He's back! Sheriff Porter Beck returns in the follow up to Bruce Borgos's thrilling debut, "The Bitter Past", and this time he's embroiled in a cornucopia of events that, while on the surface seem to be unconnected, have a surprising confluence.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review "Shades Of Mercy" in return for a fair and honest review.
Well, Sheriff Beck is still on the job, but under no illusions that his time may be fast approaching: his Retinitis Pigmentosa (which results in almost total night blindness and diminished vision overall) is progressing; and he's continuing to deal with his father (the former Sheriff) and his dementia.
It's a fairly quiet time in the high desert of Nevada, but in rapid succession one childhood friend is the latest to succumb to a new wave of particularly strong illegal opioids, and another childhood friend—now an enormously successful rancher—is targeted by a military drone, hacked and commandeered by an unknown source, resulting in the rather spectacular death of a prized bull.
It appears that the hacker - one Mercy Vaughn (the inspiration for the book's title) - has mad computer and hacking skills, and a hate-on for Jesse Roy (the man who married Porter Beck's now-deceased childhood sweetheart), the rancher and father of Shiloah, Ms Vaughn's friend. Oh, did I mention that she's a teenager? And she's been held responsible for a massive hack of the Federal Reserve? And that she communicates with Sheriff Beck?
This one is firmly set in the present and combines a number of issues: illicit drugs, drug cartels, gun running, murder, Chinese espionage and religious persecution.
The twists and turns of this incredibly suspenseful book kept me turning page after page, and even at the end I was left wondering 'what the heck even happened here?' - but in a good way.
You can read this one as a standalone, but I would highly recommend that you go back to the beginning (The Bitter Past) to properly understand the past with an eye to the future.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

“Shades of Mercy” is the second installment of the Porter Beeck series starring our intrepid sheriff, Porter Beck and his cohorts. The story takes place several months after “The Bitter Past” and Porter’s Retinitis Pigmentosa continues to worsen leaving him, for all practical purposes, night blind. However, with the help of technologically advanced eye goggles, he is able to make out shapes enough to get by. This time around, Beck is challenged by the drug overdose death of one of his oldest friends and the real possibility that it is as the result of drug trafficking by the other of his oldest friends. Add into the mix, the Mexican drug cartel, Chinese secret agents, and a teenage wonder computer hacker all gathered in the desert of Montana and you have the gist of “Shades of Mercy.”
The characters are extremely fleshed out with the good and the bad which makes for an excellent read. Sometimes, the similes go a bit overboard, but it’s easy to overlook those or just smile and read on. It is clear that Mr. Borgas had some serious research to get through for this novel and it adds much to the depth of the story. I wish we had seen more of Beck’s father, but there is undoubtedly more story to tell and we will await it with baited breath. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

It was a richly crafted book that was engaging and well thought out . I felt the plot was propulsive and the setting was engaging and played in perfectly with the narrative
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

The first title in this series, THE BITTER PAST, was absolutely terrific, one of the best mystery-thrillers I've read in years. SHADES OF MERCY fails to reach the same high standard that Bruce Borgos set for himself there..

The good: wonderful characters so beautifully drawn that they pull you in and hold you; vivid settings that become almost a character in themselves; and some really extraordinary writing.

The bad: the narrative that binds all those wonderful characters, great settings, and terrific writing together turns too often on coincidence and improbability; it's littered with silly plot holes sufficiently annoying to keep pulling you out of the story; and it has a painfully elongated ending which included a epilogue that was like the family dinner in ‘Blue Bloods,’ a neat reprise and wrap up for anyone whose attention might have wandered, and a clunky set up for next week’s episode.

The weak narrative felt like something that might have been rushed to get another book out quickly in order to capitalize on the success of the first title in the series. And that's a shame. These characters deserve so much better, and Bruce Borgos is undoubtedly a far better writer than this.

This series could be one of the great ones, if the publisher doesn't louse it up by pressing to get books out more quickly than they're ready. Maybe next time, huh?

This is the 2nd Porter Beck novel, and the 2nd I've read from the author.. I loved the first one, and I loved this. I could identify with the main character, who showed brains, humor and resourcefulness. The Nevada setting was rich and contributed to the story of a teenage hacker, a Mexican drug cartel and a crooked cattle rancher. The supporting characters were vibrant and well-defined. I can't wait for the next installment.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.