Format: Kindle, 335 pages
Release Date: August 16, 2022
Publisher: Montlake
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Clues to a hidden treasure. Clues to a family secret. Both lead to murder in a twisting novel of suspense
A national treasure hunt with a $2 million prize has driven obsessed fortune seekers to overrun the small town of Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. The hunt’s cryptic clues and the lure of wealth have exposed the desperate side of human greed: theft, fights, trespassing—and even the motive to kill. Police chief Truman Daly craves peace in his town but has a murder on his hands instead. Now the big prize isn’t the only thing hiding in the pines. So is a killer.
When a young boy walks into the local café and claims his mother and baby sister have been missing for weeks, FBI special agent Mercy Kilpatrick investigates and exposes a disturbing twist in his story. Deep family secrets and lies that started sixty years ago have burst into the present, bringing with them deadly consequences.
Mercy’s and Truman’s investigations lead down a path of murder, revenge, and buried secrets to uncover two intertwined mysteries as dark as an Oregon forest.
A national treasure hunt with a $2 million prize has driven obsessed fortune seekers to overrun the small town of Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. The hunt’s cryptic clues and the lure of wealth have exposed the desperate side of human greed: theft, fights, trespassing—and even the motive to kill. Police chief Truman Daly craves peace in his town but has a murder on his hands instead. Now the big prize isn’t the only thing hiding in the pines. So is a killer.
When a young boy walks into the local café and claims his mother and baby sister have been missing for weeks, FBI special agent Mercy Kilpatrick investigates and exposes a disturbing twist in his story. Deep family secrets and lies that started sixty years ago have burst into the present, bringing with them deadly consequences.
Mercy’s and Truman’s investigations lead down a path of murder, revenge, and buried secrets to uncover two intertwined mysteries as dark as an Oregon forest.
In the Pines, by Kendra Elliot, is the Third installment in the author's Columbia River series, and can also be considered the Sixth installment in the author's Mercy Kilpatrick series since this story features Mercy, Truman, and Detective Evan Bolton. It has been six months since Mercy and Truman were married, and now they have an adopted family of 4, along with Ollie, Kaylie, and various animals.
Three weeks ago, a lawyer posted a composition called "In the Pines," alleging that a millionaire named Charlie Rollins left $2 million in hidden treasure somewhere in the area. This leads to chaos, greed, and deadly consequences. The influx of fortune seekers, including Ollie and Kaylie, overwhelms the small town, leading to theft, trespassing, fights, and, inevitably, murder.
Police Chief Truman Daly is tasked with maintaining order while investigating a series of crimes tied to the hunt. Then a teenager named Theodore tells Truman Daly his mother, Bridget Kerr, and his 18-month-old sister Molly are missing. Two weeks ago, Bridget apparently was headed to her brother's house but hasn't returned. Since a missing child is involved, Truman calls Mercy to investigate and find out who Theodore and Charlotte's uncle is.
Mercy quickly finds the children's uncle closer to home than anyone could have guessed. His name is Evan Bolton, a Detective for the Deschutes Sheriff's Department and a friend of Truman and Mercy's. Mercy Kilpatrick navigates personal and professional challenges as she uncovers connections between the treasure hunt, a family secret, and a disturbing mystery. The treasure hunt exposes the darker side of human nature, as fortune seekers resort to unethical and violent means to claim the prize.
This mirrors the personal stakes for Mercy, whose investigation uncovers family secrets that challenge her sense of identity. The novel alternates between the perspectives of Mercy, Truman, Evan, and Ollie, who, while chasing the treasure with Kaylie, also becomes a sort of brother figure to Theo and Charlotte. While the treasure hunt’s resolution and some predictable elements could be stronger, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise engrossing novel.
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