"Shades of Mercy" by Bruce Borgos was an engaging and well-crafted read that truly held my attention. I found myself drawn into its world and the complex narrative from the very beginning.

Borgos excels at creating a compelling atmosphere, and in this book, the setting truly comes alive, adding significant depth to the story. The characters are nuanced and believable, making it easy to connect with their journeys and motivations. I particularly appreciated the way the plot unfolded, revealing layers of mystery and human emotion at a satisfying pace.

While the story presented its share of challenges and moral ambiguities, it navigated them with a thoughtful hand. There were moments of genuine surprise and strong emotional impact that elevated the reading experience. The writing is polished and descriptive, making it easy to visualize the scenes and feel immersed in the events.

Overall, "Shades of Mercy" is a strong entry from Bruce Borgos. It's a book that delivers on its promises, offering a rich and rewarding reading experience for those who appreciate character-driven narratives with a compelling storyline. I would certainly recommend it.

I won a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program and also received an ebook version through Netgalley (before I'd noticed the notification about the win through Goodreads). Ultimately I borrowed the audiobook through my library. This is my honest review.

I probably would not have finished this book as quickly as I did if I'd been reading with my eyeballs. I've found that I really struggle to enjoy books with seemingly perfect male action heroes because I can't help thinking about the double-standard that would apply if the character were a woman. However, Porter Beck isn't actually perfect and his position and skills were reasonably explained and connected. Also, Brinley is a badass woman with some serious skills of her own. But it could have taken me a while to get to that part of the story.

Other highlights of the story included Mercy, the teenage hacker chick who would probably also be awesome at chess. She seems to be 300 steps ahead of everyone else, except she can't predict every wild card.

Overall I give Shades of Mercy 3.8375 out of 5 stars and would definitely read more from this author.

I just wrapped up another thrilling chapter in Sheriff Porter’s adventures set in a small Nevada town, and I can’t help but rave about it! Borgos is quickly rising to the top of my list of favorite authors—not only because I call northern Nevada home, but because his writing style is simply captivating. The way he fleshes out his characters is impressive, and he has a knack for in-depth research that brings authenticity to his stories. Even the characters that seem unlikable have redeeming traits that can make you empathize with their dirty deeds and why they do what they do.

While you can dive into his books as standalone reads, each installment deepens your understanding of the characters and the sprawling county where the drama unfolds. In "Shades of Mercy," we’re thrown into a world of a ruthless cartel, fentanyl-laced drugs, intense gunfights, and a brilliant teenage hacker who finds herself in a precarious situation. If you’re in the mood for a compelling and fast-paced read, “Shades of Mercy” is an absolute must-add to your reading list!

My crush Porter Beck is back! Once again Bruce Borgos proves that I am right to have a crush on Beck.

Shades of Mercy starts with emotional pain as Beck tries to save a childhood friend from overdosing. It quickly moves on to the men in black coming to visit about a mysterious explosion that killed a prize bull. The killer? A drone that was hacked from someone nearby. What all of these things have in common is another childhood friend, but what Beck can’t figure out is how a kid is mixed up in all of this.

On top of this, Beck is struggling with retinitis pigmentosa. He’s going blind when it gets dark out. Though I would give anything to see him driving with night vision goggles, like a bat out of hell with Columbo growling at him. I’m chuckling now as I type this. Borgos has this ability that even when everything hits the fan with darkness, they manage to include a light scene to offset it.

The mystery is great. Beck knows who the culprits are right from the start and then it just becomes a matter of catching them. Unfortunately for Beck it’s a race against the men in black, spies, drug dealers, and the what not. It’s busy times in Nevada as a fire roars through the state closing in the small town.

The secondary cast is diverse. Borgos introduces a new possible love interest for Beck. Plus, we have a sapphic romance where the “bad” guy tries to change it all for love.

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? It was. I freaking love Porter Beck and I love this book. Shades of Mercy needs to be on your summer read list.

"In the usually quiet high desert of Nevada, Sheriff Porter Beck faces one of his greatest challenges—a series of unlikely, disturbing and increasingly deadly events of unknown origins."

When a rogue military drone blows up the prize bull of one of his county's richest ranchers, Porter Beck is confused. The military claims their drone was hacked but the only hacker with that kind of ability, is Mercy Vaughn. However, she is incarcerated at the secure Juvenile Detention Center with no access to electronics. When a second "autonomous" vehicle is hijacked, it becomes clear that the rancher is in the crosshairs. The final straw comes when the rancher's daughter disappears, and at the same time, so does Mercy.

While Beck and his 12 person department investigate these incidents, another childhood friend dies from drugs laced with fentanyl. Can Beck find the supply chain bringing the deadly drugs through his county and bring the missing girls home safe?

This is the second book in the Porter Beck series. Beck is smart, and raw. Former Army Intelligence, Beck knows his way around shadowy ops, so he recognizes something odd when he runs across it. Even though he is losing his eyesight, he sees things more clearly than most of the people who surround him.

I liked Burgos' characters in this story. Porter Beck, Charlie Blue Horse, Brinley Beck, Mercy Vaughn - all have stories to tell and all are integral to this one. I also liked that Porter didn't let his limitations stop him from doing his job.

This book reminded me a lot of the TV series, Longmire, with the gruff but super smart local sheriff who isn't afraid to take down anyone misbehaving in his county, even if it's a friend. I look forward to book 3, the Blue Horse.

I am sucker for small town sheriff's. Porter Beck has taken over the sheriff job from his dad. He and a small department cover a huge expanse of desert area in Nevada. It's usually pretty quiet.

Things heat up, though when locals start dying from opiod overdoses and a cow is exploded on a local farm. Porter and his team start diving in to both of these things and find out they are in deed intertwined. Porter is facing his own demons and is going blind. That does not stop him from digging right in to find out what's going on in his desert.

I didn't read the first in the series, and although I think it would have been helpful, I was able to figure things out well enough. The story has so many twists and turns it kept me on wanting to read and know more.

There were a lof of characters and at times, I had to stop reading to try to figure out who was who. Overall, really enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This was.. fine.. 🤷‍♀️ Nothing stands out really good or bad (which is an improvement over the first in the series lol!), but I keep reading the series apparently so must be something that works for me?

In the second installment of this series we find Sheriff Porter Beck faced with a case that has national and even international consequences. Butting heads with federal agents, navigating local politics and family relationships while foiling an international conspiracy is just another day in the life of Sheriff Beck.
I love this series! The characters are endearing and well rounded, the plot twisty, suspenseful and definitely not predictable. I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys police thrillers with action and some political conspiracies thrown in, Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this book.

Shades of Mercy: A Porter Beck Mystery by Bruce Borgos is a solid police procedural. Set in Nevada, a sheriff in a small police force quickly becomes involved in something much bigger. With cartels, a teen hacker, and murder, this book will keep readers’ attention. Mystery readers will really enjoy this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Next-Generation High Tech Thriller


This book literally starts of with a bang—a drone-mounted rocket launched during a teen’s birthday party at a ranch in the high desert of Nevada. It is up to ex-military officer turned small town sheriff, Porter Beck, to figure out why there is a dead prize bull at the ranch of one of his closest high school friends.

In this exciting and complex thriller, Borgos has brought police procedurals into a new age. He deftly handles the use of extremely complex technology, the hacking of a military drone, in a compelling and exciting story. His characters are also interesting and well developed—particularly teenage hacker, Mercy.

This is the second book in a series featuring Porter Beck. I had not read the first book and found it did not affect my reading experience. I do plan to read The Bitter Past since I enjoyed this one so much.

Shades of Mercy is a well-written, entertaining, quickly paced, police procedural, mystery thriller. The story has a likable and intelligent male protagonist, engaging secondary characters, a supportive canine, wit, a touch of humor, vividly described settings, murder, intrigue, suspense, secrets, action, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. This is the second entry in Mr. Borgos' outstanding Porter Beck series, and it can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

This is a crazy-good book starring famed Porter Beck as the crafty man he is, this time investigating a drone aircraft that can fly anywhere and is hijacked by an unknown person as it targets a lone bull. What??? Then we meet sixteen-year-old Mercy who is incarcerated, drug runners who are shipping fentanyl and guns, and the plot thickens! Fortunately Beck is a take-n0-prisoners guy who is smarter than anyone--especially the cartels!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

A well-crafted novel that delves deep into the human spirit, exploring themes of redemption, resilience, and the complexities of moral choices. Set against a Nevada backdrop, the story follows the journey of Mercy, whose struggles and triumphs are both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

This is the second in the book featuring Sheriff Beck and it did not disappoint - it is fast paced, well written and kept us guessing until the very end. The plot is well-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep readers on the edge of their seats, yet it never feels rushed or contrived.

One of the standout aspects of "Shades of Mercy" is its exploration of the gray areas of morality. Borgos does not shy away from presenting difficult situations and complex characters, forcing readers to confront their own beliefs and biases. This makes for a thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page is turned.

I hope that the series continues and that we see more of Sheriff Beck and his team!

St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Bruce Borgos provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley.

My first Porter Beck book. Beck, an intuitive cop is losing his eyesight. He, and sister Brin find themselves in the midst of a conspiracy. I got hooked early on. Strong characters and plot. Engaging from the start and with a satisfying ending.

This was an interesting read for me. First book by this author and I found it was a little hard to get into the story. I picked it up and put it down a lot. I didn't really relate to the characters and wasn't sure where the story would go. Its a personal thing that I wasn't interested in the hacking which is a large portion of the story.

Having said that the last 30% of the story is where all the action happens and the writing is brilliant. Here I was enthralled with the characters and genuinely cared what happened to them. There was lots of action and excitement.

Which makes it hard to review. Was reading the first 70% worth it to get to the last 30? I don't know. Would I recommend this one? Probably not but I would pick up another story from this author as the ending was great!

A good thriller with some twists and a fast pace.

This is the second book in the Porter Beck series but I read it as a standalone and don't feel like I missed anything by not reading the first book.

Lots of action and suspense and also lots of characters and other stuff going on throughout the story. Sometimes it was a little hard to keep everything straight but it all came together in the end.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Bruce Borgos for the ARC.

I approached this story with no expectations, but I was hooked from the very beginning. So much happens quickly, and I found myself on the edge of my seat. The characters were interesting; some were relatable, while others were quite insufferable. The story is written incredibly well, with vivid descriptions that linger in my mind, making me try to recall scenes as if from a movie. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and plan to read more.

This book is being voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and Bruce Borgos.

I honestly should have read book 1 first BUT I didn't that being said...

It was ok....I'd still recommend this book for people that like police procedural books but I'm not sure if this was for me.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for letting me read this book

A very interesting read. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book. It wasn't really for me, but I am sure that it will be loved by the right audience.

Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos is a compelling and atmospheric crime thriller that blends elements of suspense, mystery, and deep character study. Set in the rugged backdrop of a small Nevada town, the novel follows Deputy Sheriff Mercer as he uncovers the secrets surrounding the murder of a local woman. Borgos masterfully weaves a narrative full of twists and red herrings, keeping readers on their toes throughout the investigation.

What stands out most in Shades of Mercy is the richly developed characters. Mercer, with his flaws and inner turmoil, feels incredibly real, and his relationship with the town’s residents—both allies and suspects—adds layers to the story. The small-town setting plays a crucial role in creating an atmosphere of isolation and distrust, and Borgos uses it to his advantage to heighten the tension.

While the pacing is generally solid, there are moments where the plot slows down, particularly in the middle of the book. Some readers might find these slower sections a bit tedious. However, the thrilling climax and resolution make up for any pacing lulls.