Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Cry for Mercy.

I love mysteries, and am always on the lookout for a series featuring a female protagonist so I was pleased when my request was approved.

DI Eleanor Raven is not a typical detective. She enjoys certain 'extracurricular' pursuits' and when bodies of young women are found in elaborate, artistic poses, investigation into these terrible murders may expose her own secrets.

There were a few things I enjoyed about Cry for Mercy:

I liked Raven; she's capable, determined and relentless. I wish I liked her better; exposition is sparse concerning Raven's personal life, which is understandable, but at times she felt brusque.

Raven counseling her new partner on how to be a good detective; what kind of questions to ask; withhold judgement. Usually, in books like these, the male detective is teaching his younger, female partner but not here.

Her partner, Whitefoot, is a good and decent man, along with his canine companion, Monster, who provided necessary comic relief during the narrative.

All of the supporting characters, the medical examiner, Raven's colleagues, especially her relationship with her former partner who is on medical leave, Mo, were all relatable and good people; loyal, competent and hard working.

The mystery isn't bad; an underground world of BDSM where consensual parties agree to participate in certain acts for sexual gratification takes a wrong turn when someone uses this method to hunt for victims. There's nothing illicit or graphic about the content; the author takes care with her words and descriptions.

What I didn't like:

I felt the narrative read a bit long toward the end. I felt my attention waning especially when the bad guy was revealed.

I didn't like the identity of the villain being revealed more than midway through the book. I read mysteries so I can solve it alongside the detectives and figure out whodunit. Revealing who the perp is takes all the 'mystery' out of a mystery.

I think the previous title for this book was more appropriate.

I enjoyed Cry for Mercy and look forward to the next book in the series.

The story starts with the main character, DI Eleanor Raven preparing to engage in BDSM! I had read the book description and wasn't expecting this! I thought I had the wrong book! There were no details, as such, just suggestions.

When a body is found the team on the scene try to establish what happened. There's a laugh out loud moment with a body bag reconstruction. But this is a fast paced, time sensitive thriller.

I loved all the twists and trying to work out who the killer was. I had my suspicions but I didn't work it out. Definitely a page turner! I loved the characters, even with the slightly shocking start. I absolutely loved it and would definitely read more of this series as there were a few unanswered questions.