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Mercy Gunderson Mystery #3
Merciless
Torn between her duties to the FBI and her need to keep her loved ones safe, former black-ops army sniper Mercy Gunderson must unleash the cold, dark, merciless killer inside her and become the predator...rather than the prey.
Newly minted agent Mercy Gunderson is back and ready for action—unfortunately, she’s stuck doing paperwork in an overheated government office building. But she gets more than she bargained for when she’s thrown into her first FBI murder case, working with the tribal police on the Eagle River Reservation, where the victim is the teenage niece of the recently elected tribal president. When another gruesome killing occurs during the early stages of the investigation, Mercy and fellow FBI agent Shay Turnbull are at odds about whether the crimes are connected.
Due to job confidentiality, Mercy can’t discuss her misgivings about the baffling cases with her boyfriend, Eagle River sheriff Mason Dawson, and the couple’s home on the ranch descends into chaos when Dawson’s eleven-year-old son Lex is sent to live with them. While Mercy struggles to find a balance, hidden political agendas and old family vendettas turn ugly, masking motives and causing a rift among the tribal police, the tribal council, and the FBI. Soon, however, Mercy realizes that the deranged killer is still at large—and is playing a dangerous game with his sights set on Mercy as his next victim.
Newly minted agent Mercy Gunderson is back and ready for action—unfortunately, she’s stuck doing paperwork in an overheated government office building. But she gets more than she bargained for when she’s thrown into her first FBI murder case, working with the tribal police on the Eagle River Reservation, where the victim is the teenage niece of the recently elected tribal president. When another gruesome killing occurs during the early stages of the investigation, Mercy and fellow FBI agent Shay Turnbull are at odds about whether the crimes are connected.
Due to job confidentiality, Mercy can’t discuss her misgivings about the baffling cases with her boyfriend, Eagle River sheriff Mason Dawson, and the couple’s home on the ranch descends into chaos when Dawson’s eleven-year-old son Lex is sent to live with them. While Mercy struggles to find a balance, hidden political agendas and old family vendettas turn ugly, masking motives and causing a rift among the tribal police, the tribal council, and the FBI. Soon, however, Mercy realizes that the deranged killer is still at large—and is playing a dangerous game with his sights set on Mercy as his next victim.
328 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
13 people are currently reading
546 people want to read
About the author
Lori G. Armstrong
22 books279 followersLori Armstrong is the two-time winner of the Shamus Award given by the Private Eye Writers of America and a New York Times bestselling author of contemporary western erotic romance, written as Lorelei James. Her books have won the Willa Cather Literary Award and have been nominated for the High Plains Book Award and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She lives in western South Dakota - See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/L...
Series
* PI Julie Collins
* Mercy Gunderson Mystery
Series
* PI Julie Collins
* Mercy Gunderson Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
March 16, 2023
After training in Quantico, Virginia to be an FBI agent, Mercy Gunderson returns to the big ranch in western South Dakota that she owns jointly with her younger sister Hope. Although Mercy has enrolled officially in one of the Sioux (Lakota) reservations, she qualified solely because of a Minneconjou Lakota grandparent and does not feel herself to be Native American.
Most of the Lakotas agree with that feeling, but she continues to have good relations with Hope's husband Jake (100% Lakota I think), who runs the ranch, and his grandmother Sophie, who is something like a surrogate mother to Mercy; Sophie cooks and keeps house there. Eagle River County sheriff Mason Dawson is now her live-in boyfriend, and his eleven-year-old son Lex comes to live with them.
Thanks to her official Native American status, however, she got herself assigned to the FBI's field office in Rapid City, so she can commute from the ranch. Her boss pairs her with an experienced agent, Shay Turnbull, who's been transferred from the Minneapolis field office in what looks like a demotion--but nobody talks about that till near the end of the book, so I won't either. That's a hint that plenty of secrets are gong to come out as the book goes along.
The characters I've named so far are the ones you would probably think of as the protagonists, and the story brings Sheriff Dawson's team, the FBi, and the tribal police into a complicated and unusual set of murders. Just as in the first two books, the author has given us remarkably well rounded characters in all the main roles. The victims and most of the suspects are Lakota, and jurisdictional lines are carefully observed under considerable pressure, with not a little politicking.
Mercy's first-person narration takes us deep into her own issues with life and death. She's retired after a twenty-year career in U. S. Army special ops as a sniper in war zones (both Iraq and Afghanistan), and she makes no bones about what that was like and the person she became, able to set her feelings aside to accomplish a mission. After her countless kills abroad, she has already killed twice here at home (books #1 and #2, strongly recommended). Yet she has a strong ethical sense--will she kill again?
Extended family relationships have a powerful effect on the investigation and on Mercy personally through Jake and Sophie; the murders are gruesome, and long-held enmities come to the surface. Mercy must deal physically with the eye injury she sustained in the Middle East (how again did she pass the physical exam to be an FBi special agent?) and emotionally with the family trauma that began in book #1 with the murder of Hope and Jake's teenage son.
A very human police procedural, then, set in the well-described bleakness of late autumn where the High Plains meet the Black Hills. I was very glad I read it; strongly recommended.
Most of the Lakotas agree with that feeling, but she continues to have good relations with Hope's husband Jake (100% Lakota I think), who runs the ranch, and his grandmother Sophie, who is something like a surrogate mother to Mercy; Sophie cooks and keeps house there. Eagle River County sheriff Mason Dawson is now her live-in boyfriend, and his eleven-year-old son Lex comes to live with them.
Thanks to her official Native American status, however, she got herself assigned to the FBI's field office in Rapid City, so she can commute from the ranch. Her boss pairs her with an experienced agent, Shay Turnbull, who's been transferred from the Minneapolis field office in what looks like a demotion--but nobody talks about that till near the end of the book, so I won't either. That's a hint that plenty of secrets are gong to come out as the book goes along.
The characters I've named so far are the ones you would probably think of as the protagonists, and the story brings Sheriff Dawson's team, the FBi, and the tribal police into a complicated and unusual set of murders. Just as in the first two books, the author has given us remarkably well rounded characters in all the main roles. The victims and most of the suspects are Lakota, and jurisdictional lines are carefully observed under considerable pressure, with not a little politicking.
Mercy's first-person narration takes us deep into her own issues with life and death. She's retired after a twenty-year career in U. S. Army special ops as a sniper in war zones (both Iraq and Afghanistan), and she makes no bones about what that was like and the person she became, able to set her feelings aside to accomplish a mission. After her countless kills abroad, she has already killed twice here at home (books #1 and #2, strongly recommended). Yet she has a strong ethical sense--will she kill again?
Extended family relationships have a powerful effect on the investigation and on Mercy personally through Jake and Sophie; the murders are gruesome, and long-held enmities come to the surface. Mercy must deal physically with the eye injury she sustained in the Middle East (how again did she pass the physical exam to be an FBi special agent?) and emotionally with the family trauma that began in book #1 with the murder of Hope and Jake's teenage son.
A very human police procedural, then, set in the well-described bleakness of late autumn where the High Plains meet the Black Hills. I was very glad I read it; strongly recommended.
March 9, 2013
Mercy Gunderson is the smart, intense and cool under pressure protagonist of Lori Armstrong "Mercy" series, which is anything but about mercy. Armstrong, who won the 2011 Shamus Award for best Private Investigator Hardcover Novel with "No Mercy", the last book in the series, finally has returned for the next Mercy novel, and its a winner.
Mercy is an ex black ops sniper who left the armed service after an eye injury and returned home to her family ranch in Eagle River County in western South Dakota. Mercy, who is a registered member of the Eagle River Tribe, lived most of he childhood right next to the Eagle River Reservation, and has several friends and contacts in the Tribe. Her sister, who lives on her ranch, is also married to a member of the Tribe.
After losing the election for Sheriff of Eagle River County, and deciding that ranching life was not enough for her, Mercy has joined the FBI, and has been assigned to a large area of South Dakato, which has several reservations. Almost immediately, a young girl, the niece of the tribal leader of Eagle River reservation ends up staked to the ground.
Mercy and her FBI trainer/partner are assigned to investigate the odd killing. Mercy is informed by Rollie, a tribal big wig on the reservation that this has not been the only girl who ended up dead, but because the tribal police investigated, nothing was learned. Rollie, who is shacking up with Verline, a woman 30 years younger than him, is not trusted as a source for information.
Soon the FBI and Mercy's partner are ready to convict one man, but Mercy, bucking her boss, digs deeper into past unexplained deaths on the reservation at the Reservation library. Mercy's partner tries to get in her face, but Mercy, is not one to scare off or be deterred. She knows how to track down leads and figure out the killer.
Meanwhile, Mercy also has to deal with issues at home. her co-habitating Sheriff boyfriend, who has a young son from a former marriage, has brought his young son to the ranch. Mercy, who is still not sure if she will accept one of the Sheriff's numerous proposals of marriage, is now thrust into a whole new level of home life.
To further complicate Mercy's home life, there is bad blood between Mercy's long term housekeeper's family, and another tribal family.
When the daughter of her housekeeper ends up dead, in another brutal killing, Mercy zooms in on the killer, who threatens Mercy's family and loved ones. He challenges Mercy to go against him mano a mano in a man hunt. However, Mercy does not play fair. There are no rules in the wild.
If its going to be a manhunt, I would rather have Mercy and her gunhand on my side.
Mercy is an ex black ops sniper who left the armed service after an eye injury and returned home to her family ranch in Eagle River County in western South Dakota. Mercy, who is a registered member of the Eagle River Tribe, lived most of he childhood right next to the Eagle River Reservation, and has several friends and contacts in the Tribe. Her sister, who lives on her ranch, is also married to a member of the Tribe.
After losing the election for Sheriff of Eagle River County, and deciding that ranching life was not enough for her, Mercy has joined the FBI, and has been assigned to a large area of South Dakato, which has several reservations. Almost immediately, a young girl, the niece of the tribal leader of Eagle River reservation ends up staked to the ground.
Mercy and her FBI trainer/partner are assigned to investigate the odd killing. Mercy is informed by Rollie, a tribal big wig on the reservation that this has not been the only girl who ended up dead, but because the tribal police investigated, nothing was learned. Rollie, who is shacking up with Verline, a woman 30 years younger than him, is not trusted as a source for information.
Soon the FBI and Mercy's partner are ready to convict one man, but Mercy, bucking her boss, digs deeper into past unexplained deaths on the reservation at the Reservation library. Mercy's partner tries to get in her face, but Mercy, is not one to scare off or be deterred. She knows how to track down leads and figure out the killer.
Meanwhile, Mercy also has to deal with issues at home. her co-habitating Sheriff boyfriend, who has a young son from a former marriage, has brought his young son to the ranch. Mercy, who is still not sure if she will accept one of the Sheriff's numerous proposals of marriage, is now thrust into a whole new level of home life.
To further complicate Mercy's home life, there is bad blood between Mercy's long term housekeeper's family, and another tribal family.
When the daughter of her housekeeper ends up dead, in another brutal killing, Mercy zooms in on the killer, who threatens Mercy's family and loved ones. He challenges Mercy to go against him mano a mano in a man hunt. However, Mercy does not play fair. There are no rules in the wild.
If its going to be a manhunt, I would rather have Mercy and her gunhand on my side.
January 8, 2013
KcLu's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
5 Stars
I have to say this is one of the harder reviews I have had to write, because Lori has truly outdone herself with this one!! I have to fight myself from going supper fan girl on this one! This series gets better and better with each book!! Like with the others this one got a hand hold on me, and I couldn’t put it down till I was finished with it. I just really really LOVE Mercy!!!
So far the FBI hasn’t lived up to the unrealistic expectations brought on by watching The X Files, and the endless lectures are getting old. Mercy may regret complaining about that though with her first case. Women are being killed around the reservation and town, and they are looking to be connected. When she tries convincing the higher ups in her office about her gut feelings in this case she ends up with grunt, and kinda puts herself at odds with fellow agent Shay Turnbull.
While her work life is kinda crazy things at home are actually going great for her. Living with her boyfriend, Sheriff Mason Dawson is going great. They have found a way to coexist, by keeping their home and work lives separate. A wrinkle does get thrown at them when Mason’s eleven year old son, Lex comes to live with them. You get to see a deeper yet softer side of Mercy as she truly adjusts to her new life, but you can guarantee she still has all her rough edges we love when those she loves are threatened.
I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this book in the Mercy series!! I find with this one we get to know Mercy on a much deeper level as she opens up more, and fights her ingrained training that would normally have her closing herself off. The relationship with Mason is truly steamy and downright truly romantic, because he understands that she isn’t your typical woman. She is more of a buy me bullets instead of flowers kinda gal. Plus the relationship between Mercy and Lex is just great!! I highly recommend this book and series, and truly hope that we get to see more and more of Mercy!!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
5 Stars
I have to say this is one of the harder reviews I have had to write, because Lori has truly outdone herself with this one!! I have to fight myself from going supper fan girl on this one! This series gets better and better with each book!! Like with the others this one got a hand hold on me, and I couldn’t put it down till I was finished with it. I just really really LOVE Mercy!!!
So far the FBI hasn’t lived up to the unrealistic expectations brought on by watching The X Files, and the endless lectures are getting old. Mercy may regret complaining about that though with her first case. Women are being killed around the reservation and town, and they are looking to be connected. When she tries convincing the higher ups in her office about her gut feelings in this case she ends up with grunt, and kinda puts herself at odds with fellow agent Shay Turnbull.
While her work life is kinda crazy things at home are actually going great for her. Living with her boyfriend, Sheriff Mason Dawson is going great. They have found a way to coexist, by keeping their home and work lives separate. A wrinkle does get thrown at them when Mason’s eleven year old son, Lex comes to live with them. You get to see a deeper yet softer side of Mercy as she truly adjusts to her new life, but you can guarantee she still has all her rough edges we love when those she loves are threatened.
I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this book in the Mercy series!! I find with this one we get to know Mercy on a much deeper level as she opens up more, and fights her ingrained training that would normally have her closing herself off. The relationship with Mason is truly steamy and downright truly romantic, because he understands that she isn’t your typical woman. She is more of a buy me bullets instead of flowers kinda gal. Plus the relationship between Mercy and Lex is just great!! I highly recommend this book and series, and truly hope that we get to see more and more of Mercy!!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
December 26, 2012
MERCILESS
Lori Armstrong
In this third installment of the Mercy Gunderson series, Mercy battles her
demons and uses her US Army skills a black op sniper.
Living on the family ranch but leaving the management of it to her sister Hope and Hope's husband, Jake, has left her at loose ends. She unsuccessfully ran for her late father's old job as sheriff, losing to sexy Mason Dawson. At the urging of friend and FBI agent, Shay Turnbull, Mercy joins the FBI.
Almost the day she returns from Quantico, there is a girl found murdered on the Reservation. Mercy is given the task of researching looking for a pattern of murders on the res. She does find a pattern of deaths, but it is inconclusive that they were accidents or murder, and Turnbull and the Field director ignore her findings.
In her private life, Mercy finds her old friend, bar owner John John hostile and unfriendly, and Rollie, an even older friend, gives her the brush off. Sophie, the cook and housekeeper since Mercy was a child quits suddenly. Once again, Mercy feels rudderless and abandoned.
Fortunately, Sheriff Dawson is now her live-in lover, and he grounds her with affection, love and passion. The only dark spot on their horizon is Dawson's eleven year old son is coming to live with them. But Mercy wants her man to be happy and she steps into the family role as best she can while working on a multiple murder as an FBI agent.
This series is not for the squeamish. Armstrong describes love scenes and murder scenes in brief but descriptive, terms. Her characters are strong, individual and recurring, giving a sense of the small community that is an Indian reservation in South Dakota. The land, harsh, open, wild and home to all the characters, is itself a character of importance. Mercy, so strong and coldly efficient, is just as needy and hungry for love as the next person. While her verbal dialogue is as salty as you would expect from a girl brought up on a ranch and an Army veteran, it is her “thought dialogue” that will make you smile and wish you could verbalize out loud what she is thinking.
The characters, the plots, the sense of place, and the dialogue are all first rate.
Thanks Lori, for bringing us another fast-paced, gutsy Mercy Gunderson book
that can’t be put down until the very unpredictable finish!
Lori Armstrong
In this third installment of the Mercy Gunderson series, Mercy battles her
demons and uses her US Army skills a black op sniper.
Living on the family ranch but leaving the management of it to her sister Hope and Hope's husband, Jake, has left her at loose ends. She unsuccessfully ran for her late father's old job as sheriff, losing to sexy Mason Dawson. At the urging of friend and FBI agent, Shay Turnbull, Mercy joins the FBI.
Almost the day she returns from Quantico, there is a girl found murdered on the Reservation. Mercy is given the task of researching looking for a pattern of murders on the res. She does find a pattern of deaths, but it is inconclusive that they were accidents or murder, and Turnbull and the Field director ignore her findings.
In her private life, Mercy finds her old friend, bar owner John John hostile and unfriendly, and Rollie, an even older friend, gives her the brush off. Sophie, the cook and housekeeper since Mercy was a child quits suddenly. Once again, Mercy feels rudderless and abandoned.
Fortunately, Sheriff Dawson is now her live-in lover, and he grounds her with affection, love and passion. The only dark spot on their horizon is Dawson's eleven year old son is coming to live with them. But Mercy wants her man to be happy and she steps into the family role as best she can while working on a multiple murder as an FBI agent.
This series is not for the squeamish. Armstrong describes love scenes and murder scenes in brief but descriptive, terms. Her characters are strong, individual and recurring, giving a sense of the small community that is an Indian reservation in South Dakota. The land, harsh, open, wild and home to all the characters, is itself a character of importance. Mercy, so strong and coldly efficient, is just as needy and hungry for love as the next person. While her verbal dialogue is as salty as you would expect from a girl brought up on a ranch and an Army veteran, it is her “thought dialogue” that will make you smile and wish you could verbalize out loud what she is thinking.
The characters, the plots, the sense of place, and the dialogue are all first rate.
Thanks Lori, for bringing us another fast-paced, gutsy Mercy Gunderson book
that can’t be put down until the very unpredictable finish!
January 18, 2013
This review was posted at Under the Covers
Wow! I am in awe of the complex story MERCILESS ended up being. I truly enjoyed every moment of it. This book took me on a wild ride that at times I didn’t know if would come out on a happy note.
Mercy is now working for the FBI and her first real case is a brutally murdered teenager. While trying to uncover who the killer is and working with the native cops, she will also have to learn to keep her relationship to Dawson separate from her new job as an FBI agent.
And can I just say that Mercy is one smart chick! If the FBI didn’t have her on this case they would’ve never found out what happened and stopped a crazy. Because when it came to who the killer was, let me just say that I did not see that coming. Crazy is the right word, that’s for sure. But amazing job, Ms. Armstrong for writing so well that it kept me guessing the whole time. And when it came down to a final showdown, there was no shying away from an epic battle.
This is by far my favorite Mercy Gunderson book to date because of the many layers this story had. There was Mercy, Dawson’s girlfriend; Mercy, Lex’s stepmom; Mercy, the FBI agent; Mercy, the sister; Mercy, the native; Mercy, the ex military. I could go on. And as seeing every aspect of Mercy’s life, I felt more connected to her.
I was excited with her at discovering clues and putting pieces of the puzzle together. I got freaked out with some of her discoveries. Some just made my skin crawl. And with so much happening in her personal life as well, I couldn’t help but shed a tear or two for her.
MERCILESS was heart pounding from beginning to end! A nail biting, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read. If you haven’t read Mercy yet, you should rectify that. Ohhh and Dawson…yep, I’m crushing on him big time. Can’t wait for the next one, hope the wait is not long this time.
*ARC provided by publisher
Wow! I am in awe of the complex story MERCILESS ended up being. I truly enjoyed every moment of it. This book took me on a wild ride that at times I didn’t know if would come out on a happy note.
Mercy is now working for the FBI and her first real case is a brutally murdered teenager. While trying to uncover who the killer is and working with the native cops, she will also have to learn to keep her relationship to Dawson separate from her new job as an FBI agent.
And can I just say that Mercy is one smart chick! If the FBI didn’t have her on this case they would’ve never found out what happened and stopped a crazy. Because when it came to who the killer was, let me just say that I did not see that coming. Crazy is the right word, that’s for sure. But amazing job, Ms. Armstrong for writing so well that it kept me guessing the whole time. And when it came down to a final showdown, there was no shying away from an epic battle.
This is by far my favorite Mercy Gunderson book to date because of the many layers this story had. There was Mercy, Dawson’s girlfriend; Mercy, Lex’s stepmom; Mercy, the FBI agent; Mercy, the sister; Mercy, the native; Mercy, the ex military. I could go on. And as seeing every aspect of Mercy’s life, I felt more connected to her.
I was excited with her at discovering clues and putting pieces of the puzzle together. I got freaked out with some of her discoveries. Some just made my skin crawl. And with so much happening in her personal life as well, I couldn’t help but shed a tear or two for her.
MERCILESS was heart pounding from beginning to end! A nail biting, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read. If you haven’t read Mercy yet, you should rectify that. Ohhh and Dawson…yep, I’m crushing on him big time. Can’t wait for the next one, hope the wait is not long this time.
*ARC provided by publisher
March 15, 2018
It’s been 6 years (hard to believe) since I read the second book in this series, so I have to get to know the main character all over again here. Much of her persona is coming back to me but I drew a blank on some of the events from previous books mentioned in this one.
Mercy Gunderson again seems softer than in the previous book. It’s always nice to see a character change over the course of a series.
Armstrong drops several Native American (Lakota?) words throughout the book but never defines them for the reader. She may have translated them in the earlier books but that doesn’t help the reader here.
Seventy-five pages from the end, Merciless descends into a run-of-the-mill serial killer novel with the ‘bad guy’ suddenly revealing himself after 250 pages of no clue he’s the one. And how does he do it? By taunting Mercy and luring her into a matching of wits to prove he is smarter, craftier, better than her. When I reached this point in the book, I had to power-wash the dust off this antiquated plot device.
I’ll give Armstrong points for making the ‘tell’ that the murderer is a serial killer something different, but I have to take some of those points away for Mercy or some other cop not picking up on it somewhere in the first 75% of the book.
Regarding the F-word (in this book and in others):
1/ It’s often used to show how tough a character (often a female) is. It only shows them to be foul-mouthed and crude.
2/ It has its place but, unfortunately, many authors seem to think that place is everywhere.
3/ As a result, it has been so overused that it has lost the impact it once had. It’s become a non-word like said, a word that the eyes slide over without the mind registering it.
Mercy Gunderson again seems softer than in the previous book. It’s always nice to see a character change over the course of a series.
Armstrong drops several Native American (Lakota?) words throughout the book but never defines them for the reader. She may have translated them in the earlier books but that doesn’t help the reader here.
Seventy-five pages from the end, Merciless descends into a run-of-the-mill serial killer novel with the ‘bad guy’ suddenly revealing himself after 250 pages of no clue he’s the one. And how does he do it? By taunting Mercy and luring her into a matching of wits to prove he is smarter, craftier, better than her. When I reached this point in the book, I had to power-wash the dust off this antiquated plot device.
I’ll give Armstrong points for making the ‘tell’ that the murderer is a serial killer something different, but I have to take some of those points away for Mercy or some other cop not picking up on it somewhere in the first 75% of the book.
Regarding the F-word (in this book and in others):
1/ It’s often used to show how tough a character (often a female) is. It only shows them to be foul-mouthed and crude.
2/ It has its place but, unfortunately, many authors seem to think that place is everywhere.
3/ As a result, it has been so overused that it has lost the impact it once had. It’s become a non-word like said, a word that the eyes slide over without the mind registering it.
March 20, 2018
Once again Lori Armstrong hits the reader with a riveting nail biting, gut wrenching, sucker punching suspense novel. Mercy Gunderson is now a FBI agent assigned to her home territory - the rez in South Dakota. She is in a perilous spot. Although she is part Native American, she is viewed with distrust, disdain and even hated. She is a Fed and most on the rez, have no love for the FBI. Besides that, her "Native" blood isbiological. She has no knowledge of being a Dakota, which causes friction with everyone.
There is a brutal murder and she and her training partner are called in to investigate. The Tribal Police are also there to support, but are known to drag their feet most of the time.
I do not like Mercy. She is a twisted individual whose military experiences have made her a cold calculating bitch who really doesn't give a shit who she stomps on to get her way. I wondered whether Lori Armstrong likes her too. But, Lordy, I just cannot get enough of Mercy Gunderson! On the other hand, she is fiercely loyal to her family, the residents and her job. She also appears to be "flawing" her ice queen character by being able to care and love her fiance.
I am not Military, Native American or versed in arms but the research on Military tactics, Weaponry and the Native American social and economic difficulties appear to be well represented.
One must read this series IN ORDER
There is a brutal murder and she and her training partner are called in to investigate. The Tribal Police are also there to support, but are known to drag their feet most of the time.
I do not like Mercy. She is a twisted individual whose military experiences have made her a cold calculating bitch who really doesn't give a shit who she stomps on to get her way. I wondered whether Lori Armstrong likes her too. But, Lordy, I just cannot get enough of Mercy Gunderson! On the other hand, she is fiercely loyal to her family, the residents and her job. She also appears to be "flawing" her ice queen character by being able to care and love her fiance.
I am not Military, Native American or versed in arms but the research on Military tactics, Weaponry and the Native American social and economic difficulties appear to be well represented.
One must read this series IN ORDER
August 5, 2023
I like my Mercy G.
February 4, 2015
This is actually a review of this series of 3 books ....No Mercy and Mercy Killand [book:Merciless|12160109.
No Mercy introduces Mercy "Gunny" Gunderson, on home from the Army on medical leave from her duties as a sniper. Mercy is home to take care of the ranch her father left her, as well as her sister, Hope, and her nephew Levi.
Mercy has a strong sense of duty, but doesn't feel like she fits in anywhere. Trouble starts when a young Indian teenager is found dead on her property. Fur automatically flies when she runs into Mason Dawson, the sheriff. Evidently he doesn't seem to be bothered overly much, even after another young Indian is found dead, and yet one more ... her own nephew. Even though attracted to the sheriff she doesn't have much faith in his abilities and she has trust issues.
The book is full of excitement ... I got to meet some very interesting secondary characters. The author has done her homework .... the scenery, ranch work, knowledge of snipers and their weapons... all are very much believable.
Mercy Kill has Mercy now working in a dive bar as bartender and bouncer... and she can do a bang up job. She is still coming to grips over the loss of her nephew. She and the Sheriff are now in an intimate relationship, but the trust issues are still there and Mercy is a hard woman to get to know. She has retired from the Army and nothing gives her greater pleasure than to go out and kill something.
An old Army buddy shows up in town while working for an oil company that wants to put in a pipeline. The town is divided and no one likes the newcomer. Mercy is the one who finds his body beaten to death. There are many, many suspects who wanted the man to go away. When hundreds of bottles of Oxycontin are discovered in his motel room, several drug dealers top the list of who-dun-its. And once again she and the Sheriff are at odds... so much so that she decides to run against him in the election that's a short time away.
Lots and lots of action, with an ending I didn't see coming. I really like Mercy even if she does have a lot of sharp edges to her. She also has a code and rarely ever steps over the line of what she can live with.
Merciless now has Mercy working as a rookie FBI agent that overlooks the Indian reservation. She and Sheriff Dawson are living together and now they have Dawson's young son living with them. Being that she and Dawson are working on opposite sides of the Reservation, they start bumping heads when women start going missing and later found dead.
As Mercy finds what links all these women together, she finds another link to several women who were murdered years earlier.
Quite a roller coaster ride! I wasn't sure I was going to be hooked by a female sniper who seems to have no soft spots, but I was wrong. It's been 2 years, but I'd still love to see another Mercy Gunderson book.
I gave it 5 stars because it surprised me ... I love the characters....I love the family dynamics... seems that no one is who you think they are.
No Mercy introduces Mercy "Gunny" Gunderson, on home from the Army on medical leave from her duties as a sniper. Mercy is home to take care of the ranch her father left her, as well as her sister, Hope, and her nephew Levi.
Mercy has a strong sense of duty, but doesn't feel like she fits in anywhere. Trouble starts when a young Indian teenager is found dead on her property. Fur automatically flies when she runs into Mason Dawson, the sheriff. Evidently he doesn't seem to be bothered overly much, even after another young Indian is found dead, and yet one more ... her own nephew. Even though attracted to the sheriff she doesn't have much faith in his abilities and she has trust issues.
The book is full of excitement ... I got to meet some very interesting secondary characters. The author has done her homework .... the scenery, ranch work, knowledge of snipers and their weapons... all are very much believable.
Mercy Kill has Mercy now working in a dive bar as bartender and bouncer... and she can do a bang up job. She is still coming to grips over the loss of her nephew. She and the Sheriff are now in an intimate relationship, but the trust issues are still there and Mercy is a hard woman to get to know. She has retired from the Army and nothing gives her greater pleasure than to go out and kill something.
An old Army buddy shows up in town while working for an oil company that wants to put in a pipeline. The town is divided and no one likes the newcomer. Mercy is the one who finds his body beaten to death. There are many, many suspects who wanted the man to go away. When hundreds of bottles of Oxycontin are discovered in his motel room, several drug dealers top the list of who-dun-its. And once again she and the Sheriff are at odds... so much so that she decides to run against him in the election that's a short time away.
Lots and lots of action, with an ending I didn't see coming. I really like Mercy even if she does have a lot of sharp edges to her. She also has a code and rarely ever steps over the line of what she can live with.
Merciless now has Mercy working as a rookie FBI agent that overlooks the Indian reservation. She and Sheriff Dawson are living together and now they have Dawson's young son living with them. Being that she and Dawson are working on opposite sides of the Reservation, they start bumping heads when women start going missing and later found dead.
As Mercy finds what links all these women together, she finds another link to several women who were murdered years earlier.
Quite a roller coaster ride! I wasn't sure I was going to be hooked by a female sniper who seems to have no soft spots, but I was wrong. It's been 2 years, but I'd still love to see another Mercy Gunderson book.
I gave it 5 stars because it surprised me ... I love the characters....I love the family dynamics... seems that no one is who you think they are.
July 1, 2015
Mercy Gunderson is getting used to her new job as a FBI special agent. She is also getting used to living with the sheriff Mason Dawson. Sometimes it is hard for both of them because they need to keep some parts of their job confidential from each other. Mercy's case has to do with a death on the Reservation. The niece of the Tribal Chairman has been killed in a pretty gruesome way. When Mercy starts to investigate tribal police records, she learns that there have been other suspicious deaths of women over the past few years. She goes to her contacts and family on the Reservation and finds some very conflicting information.
Her friend Rollie's live-in girlfriend is the second victim and many want to pin the murder on him. Mercy isn't buying it despite some circumstantial evidence. At home, her housekeeper and foster mother Sophie is also dealing with a daughter dying of cancer, a grandson who has visions that lead him to keep away from Mercy, and a son with big gambling debts. Mason also has to deal with his son coming to live with him and Mercy. His baby mama has had her hands full of the the eleven-year-old and is dumping him on Mason. That leads to one mixed up kid that Mercy isn't sure how to deal with.
The killer's third victim is Sophie's daughter - the one who was already dying of cancer. Mercy has her hands full investigating because she has a multitude of suspects. Is it someone who is in the loan sharking business? Is it the local drug lord? Is it her friend Rollie?
While she is still investigating, Mason is hurt in a charity bull riding event and put in a medically induced coma. This adds tons of stress but it also brings Mercy and Mason's son closer. I was completely surprised at the identity of the murderer and could totally understand Mercy's solution to the problem.
Fans of gritty mysteries with touch-as-nails heroines will enjoy the Mercy Gunderson series.
Her friend Rollie's live-in girlfriend is the second victim and many want to pin the murder on him. Mercy isn't buying it despite some circumstantial evidence. At home, her housekeeper and foster mother Sophie is also dealing with a daughter dying of cancer, a grandson who has visions that lead him to keep away from Mercy, and a son with big gambling debts. Mason also has to deal with his son coming to live with him and Mercy. His baby mama has had her hands full of the the eleven-year-old and is dumping him on Mason. That leads to one mixed up kid that Mercy isn't sure how to deal with.
The killer's third victim is Sophie's daughter - the one who was already dying of cancer. Mercy has her hands full investigating because she has a multitude of suspects. Is it someone who is in the loan sharking business? Is it the local drug lord? Is it her friend Rollie?
While she is still investigating, Mason is hurt in a charity bull riding event and put in a medically induced coma. This adds tons of stress but it also brings Mercy and Mason's son closer. I was completely surprised at the identity of the murderer and could totally understand Mercy's solution to the problem.
Fans of gritty mysteries with touch-as-nails heroines will enjoy the Mercy Gunderson series.
December 26, 2012
“Merciless” by Lori Armstrong, published by Touchstone Books.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
“Merciless” is a series about the life of Mercy Gunderson. The books should be read in order because there is a definite pattern to the stories.
Mercy Gunderson, after leaving the Army as an expert sniper, returns to her home in Eagle Ridge, South Dakota. She has gone through several changes since coming home and in this book she has joined the FBI. She has been assigned an area that includes the Eagle River Indian Reservation. This may be due to the fact that she is part Indian. The gruesome murder of a young Indian girl draws the attention of Mercy and although she has some thoughts on the murder they are largely ignored by her superiors. Mercy starts digging into files concerning deaths on the Indian Reservation and finds that many have been ignored by the local Indian Police Department. Mercy discovers a pattern in the deaths that lead her to believe that these women were murdered. It becomes more apparent to Mercy when another young Indian woman is found dead. She also becomes aware that she is dealing with a closed society. It is almost impossible to get any information from the Indian Police Department, and even more difficult to obtain information from the Indians living on the reservation. Adding to her dilemma, she is living with the Sheriff of Eagle Ridge and his son, from a former marriage, comes to live with them. Mercy finds herself in a military ops kind of situation applying her military training in a “Dangerous Game” climax.
A good story, especially for those who want a strong female character in their story. The book does contain some strong language and sexual situations.
Category – Mystery/Thriller
“Merciless” is a series about the life of Mercy Gunderson. The books should be read in order because there is a definite pattern to the stories.
Mercy Gunderson, after leaving the Army as an expert sniper, returns to her home in Eagle Ridge, South Dakota. She has gone through several changes since coming home and in this book she has joined the FBI. She has been assigned an area that includes the Eagle River Indian Reservation. This may be due to the fact that she is part Indian. The gruesome murder of a young Indian girl draws the attention of Mercy and although she has some thoughts on the murder they are largely ignored by her superiors. Mercy starts digging into files concerning deaths on the Indian Reservation and finds that many have been ignored by the local Indian Police Department. Mercy discovers a pattern in the deaths that lead her to believe that these women were murdered. It becomes more apparent to Mercy when another young Indian woman is found dead. She also becomes aware that she is dealing with a closed society. It is almost impossible to get any information from the Indian Police Department, and even more difficult to obtain information from the Indians living on the reservation. Adding to her dilemma, she is living with the Sheriff of Eagle Ridge and his son, from a former marriage, comes to live with them. Mercy finds herself in a military ops kind of situation applying her military training in a “Dangerous Game” climax.
A good story, especially for those who want a strong female character in their story. The book does contain some strong language and sexual situations.
January 26, 2013
Mercy Gunderson joined the FBI with ideas of the X-Files in her head.
She's rather bored with the many briefings on the job but finally gets her own case, a murder of a teenage girl, to solve.
The story deals with Mercy's investigative skills and the American Indian nation in South Dakota.
When a second death occurs, Mercy and her FBI handler have a difference of opinion of the relationship of the two murders.
We also get a view of teenagers on the reservation and dealing with their parent's rules and expectations.
Well done in the idea of Nevada Barr. I enjoyed the characters and the setting.
She's rather bored with the many briefings on the job but finally gets her own case, a murder of a teenage girl, to solve.
The story deals with Mercy's investigative skills and the American Indian nation in South Dakota.
When a second death occurs, Mercy and her FBI handler have a difference of opinion of the relationship of the two murders.
We also get a view of teenagers on the reservation and dealing with their parent's rules and expectations.
Well done in the idea of Nevada Barr. I enjoyed the characters and the setting.
February 9, 2013
I read this in one sitting. The plot races around Mercy's first case as a rookie FBI agent working the Rapid City field office. The investigation begins with a murder on the Eagle River Reservation. Suddenly Mercy's at odds with her mentor at the FBI while uncovering truths about her community she'd just as soon stayed buried. Mercy's forced to adapt (not her strength) to the shifting motives in the case and to some serious changes in her life when the preteen son of her lover, Sheriff Mason Dawson, moves in and the fallout from the murders becomes political and far too personal.
January 8, 2013
4.5 stars. Merciless,Lori Armstrong’s long-awaited and highly anticipated novel, is a suspenseful and engrossing mystery that fans of the Mercy Gunderson series are sure to love. To read my review in its entirety, please click HERE.
February 19, 2013
F*cking fantastic! THIS is why Armstrong is an award winning author! From the moment I started reading until the very last paragraph, the suspense and action never let up. Without a doubt her best book to date. I'd give this 10 stars if I could. A+++
For anyone looking to read this, I highly recommend you read the other books in the series first.
For anyone looking to read this, I highly recommend you read the other books in the series first.
January 27, 2013
Awesome Awesome Awesome!! It scared the crap out of me at the end! Boy, talk about the edge of hour seat suspense. Damn, my heart was pounding! Also, I thought the mention of Jackson Stock Contracting was a cool touch! Love that Mercy is a badass and knows how to use a gun!
March 27, 2016
This is the second book I have read in this series. Lori Armstrong is a local author and I really enjoy the thinly veiled locations in western South Dakota. The third installment in this series is well written, fun to read, and has a good plot. Highly recommended.
May 24, 2016
Another awesome Mercy read! I need to gather my thoughts on this one and will come back with a review!
January 11, 2013
A tough female protagonist in a series that I'd like to read more of.
November 28, 2020
I was a bit disappointed with this, the third Mercy Gunderson book. She's lost the personal acerbity through finding some inner peace, and while stability may suit Mercy it doesn't do anything for the book.
This time round people are turning away from her whereas in the past it was the other way round.
She's living with Dawson and has kicked her alcohol dependency (more or less).
She's mostly a gentler version of the troubled woman she used to be.
Someone is killing women under the radar of the police in the Lakota, Mercy joins the dots - unfortunately so did I and identified the killer almost as soon as he appears in the book.
The book ambles along, with occasional bursts of action, until a frantic race to the finish in the last few chapters.
It's just not as good as the first two in the series.
P. S. I was chuckling away at the silly Indian names when it struck me (for the first time in my life!) that I have a silly name too ... Finlay (Fionnlaigh in Irish) translates to 'Fair Haired Hero' and I am neither fair haired nor a hero.
This time round people are turning away from her whereas in the past it was the other way round.
She's living with Dawson and has kicked her alcohol dependency (more or less).
She's mostly a gentler version of the troubled woman she used to be.
Someone is killing women under the radar of the police in the Lakota, Mercy joins the dots - unfortunately so did I and identified the killer almost as soon as he appears in the book.
The book ambles along, with occasional bursts of action, until a frantic race to the finish in the last few chapters.
It's just not as good as the first two in the series.
P. S. I was chuckling away at the silly Indian names when it struck me (for the first time in my life!) that I have a silly name too ... Finlay (Fionnlaigh in Irish) translates to 'Fair Haired Hero' and I am neither fair haired nor a hero.
August 24, 2018
Note to self: read reviews of previous books before starting another book in a series.
As noted in my review of Mercy Kill (book #2), I think Armstrong inaccurately depicts Gunderson. I understand she wants to paint her as a tough ex-military woman, but I think she paints her full of stereotypical colors, not really writing her as a real person.
The story is a bit hard to follow as Armstrong switches between first names and last names of various characters. She includes so many potential antagonists (one of which comes out of the blue) with irrelevant narrative and conversations... I found myself wondering throughout (and even after finishing) "just what did that have to do with anything?".
I'm done with this series; Armstrong hasn't written another, but I felt like the ending left a few things open for future books.
Lots of foul language & adult situations - much of it unnecessary in my opinion.
As noted in my review of Mercy Kill (book #2), I think Armstrong inaccurately depicts Gunderson. I understand she wants to paint her as a tough ex-military woman, but I think she paints her full of stereotypical colors, not really writing her as a real person.
The story is a bit hard to follow as Armstrong switches between first names and last names of various characters. She includes so many potential antagonists (one of which comes out of the blue) with irrelevant narrative and conversations... I found myself wondering throughout (and even after finishing) "just what did that have to do with anything?".
I'm done with this series; Armstrong hasn't written another, but I felt like the ending left a few things open for future books.
Lots of foul language & adult situations - much of it unnecessary in my opinion.
January 15, 2018
It was good, especially the ending, but I had some issues with what happened during the story.
SPOILERS
A few things happen that don't make sense to me. Mercy suspects there's a serial killer, and when she tells her FBI chief, the solution is to wait a day or two before she starts researching? Instead of investigating further, she goes shopping at Walmart?
Then, when she knows who the serial killer is because she broke into her house and saw all the proof, and she knows her family could be in trouble, her solution is to drive home? Why not call someone, including her FBI partner, and tell him what is happening?
The final thing is how she is treated by Shay, her FBI partner. She is constantly telling him how the investigation is going and what she has discovered. He doesn't add one single thing to the investigation.
SPOILERS
A few things happen that don't make sense to me. Mercy suspects there's a serial killer, and when she tells her FBI chief, the solution is to wait a day or two before she starts researching? Instead of investigating further, she goes shopping at Walmart?
Then, when she knows who the serial killer is because she broke into her house and saw all the proof, and she knows her family could be in trouble, her solution is to drive home? Why not call someone, including her FBI partner, and tell him what is happening?
The final thing is how she is treated by Shay, her FBI partner. She is constantly telling him how the investigation is going and what she has discovered. He doesn't add one single thing to the investigation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2018
This is the first book I've read in this series so I will likely go back and read the first two; however, I didn't feel too lost even though there was obviously some history referred to in this one. That, in and of itself is an accomplishment. But even more to the point, considering I don't usually care for this slice of culture, i.e., hunting, rodeos, kids, military weaponry, etc., I was amazed that this book kept my attention to the very end. Just goes to show what is possible in the hands of a skilled writer. Very well done.
October 12, 2021
So in this third installment of the Mercy Gunderson mysteries, we find Mercy on her third career ( Soldier, barman, and now FBI agent). If she thought things would get easier now that she's all official, she thought wrong. Juggling a new case of young girls from the Rez being found dead and little to no leads, the last thing she needs is trouble with those she thought of as friends. With warnings coming from every angle and those she thought she could count on walking away, Mercy must figure it all out and hopefully before its too late!
August 28, 2017
Just read this book I purchased at a library sale last year. Took it to the beach and then it kept me reading as much as possible during the rest of the day's activities.
Now I want to go back and read the first two in this series, and hope that perhaps there may be a 4th book in this series coming. I see the author has written other series and books.
Now I want to go back and read the first two in this series, and hope that perhaps there may be a 4th book in this series coming. I see the author has written other series and books.
August 3, 2019
I love this series. I am so sad to have read that this is the end of the series though as the publisher has not opted for a 4th book (what is wrong with them??) and yet they still own the copyrights to the character so the author can't self-publish to continue the series. I devoured this series and now feel more than a bit lost that its over.
October 28, 2018
When I am asked , how did you like the writing of an author. I always answer, I look to see how I like the main character of the story. I just finished reading the third novel with Mercy Gunderson as the lead. I wish there were more with her but will continue to read Lori Armstrong.
June 29, 2017
Review by A.E.: "This was the best book I've read all summer. It was very thrilling. and I read it all in one night. I liked the characters."
January 3, 2019
Read all 3 books in this series....are there more? Excellent!
January 8, 2024
I think I'm done with this series.
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