Review of A Merciful Silence by Kendra Elliot

In this Wall Street Journal bestseller, FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick must unlock the mystery of a mass murder, and the secrets of its silent witness… 
For Mercy Kilpatrick, returning to rural Oregon has meant coming to terms with her roots. Raised as a prepper, Mercy is now relying on her survivalist instincts to defend her town from the people the law can’t reach. But this time, an investigation calling up a dark past for her and police chief Truman Daly may be hitting too close to home.
A rainstorm has uncovered the remains of five people—a reprise of the distinctive slaughter of two families twenty years ago. Except the convicted killer is in prison. Is this the case of a sick copycat, or is the wrong man behind bars? One person might have the answer. The lone survivor of the decades-old crimes has returned to town still claiming that she can’t remember a thing about the night she was left for dead. As the search for the truth becomes more dangerous, Mercy fears that the traumatized woman may not have buried her memories at all. She might be keeping them a secret. And there’s a price to be paid for revealing them.

Available on Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited, with audio included.

As with the first three books in this series, I listened to the audio version that came with the Kindle Unlimited purchase of this book.

• Listening Length: 9 hours and 15 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt

Another high quality narration provide by Teri Schnaubelt.  My audio rating from Book 1 holds true for this book as well.  I only noticed one blip in the audio where it did not sync with the text.

Book 4 in the Mercy Kilpatrick Books is another well-plotted, intricately paced, intriguing addition to the series.

I love how Kendra Elliot weaves the romance story between Truman and Mercy into the fabric of the mystery narrative. It’s never over done but always just the right touches here and there. The continuity and evolution of their relationship is enjoyable to read and really marks the progression of the series.

Each book brings in new anecdotes about sovereign citizens. They could be funny to an extent but the gravity of the situation is also brought home. Additionally, the author covers some of the dangers law enforcement officials face when dealing with routine business through Truman’s work activities.

They mystery to be solved is one that involves identifying a serial killer of entire families and understanding the motives behind the attacks. It is a tough story to read at times, especially as a few of the descriptions are a bit more on the graphic side. This is a suspense genre not a cozy. The breadcrumb trail of clues are carefully laid, some discoveries are meant to throw you off the correct track, and a couple of twists and turns remind regular readers of the series why we keep coming back for more. 

One of my favourite parts of this story is the introduction of Ollie. His disadvantages, spunk and determination make him a perfect addition to the characters we already enjoy. 

I’m hoping to get more detail and evolution in the relationship between Mercy and her father by the next story, however. It’s slowly coming and there are continued efforts on that front through each book.

Overall I fully enjoyed this story and look forward to continuing the series.

Give this mystery 4.5/ 5 espresso shots.

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