A Merciful Secret is a clever mystery and exactly what you have come to expect from the the Mercy Kilpatrick series. I was drawn in immediately and couldn't put the book down until the last page and even then I didn't want the story to be finished!

Back in Bend, Oregon we meet even 'stranger' characters. We have met the people of the town that are preppers and citizens that do not believe in law enforcement, but we now meet the 'witch' that lives in the woods. The rumors that are constantly swirling through this community make the mysteries even more difficult to solve, because you never know what to believe.

A Merciful Secret is jam packed with furtive information that sometimes is best left in the past, but of course the attempts to cover them up have come back to haunt. Mercy and Truman have stumbled, quite literally into this investigation, even if neither one of them were on the case officially, they felt connected personally and would do anything to protect and save the victims.

If you have read, the Bone Secrets and/or the Callahan & McLane series, you are in for a real treat when a couple of characters come over to Bend to help out one the case.

A Merciful Secret is heavier on the mystery than it is on the romance, but I still love the slow building relationship and the clean romance aspect of this series. This is a story that romance and mystery lovers alike will get behind and rejoice about the unique story line!

Kendra Elliot is a gifted story teller and that is evident in this book. The cast of characters is large, but all are well developed and keep you engaged. Family dynamics and how your childhood can impact you as an adult are an interesting part of this book. The survivalist vibe is fascinating and educational.

Mercy Kilpatrick is a smart tough heroine. One my favorite female characters. This series keeps getting better and better. I’m really looking forward to the next in the series.

A MERCIFUL SECRET. by Kendra Elliott book 3 "Mercy Kilpatrick". Mercy at a new case, yard looks like a pile of junk, she looks again, he was prepared, but someone got by. Connection to the other two, all missing weapons, and in Eagles Nest. Coffee, and being recognized by family, but not spoken too, a town that knew everything that goes on, hadn't changed, Truman the sheriff works with her, and they uncover more than just murder, it is connected to Mercy's past. A deep twisted plot, that shows us more about Mercy. Readers will enjoy this story, and series, it grabs from the first. page. Given ARC by Net Galley for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

4.5*

I sound like a broken record, waxing poetic about every book in Kendra Elliot’s Mercy Kilpatrick series (and, frankly, the rest of her backlist)... but the series is just that good! Ms. Elliot is a master at not only crafting a twisting, layered story that grabs you from the outset and doesn’t let up until the end, but also creating remarkably compelling, three-dimensional characters you cannot help but be emotionally invested in. I read A MERCIFUL SECRET, the third book in the series, in one sitting-- not only to figure out who’d committed the heinous crimes that kick off the story (my one gripe: the denouement requires a bit too much suspension of disbelief for my tastes), but also (probably even more so) to enjoy and witness the evolution of Mercy and Truman’s relationship. I love Mercy as a character: she’s nuanced, she’s incredibly dedicated, and she’s totally badass without being an unbelievable superhero; I want to be her when I grow up. And I have a huge crush on Truman… strong, steady, and thoughtful (that espresso machine? *swoon*) trumps alpha-a*hole any day. Despite the fact that the romance takes a serious backseat to the thriller/mystery aspects of the book, seeing Mercy and Truman (but mostly Mercy) grow as their relationship becomes increasingly solidified is one of the best aspects of the series and the biggest reason the books should be read in order. An extra bonus in A MERCIFUL SECRET: a cameo by both Special Agent Ava McLane (another of my all-time favourite heroines) from the Callahan & McLane series (albeit, sadly, no adorable redneck Oregon State Police detective) and everyone’s favourite irreverent investigative reporter Michael Brody from the Bone Secrets series.

So do yourself a favour and pick up all of the Mercy Kilpatrick books. The June 2018 release of A MERCIFUL SILENCE, the 4th book in the series, is entirely too far away!

**ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Kendra Elliott for the ARC of A Merciful Truth in return for an honest review, Having read A Merciful Death I couldn't wait to read this and i have to say Mercy Kilpatrick is my favourite character so far out of all Kendra's books. In this book a number of fires are being set deliberately and properties are being burned to the ground and at first it is thought to be teenage pranks but it soon turns out to be far more sinister. Mercy Kilpatrick and Truman Daly head the team to get to the bottom of it. Another brilliant read in the Merciful series and it can be read as a standalone but i would read A Merciful Death first to get the full enjoyment out of it. Loving the new Merciful series and can't wait for more!!!

This was another on your tos, hold your breath and read as fast as you can to find out what happens. I feel A Merciful Secret to be the best in the series. Twists I did not see coming. Mercy and Truman's story continues with two murders, one a judge and another an old "witch " woman. How are those murders related, and a few more occur, as Mercy and Truman struggle to connect the dots. A few past characters I was happy t see. You do not need to read the other books to know the characters. It as great to see Michael Brody, and his attitude hasn't changed a bit. I hope there are more in this series, it just keeps getting better.

Mercy is back ! This is a third book in the series and #3 was even better then the first two books in the series. So much suspense and a great mystery! Who killed Judge Lake and Olivia ? Why are these two deaths identical? This was such a page turner I didn't want the story to end. Highly recommend to mystery/suspense readers. This is such a great series.. I would definitely recommend reading all the books in this series you will not be disappointed!

Another grand slam for Kendra!!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this series and Kendra.

This is the 3rd book in the series and each book gets better and better!!!! If you love murder, mayhem, twists, turns, and unstoppable page turning, than this is the series for you.

I will not give any details because I believe everyone deserves to take the journey for themselves, but I will say the characters are awesome, the plot is great, the love is evident, but if your looking for hot sex scenes, than this is not for you.

Kendra is one of my go-to authors because her books are just that good!!!!

Kendra once again leads us through the lives of Mercy, an FBI agent working in the small town of Bend and Truman, the police chief who lost his heart to her. Keeping the town safe is their job and keeping close to each other is their passion. This episode is a heart pounding thriller, witn a heart melting love story we all wish for. There is a savage killer on the lose and finding and stopping the killer is their priority even if the FBI from the bigger city has taken over. The town is snowed in no way in or out. Mercy and Truman are not sure if the killer is in the town or not but more killings are happening that could possible be connected. I laughed, I cried, I stayed up too late not able to put it down a definite must read! I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest unbiased review. I really like this book!

A suspenseful, intriguing read. It sucks you in right from the start. I loved it.

A thrilling read! Mystery, suspense, romance with a hint of paranormal thrown in to keep things interesting. A fast-paced story with engaging characters and crisp dialogue. I will post my full review on my Blog and on Authors On The Air's Book Review social media pages, on release day. Thank you for the galley!

**This is a review of an ARC and only shows my personal opinion about the story.**


This is the third instalment in the series and you need to read the former ones to enjoy completely the story. Although the suspense is a stand-alone in each book, the relationships between the characters continue since the first book.

Fantastic suspense, subtle romance and the omnipresent family drama, although in this episode all is suggestively relegated to the background in favor of the suspense, which, as I said above, has been interesting, original and definitively troubling.

On this occasion, the author had a cameo of a few of characters from another series of hers: it appears Ava, the FBI agent of the “Callahan & McLane” series, one of my favorites, and Brody, the journalist who starred in one of the installments in the “Bones Secrets” series. Together with Mercy, they are in charge of solving two cruel and unsettling murders which only has in common their perpetrator, or so it seems…

But everybody has secrets, everybody hides something, and the truth is uncomfortable and hard to acknowledge. And when all come out into the open, well, talk about twists…
I loved it. It has grabbed my attention from beginning to end.

The romance, like in the previous books is so, so subtle. Mature, without drama. Adults committed to each other and who are taking their relationship slowly and calmly. I have missed more of them together. I love Mercy and Truman and I can´t get enough of them.

One of the things I really appreciate about this author is her ability to grab the reality and hatch a story that never goes far from it, with all the complications it entails. This time Mercy Kilpatrick isn´t the chief investigator in the murders, she is a witness.
Navigate the investigation "from the other side" is a tricky thing to do, but Ms. Elliot do it famously. And in a realistic way. To top it all, Mercy must deal with her own demos and her family, and the later is, to put it mildly, to make you go nuts.

With each book, I understand Mercy better. I remember from the first book I hardly could relate with her. The notion of a survivalist was alien to me and I thought it OCD borderline, but now, this story finds me with my heart in my mouth when Mercy has to deal with a situation which shakes the foundations of her existence although it´s next to nothing to the rest of the world. Usually I don´t get swept up in a story so much but here I did. And I enjoyed it immensely.

I´m not going to say it was perfect but it was what I look for when I want a suspense with a bit of romance on the side.

This series it´s worth a try.

***


**Esta reseña es de una ARC recibida gratuitamente y sólo refleja mi opinión personal sobre la historia.**

Esta es la tercera entrega de la serie y es necesario leer las anteriores para disfrutar completamente de la historia. Aunque el suspense es independiente en cada una, las relaciones entre los personajes son una continuación de los libros anteriores.

Fantástico suspense, sutil romance y el siempre omnipresente drama familiar, aunque en esta entrega, todo ha quedado relegado a un atractivo segundo plano en favor del suspense, que como ya he dicho antes, ha sido interesante, original y definitivamente inquietante.

En esta ocasión, la autora hace un cameo con personajes de otras series, aparece Ava, la agente del FBI protagonista de la serie “Callahan & McLane”, otra de mis favoritas y el periodista Brody, que aparece también en la serie “Bone Secrets”. Junto con Mercy, son los encargados de resolver dos asesinatos crueles y estremecedores que tan sólo tienen en común su perpetrador. O eso parece…
Pero todo el mundo esconde algo, todos tienen un secreto y la verdad resulta incómoda y difícil de asumir. Y cuando todo sale a la luz…bien…vaya con los giros del suspense. Me ha gustado y sobre todo, ha mantenido mi atención desde la primera página hasta la última.

El romance, como en las entregas anteriores, es algo muy, muy sutil. Maduro, sin dramas. Adultos comprometidos el uno con el otro y que se lo toman con calma. He echado de menos más momentos de ellos juntos. Me gustan Mercy y Truman y no he tenido bastante de ellos.

Una de las cosas que más aprecio de esta autora es su capacidad de agarrase a la realidad y tejer una historia que nunca se aleja demasiado de ella, con todas las complicaciones que ello conlleva. Esta vez, Mercy Kilpatrick no es la investigadora a cargo del caso, sino una testigo. Navegar las aguas de la investigación desde “el otro lado” es difícil, pero la señora Elliot lo consigue. Y de una manera realista. Y además, la protagonista tiene que seguir lidiando con sus demonios y su familia, que es como para volverse loca.

Cada vez entiendo mejor a Mercy. Recuerdo que cuando empezó la serie me resultó complicado conectar con ella. Para mí la noción de los “survivalistas” era totalmente desconocida, y rozaba un pelín el comportamiento obsesivo compulsivo, y de repente, en este libro me encuentro con el alma encogida y agobiada cuando Mercy tiene que lidiar con algo que sacude los cimientos de su existencia, aunque para el resto de los mortales no tenga mayor consecuencia. Impresionante. No suelo dejarme llevar tanto con las historias y aquí lo he hecho. He disfrutado de ella.

No voy a decir que es perfecta, pero sí que es exactamente lo que busco cuando quiero leer un buen suspense con un toque de romance.

Merece la pena darle una oportunidad a esta serie.

I really, really like this series. I connect so well with Mercy and felt like in this book, I learned more about her character and personality then I did in the previous two books. The plot in this book was engaging and kept me turning the pages. And Truman... I think I have a little crush on him. Give me the strong, steady type over a raging alpha male any time. So the little bit of romance with a lot of mystery always works well for me. Looking forward to number 4. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Full review to be published online in mid January 2018.

A MERCIFUL SECRET is the third book in Kendra Elliot’s intriguing “Mercy Kilpatrick” series. As always, the plotline and suspense is well thought out in this rather short book. The murders are appropriately mysterious murders; and carry a paranormal edge. Mercy and Truman have their hands full trying to investigate, sift through all the secrets, and find out what is happening before any more people die.
The investigation is not helped any by the snowstorm that is raging all around them.

A MERCIFUL SECRET is a nice novella in an over average romantic suspense series. Snow storms are hampering investigation, and the key players are somewhat less than truthful. This is an enjoyable mystery thriller series taking place in a quaint town. It is to be hoped that Kendra Elliot will keep this lovely little series going for some time to come. There seem to be plenty more suspense stories to be written, and more characters begging to have their stories told.

The thrilling start to this story sets the stage beautifully for the rest of the exciting, suspenseful tale. When two seemingly unrelated victims are killed in a similar manner, Mercy and Truman find themselves drawn into the hunt for their cruel murderer. With hints of the supernatural, this tension filled story will defiantly keep you guessing. It has lots of breath holding, on the edge of your seat moments, great twists and plenty of action. It is my favourite of the Mercy Kilpatrick books so far, it’s exciting and I love the character development. Mercy has grown with each book; slowly opening her heart and allowing others in. The ongoing romance between Mercy and Truman is beautiful, it’s nice to watch her painstakingly built walls slowly come down. Even though there are threads that run from one book to the next, each novella can easily be read as a stand-alone. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion or review.

Another great read by Kendra Elliot. Wonderful characters and setting. This series is one I recommend to all my readers. I love how the series flows from one book to another

A suspenseful, witchy tale wrapped in superstitions, decades old secrets and murder.

Two murders hundreds of miles apart – one an old woman who lives deep in the woods and has always been wrapped in witch/wicca folklore and the other a prominent judge – with seemingly no connections except for the way they were murdered. The author did a great job of keeping you guessing as to what the real connection was and the reason for the murders.

I was also excited about the “crossover” that took place during the book with two characters from the authors other series. You were pretty much on the edge of your seat from the start, through out the investigation until the very end.

In the midst of this we see that Mercy and Truman's relationship has progressed to a level of ease between the two but Mercy's fear of the future still hampers her giving a 100% commitment. The relationship with her family is also slowly progressing forward. I think this is the piece that Mercy needs – the full acceptance from her family – to fully give her the confidence she needs to commit to a lifetime commitment with Truman.

An outstanding story by Kendra Elliot!
The suspense, and intrigue are super ramped in this novella. Mercy and Truman are on the outside looking in this time. Mysterious murders with a paranormal edge to them has everyone scrambling to figure out what is going on before more people end up dead.
Typical snow storms hamper the investigations, as well as secrets being kept.
What an amazing novella this was. I would love to see a lot more stories based on this set of novellas. So much goes on in the quiet little town. Love the characters, and would love to live inside the authors brain for a short visit. I don’t know that I could handle a long stay inside her brain lol.
This set of novellas is a must read. It has something for everyone to enjoy.
Thank you Montlake, for the opportunity to read an early copy.