Series review: I've read all the books in this series and enjoyed them all. Recommended for most mystery readers. These books nicely fit between cozies and harsher grittier books. The mysteries are good, I like the relationships Mercy has with her friends and family.

"A Merciful Fate," book 5 of Kendra Elliot's Merciful Series that centers on FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick. This might book 5, but don't worry, every book in the series is a standalone so you can jump in anytime. In "A Merciful Fate," Mercy Kilpatrick has to solve a 30-year-old armored-car robbery that turned deadly.

Failure is not an option for Kilpatrick because if she did, people she loves and cares for would die. A fascinating read to say the least. “A Merciful Fate” an adrenaline rush and with so many twists and turns, it is easy to second-guess yourself on whodunit.

A great read!

A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written. Great novel!!

It’s another murder mystery to solve for FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick, but this time it strikes too close to home. An old murder, a possible connection to the biggest bank robbery in the last thirty years and secrets in the small town that both Mercy and Truman love will take a toll in the relationships both of them have built. The more they try to solve the mystery, the more of their friends and neighbors starts getting hurt. Now they both have to trust their instincts to find the killer before more of their loved ones gets hurt.
Most of the time when a series featuring a single character as a major figure, there is a tendency that it becomes repetitive but in the case of Kendra Elliot’s Mercy Kilpatrick it just seems everything remains interesting and fresh. It probably is because it has that perfect blend of high suspense with a small town flavor. It doesn’t hurt that there is a central romance as well that grounds it and makes it emotional as well. A Merciful Fate is definitely a page turner making fans happy with the way it unfolds and probably make new fans of the series as well.

Great book. I love Mercy and Truman working together. I liked the bigger role of the supporting characters in this book. I hope to see more of them in future books.

Mercy Kilpatrick is an awesome, bad ass female character. I find her "prepper" lifestyle so interesting. I also love the characters that support her.

A Merciful Fate was another fantastic addition to the Mercy Kilpatrick series with an intriguing case for Mercy that I thoroughly enjoyed.

For FBI agent and survivalist Mercy Kilpatrick, her getaway in the Cascade Foothills is her sanctuary. But when a skeleton is found in those same woods, and that skeleton provides the first lead in thirty years from an unsolved armored-car robbery, Mercy knows those weekends away are on hold while she's looking at the biggest case of her career. As Mercy begins her investigation, it becomes clear that someone in Eagle's Nest is not who they claim to be. After someone starts coming after those involved in the investigation, Mercy knows she needs to catch the perpetrators before someone is killed.

The robbery investigation was incredibly interesting and one of my favorite cases that Mercy has worked on in this series. With the robbery taking place thirty years ago, Mercy had to come at this case from a different angle as there was very little new information outside of the discovery of the skeleton. I enjoyed watching her change her investigative style to suit the case as it definitely reinforced how great she is at her job. While Mercy is dealing with the robbery, Truman is dealing with multiple vandalism incidents involving two women in town. As the book goes on, there are ultimately connections between the two cases and I enjoyed getting to see Mercy and Truman work together. I have to admit I was surprised by who ended up being involved in the robbery, but I liked how the author built up to the reveal.

Mercy continues to grow in this book and I liked how she's become more open and accepting of having others in her life. Her relationship with Truman continues to be fantastic and I love how far the pair have come from their first meeting. I was very happy to see more of Ollie in this book as I really enjoyed his character in the last book. It's interesting watching Ollie adjust to his new life and I love how much he's come to consider Truman and Mercy his family.

Overall A Merciful Fate was just as amazing as the rest of the series and I'm looking forward to the release of the next book later this year. I highly recommend this series if you're looking for some great romantic suspense.

I have loved the previous four books in the Mercy Kilpatrick series, however, it took me quite awhile to get through this one. This story was just not very interesting to me and it felt slow and overly wordy. I do look forward to reading the next book in this series as I'm still loving Mercy and Truman and hope this wedding happens.

FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick finds bones in her one safe haven. The bones are connected to an old notorious heist. Thirty years ago an armored car turned deadly. The mastermind was captured and four conspirators escaped. One of them never made it out alive. Mercy and her fiancé have to figure out who the other players are in the heist before it's too late. This book had so many twists and turns. I had a hard time putting the book down.

Kendra Elliot brings us another chapter in the life and times of Mercy Kilpatrick. Mercy has had so many twists and turns in her own life that it's no wonder she can figure out mysteries the way she does. Kendra Elliot has drawn Mercy's character and her life so well that we feel as if we're right there with her as she digs a little deeper to find the truth. This is book 5 in this series, but it's a great story all on it's own. Reading the jacket cover will set the scene for you, but you'll never believe where the story takes you. If you have not read any Mercy Kilpatrick stories, I feel sorry for you.

I've read every one of this series' installments to date, and I've had my ups and downs with them, but I have to say that they are a suspenseful and enjoyable read for me. This installment is a good one, I have to admit, and more than a few secrets are revealed by the end of it!

I loved the twists and turns this took! The book focused on the small town relationships, and how Mercy was fitting into them, despite her job as an FBI agent. I also liked that there wasn't a lot of overlap between Mercy's case and Truman's until the very end of the book. I especially loved the growth that was shown by Mercy's father. It really makes me hopeful for a reconciliation between them in the future!

For me, this wasn't really a standalone book, but it definitely built on what came before in the series, and I am very eager to see where things go from here!

***I received an ebook copy from the publisher in at no cost***

This book is part of Elliott's Mercy Kilpatrick series, but you don't need to read all of the books to be able to understand things. It can be read as a standalone.

This was a fantastic suspense read! I loved that there was a bank heist involved in the book, because those are some of my favorite plots to read. The author did a great job of bringing on the mystery and the suspense in this one. I was glued to my kindle, anxiously awaiting what was coming every time I got to the next page.

I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters. There's a rapport that's clearly been established in previous books, which has now left me feeling the need to go back and start at the beginning. Everything was written so vividly I felt like I was living inside the novel.

Mercy was a bit much at times, but I liked her as a character overall. Elliott has created an amazing cast of characters, and even though the book followed a central plot, each of the characters had unique things going on in his/her life that only added to the excitement.

Give this one a go if you like suspense, mystery, and crime type books.

Four stars to this novel!

FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick has been through so much in the last year my head is starting to spin. Poor girl needs a break! While I understand the need for constant turmoil to make the series continue, her relatives and loved ones must all be fretting at this point and wondering when it's going to be their turn to get shot, raped, abducted or killed! All kidding aside, this is another great installment in the series. While I suppose you could read this as a standalone, there is so much history now with the characters that it makes more sense to start from the begging so you can understand everything that is going on. This time around, Mercy is investigating a thirty-year-old armored-car robbery after the body of one of the robbers turns up. Throw in a tabloid reporter who is nosing around the story, a creepy guy in prison a la Hannibal Lecter (minus the eating people part I guess), an abusive ex who's intent on making his wife pay, and a case of mistaken identity whereby one of Mercy's loved ones gets shot, and you have yourself another fine Eastern Oregon mystery.

This is the 5th book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series - Mercy a Special Agent with the FBI brings a totally different perspective to the FBI agent norm because of her 'Prepper' upbringing.

This books starts with the discovery of a skeleton found in an abandoned cabin - it turns out that the skeleton has a link to a notorious bank robbery , the Gamble-Helmet Heist , 30 years ago . With the assistance of one of the original FBI agents , Art Juergen, who led the original investigation Mercy tries to trace the other three remaining gang members .
Meanwhile, there's other trouble in Eagle's Nest......, with two women experiencing malicious damage. Sandy Foster's bed-and-breakfast was targeted by a vandal who broke car windows in her parking lot and spray painted profanity on her wall..... and Bree Ingram's pickup truck and stable doors were defaced by large red X's . Chief Daly and his detectives look into these incidents - unsure whether they are pranks or threats.
However Mercy and Truman start to think that these events - the discovery of the body and the vandalism - may be more than coincidental.. Another twist in the tale is the ambitious young reporter ,Tabitha Huff , who seemed to appear before the corpse identification became public knowledge , getting underfoot along the way.
The cases become more dangerous and intertwined ……….leading to more death and violence .
This is another fast paced thriller with a plot that throws up twists and surprise along the way ……...until finally the killer is found .

I find this series along with Mercy and Truman's evolving relationship a must read .
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Love Kendra Elliot books. Great psycholigical thriller that I can recommend to other teachers, families and more “grown up” students.

In this fifth outing of the Mercy Kilpatrick series, Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is pulled into an infamous bank robbery from thirty years ago. When a skeleton found in an abandoned cabin in the woods turn out to belong to one of the robbers, it is Mercy's job to see if she can finally solve the mystery of what happened to the rest of the gang and the money. Just as Mercy starts re-investigating the robbery with the help of the original FBI agent on the case, a young tabloid reporter shows up in Eagle’s Nest asking questions that are threatening long buried secrets. Who contacted her and brought her to Eagle's Nest. There also appears to be someone else around vandalizing property and making threats. Does it relate to the case or is it something else entirely?

I enjoyed this latest outing in this series. It will appeal to so many with its mix of genres from Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Suspense, and/or thriller. Reader be warned, this series needs to be read in order. Each book builds on the character development and situations from the previous story. I love the characters in this series. Mercy is tough and stubborn as well as having a hard time opening up to others. She is a solitary person, except, Truman is changing her. Truman is the local sheriff and they have saved one another on countless occasions. I love how Mercy and Truman’s relationship is slowly developing. Mercy is learning to balance their relationship with her ingrained prepper beliefs. All of the secondary characters are important to this story development as well. They are becoming fleshed out and are important in helping Mercy learn to trust. The unsolved robbery is an interesting storyline that plays out well in the story. There were several twists, which was to be expected, that built suspense and had me on the edge of my seat. The final reveal of who was involved in both storylines surprised me, but in hindsight, it fit the story well. The story was fast paced and had me racing through this one in one day. I definitely recommend this one to those who enjoy mystery, romantic suspense, and police/enforcement stories. The publisher, Montlake Romance, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

In this 5th book in the 'Mercy Kilpatrick' series, the FBI agent investigates a decades old armored car robbery. The book can be read as a standalone.

For those not familiar with the series: Mercy Kilpatrick grew up in a prepper family in Eagle's Nest, Oregon but she fell out with her kinfolk and left.

After becoming an FBI agent Mercy returned to Eagle's Nest, where she works in the local FBI office and solves crimes with her partner, Eddie Peterson. Mercy is now on good terms with her mom and siblings, but still has a difficult relationship with her dad.

Mercy is engaged to Police Chief Truman Daly, and they sometimes collaborate on cases.

*****

As the story opens, a skeletonized body is found in an isolated shack in the Eagle's Nest woods along with empty money sacks from a 30-year-old armored-car robbery.

The holdup, called the 'Gamble-Helmet Heist', resulted in the death of a guard and the arrest of a perp named Shane Gamble - but four gang members got away with the cash. One robber, Ellis Mull, didn't get far though, because it's his body in the shack, and he's been dead for decades - shot in the head.

Mercy Kilpatrick and Eddie Peterson get the Ellis Mull case and consult with Art Juergen, the FBI agent who led the original investigation three decades ago. Art is retired now, but he's more than willing to lend a hand. For the most part, the FBI agents are trying to trace the three remaining gang members, identified as Nathan May, Trevor Whipple, and a driver known only as Jerry.

Meanwhile, there's other trouble brewing in Eagle's Nest, with two women experiencing malicious mischief. Sandy Foster's bed-and-breakfast was targeted by a vandal who broke car windows in her parking lot and spray painted profanity on her wall; and Bree Ingram's pickup truck and stable doors were defaced by large red X's. Chief Daly and his detectives look into these incidents - unsure whether they are pranks or threats.

Mercy and Truman think the confluence of these events - the discovery of the body and the vandalism - may be more than coincidental....and a reporter seems to agree with them. To Mercy's chagrin, an ambitious young journalist called Tabitha Huff is determined to write about the corpse related to the Gamble-Helmet Heist. So Tabitha stalks people who have information about Ellis Mull.....and interviews Sandy and Bree about the sabotage.

All this leads to violence and death before the various cases are solved.

Other characters that add interest to the story include Lucas - Sandy's son, who works for the Police Department; Rose - Mercy's blind sister, who's engaged and about to have a baby; Karl - Mercy's father, who (reluctantly) helps out in a pinch; Kaylie - Mercy's pretty teenage niece, who works in a coffee shop; Ollie - Truman's teenage ward, who has a crush on Kaylie; and Shep - Ollie's dog.

I enjoyed the mystery, which has an interesting plot and provides a peek into the prepper community.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Kendra Elliott) and the publisher (Montlake Romance) for a copy of the book.

Received from NetGalley
Completed 1/30/19
359 page ebook

Kendra Elliot is one of my automatic read authors. Doesn't matter what it's about or what the setting is, I'm going to read it.

This is the 5th book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series, an FBI agent and prepper. While not my favorite of Kendra's characters, I do really like Mercy and Truman especially. In this book, they are on the trail of a decades old mystery, a robbery in which part of the gang got away and weren't found. In addition there were random acts property destruction and it seemed like everyone in town was keeping secrets.

This was a really good story, that actually kept me guessing. Usually I know who did what early on, so its always a nice surprise when I'm surprised by the outcome of the story. In this one, half the town seemed to be involved in one way or the other, with all the in and outs of everything that was happening. It's a small town community that pulls together to help one of their own.

Highly recommended for fans of romantic suspense. Not recommended as a stand alone, definitely read the series in order as all the major players grow from book to boo and you meet new people in new books along the way. Kendra is a great author, so check any of her books out today!

Setting = A+
Plot = A
Conflict = B+
Characters = A
Theme = A

Kendra Elliot is an amazing writer...no doubt about it! Read this book for the pure pleasure of following Truman and Mercy's relationship amidst decades long secrets and death. The art of keeping a series interesting and invigorating with two main protagonists is not easy as well as keeping the plot of the story just as spellbinding is not an easy task, and Kendra does that with great mastery.

Another feather in Kendra Elliot's cap!