After the conclusion of the first book, Mercy took a position with the FBI office in Bend, Oregon to be closer to Eagle's Nest, Rose, and police chief Truman Daly. Before he died, her brother Levi asked Mercy to take over the care of his daughter Kaylie, so she is also trying to find her feet in parenting a teenager.
A series of fires, first thought to be the work of teenagers, turns into something more sinister. An anti-government militia is forming in a secluded area, and Kaylie's boyfriend Cade works on construction at the ranch. When Cade sees something he shouldn't, an already dangerous situation becomes even more menacing.
A Merciful Truth can be read as a standalone, but since it is only the second in the series, it is easy to begin with the first book for a more thorough background. I have #3 in hand :)
Kindle Unlimited
Crime/Suspense. 2017. Print length: 322 pages.
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An Interview with Lyndsay Faye over at Kittling Books.
Book covers can make the difference on whether or not we give a book a chance. This article gives examples of iconic dust covers from the 1920's and 1930's. My, how covers have changed.
The Year in Sherlockiana
Wow-- just wow about trip down memory lane with those book covers. Obviously I wasn't born yet when these were published but I used to play "library lady" with my dolls and my parents and grandparents books so I was used to seeing some of the style covers.
ReplyDeleteI just started my first Lyndsay Faye book last night, The Paragon Hotel, and I read another article about her in which she spelled out how Oregon was so behind the times for civil rights laws on the books. I want to say how is this possible, but sadly of course it is. So far I'm enjoying the book but had to get used to Ms. Faye writing the book in the first person of a woman who speaks with sarcastic and deadpan humor and every imaginable figure of speech of the '20s. I am now liking it very much!
Oh, and I read this Mercy book last year or so and then #1 after it, and enjoyed both.
Pairing some of the covers to their modern versions would be interesting. :) Yep, I had read another book that briefly mentioned Oregon's black exclusion laws and was amazed, but I didn't expect to find the Klan active in Oregon.
DeleteFunny that the Mercy books are set in Oregon, too.
First of all, glad that you are pointing some people to Cathy's blog for the Lyndsay Faye interview. By the way, everyone, Cathy has a great blog and she often shares author events from the Poisoned Pen. OK...I'm definitely planning on trying these Mercy books. I've been to Bend, Oregon, and the whole prepper thing is definitely a thing in Oregon. Or it was when we lived there in the mid-to-late '90's.
ReplyDeleteAwww... thanks for those kind words, Kay. Hopefully we'll be able to attend one of The Poisoned Pen events together in the future!
DeleteThe interview with Lyndsay Faye was interesting, especially since I'm a fan girl. :)
DeleteWe have a friend who has been to Bend on a fishing trip and said it was gorgeous.
Mountainous regions often have large prepper/survivalist acceptance.
That interview with Lindsay Faye makes me want to read The Paragon Hotel even more so than before!
ReplyDeleteLoved the cover art too. I don't think I am swayed by a book's cover in terms of reading it but if a book has a beautiful cover I do tend to (a) want to own it and (b) keep it on my shelf even if I didn't love the content!
:) TPH is a fascinating book in a number of ways.
DeleteIf I like the cover art, I'm more likely to read the blurb, which is definitely the first step in book commitment. I read an article not long ago, about all the various versions an artist went through in coming up with final version of a cover. On the other hand, you see so many covers that completely rely on an accepted formulaic trend.
Love that quote! It's so true; if I see someone I don't know reading a book I love, it makes me automatically predisposed to like them. :D
ReplyDeleteI know--like looking at someone's bookshelves! Very revealing!
DeleteThanks for shining a spotlight on the recap I did of the Lyndsay Faye event at The Poisoned Pen. It was a fun and informative evening!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could have been there! Thanks for sharing your experience in the post. :)
DeleteAnother new series to explore! With so many new series to look out for I'm sure I'll be so way behind, lol.
ReplyDeleteThere is never a way to catch up with all of the books! I'm always looking for a good established series so I can binge. :p
DeleteBook covers have definitely changed a lot. Makes you wonder what they'll look like 20 years from now. I wonder when movie tie-ins became a thing? Anyway, this series must be a good one! Definitely sounds a bit different from others so I'll look forward to checking this one out.
ReplyDeleteBook covers have followed a lot of stylistic trends, so I'd be interested in seeing what trends will shake up the scene, too. I'm enjoying having a new series to look forward to reading, knowing that the books are already published. :)
DeleteA Merciful Truth sounds straight out of the headlines with a few twists of its own. Thank you for the links you shared. Covers really have changed ... It is interesting to see how they've evolved. Have a great week, Jenclair.
ReplyDeleteI do think it is a little sad that there are so many copycat covers now. I love an original cover. :)
DeleteI really enjoyed the link you put up for the article about old dust jackets. Thanks for sharing it. I've saved some dust jackets from favorite books. I hope to someday have a library and I'm going to frame the dust jackets and hang them on the walls in between the bookshelves!
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great idea! And a way to appreciate some book designer's work :)
DeleteGreat.
ReplyDeleteThe Kendra Elliot books sound good. I should add to my perpetual list LOL
ReplyDeleteI tried another series by Elliot that didn't work for me--too much "romance"--but the Mercy series has been fun to read!
DeleteOooh, I think you won me over with it being readable as a standalone. I liked the sound of it, but am always cautious about jumping into a series not at book 1.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do prefer to begin with book 1, and I did with this series, I've jumped in on a lot of series in the middle. Then gone back and started with the first book. :)
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