Saving Mercy is a deliciously dark paranormal romance that I just couldn't put down. The story is fast-paced and so captivating. It reminds me a bit of the TV show Prodigal Son, except better! It did go to some seriously dark places, but the overall story also depicts forgiveness, moving on, and of course love. One thing I personally did not like as a reader was the reoccurring use of the g d curse word. I can't stand that. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and really hope that word doesn't appear in the story.

4.5 stars rounded down to 4 for the overuse of g d

Mixing up my reading genres, I move from a romance to a mystery. A few years back I read a book by Abbie Roads called Hunt the Dawn where the main character had special abilities and enjoyed the book. Saving Mercy starts with us meeting Cain Killion aka the son of a famous serial killer called The Triple K. Cain can see through the killer's eyes by playing with their blood - it has to be clean through and not tampered with. His adoptive dad Mac works for the FBI and calls Cain to help him with a murder scene. It turns out that the scene is similar to a murder his father committed twenty years ago, down to a symbol on the wall painted with blood. Twenty years ago, Cain's father killed the Killion family and left Mercy Killion - the young daughter alive. He also carved a symbol into her over her heart. Cain feels connected with her as he too has a symbol carved on his heart among his numerous scars. Cain decides to talk to Mercy when he arrives at the center, his friend Liz ( became like his adoptive mother) tells Cain to help Mercy and take her away /keep safe. Cain takes her to his cabin and helps her go through the withdrawal symptoms. The next part of the book focuses on Mercy trying to escape from Dr. Payne who is obsessed with her and Cain trying to find out who the killer is as everyone close to him is being killed and if it's not careful, the killer may come after Mac and Mercy. This book reveals a major twist that I was hoping we would meet the person known as Daught. The ending revealed a bit about Daught, this part though annoyed me as was so excited with the twist and felt a bit letdown. However, if you are looking for a good mystery featuring special abilities, then check out Abbie Roads mystery novels.

5 Blood pumping stars

Warning, if you don't like dark thrillers or have an aversion to blood, this book is not for you!! Even so, this Criminal Minds junkie only read it in broad daylight...and watched a Disney movie afterwards. It's DARK!

I started this book at 10pm while laying in bed thinking I'd read a few chapters before I fell asleep. I was about 4 sentences in before I realized my mistake. My brain did a mad scramble of Abort Mission! and conjured up fluffy puppies. This is not a light read and cannot truly be defined in the romance category as it's really more a hard left into the thriller/suspense category, with a layover in paranormal. You'd think that might get a tad busy but it's exceptionally well crafted; even the paranormal aspect of it is...believable somehow.

Blood is the poison and the cure.

Cain Killion is the son of a serial killer. A broken, damaged man who believes he was crafted in his father's image and has run from that his entire life. In his formative years, while his father was honing his craft, Cain was his witness to it all. His body may bear the scars of his physical abuse but the scars to his psyche and soul go deep enough they'll never heal. Adam Killion passed down more than his looks, inside of Cain there is something that cries out for blood, a thirst that's never quenched. I imagine he and Dexter would've understood each other well. One side of him wars with the other. The killer vs the kind. To keep the beast that lives within himself on its leash, he sacrifices closeness to everyone in his life, even his adoptive father, Mac.

He has a connection to blood that allows him to "become the killer" whilst touching the blood of their victims. It comes at a great price to his health but as a consultant for the FBI, it's his way of trying to even out the scoreboard.

Mercy Ledger is the only surviving victim of "Killer Killion", as such she's a circus freak, something to be examined. How she was supposed to ever try to live a "normal" life is a question for the ages but that's before she's targeted by another madman. She's been committed to an asylum, where she doesn't below. Against all odds, she's retained her humanity and gentleness. There's a gentleness to her that lives up to her name and even hope. But hope is running out. Everyday she struggles to hang on to her sanity, all while trying to escape the clutches of someone she somehow knows bears her evil intent.

Cain has always watched over Mercy in some small way. He feels responsibility for what his father did to Mercy and her family. She bears the scars on her throat and he wears that weight like a chain around his neck. When a nurse from inside the asylum reveals that Mercy is in danger and begs Cain to save her life, he has no choice. He'd do anything for Mercy. Now the real fight for their lives, and love, begins.

Terrifying. Revealing. Heartbreaking. Disturbing. Heart-pumping. Breath-stealing. Morbid. Emotional. Riveting. Redemptive.

These are all words that describe this book and there are so many more but mainly...WOW.

In the end, I was satisfied with the wrap up for Mercy and Cain and although, this isn't what I'd call a cliffhanger, they dropped a bomb toward the end. I can't wait for the next book in the Fatal Truth series to figure out the next piece of this dark and twisty puzzle, which I'll read in broad daylight!

Review by AnnMarie

I barely got through this book. It was too gory, and I have a pretty high tolerance for gore. This one just didn't work great for me, but the premise and characters were interesting.

Interesting book and cast of characters. I'm very interested to see the direction this is going. Not my favorite in the series but I am ready to see where it’s going.

This book was absolutely fantastic!! The passion, mystery and heat! An all around hit! I can't wait for more from this author in the future. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

Saving Mercy is the first book in Abbie Roads' Fatal Truths series, and is not for the faint-hearted! There is blood in this book, a lot of blood! Twenty years ago, Mercy was the only survivor in a horrific massacre. For reasons that become clear, Mercy is sectioned and spends most of those twenty years undergoing psychological 'help'. She has gained the ability of being able to know a person's intentions though, which can sometimes help her. Cain, who is Killion's son, has his own trauma to contend with. Following his upbringing, he has the ability to see the past through touching blood. He is using this ability to help the FBI by being their profiler. He can give them intimate details that no one else can. When murders start happening again, and Cain in painted in blood on walls, then Mercy and Cain end up trying to help each other, whilst staying alive.

Saving Mercy is dark and violent. There is love, but it's not easy. It is layered with intrigue and deceit, and you are not sure just who is who and whether they are a friend or enemy. These characters come alive as you read, and you care about them. It is exceptionally well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The story isn't over yet, and I can't wait to find out more about Daught. A dark story, but an amazing one. Absolutely recommended by me.

This book took me by surprise and I enjoyed it more than I expected!It was twisted,dark,sexy and emotional.I need to read more from this author!

Wow. This book blew me away. I've never read Abbie's books before and I can see that I've been missing out. The characters are fascinating and have real depth. The story was so heartbreaking and at the same time had me on the edge of my seat. I will definitely be reading more of the series as well as going back and reading the other books in Abbie's catalog.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

More dark, bloody, chilling romance by Abbie Roads. Saving Mercy has a real sinister feel to it, and can be real morbid with the content, Cain can be lugubrious but with his method of finding out what happened at crime scenes is quite disturbing and how he got that way is disconcerting and it is completely understandable for him to be the way he is. Cain is the son of a serial killer, Adam Killian, who forced Cain to watch all his murders and bathed him in the blood of the victims. Ever since Cain has had an extrasensory ability to read the murder scene, he can see the murder through the killer's eyes. He now works for the FBI with the agent who saved him from his father and then raised him as his own.

Mercy survived the unthinkable, she watched as a serial killer murdered her parents in front of her and his own son. She barely survived but grew up fairly normal and well balanced until the "good" Dr. Payne has her institutionalized. Dr Payne is obsessed with Mercy and her survival of the attack, he is telling everyone she's crazy and out of her mind. Cain is friends with a nurse, Liz, a woman who has been like a mother to him since his Father was caught and he was saved. Liz tells him he needs to save Mercy from the doctor. Cain has been keeping tabs on Mercy the whole time and when Liz fills him in on what the doctor has been doing to Mercy he knows he's the only one who can save her. But the most recent murders is tieing Cain to them, and it is suspiciously like his father's murders, only it couldn't possible be his father he is still in prison and only Cain can track down this copycat. Cain and Mercy have a connection, and while Cain feels guilty for it Mercy sees it as a kinship. Mercy proves she doesn't hold him responsible for the sins of his father. Can their bond prove to be thicker than blood?

Overall, such a good book. OMG! Suspenseful, nice twist. Bloody, oh so bloody. Romance in an unlikely time but fated to happen. Abbie Roads is a great writer, she transports me into the book and proceeds to creep me out, I love it.

Saving Mercy is a psychological thriller with some serious sizzle mixed in to give it just the right combination. I have read Abbie's previous series and couldn't wait to read this one in her newest series. She blends the dark and twisted so well that I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see where she was taking me in Mercy and Cain's story. It is a love story in the midst of the scary. I loved that they are connected even if it is because of a monster and that connection grows into something so much more. Abbie has crafted characters that are complicated in some ways and so simple in others. I am totally hooked and loved every bit of Mercy and Cain's story. I can't wait to read more in this series.

I give Saving Mercy 5 hearts!

No rating DNF
This book caught my eye because of the blurb. Diving into the story it seemed to be a suspense mixed with paranormal and romance too. While at first I was interested it slowly dissipated because I'm not a fan of insta anything. Not only that but at times I was confused, wishing for more back story and would have loved for the author to show me vs telling me the story. Because of the too much telling I got bored and started skimming and then lost interest completely. This book was sadly not for me :(

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Rachael – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 Stars

Well, there was one part of this story that really sort of grossed me out and that I never really could make sense of… the putting of victim's blood ALL over Cain. I mean, I get that he was taught by his father, but I didn't understand how he could literally get into the killer's head by doing this. If anything, he should've been able to do it without the distraction of the blood.

However, once you get past that part (or the times it is done) there is a seriously awesome story here. I really, really enjoyed the insane characters and the way you are enveloped into this world of serial killers and their followers, as well as the damage this particular one (Killian, Cain's father) impacted not only his son, but the only survivor of his rampage, Mercy.

I loved that the two victims, so to speak, had this undeniable connection and this amazing chemistry even though they both had this terrible time in their life that they had to deal with because of the same man.

The pacing and plot twists were great and unexpected. I can honestly say I'll be looking for more from this author in the future.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is an incredibly creepy story. Alternately compelling and disturbing, I’ve never read anything quite like it. There is a supernatural element to this book that takes it beyond the usual police vs serial killer book. The violence in this book is incredibly graphic.

The hunt for the killer and the chilling links back to Cain’s father’s crimes are woven together in a complex and fast paced plot. I was able to piece together clues but there were a few frightening surprises left for the end. The detailed violence and slightly supernatural elements of this story push it beyond police procedural and into the horror genre at times. This is a well-crafted book with interesting and original characters.

As the son of a serial killer, Cain is drawn to the gore and almost excited by the violence. As a main character, he is unreliable and difficult to like at times. I struggled with the graphic sex that often followed his exposure to a gruesome crime scene. His relationship with his father is difficult and complicated. His connection to Mercy is unnerving.

Mercy is incredibly vulnerable when we first meet her. Like Cain, she gained abilities after surviving her attack, but she hides her skills to protect herself. I found the connection between Mercy and Cain quite creepy. They are drawn to each other compulsively. Violence seems to excite and arouse these two and the sex between them seems almost to be a reaction to the gore they encounter.

I have a couple of reservations about this story. There are moments where realism and plausibility are tested in this book and I personally struggled with the way sex and violence are so closely intertwined her. However, I’m probably just a little more queasy that most readers in this genre and I did find the story both engaging and compelling.

SAVING MERCY by Abbie Roads is a dark romantic suspense and the beginning of Roads’s new FATAL TRUTH series. A chilling tale of obsession, murder, and love that surpasses the darkness in all of us, SAVING MERCY is a must-read.

Cain Killion is the son of an infamous serial killer, and it doesn’t help that he’s the spitting image of the man. Or that Cain has paranormal abilities tied to blood. He helps the FBI catch killers, hoping to atone for his murky past. Unfortunately, his father left more victims than just Cain, and Cain finds out he needs the help of the one girl–now a woman–who survived. Mercy Ledger.

Ever since the trauma of losing her entire family to a sadistic killer, Mercy has been able to tell dark secrets about people. She knows if they mean harm. And the sanitarium in which she’s been placed is a very dangerous place for her, because the doctor treating her isn’t quite…right.

So begins a fast-paced story of brewing danger, passion, and intrigue. The book has twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters have been through hell and back but find redemption in each other. I like that though victims, Roads’s characters persevere. The thread of paranormal entwined with the plot make the story that much richer.

SAVING MERCY is another winner from Abbie Roads. If you want spine-tingling, dark romance with paranormal elements, then this book is one you won’t want to miss.

4.5 Hearts, SJ Romance Junkies

Growing up Cain’s father was a serial killer. Cain has a special ability that allows him to see things when he puts on the victim's blood. That part of the story was creepy and weirded me out. His whole life he has had to live with the stigma and tries to prove he isn't destined to become a killer. I would have liked to have more of a backstory when it came to Cain. We were told his upbringing was rough but we weren't really given too many details and that made it hard for me to connect with him in the story. Cain had a hard time seeing the goodness in him and with Mercy he was able to have some hope.

Mercy was spared by Cain’s father when she was younger. Fast forward several years later and they are reunited when he saves her and they feel an instant connection. This was also hard for me to connect to as well. I mean I get why they are together and it makes TOTAL sense once more details are revealed but I would have preferred a slower burn. I loved Mercy’s character because she was tough and selfless. Mercy was the balance and light that Cain needed. They both were able to heal each other in different ways.

I've never read anything by this author and the blurb caught my attention. This book wasn't quite like anything I've ever read before. It did hold my attention and despite the insta love it was a good read. I'm happy I took a chance on this book and I'm curious to see how the series continues.

...So, what did I like about it?
I haven’t read anything by Abbie Roads before but found her writing style very easy to read; her world and scene building is vivid and plunged me, feet first into a bloody, obsessive, emotional, serial killer thriller. (If you have a fear of blood, I’d suggest giving this book a wide berth.)
The pace of this tale is breathless but never rushed, it evolves over the pages and I loved the assumptions and dead ends that I found myself in; unexpected twists are so hard to find when you read extensively.
I was also impressed at how well Ms Roads crafted the horrific, gruesome bloody scenes and the balance between these and more romantic or humorous moments.
I liked that fact that the characters felt real to me (so much so that I cried and laughed with them), the plot kept me guessing and the suspense was so good I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of this book.

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
Nope – hence the 5 star rating. Saving Mercy is the first in a new series and although I was left with a couple of questions it’s a fairly self contained story; no life or death cliff-hangers! Woohoo! (My regular followers know how much I hate those with a passion!)

So, basically what I’m saying is...
I really loved this book. It was intense and thrilling to read; I couldn’t put it down. Yes, I found some of the psychological brutality hard to read but that just added to the tension and thankfully, the romance between our two main characters, Cain and Mercy, balanced out the terror. Love, true love, can really conquer all.

I would recommend this book to you if you enjoy reading authors like Stephen King or watching fictional crime series like Sherlock. However, due to the mature nature of the story and the graphic violence, I feel that it is unsuitable for anyone under the age of eighteen – adults only!

I have also posted this clipped review on Goodreads and Amazon. My full review can be found on my blog, Flora's Musings...

Rating~ 4.25 stars

This was my first time reading Abbie Roads and I honestly can’t wait to read more from her. I don’t want to give away anything because trust me it’s better to go in blind then knowing all the spoilers, it made the book so much better for me!

Cain Killion is the son of a convicted serial killer, he has spent his life either suffering at the hands of his father or suffering to save others. Mercy Ledger‘s life has only gotten bad to worse in recent years, now someone’s out trying to kill her again.

Cain and Mercy have a past and they are both reluctant to face each other however with Mercy is danger Cain decides to finally face her. I really liked them both, Cain is badly damaged from his past, his face which resembles his father not to mention the work he does for the FBI makes him face his demons everyday. Mercy on the other hand is a survivor, she was strong and smart. Cain and Mercy have felt this connection to each other which only becomes stronger when they meet again and can’t help be attracted to each other and while falling in love seems easy, a happily ever after seems impossible for them.

There’s a creepy and sadistic killer out there that is somehow connected to not only Cain but Mercy as well and then there’s the man obsessed with Mercy. I found the whole who is it/done it aspect done pretty well, while it was kind of obvious (just because I read quite a few mystery/thrillers) but I still enjoyed the execution done here. The power/pnr aspect was also done quite well and how it was all tied together.

Quibbles: I do wish we would have gotten a bit more about their powers and how they worked in *that* world and if anyone else has them and how they actually came into being in more detail. I also wish it was longer so we could have seen more of Cain and Mercy’s background but other than that it’s a pretty solid read.

The book had this mystery/thriller, dark and slightly pnr vibe that I really enjoyed! I’m really looking forward to what Abbie Roads brings us next.

Final Verdict: A great start to a new series and I am definitely a fan of the writing and the characters .

I am going to preface this review with this fun tidbit. I had NO idea what I had gotten myself into when I agreed to read this book. I chose to read this book based off the cover and title. I have NEVER read anything by Abbie Roads before, nor did I read the synopsis. That being said, Abbie Roads will be on my one-click list going forward!

I loved this book like crazy! It got my heart beating and even made me check the locks on the doors a few extra times every night! The characters are fantastic and I have high hopes for books two!

Saving Mercy is the first book in the Fatal Truth series By Abbie Roads. It is listed as a Paranormal Romantic Suspense. I do want to address that just a quick minute because some of you will say, "I don't read paranormal." Stop. The paranormal influence is very minute that you won't even mind it. The abilities that the main characters have are woven in so naturally that you won't have time to really analyze this fact. Not once while reading did I think, "This is so far out there."

Cain Killion is the son of a murderer. Just by looks alone, people are reminded of his father, Adam, at every turn, making his life even more difficult. He was fortunate to be taken under the wing of Mac, who then raised Cain after his father went to prison. With his DNA, who could guarantee he wouldn't turn into a killer as well? But Mac had faith and saved the boys life, raising him as his own. Cain has a unique ability due to his father's influence that Mac, who works for the FBI, can't deny could help with his cases and gives Cain an outlet for his abilities.

Mercy is one of Adam Killion's victims, except she survived, if you call being holed up in an institution surviving. With her own abilities guiding her through life, she has been able to avoid quite a bit of danger, until one day when her life is thrust back into chaos.

The FBI has a new case dropped in their laps that pulls Cain and Mercy together in the most unlikely of ways. Depending on one another means survival, but it's one of the last things either is comfortable with. They will need to overcome their personal hang-ups if they want to solve this case and inevitably survive in the end.

Reviewed by Corrie for Lamplight Review and Promotion

Hoooo boy! I’m not sure how Ms. Roads does it, but I’m still amazed by her capacity to write the most heartfelt, innocent and beautiful love stories woven into the darkest, most twisted, disturbingly gory plot lines.

I’m not entirely sure how to classify Saving Mercy. It is definitely a paranormal suspense and has some dark aspects. The amount of blood and gore almost makes me want to say horror too.

Cain and Mercy share a traumatic past, while not exactly the same, the horrors they’ve survived have one link in common. One that not only has been haunting them ever since, but that resulted in them developing some type of psychic abilities.

Cain reminded me a bit of Dexter Morgan, he has a love/hate relationship with blood and how his ability works. He is convinced he’s a monster who’s going to be pushed into snapping someday. Even when using his ability to help the FBI solve murders takes a great toll on him, not only physically but emotionally and psychically too, he can’t see any good in himself.

Cain was a broken man, that he survived his childhood and still maintained the capacity to feel was just plain amazing. He was incredibly caring in spite of the many issues he had, and the way he fought against what he feared was his nature was awe inspiring. My heart went to him time and again, I just wanted to hug him.

Mercy was also an incredibly strong character. The fact that she was alive was a testament to her force of will, and how she battled against the external forces threatening her sanity was incredible. That she could still love, forgive and function was a small miracle.

I really connected to both her and Cain. I felt their pain, their struggles and their love for each other. This also means my heart was broken time and again when the issues they had to overcome seemed to be too much for them to handle.

With the suspense and mystery that will keep you turning the pages, the connection and chemistry between Cain and Mercy and that perfect balance between horrifically disturbing shit and the loveliest of love stories, Saving Mercy is a very engaging read. Though I’m still thinking that I wouldn’t want to be in Ms. Roads mind’s world… like, ever.

Saving Mercy was by far the most gruesome romantic suspense book that I have ever read. To say that there was a lot of blood would be an understatement. There was blood everywhere. Blood was literally the main theme of the book. Blood relations, painting in blood, and to make things even more disturbing, the hero Cain Killion is able to get into the mind of any killer by covering his body in victims’ blood. It was beyond disgusting and just plain old nasty.

Cain Killion is an FBI consultant who uses his unique ability for good in order to make up for the heinous crimes committed by his biological father Adam Killion, who is in prison for killing the Ledger Family 20 years ago when Cain was only ten. The twist in all of this is that Adam left the youngest of the Ledger family alive although he did attempt to slash her throat. Her name is Mercy and for the past two years, she has been wrongfully imprisoned in a mental institution. When symbols from a current murder scene point Cain in Mercy’s direction for answers, he ends up breaking her out of the institution and discovering that he and Mercy have an attraction to each other that can’t be denied. In addition, Mercy has been mentally and physically abused by her doctor all of this time. In fact, the doctor is so obsessed with her that he goes looking for her and Cain. But that’s not all of it. As the FBI’s investigation into a possible disciple of Adam Killion continues, Cain puts the pieces together and what he finds out will shake him to the core and bring him to the breaking point.

The psychological implications of Saving Mercy are disturbing. The level of violence and bloodletting will make your skin crawl. I don’t even see how it was possible to weave a romance into all of this brutality. It was very difficult to enjoy the parts of the book that were clearly intended to be hot and steamy when all I could think about was when was the next blood scene going to occur. Honestly, I don’t know if I could stomach another book like this one.