he's not Indian enough. Local and not so local land developers are pressuring Mercy to sell.

When a young Indian boy is found dead on her land, Mercy is encouraged by the boy's mother to investigate. The mother doesn't feel that the new sheriff who was handpicked by Mercy's father is doing enough. When Mercy's nephew is also murdered, Mercy becomes determined to find out who caused his death despite the local sheriff telling her to back off.

Mercy is an interesting character with lots of anger issues who does a lot of hard drinking to deal with them. Despite being gone most of the last twenty years, Mercy has a network of friends in the area to help her investigate. She also has lots of guilt. She missed her father's funeral but isn't able to share that she was hurt and in the hospital at the time. She has a difficult relationship with the ranch foreman who was her boyfriend before she miscarried his baby and left home to join the Army. Her relationship with her sister is also difficult. They both had awful childhoods with Mercy seeing her mother kicked to death by a horse and her sister accidentally shooting a childhood friend. There is an awful lot of trauma going around.

This was a fascinating story well set in its place - the beautiful but desolate land in western South Dakota. Mercy was also a fascinating and complex character. ( )

I picked up this book, having never heard of the author before, as part of a book challenge I'm doing with friends that requires a book written by an author with the same initials as you. I was so excited when I found this book because not only did it fit my requirement it was recommended for readers of some of my other favorite authors, including CJ Box. I agree whole-heartedly with that recommendation. I also loved that the main character is such a strong female. There were so many things going on in this book that there wasn't a single wasted moment. The plot and the characters were all so well written: how have I never heard of her before? I can't wait to read the next book in the series and see where the characters go from here. I found a new series! ( )

I have only read romances so reading a mystery without romance was new to me. I loved it! I was not even 1/2 through this book when I went on amazon and bought the recently released Mercy Kill for my kindle. I will be starting it tonight.I didn't want to like Mercy, but you can't help but feel for her and want to help her find out what's going on. No that she would want or need your help or sympathy, she'd probably kick your ass for offering. And Dawson.....sighhhh...this may not be a romance with sex scenes, but if you are a fan of caring Alpha Males...Dawson will make you want him for yourself. ( )