Series: Mercy Kilpatrick # 4
Format: Kindle, 351 pages
Release Date: June 19, 2018
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
In this Wall Street Journal bestseller, FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick must unlock the mystery of a mass murder, and the secrets of its silent witness...
For Mercy Kilpatrick, returning to rural Oregon has meant coming to terms with her roots. Raised as a prepper, Mercy is now relying on her survivalist instincts to defend her town from the people the law can’t reach. But this time, an investigation calling up a dark past for her and police chief Truman Daly may be hitting too close to home.
A rainstorm has uncovered the remains of five people—a reprise of the distinctive slaughter of two families twenty years ago. Except the convicted killer is in prison. Is this the case of a sick copycat, or is the wrong man behind bars? One person might have the answer. The lone survivor of the decades-old crimes has returned to town still claiming that she can’t remember a thing about the night she was left for dead. As the search for the truth becomes more dangerous, Mercy fears that the traumatized woman may not have buried her memories at all. She might be keeping them a secret. And there’s a price to be paid for revealing them.
A Merciful Silence is the Fourth installment in author Kendra Elliot's Mercy Kilpatrick series. Each book has a standalone mystery/suspense plot, but it also has a building romance involving the main characters of the series, which may or may not be prominent in each story. While this series focuses on FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick, the story also allows more storyline time for Eagle's Nest Police Chief Truman Daly. As the story opens, one of Truman's officers, Ben Cooley, stumbles upon bones while on a call-out due to a damaged road during torrential rain.
A rainstorm has uncovered the remains of five people—a reprise of the distinctive slaughter of two families twenty years ago. The FBI is called in to take over which brings in Mercy and her team. While there are a lot of unknown factors and mystery surrounding the find, it bears a resemblance to previous mass murders in the district where families were bludgeoned to death at home as they slept. Except for the convicted killer, Grady Baldwin is in prison. Is this the case of a sick copycat, or is the wrong man behind bars? One person might have the answer.
The lone survivor of the decades-old crimes, Britta Vale, has returned to town, still claiming that she can’t remember a thing about the night she was left for dead. Britta's story is that of heartbreaking loss, and prepping for the worst to happen to her again if she doesn't close herself from everyone around her. Hard to do if you return to the place where everyone knows you. As the search for the truth becomes more dangerous, Mercy fears that the traumatized woman may not have buried her memories at all. She might be keeping them a secret. And there’s a price to be paid for revealing them.
With few clues on the original and current crimes, the team races to find their killer. As Mercy works her case, Truman has a unique traffic stop with a young man who shows an illegal ID and claims to be a sovereign citizen. Sovereign Citizens are unhinged people who don't recognize the laws of the United States and are worse than preppers in every way imaginable. While jailed, he sends Truman a letter claiming he owes him $3 million for an illegitimate arrest. Truman does not know whether to take this seriously or as a joke. Later in the story, Truman and his police vehicle disappear, and there is blood on the driveway.
Mercy and Truman both go through so much in this book, especially Truman who needs saving from sick people. A few months ago, Mercy was shot in the leg and lost almost everything to a fire. She's still trying to pick up the pieces while also raising her 17-year-old niece Kaylie and finding love with Truman, who is her rock in every way. Even as they are apart, it is the fight to get home to the other that gives them their strength. Mercy realizes no amount of prep can prepare her for everything. She learns it is OK to sometimes rely on family and friends, especially when Truman is in trouble. Truman’s love for Mercy is his strength and reason to continue on even when he thinks he cannot. This was definitely an edge-of-your-seat read, with both cases having such high stakes.
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