Home at Night is the 5th mystery featuring Mercy Carr (and her combat trained dog Elvis) by Paula Munier. Released 17th Oct 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. There's a 6th book in the series due out in 4th quarter 2024 from the same publisher.

This is a very well written mystery with an appealing and sympathetic MC who's a former combat expert out of the military and back in civilian life in Vermont. A local Victorian estate is coming up for sale and Mercy's determined to buy it since she's been in love with the place since her teenage years. Her enthusiasm isn't dampened when her former-bomb-dog Elvis finds a body in the library of the mansion during a showing. She and Troy (and the dogs) are soon on the trail of a killer, hidden treasure, skullduggery, and a historical long ago cold case.

The plotting is very tight and action driven. There's real tension in the story, and the characters are very well drawn, sympathetic, and believable. Although it's the 5th book in the series, the mystery and resolution are self contained in this volume. The characters have developed over the course of the series, so minor spoilers should be expected if read out of order.

Four stars. Well written, without major flaws. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition, home use, or a solid binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is book five in the series, but the first I've read. I love Mercy and her dog so hard. The storyline is interesting, and the secondary characters add so much to the story. After this book, I had to go back and read the previous ones. I'm seriously hooked on this series now.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

I kept looking at this book, trying to decide whether to download it or not and I'm so glad I did! Paula Munier has become one of my favorite mystery authors! Halloween brings Mercy and her husband Troy closer to deciding buy a property that Mercy had known as a child, Unfortunately, it also bring murder!

One of the things I loved about this book was the character details of both Mercy and her husband, Troy.. Both are military vets and have search and rescue dogs - Mercy has Elvis and Troy has Susie Bear. The characters truly love and understand each other and make a terrific mystery solving team.

Though this was the first book I'd read, in the series, I was able to quickly get "up to speed" on the characters. , I'm going to read the other books!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It’s Halloween in Vermont, winter is coming, and five humans, two dogs, and a cat are a crowd in Mercy Carr’s small cabin. She needs more room—and she knows just the place: Grackle Tree Farm, with thirty acres of woods and wetlands and a Victorian manor to die for. They say it’s haunted by the ghosts of missing children and lost poets and a murderer or two, but Mercy loves it anyway. Even when Elvis finds a dead body in the library. This is the 5th in a series but reads well as a standalone. A spooky cozy mystery!

Mercy and Elvis make a great team. This is the 5th book in the series but you can enjoy the story without reading the others. It’s Halloween season and spooky with lots of poetry not to mention murders.

# Home at Night
# 3/19/2024 ~ 3/21/2024
# 4.0 / 5.0

Wonderfully atmospheric cozy mystery. Paula Munier's descriptive prose appealed to the senses, immediately transporting me to New England in the fall. The author skillfully intertwines multiple mysteries into one masterful story. While this is the first book in the series I have read, there was enough backstory to read as a standalone. I really liked the heroine Mercy. Her past as a soldier has given her the skill and confidence to track a murderer. Readers will fall in love with her big quirky family. With a haunted house, ghostly appearances, lost letters and murder, readers will be engaged from the first page to the last.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher thorough Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to the author Paula Munier, publishers Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of HOME AT NIGHT. All views are mine.

"He knew that all good things come to those dogs who wait." Loc.744

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. I love that Munier writes about wildlife management in this book, it's great info for readers. At this time of year, bird feeders attracted bears as well as birds. Which never ended well for the bears. Responsible Vermonters drew birds to their gardens with flora, not bird feeders. loc. 188

2. I love the role of poetry in this story, it functions sort of like a character. In that, it is somewhat metafictional in a creative way: Poets and poachers both preyed on the lives of others. loc. 1617 and “We’ll get them next time,” promised Gil. “Yes, we will. What is it with poachers?” “What is it with poets? This place is overrun with them.” loc. 1603

3. I have tried to read Joyce more than once with little success, and I adore the advice Mercy gives for handling his literature! " Don't try to understand it. Just let the prose Just wash over you. You'll get the gist." Loc. 935 How tongue in cheek! I'm actually going to try Joyce one more time and take this advice.

4. I like the access to the past the reader is provided through the letters. Not as forceful as a perspective or time jump, so a handy element.

5. The quotes about home at the beginning of each chapter are more than enchoyable. By the way, my favorite is: Home is wherever you leave everything you love and never question that it will be there when you return. —LEO CHRISTOPHER; loc 4784. The epigraphs introduce the chapters but also keep in the forefront of the reader's mind the book's theme, "home," and the role it plays not just in this novel, but in real and fictional stories just like it unspooling everywhere.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. A lot happens in this book. There are no less than 4 subplots in this mystery that all compete with the central mystery. So the narrative gets weighed down in a few spots. The dialog even gets muddled, though fun and funny honestly, like here: “Poets and other crackpots,” said Brodie. “Not all poets are crackpots,” said Amy. “ They’re mostly geniuses.” “Like I said. Geniuses, poets, they’re all crackpots.” loc. 2349
Munier even addresses this in her Acknowledgements, where she thanks her editor: [I] got carried away— and it took my grounded genius of an editor, the incomparable Pete Wolverton, to drag me and my story out of revision hell and into your hands, dear reader. loc. 5060.

Rating: 🐕🐕🐕🐕 adorable pseudo-humans
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Aug 22 '23
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley, SMPI
Read this book if you like:
🦝 wildlife
🪶 poetry
🔪 murder mysteries
🔍 non-human sleuth
🤓 word games

I have been provided with a review copy of Home at Night from NetGalley for an impartial review. I was just drawn into this wonderful story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It was just so easy to get lost in this great story. I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Home at Night is book #5 in the Mercy and Elvis Mysteries Series by Paula Munier, though it could easily be read as a standalone. I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series and couldn’t wait to read Home at Night. Ms. Munier does a wonderful job of creating likable and relatable characters while weaving an intriguing mystery to solve. Mercy is a strong heroine with an ex-military background and her sidekick is a brilliant Belgian Malinois, named Elvis. Her romance with hubby, Troy is tactfully done, and I loved seeing the familiar characters from prior books. Home at Night is a cozy mystery set at Halloween in the fictionalized town of Northshire, Vermont. The story includes a creepy mansion, druids, and of course murder. A definite worthwhile read.

I've been enjoying the Mercy Carr Mystery series since the first book. Home at Night is the fifth book in the series with a Halloween in Vermont setting along with druids, poets and poachers.

There's a lot going on in this one and a few too many coincidences for me. Plus it was a bit much with how many times Mercy was hurt. While not my favorite in the series, it was still a solid mystery. I look forward to the next book with this engaging set of characters. Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.

Enjoyable mystery centered around an old home said to be haunted. I really liked the characters (and their dogs) and the Vermont setting. The story had action, suspense, and plot twists, but was maybe a little more complicated than it needed to be. This book is part of a series but I read it as a stand-alone and it worked fine.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Another exciting entry into the Mercy Carr Series, or should it be Mercy & Elvis?
This time, after the events of the previous book, don't want to give spoilers here, Mercy is in the market to find a new home, and what better option than to make it a haunted house?
Except, some dead bodies turn in the way of her and the house, she must solve the mystery before she can close scrow!

This was another interesting installment in the series. I loved the spooky, haunted house elements of this book.The mystery was twisty and interesting; I was engaged throughout trying to figure out whodunit!

The thing I like most about the series are the characters of Mercy, Troy, and the dogs. I appreciate that Mercy and Troy’s relationship is progressing along with the series. There is one part of the story where miscommunication could have really bogged down the plot, and I am so glad the author took the straightforward approach.

This is book five of the Mercy & Elvis Mystery series, and it was definitely my favorite so far. I loved the atmospheric setting, and the poetry was a fantastic touch! It has mysterious Halloween haunted house vibes and felt like a treasure hunt.

The murder mystery was intriguing, and I adored seeing married life between Mercy and Troy. This series has really gotten interesting! I'm absolutely looking forward to the next addition.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I did not realize when I accepted a review copy of this book that it was the 5th book in the Mercy & Elvis Mystery series. However, even though I was jumping in at book 5, I was easily able to follow the story and characters.

This was definitely a great addition to my Spooky Season reading -- a rundown Victorian mansion, poachers and poisoners, an altercation with a masked intruder, a mysterious letter and a dead body.

I loved the setting, the characters and the plot. The story kept my attention from start to finish. The dogs were my favorite characters, of course! There were many plot twists and much sleuthing. Altogether, a great cozy mystery! Loved reading this during Halloween season, but would be great anytime!

I am definitely going to backtrack and read this series from the start!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I’ve enjoyed this book! It was my first in the series even though it’s book five. I’m hoping to go back and read from the start just because I did find it a tad confusing at times not having read the other books. Not that the story was confusing but more the characters and knowing who they are and all that. Overall I loved the storyline and the mystery!

"Home at Night" is the fifth in the Mercy & Elvis mysteries, but the first I have read and won't be the last. Mercy and Troy have married and are living in Mercy's cabin that is full to the rafters with people and animals. When she learns of a manor that she has loved since she was young has comeon the market she is overjoyed. Unfortunately that joy is overshadowed by the tragedy that is part of the history of that manor and when there is a murder she knows that she will have to solve this mystery to live happily in her dream home. Of course she will have the help of Elvis her dog and Troy and his dog Susie Bear. Will there be more tragedy and what about the "ghost"? A very satisfying read.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC for me to read and review, which I do voluntarily.

Mercy Carr and her new husband are house hunting. It has to be big enough for the two of them, their search and rescue dogs, a cat, and a teenage mom with a baby whose daddy stays over more often than not (it’s a long story). There was one ideal house, but infighting with the sellers caused the deal to fall through. Now Mercy’s got her eye on a place no one else would want—Grackle Tree Farm.

When she was a teen, it was the local ‘I dare you’ house. The one friends would say, ‘I bet you can’t spend a whole night there,’ and most kids didn’t. It’s thirty acres of woods, wetlands, and a Victorian house to die for. Except that wasn’t meant to be literal, but the body in the library said differently.
That lead to rumors of a hidden fortune, the police captain shot and seriously injured, and Mercy on crutches. Plus, her dog Elvis had a few problems of his own.

It’s leaf peeping season and that means tourists. Add in the treasure hunters, costumed Halloween figures, and a masked murderer on a motorcycle, and Mercy more than has her hands full—and that’s before her mother gets involved in their house hunting.

This is book five in the series, several reviewed in KRL. Mercy is a strong woman, able to stand up to her grandmother’s gentle bossiness and her mother’s strong-arm tactics. Troy is the perfect husband for her with his love of dogs, the outdoors, and of course, her. The mystery is multilayered and complex, with clues scattered throughout to challenge readers.

This is a series I look forward to reading each year. It’s like a visit to friends whose lives are more exciting than your own.

I loved this cozy mystery. It had a good amount of characters and suspense. This was my first book in the series but I will definitely be going back to the beginning. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Paula Munier for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Home at Night. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I didn’t realize this was a series. I’ll have to go back and read the other books. I loved the plot of this book. The Victorian mansion sounded amazing and I was excited for the spooky vibes. The first half of the book was really fun for me. I started to lose a little interest when I realized it wasn’t quite what I thought it would be. I thought there would be more with the Victorian house and fixing it up. There was a lot more melodrama than I thought there would be. It seemed like a lot was happening to Mercy with getting hurt and everything. The surprise was a little annoying with the interrupting other people and not being able to come out and say it. But overall, it felt like a cozy mystery. I would check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys small town mysteries!