Mercy Gunderson isn't sure she's cut out for being an agent
in the FBI. Learning riot procedures in the middle of South
Dakota doesn't seem like the best use of her time, but
procedures are procedures and Mercy's trainer Special Agent
Shay Turnbull is nothing if not a gung-ho fed. When
seventeen-year old Arlette Shooting Star is found staked
through the heart, Mercy begins to wish for orientation
because Arlette is just the first. With the body count
rising, and possibly going back years, Mercy must find the
killer before he can strike again—this time closer to home.
MERCILESS by Lori Armstrong is the third book featuring the
amazing Mercy Gunderson. Armstrong delves into the
darkest corners of the heart and begs the question—is duty
stronger than love? Mercy's complex nature allows us to see
how important both core beliefs are to her. As an Army
Sniper, she's trained to follow orders without question, to
trust in the chain of command and the justice of her
actions. She spent years never allowing anyone close to
her, but now that she's out of the military, she's trying
to open herself up to building a lasting relationship with
Sherriff Mason Dawson and his son Lex. Mercy drives the
story with complex emotions, insight, and humor. I love the
evolution and growth of her character not only in MERCILESS
but throughout the series. She's a character worth
following.
I love Mercy and Dawson's relationship. They're equals in
every aspect because at the base of their relationship is
respect. They're still learning to trust each other and
their feelings. Mercy holds herself at a distance as
protection. She's not willing to confide all her secrets to
Mason and I can't say that I blame her, not because he
isn't trustworthy but because Mercy is a character whose
real fear lies in her 'true' nature. Her ability to kill
and feel justified makes her question herself and her
ability to love and be loved without reserve. Also, the
very nature of their jobs comes between them as Mercy must
keep information from Mason about the murders. When another
victim is found in Mason's jurisdiction, the work lives
they've tried to separate collide with their personal
relationship.
Secrets linger between Mercy and Dawson, and secrets are a
large part of what makes this story suspenseful. The inner
workings of a small community allow the tension between
Mercy, Mason, and the murder investigation to twist
tighter. Everyone is hiding something and no one wants
their secret revealed. The over-lapping secrets, the
complex relationships of families, and Mercy's relentless
personality make MERCILESS by Lori Armstrong a thrilling
novel. I highly recommend this series.
Mercy Gunderson is thrown into her first FBI murder case,
working with the tribal police on the Eagle River
Reservation, where the victim is the teenaged niece of the
recently elected tribal president. When another gruesome
killing occurs during the early stages of the
investigation, Mercy and fellow FBI agent Shay Turnbull are
at odds about whether the crimes are connected.
Mercy can’t discuss her reservations about the baffling
cases with her live-in boyfriend, Eagle River County
Sheriff Mason Dawson, due to job confidentiality, and the
couple’s home on the ranch descends into chaos when
Dawson’s eleven-year-old-son Lex is sent to live with them.
While hidden political agendas and old family vendettas
turn ugly, masking motives and causing a rift among the
tribal police, the tribal council, and the FBI, Mercy
realizes that the deranged killer is still at large—and is
playing a dangerous game with his sights set on Mercy as
his next victim.
Torn between her duty to the FBI and her duties to those
she loves, Mercy must unleash the cold, dark, merciless
killer inside her and become the predator, rather than the
prey.
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