Kendra Elliot has an incredible knack of creating characters that you feel like you know and her writing places me right next to these characters so I feel like I am in the middle of the action…and action is always involved. I have read several others featuring Mercy and Truman and have so enjoyed getting to know them. This read I was so rooting for their soon to be adopted son, Ollie, and a new character named Devin who truly fascinated me. Hopefully he will appear in future books. She has a knack of including characters from previous books and merging them with a new plot, while adding new characters along the way. Although some readers may have read other stories with these characters, each of her books somehow manages to be able to be enjoyed by new readers who are sure to be new fans.
I so appreciate the mix of police procedural and mystery/thriller aspects of Elliot’s stories but the way she creates the story lines rises above most others in this genre.
The only drawback for me in this read were the substation tie ins that didn’t seem to work with the story except serve as an explanation of where the missing teens were. I loved the face blindness incorporated in this read.
Many many thanks to Kendra Elliot for immersing me so completely in this fascinating read, Montlake, and NetGalley for affording me the absolute pleasure of reading an arc of this just published book. Don’t miss this read!

4.25 stars

At the River by Kendra Elliot is the fifth entry in her Columbia River series, which takes place in the Bend, Oregon area. Its wild beauty and its idiosyncratic populace make a perfect setting for this intense crime series. Mercy Kilpatrick, FBI agent, was raised in the area by “preppers”, off the grid, and is familiar with the extremists and area survivalists who are attracted to living in the woods.
Mercy is investigating vandalism at electrical substations when she is tasked with assisting her husband Truman, Eagle’s Nest town police chief, as he tries to find the killer of a man found at the river, bound and with his throat cut. It is eerily reminiscent of a gruesome cold case from 20 years prior. Mercy and Truman are joined by a third investigator, County Sheriff Noelle Marshall, in a collaborative effort as they race against time as the body count rises and pressure ramps up to identify the killer
Kendra Elliot’s police procedurals are always interesting, complex enough to keep this crime reader engaged throughout, and well-written, with nicely interwoven plot threads, twists, and a well-paced story arc.
I also especially enjoy the family relationships and domestic vignettes that are included, as recurring characters Mercy, Truman, Ollie, and Kaylie, her niece, navigate the joys and challenges of creating a strong blended family unit. The humanity elevates the story above an ordinary police procedural.
While this is the fifth in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend that you seek out the previous titles and immerse yourself in the unique settings and characters of this Oregon-centric series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Mercy, Truman and Co are back for some more small town suspense.

A body is found which echoes a cold case from 20 years before. Then 3 teenagers went missing, one was found dead and one was found almost dead. It's not really an FBI case but Mercy lends a hand to Detective Noelle Marshall of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s office.

A podcaster is the latest victim but it would seem he has links to the original missing teenagers. As the team uncover more similarities, another body is found. Are they taunting Mercy, Nicole and the other investigators or are they sending a message to the survivor of the original attack. A survivor who has no memory of the actual attack.

I love meeting up with Mercy - she's so calm, practical and capable. No jurisdiction wars for her. Truman is again a wonderful father-figure for Ollie, something he wants to make more permanent. Ollie may be slightly naïve due to his upbringing but he is such a talented tracker and just a downright decent human being. Noelle is a bit more of an unknown but she is a great cop and works well with Mercy and other law enforcement agencies.

There are lots of layers to the story including the ongoing establishment of a new family for Ollie, finding out his birth family details, solving murders and disappearances and uncovering simmering dark secrets. I love the descriptions of the remote area of Oregon where the action plays out.

There are some twists and turns and one of them gave me a deep sense of satisfaction. The MC's are likeable and believable. Looking ahead to the next book already!

Wow - I’ve enjoyed the previous Mercy Kilpatrick and Columbia River series books, but this one had a seriously twisted and unexpected storyline that I couldn’t figure out and I was here for it the whole way through! I love it when mystery /thriller writers can keep me on my toes guessing and second guessing the entire way through, figuring my theories are totally right just to only be slightly right about one tiny part of it and off on just about everything.

The clues were there but Elliot played them so well in this one that I’m sure a second reading would have me face-palming and saying “oh, of course” - even at the end I couldn’t believe I hadn’t figured certain things out correctly and had them backwards. I did guess one really big clue related to Truman’s son… (patting myself on the back for that one)!

But, this was definitely a head scratching mystery that went back 20 years to a cold-case when a new body turns up, murdered in the same way and location as a high school boy did back then, and another almost did but survived with brain damage, poor Devin. When it’s discovered the new body is a crime podcaster who went to school with the victims, and there were three other kids who were never seen again after that night, everything changes and a whole new can of worms opens up for the town, for Truman and Mercy and their family as they dig further. (Cue the dramatic music)

I completely loved the huge mystery and intrigue surrounding this case and highly recommended it to all! Knowing the background of the story (the family and area) would be useful but you can definitely read it as a standalone.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Montlake, and this is my honest feedback.

Book #5 in the Columbia River series featuring FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband Police Chief Truman Daly. Each book contains a central story that is solved and extends an over arcing story. They could be read as a stand alone but you'll miss the continuing story line. Kendra Elliot has a considerable fan club for her many series. She has developed a realistic communities and populated them with well developed characters that solve crimes with twists and turns that will not let you take a break. These are all binge worthy.

When a long cold case matches a current murder, this Columbia River team will use every skill and resource to find their killer.

A podcaster visiting the area disappears from his rental cabin in middle of the night, a trail of blood left behind. His body is found with his throat cut, on the bank of the Columbia River in the same place that the body of two teenage boys were found 20 years ago, their throats also cut. One of those boys, Devin Bonner, survived, but he doesn't remember anything, including what happened to the 3 friends that disappeared at the same time. When the podcaster's SUV is found outside Devin's home in Eagle's Nest, FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick, her husband, Police Chief Truman Daly, and Detective Noelle Marshall with Deschutes County Sheriff's department realize someone may be targeting Devin; has he started to remember the past? What happened to his friends? Suspenseful with a fast moving plot and strong, At the River is the 5th book in the Columbia River series but I think can be read as a standalone (although there are references to events in earlier books). The story kept me guessing and added in a couple of twists I didn't see coming, but my favorite thing about this series is the likeable characters and their strong interpersonal relationships.

This is book #5 in the Columbia River Series featuring FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband police chief Truman Daly. Murder investigation of a true-crime podcaster turns into an investigation of a 20 year old cold case.
The first half of the book felt a little slow, but the pace picked up nicely in the second half. The ending was breathtaking. There were couple of good twists, and I even guessed the last one. I really liked Mercy and Truman and their little found family. There was so much love and warmth in their interactions. It's refreshing to find a thriller where the main characters are actually happy in their lives.
I've not read the previous books in this series, but the author did a great job giving all the necessary background information. I don't feel like I missed anything. This book was actually so good that I want to read the series from the beginning.

Thank you Netgalley, Kendra Elliott, and Montlake for the ebook copy! This was a great detective mystery that had me guessing from the very beginning! Love Kendra's books!

A twisted mystery and cold case for FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick. She is called to the scene of a destroyed electrical substation and onto a call about a missing man, a true crime podcaster. He was delving into the case of five teens who had gone camping decades ago. Two of the teens were found in the river bed, one deceased and the other gravely injured and unable to recall what happened. The other three teens were never found. Mercy’s husband, Police Chief Truman Daly, is called to the scene of an abandoned car and finds the vehicle belonging to the murdered man. As Mercy and Detective Noelle Marshall pursue the case, they learn that the man was a classmate of the teens and hoped to solve the mystery. Truman’s ward and the young man he hopes to adopt, Ollie, has made friends with the surviving teen, Devin. When someone believes that Devin’s memories about the camping trip might be returning, then he must be eliminated. Can Mercy and Truman chase down the killers and end the threat before Ollie & Devin meet an unfortunate fate? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Mercy and Truman are back again! And what a story the author has created for them this time! One murder investigation of a podcaster leads to connections no one would see coming and will take them and their family on a journey full of danger and emotion. With Noelle along for the ride, Mercy and Truman will not stop until the truth is found, the whole truth, and their little family is safe.
We get to see some point of view from both of them, as well as Ollie and, of course, some unknowns, which just adds to the thrill the author creates with her stories!
Exciting, thrilling, and emotional, and I could not be more happy to be back with my favorite characters!

When a body is found at the same location 2 teens were found bound and left for dead 20 years ago FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband are wondering if the cases are connected. As the bodies mount, can they find the culprit before more murders. The action starts from the first page and doesn’t let up. There are a few twists at the end of the story. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

At the River is another fast paced mystery/detective thriller set in the PNW, and I loved it. A previously unsolved mystery with a current connection to a body found dead by the river. Three teenagers still missing after 20 years. A podcaster looking into the mystery. This book kept me guessing the entire time and was never dull. The twist at the end was great.
This is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. I loved Mercy Kilpatrick, and look forward to going back to learning her story, and look forward to what comes next.

Thank you to NetGalley for this early release in return for my honest opinion.

Pub Date: 13 Feb 2024

4.5⭐

At The River returns readers to Eagles Nest, Oregon and FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick, her husband police chief Truman Daly, niece Kaylie Kilpatrick and the young man who once saved Truman's life his ward Ollie Smith.

Who gets drawn into a gripping mystery when he stumbles across a distressed woman who has woken to find blood outside the cabin she is staying in and her husband and their car missing.

And Ollie immediately calls Truman for help.

But as the cabin is out of his jurisdiction stiction detective Noelle Marshall arrives to investigate and the investigation soon becomes mixed up with a cold case from twenty years ago. When five teenagers went camping only for two to turn up dead. On the side of the Colombia River. Which is where a body is found, and a connection is made.

And it's such a complex and compelling investigation.

That soon involves not only Noelle, Ollie and Truman but Mercy too.

And I loved revisiting these characters. Who are some of my favourite Kendra has written and with plenty of twists and a little danger too I was genuinely gripped throughout. So much so, I found it extremely hard to put down.

I would happily recommend At The River to all.

.At the River is the fifth book in the Columbia River series and the eighth book Mercy Kilpatrick. I love this series and the characters of Mercy, Rose, Truman, and Ollie. Each time I pick up a new book in the series it feels like coming home to family. They are warm and familiar, and you don't have to wonder how they fit into the story.

Truman has been trying to help Ollie find out who his parents are and not having a lot of success. Each time he thinks he might have the answers for him, he finds that he is no closer. Truman discusses with Mercy his desire to adopt Ollie in spite him being old enough to not need that. Mercy agrees he should bring it up and ask Ollie if he would like to be adopted.

Next up, Mercy gets a call to investigate the murder of a true-crime podcaster found at the river's edge. Unknown to her, five teenagers disappeared twenty years ago. Two turned up later, bound and left for dead in the same spot as the podcaster. One of the two, Devin Bonner, survived, but as with most trauma victims, has no memories of what happened in the Oregon forest. Devin’s nightmares have returned, and he is struggling to make sense of them. Ollie is a friend to Devin and steps up to help protect him from attacks that seem to have a message for Devin.

This story moves along at a face pace slowly building until the reveal. I suspected the murderers, but I didn't have it all. I really enjoyed the inclusion of face blindness for Devin. It added the perfect mystery as to why Devin seemed a little off to everyone that met him. I think this is another fantastic story for the series. I hope we are nowhere near being finished with stories to tell about Mercy and Truman.

Mercy and Truman are back. Things get very interesting right from the beginning. Ollie is one of my favorite characters and I enjoyed having so much of him on the pages. The mystery is compelling and kept me glued to my kindle. It was worth another sleepless night to see how things turned out. The ending was perfect!

Some characters stick with readers until the next book and others never leave. Truman and Mercy are the forever kind. Their story grows with each book from colleagues to spouses. Mercy even gained a valuable friendship while working this case and Ollie stepped up to assist a victim. A twenty year old cold case of missing teenagers resurfaced due to a nosy podcaster. The puzzle pieces eventually fall into place but, unless you catch references or the foreshadowing, the mystery twists and turns for a truly captivating story. Unless Elliot tires of these guys I could see the series as unending. Thanks to the publisher for my early copy, I have given my review voluntarily.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this brilliant book

its like coming home when you start reading a kendra elliot book... and man was this up there

20 years ago 5 teenagers went missing, two turned up both of them left for dead but only one survived ...nobody ever knew what had happened to the other 3

so when another body shows up in the exact same place as the two teenagers from 20 years ago with similar bindings could it really have something to do with the cold case from 20 years ago

oh man this storyline keeps you reading right till the end and the surprises dont stop till the last chapter, it was great to catch up with mercy and truman and to see how things have progressed for all of them

cant wait for the next book in this brilliant series

I love these characters! I liked the new character Noelle that was a bigger part of the story, but was so happy to get to revisit Truman, Mercy, Ollie and Kaylee. I like seeing Ollie grow up and am hoping we get more stories as he finds his way in the world. The story was over too fast because I really couldn't put the book down. The old mystery was very intriguing, and I love how the author resolved everything. I really didn't see that ending coming! I am already looking for more books in this series. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Wow! This book now lives rent-free in my head. I cannot get it out of my head now. I need more of Mercy Kilpatrick. This was beyond your average police procedural as it was more than just a police investigation. It was an extremely engrossing mystery with twists that you will give you whiplash. The secrets oozed from the pages as I frantically read and read until I finished it with a gaping jaw and sigh.

Two decades ago five teenagers went camping. By the end of the weekend, three had mysteriously disappeared never to be seen again. One was dead and one was left for dead. Somehow Devin Bonner survived that weekend, but he has no memories of what happened to him or his friends. Fast forward 20 years and a popular crime podcaster is now missing. Later than day, his body is found on the side of the river in the same fashion as the teenager was found 20 years ago. Someone wants the past to stay in the past. The similarities are too similar to ignore.

The mystery was intriguing and captivating. The characters are dynamic and relatable. FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband Police Chief Truman Daly along with other law enforcement work hard to solve this mystery. As they try to unlock the secrets that are hidden in Devin Bonner's mind, they realize this is mystery is more complex than they first realized.

I am literally awestruck at how good this book was. This was my first read by this author, but it will not be my last. I enjoyed the mystery and getting to know the characters, which were new to me. I think Truman Daly was my favorite character. He is true hero in blue, but he was a hero at home as well. His love and compassion for others was touching. He truly cared. If you enjoy a great mystery that will knock your socks off, you have found it in this one.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

OMG!!! Probably one of the best books I’ve read in a while. This is yet another example of what a phenomenal and talented writer Kendra Elliot is.

At The River is the fifth book in Kendra Elliot’s Columbia River series and the eighth book in her Mercy Kilpatrick series. The story is written in first person from the point of view of the heroine, FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick, the hero, Police Chief Truman Daly, as well as several of the secondary characters, their “son” Ollie and his friend Devon. These multiple view points help the suspense slowly build throughout the story as well as draw the reader deeper into the plot.

Twenty years have passed since Devon Bonner survived the brutal attacked that killed his friend and resulted in the disappear of three others. But FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her husband, Police Chief Truman Daly are tasked with re-examining the cold-case when a true-crime podcaster is found similar murdered in the same location at the river’s edge. Devon is haunted by strong emotions and nightmares of events he can’t remember, and while a friendship with Ollie, Truman’s “son” has helped him deal with the new challenges in his life, someone wants him dead. Will Mercy and Truman solve the mystery before Devon and Ollie step into the killer’s cross-hairs? Read it and find out!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced readers copy received from Netgalley.