Bruce Borgos (https://bruceborgos.com) is the author of four novels. Shades of Mercy was published last July. It is the 71st book I completed reading in 2024.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence and mature language, I categorize this novel as R.

Sheriff Porter Beck serves in a large county in the high desert of Nevada. Most recently he has been dealing with a flood of opioids into his county. He has even lost one of his childhood friends to the drug in recent days.

Things take a turn for the unusual when another of Beck’s childhood friends, Jesse Roy, is attacked at his remote ranch. What makes it so remarkable is that the attack was by a hacked military drone. Evidence indicates that the hacker was local, but few in the county have skills even remotely approaching what was required. The only one who comes close is Mercy Vaughn. She is a teenage girl currently held at a local secure juvenile detention center with no computer access.

During the investigation, hidden guns are found in a truck owned by Jesse Roy and headed to Mexico. It is not in itself a crime, but Roy has had visitors to the ranch tied to the drug cartels. This raises many questions with Beck about his old friend.

Unknown to Beck and the intelligence community, a Chinese intelligence agent is in the area posing as a tourist. He too issearching for the hacker and is willing to do anything to find them. Beck and his team encounter a Chinese sniper, Mexican drug cartel thugs, and a betrayal from within.

Teen Shiolah Roy has been volunteering at the juvenile detention center where Mercy is living. She comes to Beck’s attention because it was at her 17th birthday party that the drone attack occurred. During her time at the detention center, she and Mercy have become friends. When Mercy disappears, Beck fears the worst, and their hunt for the girl becomes critical. By this time, US intelligence is also hunting for Mercy.

Will Mercy be found? Exactly what has Jesse Roy been up to? Why are the Chinese interested in this young hacker? Why is US intelligence so interested in the case?

I enjoyed the 12+ hours I spent reading this 344-page thriller. I earlier had the opportunity to read the first novel in this series The Bitter Past. Both novels have been excellent mysteries. The plot in this novel is complex, with more than one thread. Not all is what it first appears to be. I give this novel a rating of 4.2 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

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SHADES OF MERCY by author Bruce Borgos is the 2nd book in the Porter Beck series that follows the life and career of the Nevada sheriff after the life changing affects of what he learned in the previous story involving his father, and his hidden secret of the progressive degenerative disease that will likely result in total blindness.

Porter becomes involved in a case that involves a friend from his younger days who appears to be involved in a crime involving opioids and resulted in a death of a friend of both of them and Porter has the unenviable task of investigating the case with the knowledge that it may result in the conviction and imprisonment of his financially successful friend, and could also endanger his life as well as his family and those who work for him.

Can Porter be successful and solving the crime that includes the dangers involved with anything involving a cartel as powerful as the one he’s up against, and can he and others in his life find safety and avoid the long reaching arm of the cartel as well as sparing his former friend and their family from what would seem to be certain death and torture?

Another well written book by the author of this series, and I look forward to the next book in this series.

5 stars.

In Shades of Mercy, we're back with Sheriff Porter Beck in his small town in Nevada.

This time, Porter has to find a computer hacker for the Feds while also trying to shut down the fentanyl ring overtaking his jurisdiction, losing a friend in the process.

Porter's sister Brinley has a much bigger part in this book, which was a nice addition to the cast of characters. A fearless badass, Brin isn't afraid to get into the thick of it, and Porter can use all the help he can get while most of his team is out helping with forest fires.

Beck thinks a teenager incarcerated at the Youth Center may be behind the hacking of federal drones, and she soon becomes an important part of his investigation. When Porter starts tying the drugs and the hacking together, he knows that Mercy is the only one who can help him...and she's missing. Have the Feds taken her because of her hacking abilities? Did the Chinese man that Beck ran into kidnap her for his own reasons? Or is she just running, knowing there are people looking for her?

Like the first book in the series, it was a fast-paced action-fueled read. Borgos weaves an intricate story of drugs, betrayal, and cybercrime, while keeping the characters as human as possible. They aren't all infallible, and Porter especially, isn't perfect.

All in all, a great addition to the series. If you enjoy a good suspense with interesting characters, then this is for you!

Thank you to @Minotaur_Books and @NetGalley for a digital and physical copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

Shades Of Mercy
By Bruce Borgos
Review and Rating 3⭐️

I have to admit this is not the type of novel I would typically read but it sounded interesting so I decided to give the ARC a try. I mean the Nevada desert, computer hackers, opioids, and drones, all in one story. It started out a little slow but after that it got going and turned into a good read. I have never read Bruce Borgos before but I really liked his writing. This would be great for fans of J. A. Jance. 3 ⭐️




I want to thank St. Martin’s Press and #NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.


Book Rating Key
⭐️ Not Recommended
⭐️⭐️ Readable Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Near Perfect Book
***Note*** I seldom give ⭐️or ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ratings. If I feel a book is a ⭐️sometimes I just prefer to not finish reading it and not rate it. As for 5 ⭐️books, I think of those as books I would want to take with me to a deserted island 🏝️, and this means I read a whole lot of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️star books. Happy Reading!

Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos

This is book 2 series which features Sheriff Porter Beck.

It is set in the high desert of Nevada north of Las Vegas.

I love police procedural mystery thrillers that have likeable characters and this was to be right up my alley.

If you like
- [ ] Crime fiction
- [ ] Computer hackers
- [ ] Old friendships gone wrong
- [ ] Murder and mystery
then you will enjoy this read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Minotaur books for the e-book copy.

This was published July 16, 2024

It's a thrilling mystery that you can just hop right into. Porter Beck is the small-town Sheriff that you want on your side. From beginning to end, this book was packed with mystery and action, and as a first-time reader, I will now be a long-time fan. I am looking forward to seeing where the next Porter Beck installment will take us.

Wow! This book will pull you in right from the beginning.

Drop into another thrilling case with Sheriff Beck, and get ready for twists and turns that you will not see coming. From a teenage computer genius, to an old friend with something to hide, this mystery will wring your emotions in all directions.

I am behind in my reviewing and this book has sat in my read folder since the summer. I see my note "Unlikely but fun" but I find I can't remember the book at all, even when I read reviews written by others. This doesn't speak well for the book. I suggest that it's a quick read for a vacation or airplane ride but that you shouldn't expect too much from it.

I enjoyed the overall story and pace of this book. It kept me engaged the entire time. I can't wait to read more by this author!

Wow! I need to read the 1st book in this series. Action packed from beginning to end. Loved the characters (most of them)....and the story just makes you not want to stop reading. It definitely plays into subjects going on in the world right now with the opiod/fentanyl crisis.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this ARC for an honest opinion.

Good thrillers follow a pattern. Excellent thrillers lead to a line of readers looking for the author's next novel.

Borgos is excellent. He continues to excite the reader with plots that are current, laced with wry observations from our lead, Porter Beck, all while showcasing a beautiful section rural Nevada. Beyond our protagonist, Borgos introduces a secondary character, Mercy Vaughn. Mercy, who I hope will become a Watson to Porter's Sherlock, is a hacker of great skill, and is currently in Juvie.

The plot is complex, involving opioid smuggling, cattle mutilation, Mexican cartels and as mentioned, our hacker. Through all of this, Porter is conflicted as most of the action comes back to one of his childhood friends. Tap dancing between a recalcitrant federal government, and a friend who seems to have a case of 'nothing to see here move on' Porter's choices become more taught as the story progresses. This is a stay up all night, call in sick to finish thriller. I am so glad Book 3 will be released very soon

Full disclosure: I received this ARC from netgalley and MacMillan in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity.
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This book was good but got off to a slow start. Once it got started it was captivating. Porter is determined to figure out how everything connects with overdoses and a former good friend and an unknown email.

If you like fast paced, action packed, drug smuggling, juvenile tech crime, international operatives and more, this one is for you. I read this as a stand alone not knowing it was second in a Nevada Sheriff Porter Beck series. It was very easy to follow with enough information not to leave the reader feeling that they were missing something. A little too graphic for my friends and family but a definite read for the lovers of action. This ARC was provided by St Martin’s Press publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a strong second book in the series. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Sherriff Porter Beck is at it again. Lincoln County, Nevada is normally a quiet place but when an explosion happens on a ranch that looks like it was a targeted air strike, Beck is on the case. He now has a seeing eye dog companion as he is losing his eyesight, but he is still twice the intuitive cop as the others. As he deals with losing citizens to a drug problem, the suspiciously wealthy ranch who is being targeted, a teen hacker, secretive Federal Agents, Mexican drug runners, and a Chinese spy and hitman, Beck must figure out how the pieces of this mystery fit together and save himself and his staff and sister from danger.

I really like these desert-set mysteries and my main complaints about the first one seem to have been fixed (some odd but rampant sexism). I love the rural Nevada settings and the crazy "coming at you from all sides" storylines. These are quick mysteries to read with a satisfying ending.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos is a must-read that will captivate you from the very first page. Borgos, an author who truly deserves more recognition, has crafted a story that is both gripping and unforgettable.

The novel centers on Sheriff Porter Beck, a determined lawman facing the challenges of a degenerative illness. His unwavering resolve and straightforward approach are truly admirable. Beck’s sister, with her courage and determination, adds another layer of depth to the story. The community’s steadfast support for their sheriff, always ready to lend a hand, is both touching and integral to the plot.

The book features several graphic and intense scenes, but they are essential to the storyline and never feel gratuitous. Borgos strikes a perfect balance, incorporating just enough technology to intrigue without overwhelming the reader.

One of the most thrilling aspects is the raging fire that threatens the team. This, combined with the presence of some dubious characters, creates a tense and suspenseful atmosphere as they work to rescue those in over their heads.

I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book, The Blue Horse, expected in the summer of 2025. If it’s anything like Shades of Mercy, it promises to be another enthralling read.

This was a great story. I loved the characters and the tale itself was exciting and mysterious. Porter Beck is the sheriff of a small desert town. His rancher friend had an expensive bull killed by a drone and Porter investigates how that could happen. How would a military drone go rogue? Porter finds Mercy, a girl who is a hacker who lives in a juvenile detention center, but is friends with the rancher's daughter. Things get complicated! The mystery is fun to unravel and the characters in this book are fantastic. I hope there will be more Porter Beck books. Beck knows his county and its people well. He has an issue with his eyesight, in that he is gradually losing his night vision. But, he gets help in many ways. This book stands alone. You don't have to have read the first one in the series to understand any of the plot in this one. But, now that I have been introduced to the character, I want to read the rest of the series. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Out now! Thank you to the publisher for the early copy to read and review. After reading The Bitter Past I knew I wanted more of Sheriff Beck.

I did a reread of the first Porter Beck book in anticipation of this one. It was totally not needed, FYI. You can go into this one without reading The Bitter Past and miss nothing at all. (But, I honestly just really like that book so it wasn't wasted time).

This gets really twisted really fast. There are several deaths (of people and cows) in the first few chapters to really get things going. There's a rogue RPA, there's some drugs, there's a group that wants to storm Area 51; this book has a lot going on but it comes together well. I love Borgos's writing. I love the characters. This got wild but wrapped up nicely.

Wow the world building blew my away. The book surpassed my expectations. The character development was very well done from start to finish.

Another enjoyable read from Bruce Borgos. I've really enjoyed both books in the Porter Beck series. They have enjoyable characters, great story/plot, and great pacing. Couldn't put it down. Can't wait for the next book in the series.