Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: November 16, 2021
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Source: Publisher
Genre: Thrillers / Suspense
FBI Agent Atlee Pine’s harrowing search for her long-lost sister
Mercy reaches a boiling point in this breakneck thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci.
For
her entire life, FBI agent Atlee Pine has been searching for her twin
sister, Mercy, who was abducted at the age of six and never seen again.
Mercy’s disappearance left behind a damaged family that later shattered
beyond repair when Atlee’s parents inexplicably abandoned her.
Now,
after a perilous investigation that nearly proved fatal, Atlee has
finally discovered not only the reason behind her parents’ abandonment
and Mercy’s kidnapping, but also the most promising breakthrough yet:
proof that Mercy survived her abduction and then escaped her captors
many years ago.
Though Atlee is tantalizingly close to her
family at last, the final leg of her long road to Mercy will be the most
treacherous yet. Mercy left at least one dead body behind before
fleeing her captors years before. Atlee has no idea if her sister is
still alive, and if so, how she has been surviving all this time. When
the truth is finally revealed, Atlee Pine will face the greatest danger
yet, and it may well cost her everything.
Mercy, by author David Baldacci, is the fourth and final installment in the authors Atlee Pine series. Summary: 30 years ago, FBI Special Agent Atlee Pine's twin sister Mercy was kidnapped, and Atlee was left for dead. Mercy’s disappearance left behind a damaged family that later shattered beyond repair when Atlee’s mother inexplicably abandoned her. Thanks to Jack Lineberry, Atlee discovered not only the reason behind her parents’ abandonment and Mercy’s kidnapping, but also the most promising breakthrough yet: proof that Mercy survived her abduction and then escaped her captors many years ago.
Atlee has spent years searching for clues as to what happened and why which has led her across the country back to Georgia. She's taken a leave of absence from the FBI along with her friend and FBI administrative assistant Carol Blum who always seems to be the voice of reason. Thanks to clues she found in Georgia, as well as help from John Puller, Atlee now knows that Mercy left at least one dead body behind before fleeing her captors years before. Atlee's search for Mercy will bring her face to face with four people who each had a hand in what happened to Mercy.
While Atlee is tantalizingly close to finding her sister, we are finally introduced to the woman who has been missing from Atlee's life for 30 years; Mercy. I will call her Eloise. Eloise was kidnapped, tortured, brutalized, told that her family wanted her dead, found a way to escape her captivity, learned MMA, inevitably was used by others who take advantage of her, fell into poor relationships and the partaking of drugs, and has been working odd jobs trying to stay off radar. She's also very tall and phenomenally strong which tends to scare people off.
She's also a loner, but helps others when she has money, and lives in insecure poor accommodations not knowing where she will lay her head down next. When she see's a PSA about a woman that the FBI is looking for, she believes they are looking for her because of her actions from when she escaped captivity. Never could she imagine that her own twin sister is working for the FBI and hasn't forgotten her even after 30 years. After she confronts a wicked drug addled loser beating his alleged girlfriend, a particular nasty and dangerous villain makes it his mission to find her and pay her back.
Now, for the first time in this series, Atlee is that much closer to finding Mercy, but instead finds herself in a dangerous situation. Thanks to the villains hatred of the Federal government for what they did to his family (think Waco), he finds that he has the perfect outlet to vent his anger; Twin sisters Atlee and Mercy Pine. Atlee & Eloise will face the greatest danger yet of their lives which will gather up Carol Blum it its wake, and may very well cost her everything.
For Atlee, the road to uncovering the truth has been tough and she has encountered lies, greed, fear and revenge along the way. There are lots of answers that are finally cleared up to what happened and why. Even Atlee isn't aware of some of these answers but Mercy needed to hear them to understand that she wasn't abandoned. Once again, Carol Blum is a delight as she is almost motherly but also very smart, intuitive and efficient. People underestimate her at their peril.
In one way, I think the author may have been in a rush to finish writing this series to work on something else. The ending war between Atlee, Mercy, Carol and another woman who comes to her senses and helps the sisters against the villain of the story was all over the place. I also find it highly unacceptable that the alleged FBI would be eager to actually listen to Atlee as she spins a fantastic story. Happens when you have too many fingers in the cookie jar. I think the ending works. I can't see it happening any other way than how it did.
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